Watch DOGS watching over Eugene Field

ALANNA WOLF-ARMSTRONG Staff Writer
Kim Walker

Eugene Field Elementary School is currently looking for a few good Watch DOGS to provide positive male role models for students there.

The Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students) program is an educational initiative created by the National Center for Fathering. Eugene Field is one of over 5,000 schools across the country taking part in the initiative.

“We’ve been participating in the Watch DOGS program for several years now,” said Eugene Field Assistant Principal Kim Walker. “It allows our fathers and father figures to be more of a positive role model for our students here.

“By having the fathers here, it shows the students that dad thinks it’s important to go to school too.”

Watch DOGS are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father figures who volunteer at school for at least one day each year.

During their time at school, Watch DOGS may assist with crossing guard duty, supervise lunch and recess, patrol school hallways, and assist teachers with classroom activities.

“Different schools utilize their Watch DOGS in certain ways, but here at Eugene Field we try to schedule our DOGS throughout the building so that they’re able to see what goes on all over the school,” Walker said.

An overriding goal of the program is to assure students that their fathers and father figures believe education is important. The dads also provide extra eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.

“We have dads who come in and they help in classrooms or at recess o