'Watch dogs' prowl school halls

Extra security for one school comes in the form of watch dogs, but not the four legged kind.

As a class of Englewood Hills Elementary School first graders headed toward the cafeteria, Chuck Fea slapped high-fives with a line of students.

Fea, also known in these parts as first grader Caleb's dad, is keeping an eye on the lunch crowd today. He's one of 150 fathers who signed up to be Watch D.O.G.S--Dads Of Great Students.

"I make sure all the doors are locked, monitor the hallways, and make sure the kids know that you're here," Fea said. "As a male role model to try and let the kids know that the school is safe for them."

It's a national program, brought here to Englewood Hills by fourth grade teacher Molly Holt.

Holt said, "The [dads] choose the date of their choice, then they take the day off work. They volunteer for the whole day, and they're doing things like helping out at lunch, recess, helping out in the classroom. They're working with kids all day long."

Holt said not only are discipline problems down when dads are in the building, but the dads feel like rock stars for a day.

"The kids get so excited, just to see who the watch dog is. Just today the watch dog was saying he's amazed that kids just come up to hug him."

Fea says the program is as beneficial for him, as it is for the kids.

"I enjoyed every single minute, even the older kids, who I didn't think would be so into it, it was amazing, they still embraced it," said Fea.

It's not just dads getting involved in the program. Grandfathers, uncles and brothers have all signed up to be watch dogs.