ABOUT COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS
FAQ
1. What is Communities In Schools?
CIS is the nation's leading community-based drop-out prevention organization helping kids stay in school and prepare for life. Formed in 1978 and operating in nearly 3,000 schools in 28 states, CIS provides access to community services to nearly two million kids every year.
2. What is the mission of CIS?
The mission of Communities In Schools is to champion the connection of needed community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school and prepare for life.
3. What does CIS do?
CIS helps students stay in school and make the right choices by connecting needed community resources directly to schools, students, and their families.
4. Why does our community need Communities In Schools?
Many children in our community struggle with poverty, violence, neglect, homelessness, and substance abuse. These realities come to school with our children and become barriers to academic success.
Clearly there is an increased community responsibility to address school attendance, school violence, family dysfunction and violence, emotional and health problems, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, remedial education, and job preparedness.
Communities In Schools is not a specific program imposed on kids and schools. Instead, it is a process by which local leaders, community members, parents, and students embrace the idea that keeping all kids in school is essential to the social and economic future of the community. The entire community benefits when students stay in school and graduate.
5. How does it work?
CIS helps communities assess the needs of their youth and designs plans for meeting those needs, using existing resources. Our experienced staff joins forces with school administrators to build sustainable collaborations to benefit young people.
We connect students with services in a variety of ways. In some schools, services are made available to all students and their families. In other schools, CIS connects services with particular students in need, either on a one-time basis or as part of a carefully monitored case management system. CIS also brings community resources to students and families through after-school programs.
Services we connect to the schools include the following:
- Tutoring and academic support
- Mentoring
- After-school programs
- Links to food, housing, clothing, utilities
- Dropout prevention
- Leadership skills and training
- Physical health education and care
- Mental health services and counseling
- Substance abuse prevention and intervention
- Parenting education
- Delinquency and violence prevention
- Literacy training
- Pregnancy prevention
- Gang intervention and prevention
- Pre- and post-natal care for teens
- Services for non-English speaking students
6. What type of staff does CIS have in the schools?
The CIS staff forms a diverse group of well-educated, experienced, compassionate people who care deeply about the students of our community. Many are Licensed Social Workers, hold Master's Degrees, and have a background in mental health or social services. They work in the schools daily where they perform many roles for students and families: mentor, advocate, and friend. Without the tireless work of these dedicated professionals, many children would fail to attain the education they deserve.
7. Can CIS help me become a volunteer in a school?
Communities In Schools believes that every child deserves a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult. We help connect interested volunteers to schools by way of the Mentoring Center of Central Ohio. If you are interested in becoming a CIS volunteer, please contact Kitty Kerrigan King at 614/268-2472 ext. 11 or by e-mail at kking@ciskids.org for more information.
8. Does CIS offer programs for parents?
One of the goals of our staff is to encourage parental and/or guardian involvement at the schools, as we see this as a tremendous benefit to students. Staff does this by working with community organizations to provide parenting classes and resources, family activities, life skill sessions, adult education classes, GED and ESL classes, and other offerings. Communities In Schools connects parents to the resources that they need to be successful so that their child will be successful.
9. How do I learn about employment opportunities at CIS?
To learn about job openings, please contact Beth Urban at 614/268-2472 ext. 13 or by e-mail at burban@ciskids.org.
10. How is CIS funded?
Communities In Schools, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, is funded through a variety of corporate, foundation, and government grants. Schools do not pay for our services.
11. How do I receive mailings from Communities In Schools?
Please send your name, address, city, state, zip code and e-mail address to helpingkids@ciskids.org.
12. How do I become a donor to Communities In Schools?
Communities In Schools welcomes the interest of individual and corporate donors. With the generous support of the community, we are reaching the youth of Columbus.
