Grandpa goes to school

Kempf takes part in “WATCH D.O.G.S” program at Imlay’s Weston Elementary

Editor’s note: Ian Kempf is a well known personality throughout Lapeer County and beyond. The Imlay City resident most recently was elected to a position on the Lapeer County Board of Commissioners and continues to oversee the Eastern Michigan State Fair.

Throughout this school year, Kempf has gone back to school at Weston Elementary. Not to learn more – but to take part in the WATCH D.O.G.S program. He volunteered to go to Weston where his second grade granddaughter attends. Our thanks to Ian for sharing his story.

Second Grade at 60 years-old

This past year, I experienced two events that couldn’t have seemed more different at first – yet ended up feeling surprisingly connected.

One was turning 60. The other was spending a school year as a volunteer with the Watch D.O.G.S. program at Weston Elementary School in Imlay City, where my granddaughter is a second grader.

For those unfamiliar, Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) is a national program that places positive male role models in schools to support the safety, engagement and development of students.

My plan was simple: be there every other Tuesday, all day, from September through May. What I didn’t plan on was how much I’d learn along the way.

Like many, I’ve seen the posts online – criticism of modern education, the absence of cursive writing, stories about classroom chaos or the decline of traditional values like starting the day with the Pledge of Allegiance.

I walked into Weston with no expectations, but, if I’m being honest, maybe with a few doubts. Those doubts didn’t last long.

On my first day, I was immediately struck by something remarkable: every staff member – not just the teachers, but the lunch aides, recess supervisors, office team and the principal – knew the children by name.

And more than that, they knew them as individuals. They knew who needed encouragement, who needed a listening ear and who might just need a hug to get through the day.

While I was there I had the opportunity to work with many students, both one-on-one and in classroom settings, from kindergarten through second grade.

Every other Tuesday, I got to play games with the kids, teach the kids, eat lunch with the kids – and I pushed more children on the swings than my body thought it could handle.

Yet every time I left, I did so rejuvenated and full of hope for the future. I met many friends – both old and young alike – and each interaction left me better than the last.

Every morning began with the principal on the PA system, warmly welcoming the students and sharing the day’s announcements. Then, as if to quiet every critic’s concern, the students all stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. That moment brought back memories – and pride.

What followed throughout the year was a steady realization: these students are learning and they’re learning well.

Reading, writing, math and even technology were taught with a purpose and structure that impressed me deeply.

And these weren’t robotic classrooms. The students were engaged. The teachers were compassionate and strong. The energy was positive and contagious.

I watched bilingual students thrive. I saw children from all kinds of home environments being treated with dignity and care. I witnessed a staff that not only educates but nourishes – physically, emotionally and intellectually.

From the always smiling lady who greets the students at the door each morning to the food service staff ensuring each child gets a proper meal, to the counselor whose patience and warmth deserve a medal, to the principal who leads with kindness and calm – Weston is a school full of heroes.

There is absolutely nothing easy about any of the jobs at Weston Elementary. Every role demands patience, compassion and a deep well of caring. And remarkably, every staff member brings that to the table each day.

If anyone thinks today’s schools are broken, I challenge them to spend a day inside one. Not to observe, but to participate.

Walk the halls. Talk to the kids. Sit in on a reading group. Eat lunch in the cafeteria.

What I saw at Weston Elementary was a public school that works – because of the people inside it.

Turning 60 was certainly a milestone. But what made it meaningful wasn’t a cake or a party – it was standing shoulder to shoulder with second graders who still believe school is exciting, friendship is everything, and grownups are there to help.

It reminded me that growing older doesn’t mean growing out of touch. Sometimes, it just means learning all over again.

So here’s to Weston Elementary, to the amazing staff who make magic happen each day and to the second grade – at 7, and at 60.

(If you care about tomorrow’s leaders, I encourage you to reach out to your local school and ask about the Watch D.O.G.S. program. Just one day can make a lasting impact – on the students and on you.)

Editor’s note 2 — According to the group’s website, WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) is a family and community engagement educational initiative.

It’s a win-win for the students, dad’s and school as the program provides positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important.

It also provides an extra set of eyes and ears to enhance school security and reduce bullying.

WATCH D.O.G.S., a K-12 program, invites fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or other father figures to volunteer at least one day all day at their child’s/student’s school during the school year.

The program is overseen by a “Top Dogs” volunteer team who partners with the school administrator to coordinate scheduling and identify opportunities for WatchDOGS to assist at the school.

WatchDOG dads and volunteers perform a variety of tasks during their volunteer day including monitoring the school entrance, assisting with unloading and loading of buses and cars, monitoring the lunch room or helping in the classroom with a teacher’s guidance by working with small groups of students on homework, flashcards or spelling.