John Brierly, father of Langston Hughes third-grader Maggie Brierly, left, and participant in Langston Hughes' Watch D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Students) program, talks around the lunch table with his daughter, her classmate Isabelle Royce, right, and others Wednesday in the school cafeteria. The Watch D.O.G.S. program, which is in its third year at Langston Hughes, involves fathers in the classroom and other daily happenings at school to assist with school work and to help create a safer environment.

Every dog has his day and Wednesday was John Brierly’s day. He volunteered for Watch D.O.G.S., Dads of Great Students, at Langston Hughes School.

The program gets dads in the classroom to help with anything teachers might need.

“You monitor the hallways and the grounds,” Brierly said. “You get to go to recess with the kids, which is fun. The best part is you get to eat in the cafeteria with the kids.”

Brierly has two children: Andrew, a kindergartner, and Maggie, a 3rd grader.

Andrew thinks it’s “awesome” that his dad helps out because “I get to see him all day.”

Sister Maggie agrees. “It’s fun to see him. He helps out,” she said.

Teachers also find the extra set of eyes, ears and hands to be a big help.

“They really just help in any way they can when they are in the classroom for that time period,” said Jennifer Catlin, a 4th grade teacher. “The kids are so excited about it and they love having their dads here. They’re so proud and the dads really enjoy it.”

The Gilliland kids saw their dad in action on Monday. Darby, a 4th grader, was a little concerned about the potential embarrassment.

“I imagined him walking into the room and being like, ‘Hey, everybody! I’m the Watch Dog today!'” she said.

But older brother Carson, a 6th grader, liked having their dad around.

“He got to meet some of my friends, see what I do during the school day and see that I get good grades and even ate lunch with me,” he said.

Every day for the entire school year a different Watch D.O.G.S. volunteer comes for the day to help with homework, pass out books and do whatever teachers need to get through the day.

“It’s nice to know we have that parent support and we have so many dads that want to sign up,” Catlin said.

Plus, the dads get to see what their kids are doing through the school day.

“You’d think it’s a very easy day but it’s really a long, kind of grueling day, especially at that age,” Brierly said.

Catlin said she thinks dads like to see what goes on in their kids’ daily school lives.

“I just don’t think they have a real understanding of how busy the day is and how much the kids do while they’re here, so it’s fun for them,” she said.

And while the kids like having dads around, it’s a little strange to have their own father around.

“It’s kind of weird walking down the hall and being like, ‘Hey, Dad,’ ” Darby said.

Watch D.O.G.S. also make the rounds at Sunset Hill and Deerfield Schools.

The program is a safe school initiative of the National Center for Fathering.