By Eric Rice

Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) is a “Father Involvement Initiative of the National Center for Fathering.” Jim Moore created the program in 1998 in response to a tragic school shooting in Jonesboro, AR.  Noting the relative absence of fathers in his own son’s school, Moore began recruiting men and challenging them to become more involved in the school. Today, 1,500 schools and 65,000 men are reconnecting with their kids, keeping schools safe, and supporting the work of school teachers and administrators through Watch D.O.G.S. 

After researching the program for some time as a way to be more involved with my own kids, I introduced the program to Principal Amy Vagnier at Foothills Elementary School. She, along with school administrators Tammy Hooper and Kara Buckner, began putting the plans in place to launch Watch D.O.G.S. at Foothills. On Jan. 12, 2010, the school hosted its first annual Dads and Kids Pizza Night, to kick off the program. More than 500 people, including 200 dads, were in attendance to hear about Watch D.O.G.S. Fathers and father figures were challenged to take an active role in the lives of their kids, specifically in their education. Dads were asked to commit to spending at least one full day in the school per school year and more than 100 dads have done so already.

Dads show up for their “Dog Day” at 7:15 a.m. wearing their Watch D.O.G.S. “uniform” t-shirt.  They receive a specific schedule and spend time, not only in their own kids’ classroom, but in other areas needing assistance, such as playground duty, the lunchroom, “specials” (Music, Art, P.E., Library), and small reading groups. They also help with arrival and dismissal, patrol the hallways and periodically walk the perimeter of the school.  Dads have thoroughly enjoyed their experience, and the faculty and students have also responded positively to the new Watch D.O.G.S. presence.

Since implementing Watch D.O.G.S., 89% of schools have found the program to be a valuable component of the schools effort to promote a safe and positive learning environment, and 79% have noted an increase of father involvement in the school in other areas such as parent/teacher conferences, volunteerism, and PTA/PTO involvement, according to information on the National Center for Fathering’s web site. Visit the NCF website to learn more about the Watch D.O.G.S., as well as the effects an involved father can have on his kids, and ideas about how to become more involved in your kids’ lives. Go to NCF’s web site for more information.

Tennessee SCORE will host a forum on Jan. 14 with the leading Democrat and Republican gubernatorial candidates at Belmont University in Nashville. The forum, which will be focused solely on education issues, will be held at 7 p.m. CT at Belmont’s Curb Event Center and broadcast live on CBS affiliates across the state. The gubernatorial candidates  confirmed to attend are: Bill Gibbons, Bill Haslam, Jim Kyle, Kim McMillan, Mike McWherter, Ron Ramsey, and Zach Wamp.

Tune in as the candidates share their views and vision for education in Tennessee.

“These schools serve as a model for other schools across our state and the nation,” Education Commissioner Timothy Webb said in the press release. “Their performance is to be commended.”

Kori Furcolowe

The Tennessee Diploma Project will impact today’s ninth graders in terms of the numbers and types of credits they need, hopefully making them better prepared to meet the future. But the gains don’t come without initial growing pains. Representatives from Tennessee Department of Education have warned that this increase portends lower test scores over the next couple years; it does, however, indicate a brighter future for Tennessee overall. In conjunction with increased standards, the Volunteer State is one of thirty-five others across the nation to join the American Diploma Project Network, an initiative aimed at preparing students for collegiate level study and future careers. The ADP was launched by Achieve, a national, nonprofit educational reform organization based in Washington, D.C.  This past week, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen was named co-chair of Achieve.  

            “I’m pleased to assume this leadership position and to help Achieve continue its work with states to adopt a system of common standards and assessments,” Bredesen said in a recent release. “We stand today at a defining moment in the American education system and our economy, and I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to become more involved in this critically important area.”

            Tennessee’s efforts to increase its standards and standing with the nation in the American Diploma Network are both steps in the right direction, and the message it sends is paramount. If Tennessee endeavors to make education one of its top priorities, the burden does not belong to the politicians alone. This increase means strenuous work on the part of educators, it necessitates more involvement by parents, and it demands hard work from every student. The community at large and businesses must also be part of the equation in supporting our schools and their educational efforts. The transition will probably not be seamless and, while lower scores across the board are expected at least initially, a combined effort from teachers, parents, students and the community will help to mitigate those possible consequences. However, we have to keep our eye on the target, and the target is future global competitiveness on the part of our children and our state.

Furcolowe, a sophomore at the University of Tennessee, is a Baker Scholar and works under the direction of Dr. Matt Murray, who is Associate Director of the Center for Economic and Business Development, and President of Blount Education Initiative’s board of directors. Furcolowe will be a contributing blogger to BEI’s Community Conversations.

Community members visit the site in November to see the campus' progress.

The two-story, 70,000-square-foot building has space for the college’s new Nursing program, as well as for science and computer labs and classrooms, including one for distance education. Faculty and administrative offices and a manufacturing training center, physical education facility, 100-seat auditorium, library, and student lounge are all part of the design.

The new campus has 600 parking spaces and can accommodate 1,500 students. More than 1,800 students from Blount County are enrolled at Pellissippi State. Plans for a walking trail, amphitheater and courtyard with a fountain also are on the board.

Funding for the $22 million state-of-the-art campus comes from the state, sale of the old Blount County Center property in Alcoa and private donations generated through Connecting Communities, Changing Lives Major Gifts Campaign. The fundraising effort, conducted by the Foundation, has earmarked the Blount County Campus as one of the college’s top priorities.

The campaign goal is a minimum of $2 million. Gifts and pledges to date are $1,855,240. 

The college broke ground in May 2008 on the 39.5-acre site, located at 2731 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway (U.S. Highway 321) in Friendsville. The college marked progress on construction with a “Raise the Roof” celebration on Nov. 6. More than 130 people signed a final truss for the building and then watched as a crane lifted it into place.

“This is just a great day,” Allen Edwards, Pellissippi State president, told the attendees. “This facility would not be a reality without the tremendous support of our state and local officials. They have been battling for us to get the money for this project, and I thank all of you. I thank each and everyone who has supported this. Your donations have made this possible.”

Pellissippi State President Allen Edwards talks to visitors in November about what the new campus will have to offer students.

Pellissippi State students performed for the crowd.

Parents often have the opportunity join school organizations that raise money for that school’s extra educational needs or to help out in some way with the school. Check out the importance of these organizations here.