At the beginning of the school year, Frenship Middle School became a local chapter for All Pro Dad. The All Pro Dad program is a part of a national organization founded by former NFL head coach Tony Dungy in 1997 in Tampa, Florida. 

The mission of All Pro Dad is to intentionally engage fathers with their kids. The monthly meetings provide an opportunity for dads to spend quality time with their children at school while enjoying breakfast. 

Casey Loafman, the FMS principal, has been closely following the program on X (formerly Twitter) for a few years and decided that it was time to bring the program to his school. Loafman stated that while parents are already involved at FMS through PTA, most involvement stems from moms.  

“It’s a great opportunity,” said Loafman. “We want to make sure we include dads and help get them more involved in their kids' lives.” 

The purpose of All Pro Dad is to facilitate conversations between dads and their students. It’s a time when dads get to tell their children why they are proud of them, engage in conversations on positive character traits, and have some fun together. Every meeting has a ‘Proud Moment’ breakout, where parents share how they are proud of their students. 

On October 20, FMS had their first All Pro Dad meeting where they had conversations about communication between fathers and their children. The turnout was great, with around 35 in attendance that morning. The FMS PTA provided donuts that attendees enjoyed munching on as they spent time conversing with the families.   

“Everyone seemed to have a good time,” said Loafman. “We provided some time for them to visit. The curriculum provides questions and conversation starters to encourage dialogue between fathers and their kids.” 

The FMS chapter will host their next meeting on November 17th at 7 a.m. in the FMS cafeteria. All FMS dads and their students are welcome to attend.