February 7, 2007

News Release

Owens Elementary Begins Watch D.O.G.S. Program

Owens Elementary will open its doors to a special volunteer program called Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) on Monday, February 12, at 8 a.m.  During the day, Watch D.O.G.S. may read and work on flash cards with students, play at recess, eat lunch with their child, watch the school entrances and hallways, assist with traffic flow, mentor students, and any other assigned activities where they actively engage with not only their child, but other students as well.  The group is made up of fathers, grandfathers, uncles, and other father-figures who want to participate at the school campus.  They are asked to devote an entire day just once a year. 

“Our PTA is very active,” said Owens Principal Linda Payne.  “The dads want to do something.  They want to contribute and be more involved with their children on a day-to-day basis, and have a positive influence on them.”

WATCH D.O.G.S. is a national innovative program focusing on the prevention of violence in our children’s schools by using the positive influence of fathers and father-figures for a two-fold purpose:  (1) to provide an unobtrusive fathering presence in schools, and (2) to be a positive and active role-model for students at their school.

WATCH D.O.G.S. Across America^® is a non-profit organization which began in 1998 by Jim Moore, immediately after the Jonesboro, Arkansas, middle school shooting tragedy. 

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