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And that makes students and their dads at Dayspring Christian Academy, well, doggone happy.
In September, WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students), a nonprofit father involvement initiative of the Missouri-based National Center for Fathering (www.fathers.com), was launched by dads and other father figures of students at the school.
Paws down, the idea behind the "dogs" is both simple and effective, said Tom Lohr, a father of three and the "Top Dog" or program director at Dayspring, which he believes is the first school to incorporate the effort in Lancaster County.
Students' fathers, step-dads, grandfathers, uncles or any other father figures become WatchDOGS by volunteering at least one full day at their child's school in grades K-12.
Lohr hopes to start a county trend — even a whole pack of WatchDOGS.
"Just the connection that a dad makes with (their child) will last a lifetime," said Lohr, who is assisted by a "Top Dog" team. "The kids won't forget it."
The Dayspring WatchDOGS effort joins the now more than 1,200 in-school programs in 36 states — 10 in Pennsylvania — and New Zealand with many more in the works, according to Eric Snow, national director and co-founder.
Arkansas father Jim Moore had the idea for the program after the 1998 middle-school shooting in Jonesboro, Ark. He hoped to help students feel safer and to foster father figure involvement.
Program growth since that time has been steady and consistent, Snow said.
"In the last school year alone, we had more than 74,000 (father figures), and in the 2009-10 year, there are already over 100,000," he said. "The schools have continued to spread the word."
To gauge its effectiveness, the program conducted a survey in 2003 of 50 participating schools, and the response was overwhelmingly positive, Snow said.
Cost to kick off a WatchDOGS program is $300 for a start-up kit, Snow said, but there are no other expenses and no fundraisers are necessary. Initial organizers get introductory training through WatchDOGS, which is also partnered with the National PTA.
Lohr and Anita Casteel, Dayspring advancement coordinator, said the school's program — which kicked off with a packed auditorium at an invitational pizza party — has so far been a paws-itive experience.
There are now about 50 Dayspring WatchDOGS, and many are willing to take days off from work to participate, Lohr said.
When dads, donning a WatchDOGS T-shirt and a "dog tag" or nametag, arrive in a classroom, students gather around, and say "So you're the dog, today!"
Kids also get excited knowing their dad will be coming, Lohr said.
Second-grader Toby Palmer is looking forward to his dad's "dog day" in November.
"It's fun," he said. "They come into the classroom, and they play games with us and go to phys ed too," he said.
"I like it," said third-grader Aréanna Kroll. "They help us and the teachers."
After check-in, dads, who are always scheduled to spend some time with their own children, begin their day by assisting kids with the morning drop-off. WatchDOGS also help teachers with chores and lessons and join youngsters in class and during recess.
"Men play and interact differently with the kids (than women)," Casteel said. "But it's great for the kids to have that male role model and influence.
"You look out in the playground, and kids are having a ball."
On a rainy Thursday — off-playground — John Gibbel, a father of two, connected with second-graders, including daughter Madison, by pulling up a chair around a kid-sized table. He helped students in a reading exercise, and, although Madison laps up her dad's attention, she is willing, on his "dog day," to share.
When asked if dad being there makes her feel special, she responded with a hearty nod.
It made Gibbel feel special too.
"For me, it's just being able to come back to values and realize that we often talk about wanting to invest in our kids as fathers, and then we spend most of our time trying to earn a living and do other things that seem like they are important," said Gibbel whose "dog day" includes everything from phys ed to primary colors. "It's great having time to come and be with the kids, and (they) love it."
Teachers appreciate the "dogs" too.
"I think young men don't have enough male role models, particularly in elementary school, and it's important for (kids) to have daddies come in, especially for children who don't have a daddy in the house," said third-grade Dayspring teacher Mary Stauffer. "It also shows kids the importance of education, that it's not just something that mommies do, but dads think it's important enough to come in and take time off work.
"It also gives the dads a chance to see what the kids do and what (teachers) do."
Lohr said he was amazed at the fast-paced school schedule during his "dog day," which helped him gain a deeper appreciation for the staff.
He is eventually hoping to get enough participants at Dayspring to have a "dog" come in every day.
Lohr's son, Dawson, who is in third grade, said he liked having his dad in the classroom with him.
The best thing for Dawson about being with his dad on his "dog day"?
"I could hug him."
WHAT: WatchDOGS (Dads of Great Students), an in-school fatherhood involvement initiative
CONTACT: thomastrading@comcast.net
ON THE WEB: www.fathers.com
