Male role model program at Almont a huge success
Orchard Primary third grade students work together with Tim Haynes in the library. Haynes is one of several members of the school’s WATCH D.O.G.S. program.ALMONT — Anytime a male role model can be utilized in a positive way at his school building, Almont Orchard Primary Principal Adam Bruno is going to look in to how to make it happen.
Although the WATCH D.O.G.S program was started at the school before his tenure there, Bruno says it is a great hit with the dads, and students.
“The kiddos love it,” he said. “And I do too. We’ve made a few tweaks with the program since I started here (in February of this year), but overall, it is very successful and we have a great number of dads, uncles, grandpas, other male role models who take part and everyone has a great time.”
WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is a family and community engagement educational initiative.
It’s a win-win for the students, dads and school as the program provides positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.
It also provides an extra set of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.
WATCH D.O.G.S., a K-12 program, invites fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or other father figures to volunteer at least one day all day at their child’s/student’s school during the school year.
The program is overseen by a “Top Dogs” volunteer team who partners with the school administrator to coordinate scheduling and identify opportunities for WATCH D.O.G.S. to assist at the school.
WATCH D.O.G.S. dads and volunteers perform a variety of tasks during their volunteer day including monitoring the school entrance, assisting with unloading and loading of buses and cars, monitoring the lunch room, or helping in the classroom with a teacher’s guidance by working with small groups of students on homework, flashcards, or spelling.
According to their website, WATCH D.O.G.S. is one of the nation’s largest and most respected school-based, family, and community engagement, organizations.
Since the program’s creation in 1998, more than 6,800 schools across the country have launched a WATCH D.O.G.S. program of their own.
Each school year, Principal Bruno says the list of people wanting to take part in the Almont programs fills quickly.
“It’s had a great impact here and we have so many guys taking part,” he said. “It’s so exciting and satisfying to see them come in and interact with the kiddos.”
Bruno feels the program, that has been in place at Orchard Primary for at least seven years, provides a greater sense of campus safety, allowing students and teachers to focus on learning and instruction.
The organization’s mission is to support principals and teachers by providing willing volunteers while contributing to improved outcomes for students.
The male role models serve on campus for one day or more each year, under the leadership of a program coordinator and the guidance of a school principal or designated administrator.
The program speaks directly to those caregivers and guardians who are statistically less likely to come onto campus to volunteer. The website says many of their campus programs also invite M.O.M.S. and all Heroes of the Hallway to serve under the WATCH D.O.G.S.® Program.
During the day, WATCH D.O.G.S. may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with students, patrol the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow, and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with not only their students but other students as well.
Many school principals have reported that the mere presence of a WATCH D.O.G.S. dad dramatically reduces reports of bullying.
On the day of their participation, WATCH D.O.G.S. dads are given a brief review of their involvement and they wear an official WATCH D.O.G.S. t-shirt with a disposable ‘Dog Tag’ identifying them as a WATCH D.O.G.S.
Principal Bruno says everyone associated with WATCH D.O.G.S. goes through the same process employees do, including having a background check.
“Parents are trusting us with their children,” he explained. “#1 to us is student safety and as a part of that, we do a background check on everyone who is working with the children.”
He said there is always a school staff member with each male role model, to ensure there are no issues.
Bruno added, “It works great outside for recess. The older kids love playing football catch, or being pushed on the swings. Just that little extra attention goes a long way. We’ve noticed less issues, especially with bullying. It’s just a great program here at Orchard and we thank the dads for being involved.”
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