Wilder Dads Keep an Eye on School

Some watchdogs are patrolling on Springfield elementary school.  But these dogs don't beg for treats or play fetch.  They are, however, providing a positive experience for Springfield students.

They are called the Wilder WatchD.O.G.S.; D.O.G.S. is short for Dad's of Great Students.

It's a volunteer program at Wilder Elementary School where dads volunteer their time, once a month or once a semester, to be a positive role model for students who may not have a dad at home.

 Dads of some students patrol the hallways, visit with students in class or hang out with them at lunch just to see how their day is going. 

These small but important interactions show the students that these watchdogs care about them.

The dads also help them with questions about projects or work.

Wilder student Abby Lee is especially excited about the program because her dad, Gerry Lee, is a WatchD.O.G.  "It's cool because he understands what you are saying because he can help you with your problems and like explain what's going on."

"If I'm having trouble reading or with my grammar they can help me, if my dad is helping I don't get embarrassed in front of him. So I can tell him if I am having trouble," agrees Wilder student Dani Pearce.

This program also seems to help teachers and staff as the dads provide an extra sense of eyes and ears to the hallways to make sure everything is secure.

Wilder students have been using WatchD.O.G.S. for the past three years. And a coordinator says she believes Sequiota and Disney elementary schools have also used the program in the past.

This program actually came out of Arkansas.  After a school shooting there, a dad took a look at that district and realized dads were missing from being involved in the school so he created the WatchD.O.G.S. program and now it's catching on nationwide.