Where can students find Ms. Johnson and Mr. Dorantes if they need support -- or simply someone to talk to? Check out their newly redecorated office door and colorful CIS signage in the school they serve! ...
Proud to represent CIS at Mount Vernon Elementary School's back-to-school event! Here is our Site Coordinator there, Ms. Coleman, with our School Partnership Specialist Sarah. ...
Building relationships with teachers and school leaders is critical to our work supporting students.
Recently, our Student Support Manager, Ms. Sarah, presented to staff at her school and shared information about student needs, how she provides support, and how data informs our work at CIS.
One staff member mentioned they have never been in a school with a community partner like ours and is very excited to be working with CIS! ...
In August, members of our Community Partnership Team attended the opening of Austin HOPE Center, which offers clinical care, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, and mental health support for adults.
With eight of our partner schools located in Austin, the HOPE Center creates opportunities for CIS students and families to access resources and services within their own community.
Our Health Partnership Specialist Lakia and Behavioral and Mental Health Partnership Specialist Ben connected with partners there and strengthened our relationship with accessible, community-based resources. ...
From decorating the hallways and creating comfortable student spaces to participating in back-to-school bashes, our team members are active, engaged members in their school communities.
Here are some photos from back-to-school festivities at one of our West Side schools, where Ms. Meredith Awalt serves as Student Supports Manager: ...
Our school-based team is welcoming students back this week with safe, relaxing, colorful spaces of support!
At one of our schools on the West Side, Senior Student Supports Manager Ms. Diamond fills her space with student artwork and photos. She has bean bag chairs for them to do their school work, decompress, and meet with her one-on-one to discuss their day.
On the back wall, the "Wall of Ownership" poster features different ways that students are owning their lives, their choices, and their future! ...
And this year, our team is delighted to serve students in even more Chicago Public Schools. CIS of Chicago will be present in 265 schools this year, or more than 40 percent of the entire district, and our work will support 90,000 young people.
That means that more students will have access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to succeed.
This year, we welcome 16 schools to the CIS network: --Catalyst Elementary Charter School - Circle Rock --Frank I. Bennett Elementary School --Andrew Carnegie Elementary School --Milton Brunson Math & Science Specialty School --Joseph E. Gary Elementary School --Great Lakes Academy Charter School --Noble - Hansberry College Prep --Noble - Muchin College Prep High School --Charles W. Dulles School of Excellence --Richard J. Oglesby Elementary School --Emmett Louis Till Fine & Performing Arts Magnet --Arthur E. Canty Elementary School --Minnie Mars Jamison Cuffe STEM Academy --James Gillespie Elementary School --William H. Hearst Elementary School --Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School
Communities In Schools of Chicago is partnering with 265 of the city’s public schools during the 2026-27 school year, connecting these schools with a range of
Ahead of each school year, our Partnership Team plans a full day of learning, connection, and professional development for community partners in our network. We know that when they have the resources and preparation they need, our students are better served!
This year's CIS Summer Institute sessions covered: -Volunteer management and classroom management -Relationship building with schools -Professional resilience -Storytelling through data -And more!
With the school year about to begin, our team is out building connections with schools and educators!
Today, our Intensive Team leaders attended the Distinctive Schools Educator Support Expo, where they connected with individuals across the CICS / Distinctive Network and shared the impact of our CIS model. The event was hosted at CICS Longwood, where our Student Supports Manager Malia supports students one-on-one. ...
Our team is busy this week getting students the resources they need to start the year strong.
We are distributing 3,000 backpacks 🎒 to CIS school partners, thanks to our partnership with Cradles to Crayons Chicago!
It was a true team effort -- receiving these backpacks, organizing them, and getting them directly to our school site coordinators, like our counselor at Libby Elementary School, featured in the second picture. ...
After a trip to D.C., our Do the Write Thing Chicago ambassador, incoming eighth grader Damiya Myers, had the opportunity to talk about her experience in the nation's capital, what she learned from her fellow ambassadors, and what she believes is critical to reducing youth violence with WGN Radio's Lisa Dent!
It's hard to believe that school will be back in session in <1 month! We can't wait to see our students and support them in starting the school year strong.
Here are some pics from last year across our partner network: ...
Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
Where can students find Ms. Johnson and Mr. Dorantes if they need support -- or simply someone to talk to? Check out their newly redecorated office door and colorful CIS signage in the school they serve! ...
