Communities In Schools Of Charlotte Mecklenburg Inc

Programs: School-based dropout prevention - cis assigns full-time staff to specific charlotte-mecklenburg schools (cms) elementary, middle, prek-8, and high school - to work collaboratively with the entire school team on a daily basis to impact student success. Our cis site coordinators address the needs of the total child; assess and then determine what a student may require to stay and succeed in school; and deliver those services and/or resources. Their presence in the schools allows them to form lasting, meaningful relationships with the students and families they serve and with the cms staff in the schools with whom cis partners. Cis site coordinators are extremely knowledgeable of, work with, and refer students and families to other mecklenburg county community agencies (non-profit and government) to ensure students and families get needed additional services as/when appropriate. This collaborative approach ensures a seamless, efficient use of community resources and coordinated efforts to increase the likelihood of school success and high school graduation and is a proven, cost-effective approach for improving student outcomes. The cis service delivery model focuses on attendance, behavior, academics and parent engagement at all school-age levels, while effective, best-practice student interventions change and are matched appropriately to and delivered at each level prek through grade 12 or as students change. Students are referred to cis by principals, school staff, social workers, community agencies, parents, and cis site coordinators based on known risk factors associated with dropping out of school: poverty; homelessness; high risk peer group; teen parenthood; poor grades, attendance, and behavior; family mobility; sibling(s) dropped out; low parental educational achievement; and/or trouble with juvenile justice system, parents and/or siblings incarcerated. Cis then utilizes early warning indicators (developed by charlotte-mecklenburg schools) to identify moderate to high risk students for enrollment who can most benefit from cis direct case-management, including coordination to other mecklenburg county community services and resources for which the student/family may not be aware or accessing. Students are assessed and individual student plans for each child are developed based upon the needs and associated risk factors for a student but also based on the student's strengths and unique characteristics to nurture.

safe journey - the communities in schools safe journey parents as teachers program, funded by smart start of mecklenburg county, assists pregnant and parenting teens who are committed to completing high school while simultaneously enhancing interactions with their child, their understanding of child development, and overall family well-being. Safe journey serves 80+ teenage mothers annually at ten cms high school sites. Students enrolled in safe journey will participate in monthly home visits with their case managers, group connection sessions, and targeted health and developmental screenings. Safe journey participants also benefit from access to quality childcare, referrals for community resources, and opportunities for eligible program graduates.

talent search program: talent search is a trio program administered by cis and funded by the u. S. Department of education. The focus of the program is to assist low income, would-be first generation college students in the successful completion of high school as well as enrollment in post-secondary programs through a variety of career exploration, college preparation, and social/cultural development activities.