Jeff Barnes did not clock into work last Friday. Instead, he was signing himself in at Benson Hill Elementary School with his fifth-grade son and third-grade daughter.

Barnes was one of fathers who signed up for Benson Hill’s newest program, WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students).

It’s a national program that aims to provide positive male role models for students by having fathers and father figures volunteer at the school all day. The aim of the program is to not only provide additional security within schools, but also to present positive male role models to students and demonstrate the importance of education.

“It sends the message that school is important,” explained Principal Martha Flemming. “[Dads] come and they have a daily schedule. They go into their child’s classroom, they help out in whatever way the teacher needs. Maybe they read with kids, work on math, followup on teacher lessons, work with a small group or provide extra hands in classroom. It gives them the opportunity to connect more with their child.”

Benson Hill is one of the eight schools in the district which have implemented the program. Other participating schools include Highlands Elementary, Honey Dew Elementary, Kennydale Elementary, Renton Park Elementary, Talbot Hill Elementary, Dimmitt Middle School, McKnight Middle School and Hazen High School.

According to Flemming, the program is the perfect way to increase parent engagement and involvement in school.

“Many of these kids don’t have dads,” she said. “A lot of them don’t have positive male role models to look up to. All the more reason we must have positive male role models. It’s part of our school improvement plan to increase meaningful family engagement.”

Flemming said that she had sensed a need for the program for a while and felt that now was the right time.

“There’s a certain readiness from families that needs to be there,” she said. “Staff needs to be all in as well. They need to feel comfortable in having dads in classroom and do some preparation in the kinds of activities the dads are going to do so it’s purposeful.”

Accoring to Raymond Kusumi, family and community engagement director of the Washington State PTA, the interest has been high not only at Benson Hill but the other schools that have recently implemented the program. But the challenge normally comes during spring semester.

“You can get a lot of dads to volunteer in the fall. But in spring, with all the outdoor activities, it’s tough to get a commitment,” said Kusumi, who has also been helping start the program across the schools in the district.

However, a kickoff party conducted last month at Benson Hill was a success, according to Flemming. Bates was one of the 80 dads expressed interest in signing up for the program.

Bates’ first day of volunteering was no walk in the park. Since the start of the day, he had been bouncing from classroom to classroom, helping with math games, helping students with reading and painting, playing football with the kids, conducting library inventory, and even eating lunch with his kids.

“It’s fun to play with the kids,” he said, sporting the WATCH D.O.G.S. T-shirt.

Bates said he not only enjoyed spending time with his kids, but he is also starting understand how his kids are being taught.

“I see the methods the teachers are using. It helps me understand how to teach them when they get home,” Bates said.

And at the end of a long and exhausting day, Bates said he was glad he signed up for the program.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “I would definitely do it again.”