For the first time in the Chehalis School District, a program emphasizing positive male role models for students will debut at the district’s elementary schools in September.
The national program known as Watch D.O.G.S., or Dads of Great Students, aims to provide an extra set of eyes and ears on campus to enhance school security, while also providing mentors for young students to look up to.
Watch D.O.G.S. coordinator Kelsi Hamilton said she became interested in starting the program in Chehalis when her daughter started second grade. She knew the program already existed within the Centralia School District, and hoped to expand it farther to include Chehalis’ schools.
Currently Centralia runs the program at Edison Elementary School.
“I think it’s important just because No. 1, the security factor, and No. 2, it’s a great way to get children in fatherless homes a male role model,” Hamilton said. “For the dads it offers a unique perspective as far as what a day is like for the students, teachers and administrators.”
Volunteers in the program have to pass a background check to participate and the goal is to get male role models involved at the schools for at least one day per year. The Watch D.O.G.S. would work with the kids hands-on throughout the day, would have lunch with them, and help patrol the school grounds, Hamilton said, adding the national program was originally developed to help promote security within schools.
Hamilton said 80 percent of people involved in schools are women, including teachers, volunteers and administrators, so by adding more males to the environment, kids could benefit from a larger representation of people.
At a school board meeting in February, officials from Edison Elementary in Centralia presented important programs that help define the school, one being the Watch D.O.G.S. program.
Presenters told the school board the program is important because it helps add more male role models within the schools.
“In our society, what men do is important and it’s important to the kids,” Diane Hutchinson, the former principal of Edison, said. “When dad shows up, it shows what I do at school is important.”
Hamilton said the program was not only open to dads, but uncles, grandparents and other father-like figures were also encouraged to get involved.
The program was started through an educational initiative of the National Center for Fathering. “Top D.O.G.” volunteers help oversee the program and coordinate schedules.
