Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
UNLOCKING STUDENT POTENTIAL
For 35 years, Communities In Schools of Chicago has cultivated student potential throughout the city. Each year, our team at CIS of Chicago surrounds tens of thousands of young people with support so they can stay on their path to high school graduation and achieve in life.
When our young people succeed, our whole city succeeds. When they reach their potential, the future is bright.
Impact In Our Community
Chicago Public Schools students benefited from programs and services provided by or connected through CIS of Chicago.*
students in grades K-12 were served by Student Supports Managers. Together, they created a plan to develop the skills and access the resources these students need to reach their full potential.*
schools were served by CIS team members, who linked community partner programming that addressed student and school needs.*
*Data from the 2022-23 school year
PROVIDING HOLISTIC SUPPORT
Chicago’s public-school students and their families have endured unprecedented challenges since the start of the decade. A global pandemic, increased violence, and rising economic insecurity have taken a significant toll on our schools. The U.S. Surgeon General recently named mental health as an area of serious concern for today’s youth and issued a call to action for all caring adults.
CIS of Chicago responds to these challenges by ensuring that students have access to the supports they need to strengthen their mental health and overall wellbeing. Our team does this by providing direct services to individual students, as well as coordinating the supports provided by community partners, to bolster entire school communities.
Latest News
Lawndale News: CIS Renews Youth Mental Health First Training for Parents, Teachers and Staff
Amid a new and growing body of research about the mental health crisis facing youth and their families, CIS of Chicago is encouraging the public
ABC 7: CIS of Chicago Trains Adults to Recognize Youth Mental Health Problems
How can we as adults recognize and respond to youth when they are experiencing a mental health crisis? Our COO and Clinical Director, Dr. Judith
ABC 7: CIS Boosts Efforts to Equip Students Beyond Back-to-School Supplies
CIS’ Chief Partnership Engagement Officer Robin Koelsch joins ABC 7 for a live interview and discusses students’ needs this back-to-school season. According to Robin, requests
Last week, CIS of Chicago connected Julian High School students with NBCUniversal Local Chicago for an interactive field trip downtown. The students not only had the opportunity to explore NBC Chicago studios. They also met with producers, anchors, and leadership team members at NBC and gained insight into a variety of career options they could pursue.
They even participated in a mentoring activity with NBC employees, which encouraged them to reflect on their dreams – and the steps they needed to take to reach their goals.
Special thanks to CIS’ Leadership Council member Carmen Vega and President Kevin Cross for hosting this unique experience for our CIS students and helping inspire the next generation of leaders!
The NBC Chicago field trip is part of a series of field trips aimed at career development and mentorship for CIS students called Inspiring Futures. Last year, CIS facilitated seven Inspiring Futures trips for 160 students, and this year, the team is looking to deepen our impact for more students.
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When students don't have access to basic needs, like food or clothing, they have a harder time focusing on their learning. CIS of Chicago partners with organizations like Cradles to Crayons Chicago so that we can remove any barriers between students and their path to graduation.
This past weekend, CIS team members Clare, Judith, and Laura attended Cradles to Crayons' Un-Gala event and had the chance to talk about the importance of our partnership. They even volunteered their time and created winter accessory packs for students. ... See MoreSee Less
Thanks to our friends at Cradles to Crayons Chicago, our Partnership Team was able to connect CIS schools with 1,000 winter coats as the temperatures drop!
It's partnerships like these that help us meet the needs of Chicago students and families, and we couldn't be more grateful for our team members and community partners across the city. #AllinforKids ... See MoreSee Less
Our Student Supports Managers provide a safe space for young people as they learn to build healthy relationships with their peers and with other adults in the school building and as they learn how to manage their emotions.
Ms. LaToya Winton supports students at a partner school on the South Side, and she leads a girls group for middle school students that helps them develop their confidence and gives them a place to learn from each other!
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It was CIS Homecoming today!
We not only had Wolverines, Tarheels, Hoosiers, Bison, Blue Demons, Wildcats, and tons of Illini at CIS HQ - we had the man, the myth, the legend in our midst too: founder of @communitiesinschools Bill Milliken!
Thursdays should always be like this!
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Activities, like games, help students build self-confidence and speak up in group settings! This week, our CIS intern, Lee, at Cardenas E.S. facilitated a game called cross over where students had to identify what similarities and differences they have.
This helps them grow their interpersonal skills, which are critical for success in school and life. ... See MoreSee Less
#HispanicHeritageMonth officially ends this Sunday but our celebration of Hispanic culture and heritage is ongoing.
Read our latest medium piece for a snapshot of how 2 of our Intensive School partners incorporated dance and music into their recognitions the past month with the help of our community partners.
Read here 📖: tinyurl.com/mvhrt8cs
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What helps you focus your energy and attention in 1:1 conversation?
One of our Student Supports Managers on the West Side, Ms. Diamond, has found that giving her students sand helps them cope and focus during their individual support sessions. #AllinforKids ... See MoreSee Less
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Chicago students need access to resources and programs that will help them succeed in school, now more than ever. Today, CIS of Chicago is helping students access essential supports through our annual Resource Fair. This morning at Malcolm X College, more than 100 Chicago Public Schools teachers and staff are exploring programs and services provided by CIS’ network of community partners.
Programs address several student needs, including academic enrichment, arts, behavioral and mental health, college and career readiness, physical health and wellness, and fundamental needs items, and they help students stay focused on their educational journey. We are grateful for all the school and community partners who came out today and made the Resource Fair such a success! ... See MoreSee Less
Sometimes providing support is just about showing up for our students. This summer, one of our team members, Ms. Diamond, showed up for a student at a play they coordinated with their summer program. #AllinforKids ... See MoreSee Less