Proud to represent CIS at Mount Vernon Elementary School's back-to-school event! Here is our Site Coordinator there, Ms. Coleman, with our School Partnership Specialist Sarah. ...
Building relationships with teachers and school leaders is critical to our work supporting students.
Recently, our Student Support Manager, Ms. Sarah, presented to staff at her school and shared information about student needs, how she provides support, and how data informs our work at CIS.
One staff member mentioned they have never been in a school with a community partner like ours and is very excited to be working with CIS! ...
In August, members of our Community Partnership Team attended the opening of Austin HOPE Center, which offers clinical care, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, and mental health support for adults.
With eight of our partner schools located in Austin, the HOPE Center creates opportunities for CIS students and families to access resources and services within their own community.
Our Health Partnership Specialist Lakia and Behavioral and Mental Health Partnership Specialist Ben connected with partners there and strengthened our relationship with accessible, community-based resources. ...
From decorating the hallways and creating comfortable student spaces to participating in back-to-school bashes, our team members are active, engaged members in their school communities.
Here are some photos from back-to-school festivities at one of our West Side schools, where Ms. Meredith Awalt serves as Student Supports Manager: ...
Our school-based team is welcoming students back this week with safe, relaxing, colorful spaces of support!
At one of our schools on the West Side, Senior Student Supports Manager Ms. Diamond fills her space with student artwork and photos. She has bean bag chairs for them to do their school work, decompress, and meet with her one-on-one to discuss their day.
On the back wall, the "Wall of Ownership" poster features different ways that students are owning their lives, their choices, and their future! ...
𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲-𝟮𝟳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿!
And this year, our team is delighted to serve students in even more Chicago Public Schools. CIS of Chicago will be present in 265 schools this year, or more than 40 percent of the entire district, and our work will support 90,000 young people.
That means that more students will have access to the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need to succeed.
This year, we welcome 16 schools to the CIS network:
--Catalyst Elementary Charter School - Circle Rock
--Frank I. Bennett Elementary School
--Andrew Carnegie Elementary School
--Milton Brunson Math & Science Specialty School
--Joseph E. Gary Elementary School
--Great Lakes Academy Charter School
--Noble - Hansberry College Prep
--Noble - Muchin College Prep High School
--Charles W. Dulles School of Excellence
--Richard J. Oglesby Elementary School
--Emmett Louis Till Fine & Performing Arts Magnet
--Arthur E. Canty Elementary School
--Minnie Mars Jamison Cuffe STEM Academy
--James Gillespie Elementary School
--William H. Hearst Elementary School
--Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School
...
School Partners - Communities In Schools of Chicago
www.cisofchicago.org
Communities In Schools of Chicago is partnering with 265 of the city’s public schools during the 2026-27 school year, connecting these schools with a range ofAhead of each school year, our Partnership Team plans a full day of learning, connection, and professional development for community partners in our network. We know that when they have the resources and preparation they need, our students are better served!
This year's CIS Summer Institute sessions covered:
-Volunteer management and classroom management
-Relationship building with schools
-Professional resilience
-Storytelling through data
-And more!
Check out some highlights: ...
With the school year about to begin, our team is out building connections with schools and educators!
Today, our Intensive Team leaders attended the Distinctive Schools Educator Support Expo, where they connected with individuals across the CICS / Distinctive Network and shared the impact of our CIS model. The event was hosted at CICS Longwood, where our Student Supports Manager Malia supports students one-on-one. ...
Our team is busy this week getting students the resources they need to start the year strong.
We are distributing 3,000 backpacks 🎒 to CIS school partners, thanks to our partnership with Cradles to Crayons Chicago!
It was a true team effort -- receiving these backpacks, organizing them, and getting them directly to our school site coordinators, like our counselor at Libby Elementary School, featured in the second picture. ...
After a trip to D.C., our Do the Write Thing Chicago ambassador, incoming eighth grader Damiya Myers, had the opportunity to talk about her experience in the nation's capital, what she learned from her fellow ambassadors, and what she believes is critical to reducing youth violence with WGN Radio's Lisa Dent!
Lisa also chatted with Robin Koelsch about CIS' role supporting Do the Write Thing -- and she even read Damiya's powerful Do the Write Thing poem. Want to catch the full interview? Visit the link here: wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/chicago-do-the-write-thing-ambassador-shares-her-message-of-anti-violence-... ...
It's hard to believe that school will be back in session in <1 month! We can't wait to see our students and support them in starting the school year strong.
Here are some pics from last year across our partner network: ...