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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students and fathers participated in activities on Sept. 26 at Austintown Intermediate School's WATCH D.O.G.S. kick off day.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students and their fathers, grandfathers, uncles and other father-figures attended Austintown Intermediate School on Sept. 26 to participate in activities and eat pizza during the WATCH D.O.G.S. kick off.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students at Austintown Intermediate School and their fathers, grandfathers and other father-figures worked together on different activities and ate pizza during the WATCH D.O.G.S. kick off event on Sept. 26.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.Students from Austintown Middle School and their fathers, grandparents and other father-figures participated in activities and ate pizza during the WATCH D.O.G.S. kick-off event on Sept. 26.
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Neighbors | Alexis Bartolomucci.The fathers, grandfathers, uncles and other father-figures who attended the WATCH D.O.G.S. kick off event at Austintown Intermediate School on Sept. 26 watched a short video to learn about the program.
By ALEXIS BARTOLOMUCCI
Austintown Intermediate School introduced a new program called Watch D.O.G.S. to the school on Sept. 26.
Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) was created in 1998 by a father who wanted to become more involved in his children’s school. The program has since spread to more than 5,300 schools, 47 states and other countries.
AIS principal Jeff Swavel worked with fifth-grade teacher Troy Balint to bring the program to the intermediate school. The staff members were expecting between 100 and 200 people to show up, but instead there were more than 800 students and their fathers or grandfathers who attended.
“It’s about getting male involvement - father, grandfather, uncle - role models in the school,” said Swavel. “We have calendars lined up and we just ask them to pick one day this year that you can come in and volunteer in the building.”
The students arrived with their fathers to eat pizza, participate in different activities and learn about the Watch D.O.G.S. program. Some of the PTA members were at the event to help the fathers with signing up for different volunteering events.
“I think it’s a great idea. So many moms help and the kids are excited about their dads,” said Patty Herman, PTA president.
Some PTA members attended a Watch D.O.G.S. convention with Balint and Swavel to become trained in the program. This allows them to help spread the word around the community about the program. The program will allow the students’ fathers to sign up for different activities during the school year to volunteer for.
“We’re excited, we’re blown away by the by the response that we got,” said Swavel.
The staff and current PTA members are hoping to turn the program into a tradition at the intermediate school, as well as introduce the program to other Austintown schools.