Introduction to CIS Partnership

1. Introduction to
Communities in Schools
(CIS) of Chicago

2. Communities In Schools of Chicago
Communities In Schools of Chicago (CIS of Chicago) is a drop-
out prevention organization that works.

3. How We Work
Communities In Schools of Chicago helps students stay on
the path to graduation by:
1. Providing partnership support to a total of 176 of Chicago’s public
schools:
• CIS of Chicago seeks out quality programs from approximately 200
community partners.
• Partners provide school-based programming in four categories: the arts,
college and career readiness, heath, and behavioral and mental health
programs.
• CIS of Chicago helps connect schools and partners through targeted outreach,
relationship building and through program referrals.
2. Embedding Master’s level students support managers to provide
intensive support to 31 of Chicago’s public schools.
• Students Supports Managers (SSMs) work with a group of students most a risk
for dropping out or veering off track academically.
• SSMs connect community partners to school to serve all students

4. 2019-2020 Stats
By connecting our network schools to community
partners, CIS of Chicago ensures that:
• 15,072 students
• 576 parents
• 748 school staff
… received high-quality, no-cost programming
Additionally, we aided more than 65 schools in receiving
• 254 bookbags
• 32 coats
• 890 Uniforms
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5. What We Do Works
CIS National evaluation:
Our national organization has completed several independent
evaluations on the intensive work, showing that it is an
effective way to prevent drop-out.
CIS of Chicago evaluation:
In 2015, we completed a two-year evaluation of our
partnership program with David Figlio of Northwestern
University. The study showed an increase in reading and math
test scores at schools partnering with CIS of Chicago.
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6. CIS of Chicago Partnership
6
Initial
Meeting with
CIS staff
*including an
overview of
Partnership
Expectations
Observation
*In order to ensure
program alignment,
CIS of Chicago
Partnership staff will
work to observe the
program before
referring to schools
Program
Referral sent
to applicable
schools
Connecting
your
program to
schools
Ongoing
communication
and support

7. Perks of Partnership
For schools…
• Increased capacity to provide vital services and enrichment
experiences for students from under-resourced communities.
• In a 2020 survey of principals, 100 percent stated that they
were better able to identify and meet their school and
students’ needs because of their partnership with CIS of
Chicago.
• In the same survey, 100 percent of principals surveyed
stated that since partnering with CIS of Chicago, their
school has been better able to access services, including
programs they would not have otherwise received.
• No-cost programming at a time when school budgets are limited.
• Partners are vetted by CIS of Chicago for quality and
effectiveness.
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8. Perks of Partnership
For community partners…
• Assistance accessing more schools and more students and
targeting areas where programs are most needed
• Professional development opportunities for community
partner staff at no cost.
• The professional development series CIS of Chicago offers,
NAVIGATE, provides opportunities for partners to convene
and learn from each other and experts in the field.
• NAVIGATE includes:
• Larger trainings on varied topics
• Tailored Support
• Working Groups
• Focus Area Meet Ups
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9. Perks of Partnership
For community partners (continued) …
• Technical support and trouble-shooting assistance with
schools.
• CIS of Chicago staff are available to help smooth the lines of
communication with schools, when needed.
• Feedback and assistance in increasing the impact and
quality of school-based programs.
• CIS of Chicago has developed a set of best practices for
school-based programs called The Universal Core
Competencies. They are based on research and the input of
dozens of education experts.
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10. Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Community Partnership team do?
CIS of Chicago’s Community Partnership Team is a part of the larger Partnership
Team and is responsible for managing partnerships with more than 200 service
providers in four key areas: arts, college and career readiness, health and wellness,
and behavioral and mental health. Each Community Partnership Specialist recruits,
trains, and strategizes with as many as 70 different organizations to maximize their
programs’ impact on students and families.
What’s the relationship between Communities In Schools of Chicago and the
Chicago Public Schools?
Communities In Schools of Chicago is a valuable resource for, and partner of, the
Chicago Public Schools, but we are an independent non-profit organization founded
locally in 1988, and part of the Communities In Schools national network. During the
2020-2021 academic year our organization is in formal partnership with 170 CPS
schools and anticipates linking more than 50,000 students to essential programs and
services.
What is the role of school staff in CIS of Chicago partnership work?
Our main contacts at schools are usually the school case manager, counselor or
assistant principal, and we call them the school’s Site Coordinator (SC). SCs are a
critical component of CIS of Chicago partnership, as they access and coordinate
needed programs, evaluate the effectiveness of programs, and report back to CIS of
Chicago on school needs and partnership connections.
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11. Frequently Asked Questions
How are schools chosen to be a part of your network?
When we are ready to add additional schools to our network (usually every couple of
years), we send out an application to public and charter schools in Chicago. Schools
that apply are interviewed and assessed on their need and their willingness and ability
to work with community partners. If you know of schools that would be interested in
applying, please contact Senior Director of Partnerships , Robin Koelsch at
rkoelsch@cisofchicago.org
How long does the CIS of Chicago partnership last?
We develop enduring partnerships. All partnerships are renewed every two years
through our partner agreement. Some of our longest-standing school and community
partners have worked with CIS of Chicago for almost 20 years!
Why do all of the services you connect to schools have to be offered at no
cost?
The no-cost model has been an integral part of our work since the very beginning. CIS
of Chicago primarily works with schools that have a high rate of low-income students,
and we know that our schools’ budgets are stretched thin.
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12. Partnership Team
Karen Roddie, M.A., LSW
Associate Director of Community
Partnerships, Behavioral and Mental
Health Specialist,
kroddie@cisofchicago.org
312.829.2475 ext. 37
Emma MacLean
Arts Partnership Specialist
emaclean@cisofchicago.org
312.829.2475 ext. 48
Kara Victorsen
College and Career Partnership
Specialist
kvictorsen@cisofchicago.org
312-829-2475
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Sucada Bell
Assoc. Director of School
Partnerships
Sbell@cisofchicago.org
312-829-2475 ext. 12
Zoe Cooper, MPH
School Partnership Specialist
zcooper@cisofchicago.org
312-829-2475 ext. 21
Kaila Davis
School Partnership Specialist
Kdavis@cisofchicago.org
312-829-2475 ext. 14
Jo Ann Flores-Deter
School Partnership Specialist
Jflores-deter@cisofchicag.org
312.829.2475 ext. 31
Robin Koelsch, MA
Senior Director of Partnerships
Rkoelsch@cisofchicago.org
312-829-2475 ext. 35
*If you have specific questions about Health Partnerships please contact Karen Roddie

13. Thank you