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More
than 115 adults showed up for the kickoff of the Watch DOGS program at
Woodland Heights Elementary School.
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Watch DOGS
invade Woodland Primary
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – Woodland Heights has a new look… dads, uncles, grandpas
helping out in the classroom, lunchroom, reading with kids, on the
playground at recess, helping with bus duty and more. They are part of
a new group started by the Woodland Heights PTA: Watch DOGS (Dads of
Great Students).
“We are getting male role models into the school,” said Assistant
Principal Lisa Maher. “Unfortunately we have to address the fact there
is a growing number of kids who are fatherless.”
The kickoff meeting for the program was held Oct. 29.
“Over 115 adults (mostly gentlemen) and more than 130 students showed
up,” Maher said. Within a couple days five men had already turned in
the forms. Four more came in a few days after that, for a total of nine
so far. “I think more will be filtering in,” she added.
She said she saw it in the meeting and later.
“Dads sitting and eating with their kids… socializing. Some went into
the gym and played with them after the meeting.”
Watch D.O.G.S.® is an official program of the National Center for
Fathering. One person has to be trained in the program by the
organization and there’s a binder with information that has to be
followed. Woodland’s “Top Dog” is Tom Warner, the father of one of the
students. Watch DOGS requires at least one day a year volunteering.
“We allow two half days,” Maher said. “The goal is to become part of a
child’s life.”
Maher gave full credit for the program to their PTA, noting they are
the ones running it.
“They came up with the idea,” she added. “Since the levy passed I’ve
been seeing great activity from the PTA, and much more community
involvement.
Watch D.O.G.S.® started in 1998 in Springdale, Ark. Today more than
3,156 schools in 46 states plus D.C. participate, creating millions of
“in school” volunteer hours.
Published courtesy
of The Early Bird
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