Press Room

“What We Are Made Of” will use mosaic art to empower students to write their own success stories and encourage adults to become part of their community of support

In this guest column in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic LLC, a social enterprise firm, and former director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President George W. Bush, and Dale Erquiaga, president and CEO of Communities In Schools, discuss the benefits of SEL.

Commission Report Validates a National Movement to Teach “the Whole Child,”

A new art exhibit hosted by Communities In Schools (CIS) at Touchstone Gallery in Washington, D.C., will ask audiences to look closer and listen harder to our nation’s students who are thriving in the face of significant challenges ranging from school violence to problems at home to hunger. Showcasing the work of renowned pop artist, Jason Mecier, the display will feature seven powerful mosaic portraits of students from across the country. Each piece is assembled with objects from the student’s life to represent who they are as individuals as well as the supports that helped them succeed.

Communities In Schools issued a statement in response to a final report released by the Federal Commission on School Safety.

We’re not talking about big businesses taking over schools or foisting their preferred educational philosophy on teachers and principals. Not at all. Rather, businesses can invest in the great nonprofit partners that have shown they can work with school districts to boost student success, as well as in research that aims to uncover new strategies for dismantling the barriers students face.

AbbVie's recent announcement of a $55 million total donation to three leading nonprofits, including Communities In Schools, is making national and regional headlines.

Many schools have formal and homegrown efforts responding to the impacts of poverty and other adversities on learning. The Universal School Breakfast Program feeds over 14 million students in schools across the country. The Jennings School District in Missouri opened a food pantry, homeless shelter and health clinic for its students. Programs such as Communities In Schools, Community Schools, City Connects, and BARR Center are addressing students’ comprehensive needs by connecting them to community resources.

AbbVie’s donation of $30 million will allow Communities In Schools to provide essential support services to nearly 70,000 underserved children, including for children in 16 high-need Chicago public schools. This investment represents the largest single corporate donation Communities In Schools has received in its 40-year history.

Immigrant students are suffering more anxiety over the "rhetoric around immigration and ICE raids," said Dale Erquiaga, the president and CEO of Communities In Schools, a national nonprofit that works to connect schools with community services. "The other is race. We hear a lot from our sites about African-American students... [that] race conversations in the country ratchets up their anxiety and anger."

The Illinois State Board of Education added SEL skills to its student learning standards in 2003 and organizations like dropout-prevention nonprofit Communities In Schools of Chicago (CIS of Chicago) are doing their part to make sure SEL remains at the forefront of education. Student support managers from CIS Chicago work with CPS students who have challenges with attendance, behavior or coursework. They offer group and individual help with things like anger management and grief support.

Communities In Schools claimed the top spot on the annual Top-Rated Nonprofit Workplaces in 2018 list by Indeed.com, the highest-traffic job website in the United States.

Communities In Schools was ranked #1 on their Top-Rated Workplaces: Best Nonprofits by Indeed.com

Communities In Schools, the national organization dedicated to empowering at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future, today welcomed Isaiah Pickens, PhD, and Darilyn Olidge, Esq., to its National Board of Directors. Dr. Pickens is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in consulting, counseling, and educational services for families, teens, and young adults. Olidge is a Partner, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Brightwood Capital Advisors.

Across South Carolina, back-to-school routines are settling into place. Fall sports and activities are in full swing. Friendships are rekindling after a summer apart. Homework and study regimens are back. And for many students living in poverty, being back in school means much more than a familiar routine. In schools equipped with the right resources, these students have returned to a safe haven where their basic needs, like food and clothing, are met. The challenge, of course, is ensuring that all schools are equipped to meet students’ needs outside the classroom. Teachers and school administrators are already overburdened. They can’t do it all.

Communities In Schools announced the creation of the All In Relief Fund to support CIS affiliates who have suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Florence.

Communities In Schools (CIS), the national organization dedicated to empowering at-risk students to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future, is delighted to welcome NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal as the newest member of its national board of directors

Bailey, 31, was selected among 14 applicants as the 2018-19 winner of the Bill & Jean Milliken Alumni Fellowship. He started the nine-month fellowship Aug. 27 at the CIS headquarters in Arlington, Va.

The annual PDK poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools found that parents lack strong confidence that schools can protect their children against school shootings but favor armed police, mental health screenings, and metal detectors more than arming teachers. When it comes to spending, a 21-point margin (60% to 39%) prefers having public schools spend more on students who need more support rather than spending the same on all students regardless of their need for support. Read more insights into the public’s attitudes towards public schools here.

The awards recognize community members and leaders who have done exemplary work to empower the students they serve to succeed in the classroom and beyond.