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Watch D.O.G.S. began attending Bonner Springs Elementary School on a regular basis after a Sept. 29 pizza event, where 90 new D.O.G.S. were formed.

The acronym stands for Dads of Great Students, and this is the first year BSE has participated in the program that allows fathers and father figures to attend school all day, assisting students with their class work, monitoring the building and generally adding an element of security Watch D.O.G. Jason Schram said was badly needed in this day and age.

“We’re living in a society that’s not very stable right now,” Schram said following Monday night’s Board of Education meeting. “In addition to the poor economy … you really can’t trust people like you used to.”

During the meeting, BSE fifth-grade teacher and Watch D.O.G.S. coordinator Jim Hann gave an update regarding the program and how it has gone so far. He said more than 150 people showed up to the pizza night, where pizzas were donated by Simple Simon’s, and more than 90 fathers and father figures – including uncles, grandparents and “anyone who looks at themselves like a father,” as Hann said – signed up to become a Watch D.O.G.

“It’s well thought out, it’s an excellent program, and I think we’re proud to be a part of it,” Hann said.

The program was started by Arkansas native Jim Moore, who was inspired by the 1998 middle school shooting in Jonesboro, Ark., that left five dead. Any interested father or father figure can sign up for the program, and Hann said they must sign up for at least one day a year. During that day, the Watch D.O.G.S. take part in such activities as assisting students on and off the bus, monitoring hallways and entranceways and eating lunch with the students. They also visit up to three classrooms to give students encouragement and help them with whatever classroom activity they might be working on.

Hann said that while the safety element was an important one, the Watch D.O.G.S. program was also beneficial in providing fathers with an opportunity to play an active role in their children’s education.

“The elementary schools have long been perhaps off-limits to dads because it was assumed to be the mother’s venue,” Hann said. “So we’re turning that on its head and bringing the fathers in here, as well. In some cases we’re working on changing that culture where the father has a negative image, either at home or at school, and turning that into a positive image.”

Schram said his first day as a Watch D.O.G. won’t be until Dec. 11, but he was looking forward to spending time with his son, who attends BSE, during the school day. He said he was also looking forward to helping the district out in whatever way a Watch D.O.G. could.

“This is a way for us to give to our kids’ school and try to fill a little bit of a void where the district has been forced to cut funds,” Schram said. “All the schools are operating with less people, so we’re here to try to fill that void.”

To become a Watch D.O.G. or for more information, contact Hann at hannj@usd204.net.

Also on Monday, the board:

• Heard Jason Schram, BSE Parent Teacher Organization president, give an update about how the fundraising for the year was going. He said fundraisers like the spaghetti dinner and coin drive had all been successful. He also said the school was participating in this year’s Read-A-Thon, where each student would record their minutes read. Whoever had the most minutes read by the end of the event, Schram said, would earn a trophy.

• Addressed concerns brought forth by at least two residents during the past few months asking that the board record meetings for possible webcasting, which would allow residents who couldn’t attend to stay abreast of what’s going on.

Superintendent Robert Van Maren said after discussing the situation with the board attorney Charles Thomas, it was his recommendation not to go forward with the suggested action for reasons that include liability and that the quality of the filming might be poor.

Board president Gregg Gibson clarified in a later phone interview that this did not mean residents weren’t allowed to film and audio record the meetings themselves in an orderly fashion, as put forth by the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

“If someone wants to do that on their own, yes, (they are allowed to), but we’re not going to do that internally,” Gibson said.

• Unanimously approved the agenda.

• Unanimously approved the minutes from the Oct. 5 meeting.

• Unanimously approved the treasurer and clerk’s report.

• Unanimously approved warrants totaling $162,425.50.

• Watched fifth-grade teacher and energy manager Jim Hann present Energy Star awards to the transportation department, Clark Middle School, Edwardsville Elementary and Bonner Springs Elementary. Hann also gave an update on the energy saving program, during which he said the district was currently at $804,000 in total savings.

“Maybe next year, break a million,” he said.

• Heard an update from Kim Mitchell, principal at BSE. Mitchell said Crew, a program that builds relationships among the teachers and fellow students, was a success this year. She also reported that, during family night, more than 250 family members had shown up.

“We’ve seen a decrease in what people can give monetarily, but we’ve seen a huge increase in people just giving their time,” Mitchell said. “In my mind, that’s more valuable than any money they can give us.”

• Heard the superintendent’s update. Included in Robert Van Maren’s report was that enrollment was up 99 students this year. He also reported Schools for Fair Funding was asking for a decision from school districts about whether they wanted to join the upcoming lawsuit against the state of Kansas by mid-November.

Board member Ray Cox warned that, if the lawsuit brought against the state was won, the state might raise mill levies in order to come up with the money needed to give to schools. Board president Gregg Gibson said it should be up to the state to provide money, not the districts.

“Doesn’t the state have a charge to figure out how to create the money?” Gibson said.

• Unanimously approved new contracts for Tonya McIntosh, preschool bus aide, Pansy Storey, Head Start bus driver, and Karen Parrett, board treasurer and AP/purchasing agent. Also unanimously approved the renewed contract of Amy Dahlke, daycare worker.

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