"Room Dads" bring a subtle difference to school volunteerism

Almost every day a strange guy walks the perimeter or halls of Meridian Ranch Elementary School in Falcon.

Don’t worry.

The T-shirt or badge tells the tale: Watch D.O.G.S.

Watch means he’s keeping his eyes peeled. The D.O.G.S. part stands for Dads of Great Students.

The Falcon School District 49 school is one of the first in the area to embrace the national program that enlists dads, uncles and grandfathers to volunteer at least one day a semester in schools, particularly in their childrens’ or relatives’ classrooms. The guys do things such as monitor the school entrance, assist with unloading buses, help oversee the lunchroom, keep an eye on the playground and play games with the kids during recess, give out stickers for good behavior in the halls and help teachers with classroom projects.

They are basically doing what room mothers have done for years when they volunteer at schools — but with a subtle difference.

“It’s also a safety factor, having men in a building creates that presence of safety,” says Meridian Principal Erica Mason.

Traditionally, dads have mostly been involved in schools for their kids’ sporting events. Couple that with the fact that most staff and teachers in elementary schools are women, and students are left with few male role models during school hours, Mason says. At Meridian there are six male teachers and 20 females.

More than 50 fathers have signed up for Meridian’s program, some volunteering regularly and others occasionally as their schedules permit.

“A lot of fathers traditionally have felt uncomfortable in schools. This has really changed their attitude,” Mason says. “They have a new appreciation of what their kids and the teachers do.” 

The kids love it, says kindergarten teacher Megan Weaver.  “I have my Watch D.O.G.S. work with small groups of kids. It’s helpful. And the kids really get into it.”

Adrian Zamora, a network engineer for Boeing, recently took a day off to volunteer in three of his kids’ classrooms. His day included patrolling the school grounds with a walkie talkie, shelving library books, teaching spelling words and reading a penguin story to kindergartners.  His son Elijah, 6, sat next to him with the other children gathered raptly around.

“They really listen when a dad is reading,” noted Weaver.

It was Zamora’s first time volunteering and he hopes to do it again. “It’s really interesting to see what they do during the day.” 

Elijah says he is happy to have his dad visit. “He does recess, too.”

The idea was hatched by CindyHalsey, a Meridian PTA officer, who heard about Watch D.O.G.S. at a state PTA convention.

She says the national organization, under the National Centers for Fathers, was founded in 1998 by an Alabama parent after a school shooting. Today there are more than 1,500 programs in 36 states. She says seven school districts in Colorado have programs.

Halsey said more than 160 people showed up for the kick off party of the program at Meridian.

“I think more schools would do this if they knew how easy it is to operate and how inexpensive.” The PTA paid about $300 for the program kit. Father’s sign up on a calender that’s coordinated by the school counselor.

“We haven’t had one negative comment about the program,” Halsey says. “And the kids get so excited to have their dads in the classroom.”