Smith Elementary Calling on Watch D.O.G.S.

by Tina Cole-Mullins

Smith Elementary is calling on Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) to participate in this nationwide program, which was launched in 1998 and can be found in over 6,000 schools nationwide.

“You don’t have to have kids to be a role model. These kids see a lot of moms and women in the school; it’s good to see positive male figures,” commented Panthers Club PTO vice-president Tracie Lentz, who has a son in kindergarten at Smith Elementary.

Watch D.O.G.S. can be a dads, stepdads, grandfathers, brothers, uncles, or other male influences interested in mentoring our kids. They also provide an extra set of eyes and ears for added security and to help deter bullying.

Brad Edwards, principal at Smith Elementary, is enthusiastic about restarting the program. “Smith Elementary has had this program in years past, and we are excited to get it going again,” he shared enthusiastically.

“We look forward to the positive impact that this will have on our school culture. Flyers will go home with students, and advertisements on our Facebook Page for our Pizza Night will kick off the event later this month,” Edwards added.

“Volunteers will go through the same process for background checks as other school volunteers. Watch D.O.G.S., while on duty, will be trained with one of our Top Dog Team members. They will have a wide range of duties—from supervising recess/lunch and/or assisting teachers/students within the classroom, to being a hall monitor and/or supervising drop-off and pick-up procedures. Their hours and days are up to the volunteers to choose when they can help out. Or they can contact the main office throughout the year to sign up for a specific date/time.”

Currently, only Smith Elementary is participating in the Watch D.O.G.S. program, but parents like Lentz hope other schools will join the program.

Interested in volunteering through this program? If so, please contact Brad Edwards at 517-851-7735.

Further information can be found on the Watch D.O.G.S. website at https://dadsofgreatstudents.com.