A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear CIS Friend,
We are in the home stretch! The 2021-2022 school year is just about a month away from wrapping up. Just like our students and their goals, we work hard to reach our own, including our fundraising goals. Help us finish out the year strong by making a contribution today! Did you know that for just $10 a month you can support a student's match with a mentor? Or that a monthly investment of $25 ensures 12 students have school supplies for a year? Every dollar helps us set up our students for success!
Please enjoy all the fun updates and opportunities we've got for you in this issue!
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After two years of being remote, our 2022 annual All Site Volunteer Week was once again live! Throughout the week of April 18, we had over 50 volunteers join us for various projects across  our ten CIS schools. From painting and organizing to planting and creating, these amazing people brought their smiles, positive energy and elbow grease! For example, at Falling Creek Middle, a group planted flowers in the garden beds surrounding an area outside of the school that will soon be an outdoor classroom.
The project at Meadowbrook High School was especially unique - three International Baccalaureate students took the lead to work with our CIS Site Coordinator, Ms. Greenwood, to organize the entire project. Fro m writing the volunteer job descriptions to identifying their supply needs, the students designed a project to paint and place rocks around the school’s athletic fields that included messages of hope and encouragement. Together with community volunteers and other students, the group created beautifully painted rocks, which now serve as reminders to all students to keep working towards their goals!
In addition to our in-person opportunities, we also had folks complete DIY projects, which they completed at home and brought to our office. This includes assembling snack bags and teacher appreciation gift bags.
Our community members are so invaluable to our work - thank you to everyone who made our All Site Volunteer Week such a great success!
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WELCOME TO THE TEAM!
The CIS team is thrilled to share that we have filled our Finance and Office Manager position! Jennifer (Jenni) Field joins us as a longtime employee of CCPS and Che sterfield County - in fact she was once the Fiscal Tech for CIS of Chesterfield! Jenni's history with CIS goes beyond her previous employment with us - through a connection made by a former CIS Site Coordinator, Jenni adopted three of her four children, two of whom were CIS students at the time. She has and is truly living the mission of CIS! Not only does Jenni bring with her decades of finance and administrative experience required for the job, but also a deep and shared belief in our work. Her first day will be Monday the 16th. Please join us in welcoming her to our team!
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THE ONE-ON-ONE OF CIS
 If you were to follow a Site Coordinator for a day, you'd want to be wearing your most comfortable shoes. We have estimated that the average number of steps a Site Coordinator takes in single day is 15,000! However, there are times when they take a seat - the times when they have those all important one-on-one check-ins with their case managed students. The check-in is a chance for the student to talk about what is going on for them personally, and to share progress around their goals. Beyond that, these are the opportunities our Site Coordinators have to build relationships with their students, the cornerstone of the CIS model.
At times, the check-ins may involve some tough conversations, but when the student sees their Site Coordinator as an ally in their own efforts to do better, they trust the process.
As we approach the end of the academic year, check-ins are critical. Students may need to bring up a grade to pass a class, or even a grade level. With the caring support of their Communities In Schools of Chesterfield Site Coordinator, they don't have to do it alone.
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There isn't a week that goes by that we aren't appreciating our teachers, but the week of May 2nd is when we really make it known! For 2022 Teacher Appreciation Week, we made sure to show big love to the teachers at our ten schools.
At Falling Creek Middle, CIS Site Coordinator, Carlos Marti, ordered lunch from Ay Caramba for staff to enjoy lunch. We also had some wonderful partners get in on the fun. For example, at Falling Creek Elementary, Long and Foster donated cookies and a ton of awesome gift cards. The school's principal, Mrs. Johnson, used the cards to create a gift tree - teachers then selected a mystery card from the tree! At Bellwood Elementary, the Dominion Chester Power Station crew brought donuts and coffee for teachers! We also worked with HandsOn Greater Richmond to ask community members to assemble gift bags for our educators at Carver College and Career Academy! The Children's Ministries team at Second Baptist Church at River and Gaskins put together wonderful bags with notes of thanks and gift cards!
Our teachers are such incredible partners in our work - we’ve never seen their capes, but we see their superpowers every day!
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In this issue's Resource Corner, we're flipping it to you! We have some great opportunities for you to celebrate the end of the year with us and our students! Will you be our resource? Check out the activities and donation opportunities below, and reach out to the respective Site Coordinator to sign up to volunteer or contribute for their school's activities!
- End of Year Field Days - three of our elementary schools are in need of volunteers for their field day festivities. Think face painting, ice pop station managers, and one-legged race judges!
Chalkley ES- June 1st - To learn more and sign up, click here
Falling Creek ES - May 27th - To sign up email
chereese_harrison@ccpsnet.net
Manchester MS - May 26, 27, 31 and June 1 - To sign up email
kimberly_reynolds@ccpsnet.net
- Salem Church Middle School - need formal wear donations, volunteer shoppers, and dance chaperones! The school's 8th grade dance will be held on Friday, May 20th and the CIS Site Coordinator is seeking donations of polo-style shirts, button down shirts and shorts/pant to add to a "boutique" at the school where students can "shop" for dance attire. In addition, they would like to offer accessories and NEW toiletries (deodorant, body sprays etc). They are also in need of volunteers to help students pick out their items! If you have clothing to donate and/or interest in volunteering, please reach out to Tonika Claiborne at tonika_claiborne@ccpsnet.net.
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