CIS Philosophy
Communities In Schools champions the connection of needed community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. We accomplish this mission by bringing existing services, often already located in the community, to the point of service – at the school – so that teachers are free to teach and students can concentrate on learning.
Believing that every child needs and deserves certain life “basics,” CIS focuses its attention in five areas:
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Providing a personal relationship with a caring adult by coordinating mentors from the community, tutors, and parental involvement programs; |
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Providing a safe place to learn and grow by partnering with programs like Boys and Girls Club, connecting conflict resolution programs and anger management, and connecting neighborhood policing efforts at schools; |
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Providing a healthy start and a healthy future by coordinating mental health, volunteer medical, dental and vision care, drug and alcohol education, and support for teen parents programs; |
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Brokering tools to build marketable skills to use upon graduation like tech training programs, career counseling and employment skills, and college prep and scholarship information; |
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Offering a chance to give back to peers and community by groups like Youth Service America and the Corporation for National Service. |
Focusing on these five "basics," Communities In Schools partners with over 13,000 agencies, community partners, organizations and businesses including a total of 53,000 volunteers who contribute more than 2.4 million hours of service to 985,000 students and 180,000 parents, families and guardians. The CIS model, refined over 25 years, operates in 31 states through 194 operational programs in nearly 3,000 education sites.
