Our Partnership Program creates meaningful connections between Chicago schools and community organizations. Schools, sometimes unable to meet the full range of student needs, are paired with community organizations that can address those needs with a rich diversity of support resources.
This school year, CIS of Chicago will link whole-school supports to 239 Chicago Public Schools through a network of community partners. These partners include nonprofits, corporations, individuals, and government agencies.
In 2023-24, CIS of Chicago positively impacted the lives of 74,300 students across the city.
Prioritizing Needs
At the beginning of the school year, our School Partnership Specialists work with school leaders, like principals and guidance counselors, to understand the types of supports their students need. They work together to set eight priorities to focus on addressing through community partnerships and establish goals for the academic year. Our School Partnership Specialists consider the makeup of the school, as well as the school’s mission and initiatives, when setting priorities to guide program connections.
Connecting Programs and Services
Once priorities have been identified, CIS of Chicago School Partnership Specialists collaborate with our Community Partnership Specialists to link a range of support programs and services to the schools. The programming fits into six main categories:
- Academic support
- Arts and culture
- College and career readiness
- Counseling and supportive guidance
- Health and wellness
- Parent and family engagement
All programming is provided at no cost to the schools or students, and the programs address students’ holistic needs. Our community partners include everything from licensed therapists in private practice and dedicated health educators to museums and cultural institutions that make our city great. These organizations can rely on our Community Partnership Specialists to connect them directly with students.
Supporting Our Partners
CIS of Chicago supports the development of key skills that enable both our school partners and our community partners to collaborate to best serve students.
School Partner Training and Resources: ACTIVATE
Throughout the year, our Partnership Team offers hands-on support to our school partner liaisons, called Site Coordinators, through meetings and trainings. Site Coordinators attend sessions based on services which interest them. Past training topics include grant-writing, restorative justice, and even mindfulness.
They also develop important skills around communicating effectively with community organizations, evaluating programs and services to gauge impact, and more. In 2023-24, we provided training to 172 school partners.
Community Partner Training and Resources: NAVIGATE
Our Partnership Team also provides training to community partners in curriculum development, classroom management, program evaluation, and more. We know our community partners play an important role in keeping students excited about learning and on track for graduation, so investing in their professional development is key.
NAVIGATE workshops and working groups allow our partners to build skills, learn from each other, and teach us – while working collaboratively to positively impact students. In 2023-24, we provided training to 192 community partners.
If you’d like to learn more about our Partnership Program, contact Sucada Bell, Senior Director of Partnerships, at [email protected] or 312-829-2475 ext. 12.
