PHOTO COURTESY OF RICHARD SCOTT

About 50 Watch D.O.G.S. volunteers gave time to Fife schools last year. The Watch D.O.G.S. program works to get dads and other male figures into schools to create a safer, more secure learning environment while providing role models for students.

Dads are watchdogs in Fife

By Meghan Erkkinen

Dads in the Fife School District are becoming Super-man for a day – to the students, at least.

The Watch D.O.G.S. program is kicking off the school year with a spaghetti feed Sept. 30 as a way to bring dads and their children out for a good time, and to encourage dads to volunteer their time in Fife schools – even if it is just once this school year.

The Watch D.O.G.S. – that is Dads of Great Students – is an initiative of the National Center for Fathering, which encourages fathers and father figures to get involved in schools to create a more safe and secure learning environment for students. The Watch D.O.G.S. program was formed after the Columbine High School shootings in Colorado, and has been implemented in more than 700 schools around the country.

The program in the Fife School District is coordinated by dads Richard Scott and Tony Schwaerzler, who started up the program last year.

“We wanted to get more men involved in the school,” Scott said. “It was a way to implement more father and male figures into the daily routine schedule at school.”

Last year, about 50 men volunteered at Discovery Primary and Endeavour Intermediate schools. This year, Scott said he hopes to have at least one dad every day at both schools.

“If we can get 180 dads, times two schools, that’s what we want,” he said. “If you can fight for that one day (off of work), do whatever it takes.”

The Watch D.O.G.S. volunteers do a little of everything during their time at the schools. They patrol the halls, direct traffic before and after school, read to students, act as monitors on the playground and perform other tasks teachers or the administration might request.

“It’s been one of the most humbling events these dads have done,” Scott said. “They’re getting high-fives from kids they don’t even know…You’re Superman on the playground, you’re Michael Jordan on the court, you’re Einstein in the classroom.”

Discovery principal Julie Bartlett said the Watch D.O.G.S. have had a positive impact on her school.

“It’s brought a lot more male role models into the school,” she said. “Typically we’ve had more women (than men volunteering)…To see males valuing education and helping out, I think there’s a benefit you can’t get in another way.”

In his first year as principal of Endeavour, Kevin Alfano said he has seen the benefits of the program.

“As a principal, it really makes sense to have another set of eyes,” he said. “Our (parent) involvement is unbelievable, but to have a committed group of dads organizing in this community is amazing…As a new principal to get a new group of people come in and want to help out, I couldn’t be more excited about that.”

Alfano also stressed the safety factor of the program – each volunteer has a thorough background check before working on campus.

The kickoff spaghetti feed will be held Sept. 30 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Surprise Lake Middle School. Scott and Schwaerzler encourage all dads – even those with children in different schools – to attend the event. For more information, visit the Discovery-Endeavour PTA website at www.fifeschools.com/discover/pta/index.html.

Story Tools