Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
BEING PRESENT MATTERS IN CHICAGO
As the challenges facing our students have increased, so has the need for Communities In Schools (CIS) of Chicago.
Because of CIS, students are more likely to come to school, stay in school, do better academically, and ultimately, graduate, prepared for continued success.
Testimony from principals, teachers, community organizations, and students continues to verify that the work we do matters.
Impact In Our Community
Chicago public-school students benefited from programs and services provided by or connected through CIS of Chicago.*
students in grades K-12 were served by CIS Student Supports Managers. They created plans to develop the skills and access the resources they need to succeed in school.*
schools were served by CIS of Chicago. Our team connected schools with community programs that addressed their unique needs.*
*Data from the 2023-24 school year
PROVIDING HOLISTIC SUPPORT
Chicago students and their families have endured unprecedented challenges since the start of the decade. Systemic challenges like poverty, community violence, and lack of investment have compounded since the pandemic with an increase in youth mental health issues, as well as significant learning loss.
Our team works to ensure that every student, regardless of their identity, ability, or zip code, has access to the resources and opportunity they need to be successful in the classroom and beyond.
This month, our Community Partnership Team had the opportunity to visit Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village (SBEV) for their monthly meeting.
SBEV is a new CIS partner that offers a wide variety of afterschool programs, including athletics, arts, and academics. The team was able to tour SBEV's space and see some of the beautiful creations their students have made! ... See MoreSee Less
Our team connects schools with unique, meaningful experiences through our network of community partners!
Student Supports Manager Jacob and the GSA at his school recently took a field trip to Center on Halsted to take a guided tour of the Legacy Walk, an outdoor LGBTQ history exhibit in Lakeview. Thanks, Center on Halsted! ... See MoreSee Less
Congrats to Vario, an eighth grader who has made huge progress since he started working with CIS’ Juanita more than six years ago!
Juanita provided Vario with tailored, one-on-one support throughout elementary school and always believed in his unlimited potential. Vario graduated eighth grade with improved grades and behavior — and a CIS Tenacity Award!
We’re so proud of his growth and wish him all the best as he gets ready for high school in the fall. ... See MoreSee Less
One year ago, our Student Supports Manager, Katie, connected her student, La’Niya, with a 15-month teen fellowship program through the Chicago Architecture Center.
This opportunity helped La'Niya build her architecture skills, and just last month, La'Niya presented what she's been working on at a showcase. This summer, she will participate in a paid summer internship with a design firm. Congrats, La'Niya! ... See MoreSee Less
Congrats to Nayala, one of this year’s CIS Tenacity Award winners! 🎉
Nayala set strong goals at the beginning of the year to improve her attendance and grades, and with the help of Karen, our CIS team member based at her school, Nayala has made huge progress! This year, she also participated in Karen’s eighth grade group, where she built connections and community with her peers.
Congrats, Nayala! ... See MoreSee Less
Building a young person’s motivation isn't just about telling them that anything is possible. It’s about providing them with experiences that tap into their curiosity, build their self-esteem, and expose them to multiple options. It’s about creating opportunities that tie back to their learning.
That’s where our team works to bridge the gap. 𝗪𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲, 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀.
This year, we hosted 16 Inspiring Futures visits, at companies ranging from public utility company Exelon to accounting firm PwC and news organization NBC Chicago.
Learn more about the impact of these field trips -- for both students and corporate professionals -- in our latest Medium piece here: ... See MoreSee Less
Inspiring Chicago’s young people through career-based field trips
cisofchicago.medium.com
A student’s academic motivation is shaped by a variety of factors. Their confidence. Their support system. Their ability to envision their…Thanks to The Lola Foundation for bringing the Canines 4 Kindness program to one of our Northwest Side schools last month!
The program was interactive, fun, and most importantly, demonstrated how to practice compassion and kindness every day. ... See MoreSee Less
Congrats, Steven! 🎉
Steven is one of this year’s CIS Tenacity Award winners, which means he set strong goals at the beginning of the school year, and with the help of his Student Supports Manager, Ms. O., he persevered and made tremendous progress.
We love how he describes what it felt like to receive a Tenacity Award, his hopes for next year, and how important it is to have someone like Ms. O. at his school. ... See MoreSee Less
Huge congrats to our Arts & Culture Partnership Specialist, Katia Marzolf Borione! Katia was honored last night by the Art of Giving Foundation as a nominee for their Who's Who in Chicago - Philanthropy Edition!
Katia was recognized for her philanthropic leadership and unwavering commitment to making a difference, along with other outstanding Chicagoans dedicated to promoting the arts.
At the event, Katia had an opportunity to connect with other local arts organizations and share more about the work we do at Communities In Schools of Chicago. She also shared how her own Chicago Public Schools experience in the arts propels her personal mission of bringing the arts to as many Chicago students as she can through CIS.
Way to go, Katia! ... See MoreSee Less
What a school year it has been! Our CIS students have set goals to achieve in school and beyond, and with the help of our Intensive team members, they’ve made tremendous progress.
Each year, our team recognizes one student at each of our Intensive schools who set goals and persevered with a CIS Tenacity Award 🎉
Over the next few weeks, we’ll share a look at some of these outstanding students. Stay tuned! ... See MoreSee Less
Through the work of our Partnership Team, we connected high school students at Solorio High School with an interactive field trip at the Chicago Architecture Center last week!
The experience allowed them to dive into the concept of creating community and what makes a well-rounded neighborhood. First, students identified what they appreciate in their own neighborhoods. Then, they designed a community with their groups and built an infrastructure in a miniature scale. The experience connected directly with what they were learning in the classroom.
Thanks to our Arts and Culture Partnership Specialist Katia Marzolf Borione and our Associate Director of School Partnerships Clare Spaulding for working to create this connection! Thanks also to WGN TV for coming out to report on this amazing field trip. ... See MoreSee Less
𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦.
It's the end of the school year, and we at CIS are feeling an extraordinary amount of appreciation for our school partners and community partners, who show up each and every day for Chicago students.
Their dedication is inspiring -- and we couldn't do this work without their collaboration and partnership.
This month, we shared our appreciation with them at our annual end-of-year event, where we celebrated them as the real-life superheroes they are.
Here are some snapshots from the fun-filled day! ... See MoreSee Less