LHE Dads David Kjeldgaard, James Purl, Dave Wittenburg and Casey Robertson

Shhh, don’t tell, but members of the Lake Highlands Elementary Dads Club are gearing up this week to plant “Welcome Back Wildcat” signs in student yards the night before school starts Aug. 20. They’ll also open carpool line doors and greet students as they enter the building, helping students start their day off right.

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The group hosted their first “Dads’ Night Out” at Shady’s last week, welcoming new kindergarten dads and reconnecting with old friends.

“Events like this really serve to build a ‘dad community’ for LHE,” Casey Robertson told me. “The male involvement and participation at the school has really increased over the last four to five years, and Dad’s Night Out is just one of the many things we do.”

LHE Dads host the school’s annual Fall Family Picnic, conduct a Big Cats mentorship program, host an annual Dads and Donuts (there’s also a Muffins with Moms), organize the annual Field Day and help maintain the soccer fields and volleyball court.

Several LH-area elementary schools have formal dads’ clubs, including Merriman Park, Wallace and White Rock, and Forest Meadow Junior High is kicking one off this year. Other schools have active dads who play pivotal roles from math tutors to PTA president.

Thank you, LH-area dads!

LHE Dads Brad Miller, Joe Longnecker, Justin Baldwin and Braden Cole

MPE Dads’ Club opens doors in the carpool line