Did you know that four out of 10 children in the United States are without their dads and this negatively effects their chance of academic achievement?

Special guest School Board Member Sanford Williams spoke at Jennie Dean Elementary School PTA's "Dads' Night" on Thursday, saying the best thing dads can do for their children is get involved.

"Read a book, take them to a game, watch TV with them," Sanford told those in attendance. It [fatherhood] is a job that doesn't end; but be committed, and it will pay off in the end."

Sanford's words came after the PTA provided statistics showing how important dads are in children's lives and how one-parent households are growing in the United States.

According to Fatherhood.gov, four out of 10 children are without their dads, and "when dads aren’t around, young people are more likely to drop out of school, use drugs, be involved in the criminal justice system, and become young parents themselves."

Sanford said Father's Day, which is on Sunday, is often overshadowed by Mother's Day in May because "moms still do most of the work in our society" when it comes to parenting and "dads need to step up their game."

He also said communities need to do more to encourage dads to be more involved. He suggests using the following acronym (CAPS) to get started:

C—Character: Because children emulate what they see. "Your child will do what you do," Sanford said.

A—Afraid: Don't be afraid to try things, whether it is changing a diaper or coaching your child's soccer team.

P—Passion: Dads should be passionate about their kids and everything else they do in life because your child will see this and appreciate it. 

S—Show up: get involved in your child's life; show up to PTA meetings, school functions and extracurricular activities your child is involved in. 

Newly re-elected Council Member Mark Wolfe, who lost his only son in 2006 during the Iraq War, was also present at the special meeting and told those in attendance to value the time they have with their children.

The special PTA meeting was followed by a root beer float reception in the school's cafeteria where dads enjoyed the fun dessert with their children.