Josh Howard is a Watch DOG, but he says when he volunteers at Magna Elementary School, he and his son Tyson feel more like rock stars.

Howard, 33, is the coordinator of the school's Watch DOGS (Dads Of Great Students) program, a father-involvement initiative aimed at getting more men to volunteer in the classroom.

The program is active in more than 2,100 schools in 40 states, and Magna Elementary was the first school in Utah to grab the leash. The school won the $300 program at a national PTA convention last year.

"Just seeing the excitement on the kids' faces and the enjoyment they get out of having the guys at the school and being able to hang out," Howard said. "It's kind of like the flu. Once you've got it, you've got it for a while — but you don't want to get rid of it."

West Valley Elementary School implemented the program last year, and, according to Linda Hansen, PTA director for the Granite School District, several other schools are expected to bring Watch DOGS on campus in the coming school year.

Howard said he attended a "Dads and Kids Pizza Night" at Tyson's school, listened to a presentation and signed up. After volunteering one time, he was hooked.

Howard, whose daughter Natalie is entering kindergarten later this month and whose wife, Jamie, teaches sixth grade at Magna Elementary, is the school's "top Dog," working with administrators on coordinating schedules and identifying areas that need the most assistance.

He is self-employed and recently spent two full days volunteering, reading to Tyson's second-grade class, working with students on flash cards and helping with anything the teacher needed.

"It's a wide array of things," Howard said. "I help with parties, go out at recess and play some football. … The more time you spend, the more fun it is."

Hansen said male involvement throughout the school district has increased in recent years. Magna's Watch DOGS program has about 110 volunteers and, according to Hansen, the district will have seven male PTA presidents this year, up from three a year ago.

"I had a dad come up to me and say, 'I didn't realize until I went to my son's fifth-grade class how much life has changed in the fifth grade. It wasn't like that when I was in fifth grade,' " Hansen said.

Watch DOGS was founded by Jim Moore, a concerned father who wanted to prevent on-campus violence after a 1998 middle-school shooting in Arkansas. Today, the program's website touts volunteers as "Heroes of the Hallways."

Kelly Oveson, associate director for Granite PTA, said the biggest hurdle in getting more dads involved at school is work schedule.

"Without question, I think that's the biggest challenge," Oveson said. "A lot of dads don't have the flexibility to volunteer. But for those who can, it's quite rewarding."

For Howard, volunteering in Tyson's class for the past year has brought him even closer to his son and has been equally rewarding for him.

"I love the school," Howard said. "I love the staff, the faculty and the PTA hand-in-hand with the Watch DOGS program. It's awesome." —

Watch DOGS

R Dads Of Great Students is a program to involve fathers at Magna and West Valley City elementary schools. The program is in more than 2,100 schools in 40 states nationwide and in New Zealand. Fathers and father figures assist teachers with various classroom tasks, chaperone field trips and play games at recess.