David Kahl will soon add a new job title to his household résumé to go along with fun dad, the fix-it guy, the loving husband, the disciplinarian.

And his next assignment just may be his toughest one yet.

Vino Wong/AJC (ENLARGE)

David Kahl with his daughter, Kyra, 11, and wife Missy, is leaving his job to teach his child at home.

Vino Wong/AJC (ENLARGE)

Kyra Kahl, 11, works on her summer Bridge Activity book. She's a rising sixth grader who will be staying home with her dad, David, right, next school year instead of going to Snellville Middle School.

HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS Registered home school students in Gwinnett County: 2007-08 3,506 2006-07 3,342 2005-06 3,372 2004-05 3,382 2003-04 3,205 2002-03 3,055 Source: Gwinnett County Public Schools

The job: Home school teacher.

Kahl, a stay-at-home dad, works as a supervisor and a scheduler for a pair of transportation companies. He says that in between answering phone calls and tracking cargo, he has some extra time on his hands. The master multitasker wants to spend that time educating his 11-year-old daughter, Kyra.

"I have been helping her with her homework ever since she started school," Kahl said. "I want the best for her."

During his down time, Kahl, 34, is reading the book "Homeschooling: Take a Deep Breath, You Can Do This," by Terrie Lynn Bittner.

Usually those taking the deep breaths in home school, however, aren't dads.

"Moms mostly teach home school," said Charlene Peavy, spokeswoman for the Georgia Home Education Association. "But it is not unheard of for dads to be the main teacher. When the conviction in your heart is to do it, you are able to do it."

Gwinnett home school mom Cynthia James said her husband helped her to teach their daughter math when he came home from work. Their child now attends UGA. "I told my daughter between the two of us she really got one good teacher."

Kahl's wife, Missy, 36, a cosmetologist at Pecan in Loganville, said she supports her husband's decision to home school Kyra. Missy Kahl says her husband spends more time at home during the day and he's the more patient parent.

"You don't find many dads willing to take the time to do it," Missy Kahl said of home schooling. "I love it."

Kyra says it's "cool" that Dad wants to be her middle school teacher.

"I never had a guy teacher before," said Kyra. "I always wanted one."

Those parents making the decision to home school must notify their local school district and meet other state requirements.

According to the Georgia Department of Education, about 39,500 students in Georgia were registered as home schoolers in 2007.

In 2007-08, approximately 3,506 Gwinnett students were listed as home schoolers, 164 more than in the previous year. Gwinnett has the largest number of home schoolers in the state.

Kahl said he made the decision to home school because Kyra is leaving J.C. Britt Elementary.

He said he would rather teach his daughter at home than send the rising sixth-grader to a school he is unsure about, Snellville Middle.

"I never wanted my daughter to go to Snellville Middle School," Kahl said. "The crime, the gang activity, the test scores. We had planned on moving, but with the housing market the way it is, it's not beneficial to sell."

Linda Boyd, principal of Snellville Middle, defended her school.

"We work very hard at Snellville Middle to provide our students a safe, inviting, engaging learning environment," Boyd said in a statement. "Our efforts are paying off as we are seeing increases in student achievement. ... I would encourage any parent or citizen who has a question about our school to come visit us to talk to us about our ... challenges and accomplishments."

Kahl is brushing up on home school curricula. He already has a workbook for his daughter to try out.

He's planning a year filled with field trips to museums, arts and crafts lessons, and maybe physical education classes at the YMCA. Kyra currently plays basketball.

The Kahls have school supplies stashed away. Kyra already has a desk and a laptop for assignments.

Her dad said once he selects the curriculum he will buy textbooks. He'll serve macaroni and cheese and microwave meals for lunch. His sister-in-law in Indiana, who home schools her five children, has given him plenty of advice.

"She says it's great," Kahl said. "Her kids have never gone to public school."

Kahl says his only concern about the whole thing is the fact that he may be the only dad attending home school group functions. "That kind of worries me," he said. "It will be strange."

But if Kyra decides she wants to stick with home school through 12th grade, Kahl said he is prepared to be her teacher as long as he has the flexibility of working from home. Kahl and Kyra already spend a lot of time together because of Missy Kahl's weekend work schedule.

"He is always there and we do a lot of fun things," Kyra said. "I will be excited to be at home with him."

"They get along like two peas in a pod," Missy Kahl said.

Kahl said his stepfather, Jerry Fulkerson, taught him that a father must be willing to sacrifice his time and needs for his family.

"In eighth grade, they sent me to private school and he went without lunch,'' Kahl said.

Missy Kahl said she will help with home schooling. She wants to tackle history and reading. Her husband can handle the rest, she said.

"I work at the home," Kahl said, "and I have time to do it."