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COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS of Georgia News
Filling School Supply Needs
I
t’s no secret that just about all marketable
goods are increasing in price, and that includes
school supply items. This year, according to a
Huntington Backpack Index, school supplies cost
more than ever. The increases between elementary,
middle and high school students were 11, 20 and
5 percent respectively from 2013. These increases
present challenges for low-income families to equip
their children with needed school supplies at the
beginning and throughout the academic year.
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OCT
31
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NOV
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NOV
17-21
NOV
23-29
College Access Conference
at Georgia Regents
DEC
2
CIS Student Achievement Month
JAN
1-31
National Mentoring Month
JAN
1-31
JAN
19
Georgia Gives Day
Dining with
a Purpose
W
hat better way is there to enjoy a meal
then to do it with a purpose? Dine
Out For Kids® (DOFK) provides an
opportunity for restaurateurs and their customers
to support at-risk students in their communities.
Restaurateurs give a certain percentage of sales
to CIS and customers support CIS by patronizing
participating restaurants on DOFK day.
This year, 59 restaurants in eight counties
signed up to support students in their respective
communities. Sponsors included, Smith & Howard,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSB-TV’s
Family-2-Family partners: Scana Energy, Kroger,
Southwest Airlines, Northside Hospital and
American Signature Furniture.
4
23-24
College Access Conference
at West Georgia
Thanks to all who were involved in making the
school supply drives a success.
1
of EVENTS
College Access Conference
at Georgia Tech
opportunity to support struggling students and
families in an easy to participate manner.”
0
Calendar
AmeriCorps Pre-Service
Orientation
For the past several years, Communities In Schools
(CIS) of Georgia has partnered with select Walmart
locations to conduct Back to School Supply
Drives throughout the state. With the donated
supplies, CIS executive directors were able to
distribute them to hundreds of students and ensure
they started the new school year ready to learn.
“We know that many of the students and families
CIS serves can use some support through donated
school supplies, and that’s why we continue
to look for partnerships with corporations like
Walmart to fulfill these needs,” said Carol Lewis,
President of CIS of Georgia. “Initiatives like
the supply drive also give the community an
F
National Parent Involvement Day
American Education Week
National Family Week
MLK Jr. Holiday & Day of Service
Local CIS affiliates use the proceeds to help provide
more literacy, youth leadership, after-school and
other educational programs based on specific
community and school needs.
In order for us to continue to increase the number
of programs and children served, we need to
secure more restaurants and sponsors. If you have
a restaurant and would like to participate in next
year’s August event, want to be a sponsor or are
interested in us trying to add your favorite restaurant
to next year’s list, please email info@cisgeorgia.org.
For everyone who participated in one way or another
to make this DOFK successful, we appreciate your
continued support.
Carol Lewis
Column
President’s
After a national search to replace the
president and founder of Communities In
Schools (CIS) of Georgia, Neil Shorthouse, I
was selected by the CIS board of directors
as the new president and CEO. I have been
involved with CIS for 20 years, including
serving as executive director for CIS of
Troup County. These years have given me
a unique perspective on how to continually
improve our work. As I follow behind Neil’s
legacy of leadership, I am wholly committed
to the success of Georgia’s children.
When contemplating the start of this school
year, it seemed appropriate to look at how
we’re providing services to our 32 local
affiliates. CIS of Georgia will continue to focus
on core business – delivering high quality
Integrated Student Support (ISS) services
through site coordinators using the proven
CIS Model. These coordinators work with
school teams, develop individual success
plans and connect critical community
resources to students and their families.
Now that the school year is starting to hit
its stride, CIS site coordinators are busy
identifying at-risk youth and leveraging
the community resources they need for
success. Our research and my experience
tell me that non-academic challenges and
the resources necessary to solve them can
impact a child’s ability to learn as much as
academic hurdles.
In fact, we hear often from our network
about students who fall behind
academically because of a lack of school
supplies, poor attendance, low self-esteem
and anger issues. Dante Sullivan from CIS
of Troup County is a good example. His
2014 Student Achievement Month winning
entry depicted how he was unfocused and
struggling with school assignments before
connecting with his site coordinator. The
coordinator helped Dante deal with his
anger and secured school supplies, which
brought about a marked improvement
in his grades. This sense of achievement
had a positive impact on Dante’s attitude,
interactions with his peers and teachers,
and his overall disposition.
