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NOVEMBER 2016
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dad at
school
is cool: watch
d.o.g.s. at mayfair lab school by joy holden connect / l o c a l p r o f i l e eight years ago, jason spencer was watching the nightly news and happened to catch the bright, happy story towards the end. it was about watch d.o.g.s., a program that encouraged fathers to be present in their children
?s schools. fathers sign up for one day a year to volunteer at their child?s school. the national organization watch d.o.g.s., which stands for dads of great students, really resonated with him, and he thought how he would like that program to be in his children?s schools one day. once his children entered elementary school, each year he thought, ?somebody should start that watch d.o.g.s. program. somebody should really do that.? but, nothing happened. last february, jason realized that with his son entering kindergarten the next year, three of his four children would be attending mayfair lab school and maybe that ?somebody? should be him. he reached out to a few fathers, sent them the watch d.o.g.s. link, and gauged their interest. immediately they responded with resounding agreement. he then emailed mayfair, and the principal, christa bordelon leon, and shari luker, the executive secretary, were intrigued as well. by the spring, they were scheduling a conference call with the watch d.o.g.s. organization and purchasing a starter box. ?e pta covered the cost. ?ere were some initial concerns about kids who didn?t have dads. watch d.o.g.s. opens the door to all male role models in families, not just dads. ?ey encourage grandfathers, uncles, big brothers, or whoever is filling that role in the child?s life. jason acknowledges that in some families, mothers or grandmothers fulfill this role, and they are welcome, too. ?ough the watch d.o.g.s. are mostly men, they welcome women who want to be involved. i was whipped by the end of the school day and ready for a nap. we did everything from playing crab ball in pe with sixth graders to reading in the library to the first grade class. i had lunch with my kids and chatted with others in the cafeteria. at recess, i pushed kids on the swing. 46 brparents.com | november 2016
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