Devoted Dads: Fathers group forms at local school
Berl Tiskus
Dads attach stickers to a school year calendar indicating what day they can come to school. Linderman School Watch D.O.G.S. encourage father's participation in the school.
Berl Tiskus
Dads share pizza with their children at Linderman Elementary School in Polson.
Berl Tiskus
Dads and children pack the lunchroom at Linderman Elementary School.
Berl Tiskus
Game time at the gym during Watch D.O.G.S. meeting
Berl Tiskus
Kids blow air to move cards during game time in Linderman gym at the first Watch D.O.G.S. meeting.
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In an effort to provide positive, active role models for students and an unobtrusive male presence in the school, Linderman Elementary recently held their the first meeting of the father-involvement program called Watch D.O.G.S. — which stands for Dads of Good Students.
On the evening of Jan. 9, fathers and their children packed the lunchroom. Linderman Counselor Chris McElwee said he was overwhelmed with the turnout; he was hoping for 20 dads, and approximately 100 signed up.
After munching on pizza, the kids headed off to the gym for games, and the dads and/or male father figures learned about Watch D.O.G.S.
Linderman Principal Tim Finkbeiner warmed up the crowd, giving some facts about students who have an involved father: Even from birth, kids are more emotionally secure; are more confident in exploring their surroundings; have better social and emotional skills; better educational outcomes and better verbal skills.
“I am saying you are important. I am not saying mothers aren’t important,” Finkbeiner emphasized. “You are welcome anytime.”
After watching a YouTube video about dads involved in the program, the men were asked to come to school for one day and work in the classrooms.
Each man received a sticker and could fill it out and affix it to a calendar on the lunchroom wall to reserve a day to volunteer at the school.
McElwee explained that a typical day at the 2nd through 4th grade school would begin at 8:20 a.m. with daily announcements, and then the Watch D.O.G. of the day would be introduced. After spending an hour in their child’s classroom, the Watch D.O.G. dad would go on to other classrooms, have lunch with the kids and go out for recess. Dads could also spend time roaming the halls and making sure the playground gates were secure. At the end of the day, the Watch D.O.G. dad would fill out a short computer survey on the program.
The school will purchase a supply of Watch D.O.G. shirts in varying sizes for dads to wear during their day at school.
Dads began volunteering on Monday, Jan. 13.
As one of the fathers in the video said, “The definition of fatherhood is being there, not money or things.”