As the school year progresses, let’s all start
thinking about how we can better support
students and schools. It could be something
as simple as conducting a school supply or
food drive in an off time period when family
resources are limited. Small changes can
make a big impact, and getting started
is the most important thing; schools and
children are waiting.
CIS Focuses On Social
Are you on Facebook, Twitter and/or Pinterest? Connect with us as we promote various
tools/tips that can help kids excel, scholarship and career info, free or reduced educational
tools, parental engagement resources , teacher tips and good news from the Georgia
network of local affiliates.
Through social media we’re able to share with you our students’ success stories, as well
as those of community members and staff who provide the support, encouragement,
and resources that help our students succeed. We also post tips and tools that we
find useful and news to help you keep up with all the changes happening within the
Georgia school system. Through our social media channels we will let you know about
opportunities to support our mission, while sharing your ideas and questions with us.
Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CISGeorgia), Twitter (https://twitter.
com/cisofgeorgia), and Pinterest (http://www.pinterest.com/cisga/) today. Did You Know?
n Communities In Schools of
Georgia is moving and will be in
our new location at 260 Peachtree,
Street, Suite 700, Atlanta, GA
30303 on Monday, October 20.
n Communities In Schools of
Georgia received an $181,699
grant for our AmeriCorps Reading
Tutorial program.
n Communities In Schools was
mentioned in recent Wall Street
Journal and New York Times
articles.
n The Communities In Schools
Change the Picture ads are
airing statewide on broadcast
and cable TV, websites and digital
platforms.
n There are nine new executive
directors in the Georgia network.
Those directors are: Frank Brown
(CIS of Atlanta), Laurie Cook (CIS
of Augusta), Susan Newberry (CIS
of Barrow), Sara Paulk (CIS of
Berrien), Suzanne Chovanec (CIS of
Catoosa), Gina Weathersby (CIS of
Coweta), Lynn Love (CIS of Glynn),
Regina Butts (CIS of Hancock) and
Greg Millette (CIS of Turner).
C
atoosa County Public Schools is committed
to increasing student success, academic
achievement and the graduation rate. We’re
proud that our graduation rate has increased to 78.9%,
which is above the state average. Some of our success
is attributed to strengthening partnerships with key
stakeholders and the community. Communities In Schools
(CIS) of Catoosa County is one of the partnerships that has
contributed significantly to the school system’s success
with students who are struggling at school.
While our staff diligently works to ensure all students
have the academic support needed, we understand that
struggling students often have non-academic needs that
can affect their ability to learn. Communities In Schools
has played a vital role in Catoosa County Public Schools by
helping us meet our students’ academic and non-academic
needs. Their model places site coordinators in schools, and
helps our staff build teams to develop individual plans for
at-risk youth. The CIS wraparound support services provide
additional personnel and resources to improve student
attendance and behavior. CIS also connects schools with
partners who provide basic supplies, and they provide
referrals to free or reduced health, eye and dental services.
During the 2013-14 school year, Communities In Schools
of Catoosa County served 4,447 students, including 329
case-managed students, providing 187 parents with direct
services and securing 21 mentors and 38 volunteer tutors.
With grants CIS obtained, the plan for this school year is to
place part-time CIS site coordinators in each of the three
high schools and full-time CIS site coordinators at two
of our three middle schools. It takes engaged educators,
parents, child advocate organizations and other concerned
citizens to provide academic and non-academic services
for school excellence.
We appreciate all of our partners who are helping us provide
the best education experience possible for our children.
With community and business partnerships and programs
like CIS, Catoosa County Public Schools will continue to
help our students succeed in school and in life.
Guest Columnist
Denia D.
