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
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
CBS Hidden Gems: Middle School Student Honored for Essay on Violence
Seventh-grader Summer Bell and CIS’ Chief Partnership Engagement Officer Robin Koelsch were featured on CBS Chicago about Do the Write Thing, a national writing challenge
Chalkbeat: Community Violence is Traumatizing my Students. Here’s How I Help Them Cope.
CIS Student Supports Manager LaToya Winton provides direct, 1:1 support to students at an elementary school in West Englewood, the neighborhood that she grew up
Interested in gaining the tools to identify when children are experiencing a mental health crisis and learn how to react so you can better support our city's young people?
Our team is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings on Friday, October 13, and Tuesday, December 5. Sign up at our website — link below.
Let’s make Mental Health First Aid training as common in our society as CPR training! ... See MoreSee Less
Mental Health First Aid - Communities In Schools of Chicago
www.cisofchicago.org
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a certification course that CIS of Chicago offers to teach adults how to help either kids or fellow adults who may be0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Our friends at National Campaign to Stop Violence - Do the Write Thing just sent us a few snaps from the Summit this past summer in DC, and it made us smile.
We couldn't be prouder of our two Chicago ambassadors -- Summer and Jaylen -- for representing our city and sharing their ideas on what can be done to reduce violence in our communities.
We're inspired by their leadership and are happy to be co-sponsors of Do the Write Thing Chicago. ... See MoreSee Less
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While math scores remain low in the district post-pandemic, language arts scores are bouncing back, according to an article published this week in WBEZ.
We're encouraged by this report, but we know there is still much work to be done. Academic enrichment is one of six key areas that our CIS team and our community partners provide support in.
We know that when students have access to resources that address the full range of needs and the barriers to their learning are removed, they can achieve in school and life. ... See MoreSee Less
CPS math scores still lag pre-pandemic levels, while English has recovered. Here’s a model CPS says can help.
www.wbez.org
WBEZ visited a school CPS hopes can lead the way for other schools struggling with math as state elementary school test scores are released.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
This time of the year, our CIS team is busy hitting the ground running. Our Intensive Program is active at 38 schools across the city this year, where Student Supports Managers are providing direct services
They are meeting with students, learning more about their interests, and finding opportunities to support them so that they stay on the path to graduation.
#AllinforKids ... See MoreSee Less
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We're thrilled to have our new Community Care Partnership Specialist, Laura, on board, to help us better connect schools with the basic needs items they are requesting.
Laura and our Senior School Partnership Specialist, Jill, took a look through the donations we've received this back-to-school season at CIS HQ. ... See MoreSee Less
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238 Chicago Public Schools.
63 Chicago communities.
Tens of thousands of students served.
The stats are staggering. CIS of Chicago is starting off the 2023–24 school year with its largest presence in organizational history.
Thirty-four of the 238 Chicago Public Schools in CIS’ network are new to their partnership with CIS of Chicago, and in order to help school staff maximize that partnership, CIS’ School Partnership Team hosted New School Orientation this month.
Learn more about the work our Partnership Team did this month to help new partner schools start off the year strong: ... See MoreSee Less
CIS Helps Schools Maximize Partnership Through New School Orientation
medium.com
By Katie Rankin, Communications Specialist, Communities In Schools of Chicago0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Happy first day of school to our students, families, teachers, and school leaders! CIS staff are out and about this week, ensuring that our communities are supported with the resources they need.
Here is CIS Student Supports Manager Mychaela sharing information about our services at CICS West Belden's back-to-school meet and greet for parents.
#AllinforKids ... See MoreSee Less
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Happy First Day for Students, Mychaela!💜
We were so excited to have Summer Bell, one of Chicago’s two national student ambassadors for the Do The Write Thing writing initiative featured on CBS2 last night!
Her reflective writing on the impacts of violence is now saved at the @librarycongress and she and her Chicago co-ambassador Jaylen Trice are part of a growing movement to stop violence across the nation.
S/O to @lathamwatkins and @dtwtofficial for being great partners in this work!
We encourage you to watch the CBS2 story here:
📺tinyurl.com/yc4rkuu9 ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you, Grimes Elementary School, for hosting us today for the Youth Mental Health First Aid training! Bart and Robin enjoyed meeting Grimes teachers and school staff and facilitating the training.
Youth Mental Health First Aid helps caring adults recognize and respond to youth in crisis and is one of the ways that CIS of Chicago is supporting schools in our partner network as they begin the school year.
We wish Grimes a wonderful start to the 2023-24 school year! #AllinforKids
www.cisofchicago.org/mhfa/ ... See MoreSee Less
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We are so glad you came- so grateful for our partnership!
CIS of Chicago is delighted to be a part of the 2023-24 cohort of Communities In Schools affiliates across the nation who will receive philanthropic investment from the Ballmer Group.
This investment will support CIS of Chicago in expanding and deepening our model of integrated student supports, empowering more Chicago students to achieve in school and life. #AllinforKids
Learn more here: communitiesinschools.org/articles/article/communities-in-schools-unveils-back-to-school-initiativ... ... See MoreSee Less
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Associate Director of School Partnerships Clare attended W.E.B. Dubois Elementary School's Back-to-School Bash last Friday with backpacks and CIS info in tow!
The countdown is on until school starts on the 21st, and our team can't wait. We'll be out and about at events like these -- spreading the word about CIS resources and support. ... See MoreSee Less
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Our CIS team spotlights continue this week with a look at the important work of our Community Partnership Specialists. These folks support our network of community organizations and help them connect their programs and resources directly to students.
Community partner programs help students with everything from academic support and college/career readiness to the arts, health and wellness, and even accessing essential needs.
Right now, our Community Partnership Specialists are supporting our partner network as they prepare for the school year. Here are some photos from last week's Summer Institute, where they hosted professional development sessions for partners and facilitated networking. ... See MoreSee Less
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