From the classroom to the lunchroom to the playground, the men of Watch D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Students) are tutors, mentors and friends to students at Elrod Elementary School in Kalispell and Muldown Elementary School in Whitefish.

Whether it’s dads, stepdads, grandfathers, uncles or neighbors, both schools have increased the presence of positive male role models through Watch D.O.G.S., a national program administered through the National Center for Fathering.

The program was launched at the beginning of the year at Muldown and in February at Elrod.

Elrod has 19 registered volunteers and Muldown seven. The program asks men to volunteer at least once a year, yet both schools have regulars who are able to volunteer once a week or once a month.

Elrod Principal Glenda Armstrong said the high participation was unexpected.

“I think they never really had the opportunity and I think it’s just because it’s out of the norm to have a dad take a day off and come in,” Armstrong said.

The program provides an opportunity for men to have a purpose in the school beyond their child’s activities or parent-teacher conferences, Armstrong said. Muldown Assistant Principal John Coyne said it’s a benefit to have an extra set of eyes to watch over students.

Wearing special white shirts with the Watch D.O.G.S logo, the male volunteers are a visible presence at each school. This visibility was one important aspect to Elrod volunteer Doug Chinn, 63, who has retired from a 27-year career in law enforcement. Chinn’s grandson, Connor Manning, is a second-grader at Elrod.

“I’ve certainly watched what’s happened over the years in schools — Columbine, Sandy Hook — well, what makes Kalispell any different than them?” Chinn asked.

There is personal satisfaction that comes with volunteering at the school, Chinn said.

“On a personal basis, I think I receive a lot more out of the program,” Chinn said. “I didn’t know the vacancy I would fill in the lives of students just being their buddy, being their pal.”

He also said he was also impressed by the teaching quality and the skills students learn.

“I feel fairly proficient with a computer, but the second-graders were teaching me how to use the computer. I’m just amazed watching their minds act as sponges,” Chinn said adding that for students to see they can be teachers gives them a sense of pride.

From a material perspective, Chinn has also discovered the financial needs of the school after being in the thick of an average school day.

“Sometimes we look at levies with a jaundiced eye,” Chinn said.

In an environment that predominately gets women volunteers, both principals commented on the impact the male volunteers have made on students.

Armstrong and Coyne noted that the involvement of a male role model is important for children who don’t have one present on a regular basis at home.

“We have a large population of single-parent families, there are numerous fathers working in North Dakota or split families — a lot that don’t have that male role model figure in the home,” Armstrong said.

“The relationship piece is just amazing,” Armstrong said. “We have kids who just need someone to talk to and it needs to be a male figure.”

On April 23 at Elrod, Grant Fredenberg, 36, held up multiplication flash cards to Kolton Nevins, one of Ashley Fischer’s fourth-graders.

“We go around to all the students,” Fredenberg said. “They hand us a list of classes they want us to visit and today they wanted me to do a little bit of tutoring.”

Fredenberg said the school works around the schedule of volunteers. Fredenberg has been volunteering Wednesdays at the school where his son Aidan attends kindergarten.

“We go and assist at lunch time, go out at recess and help — there’s a lot swing pushing and football throwing — just really getting involved with the kids and being a presence in the school to help out with antibullying — any of that stuff,” Fredenberg said.

Outside school, Fredenberg occasionally runs into students at work and they recognize him as a Watch D.O.G.S. volunteer. Armstrong said this is an example of building connections in the community.

Fischer’s class has volunteers about two days a week.

Fischer said her students recently have been struggling to memorize multiplication facts and needed additional one-on-one attention to master timed quizzes.

“I was going to have fifth-graders come do it with them, but it was right at the time we were going to do the Watch D.O.G.S,” Fischer said. “Now, kids are testing out of it.”

Fischer said it has put a positive spin on students who need to be pulled aside for extra help.

“Anytime we get an announcement that we have a Watch D.O.G, kids are like, ‘Yes, am I first.’ Even kids that know their math facts are jealous of the kids practicing with them and usually that’s not the case.” Fischer said. “Kids that are pulled out to work on something, usually they feel kind of ostracized because ‘I’m the kid that has to work on my math facts,’ but the Watch D.O.G. is such a positive thing that makes practicing your math facts the envy of all.”  

She added: “It’s great just seeing all these dads in the community and it’s not just dads, it’s grandparents, uncles, even some of our staff [member’s] husbands.”

Fourth-grader Lylli Lookebill has benefited from the extra one-on-one help.

“I like to do multiplication facts a lot. I’m into math and I want to get better at them because we’re doing division right now. They [Watch D.O.G.S] also, sometimes, when you’re struggling with your math facts they take out a pen and paper and show you cool little neat tricks. I’m getting really fast at them,” Lookebill said.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.