Reese
Superintendent,
Catoosa County
Schools
Buffalo Wild Wings
Chai Pani
Dine Out
®
For Kids
Texas Roadhouse
Hungry Howie’s Pizza
Bantam + Biddy
Island Coastal Shanty
Taqueria del Sol has a line out the door for DOFK
The Original El Taco
Wahoo! Grill
Ted’s Most Best
Chick-fil-A
Magic 102.1 supports DOFK at Barberitos in Athens
Steel Restaurant & Lounge
Communities
Communities In
In Schools
Schools of
of Georgia
Georgia
Key
Program
Areas:
Key Program Areas:
•nMentoring
Mentoring
• Parent Engagement
n Parent Engagement
• Performance Learning Centers®®
n Performance Learning Centers
• Literacy
n
• Literacy
Youth Leadership Development
n Youth Leadership Development
Communities In Schools of Georgia
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
260
Street,Street,
Suite 700
600 Peachtree
West Peachtree
Suite 1200
Atlanta, GA 30303
30308
404-888-5784/Fax 404-888-5789
800-838-5784
PAID
www.cisga.org
Permit No. 3650
Atlanta, GA
Georgia CIS Local Programs
Georgia CIS Local Programs
Albany/Dougherty
Albany/Dougherty
Athens/Clarke
Athens/Clarke
Atlanta
Atlanta
Augusta/Richmond
Augusta/Richmond
Baldwin
Baldwin
Barrow
Barrow
Berrien
Bulloch
Berrien
Burke
Candler
Carrollton/Carroll
Carrollton/Carroll
Catoosa
Central Georgia
Cochran/Bleckley
Central Georgia
Dodge
Cochran/Bleckley
Douglas
Coweta
Effingham
Dodge
Fitzgerald/Ben
Hill
Douglas
Glascock
Fitzgerald/Ben Hill
Glynn
Hancock
Glascock
Hart
Glynn
Henry
Hancock
Jenkins
Hart
Laurens
Henry
Marietta/Cobb
McDuffie
Laurens
Rome/Floyd
Marietta/Cobb
Savannah/Chatham
Rome/Floyd
Screven
Savannah/Chatham
Stephens
Troup
Sumter
Turner
Troup
Twiggs
Turner
Walton
Walton
Warren
Warren
Washington
Washington
Wilkes
Wilkes
CIS of Georgia provides training, technical assistance, and funding to
CIS of Georgia provides training, technical assistance, and funding to
locally managed programs to help young people succeed.
locally managed programs to help young people succeed.
C
I
Address Service Requested
Communities In Schools surrounds students with a
community of support, empowering them to stay in
school and achieve in life.
facebook.com/CISGeorgia
twitter.com/CISofGeorgia
pinterest.com/CISGA
youtube.com/CISofGeorgia
ommunity
partnerships
play anat-risk
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n a continued
effort to provide
youth
more
services
at-risk
students
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throughout
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to increase
graduation
rates,
Communities
In Schools
of
why we focus on identifying resources and volunteers and
Georgia is partnering with the Department of Justice and the
matching them with those who need them.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia to bring
Our Straight
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willLion’s
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school, while also creating positive student role models. The innovative program
will
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school students
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full potential. for at-risk students.
As you may know, Georgia’s graduation rate of 71% ranks the state amongst
A select number of participants will create a video presentation that includes
the lowest in the country, and incarceration rates are among the highest. These
elements
their
discussions
thelostimpact
crime has
had on together
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issues costofour
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millions perabout
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tax revenue.
By working
to
support students who are struggling academically, we can decrease the number
of high school dropouts and help boost the state’s economy through decreased
demand for social services and the costs of crime prevention and incarceration.
and surrounding communities, and recommended solutions based on the meetings
and other facets of what they have learned from Straight Talk. The video will then be
presented as part of a public awareness campaign at a local town hall meeting to share
the knowledge gained through the partnership.
Successful
Successful
Partnership
CIS of Georgia and our partners work every day to unlock students’ potential
so they can find success both in and out of the classroom. Consider helping
us and the other nonprofits listed in this article, or another youth-serving
organization you care about by advocating for more state education dollars,
and donating your time, talent and resources.
These types of partnerships provide additional resources and
demonstrate to students that negative behavior and dropping out of
school is not the way to a better future. Carol Lewis, Chief Operating
Officer for CIS of Georgia, saw the potential with the Straight Talk
Partnership
program; and we’re hoping the students’ video will convey the
importance of taking responsibility and how
they can make their community a safer
environment.
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