COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF JACKSONVILLE INC

CIS WORKS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM TO HELP STUDENTS FIND NEW PATHS TO SUCCESS THROUGH CASE MANAGEMENT, LITERACY, AND AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP STUDENTS ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION WHILE CONNECTING THEM TO RESOURCES THAT SERVE THE NEEDS OF THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY. SITE COORDINATORS ARE EMBEDDED DIRECTLY INTO 37 DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH LOW-INCOME, DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AT-RISK OF FALLING BEHIND OR DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL. THE CASE MANAGEMENT DIVISION IS COMPRISED OF FOUR PROGRAMS: STUDENT ENRICHMENT PROGRAM, BRIDGE TO SUCCESS PROGRAM, ACHIEVERS FOR LIFE, AND GEAR UP. THE STUDENT ENRICHMENT PROGRAM (SEP), WHICH COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF JACKSONVILLE HAS OPERATED SINCE ITS INCEPTION, FOLLOWS THE NATIONAL CIS MODEL THAT USES EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES TO SURROUND STUDENTS WITH A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT TO HELP THEM STAY IN SCHOOL, GRADUATE AND ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN LIFE. AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, ADDITIONAL FOCUS IS PLACED ON COLLEGE AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. FULL-TIME SITE COORDINATORS WORK INDIVIDUALLY AND IN GROUP SESSIONS WITH ABOUT 75 STUDENTS AT EACH SCHOOL THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR TO ADVOCATE, MENTOR, AND COUNSEL THEM. HOME VISITS AND PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT ARE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE PROGRAM, AND SITE COORDINATORS CONNECT STUDENTS TO NEEDED COMMUNITY RESOURCES. HUNDREDS OF OTHER STUDENTS ARE REACHED THROUGH SCHOOLWIDE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE SITE COORDINATORS, SUCH AS CAREER FAIRS, MEN'S AND LADIES' SEMINARS, LITERACY PROGRAMS, AND PARENT EVENTS. IN THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR, SEP PROVIDED SERVICES TO A TOTAL OF 904 STUDENTS. THESE STUDENTS ACHIEVED THE FOLLOWING: GPA IN 6TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE - 3.06; 71% MISSED LESS THAN 21 DAYS OF SCHOOL; 90% HAS NO IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 88% HAD NO OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 37% MALE, 63% FEMALE; RACE: 1% AMERICAN INDIAN, 1% ASIAN, 73% BLACK, 7% HISPANIC, 4% MULTI, AND 14% WHITE. BRIDGE TO SUCCESS PROGRAM PROVIDES SITE COORDINATORS WHO WORK WITH STUDENTS CURRENTLY OVER-AGE FOR THEIR GRADE LEVEL. THE 536 STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAM ACHIEVED: GPA IN 6TH THROUGH 12 GRADE - 2.40; 39% MISSED LESS THAN 21 DAYS OF SCHOOL; 66% HAD NO IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 61% HAD NO OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 55% MALE, 45% FEMALE; RACE: 1% ASIAN, 77% BLACK, 5% HISPANIC, 10% MULTI, AND 7% WHITE. ACHIEVERS FOR LIFE (AFL) IS A DROPOUT PREVENTION INITIATIVE DEVELOPED AND FUNDED BY THE UNITED WAY OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF JACKSONVILLE AND JEWISH FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. AFL TARGETS SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS EXHIBITING RISK FACTORS OF SCHOOL DISENGAGEMENT INCLUDING LOW GPAS, LOW FCAT SCORES AND EXCESSIVE ABSENCES, FOR WHOM CIS PROVIDES FAMILY SUPPORT, A MENTOR AND ACADEMIC ASSISTANCE. OF THE 1,159 STUDENTS SERVED: GPA IN 6TH THROUGH 8TH GRADE - 2.75; 68% MISSED LESS THAN 21 DAYS OF SCHOOL; 84% HAD NO IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 71% HAD NO OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; MALE - 47%, 53% FEMALE; RACE: 1% AMERICAN INDIAN, 1% ASIAN, 68% BLACK, 12% HISPANIC, 5% MULTI, AND 13% WHITE. GEAR UP, A SEVEN-YEAR FEDERAL PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WORKS WITH A COHORT OF STUDENTS STARTING IN 7TH GRADE AND CONTINUES WITH THESE STUDENTS THROUGH 12TH GRADE PLUS ONE YEAR OF POST- SECONDARY EDUCATION. OF THE 527 STUDENTS SERVED IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR: GPA IN 10TH GRADE - 2.66; 39% MISSED LESS THAN 21 DAYS OF SCHOOL; 80% HAD NO IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 79% HAD NO OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 51% MALE, 49% FEMALE; RACE: 1% AMERICAN INDIAN, 1% ASIAN, 68% BLACK, 15% HISPANIC, 5% MULTI, AND 10% WHITE.

COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF JACKSONVILLE OFFERS A QUALITY, FREE, AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM IN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A SAFE ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN COMPLETE THEIR HOMEWORK UNDER CERTIFIED TEACHER SUPERVISION AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES LIKE SPORTS, SYMPHONY AND ROBOTICS. FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM OPERATES MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR THREE HOURS EACH DAY AND FOCUSES ON SIX CORE AREAS - ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, SPORTS AND RECREATION, LIFE SKILLS, CULTURAL ENRICHMENT, PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE. EACH AFTERNOON, STUDENTS ARE WELCOMED INTO A GENERAL MEETING PLACE, CHECKED IN BY QUALITY AFTER-SCHOOL STAFF AND ENJOY A NUTRITIOUS SNACK. STUDENTS THEN SPEND UP TO 75 MINUTES EACH DAY WORKING ON ACADEMICS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A CERTIFIED TEACHER AND AFTER-SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS. AFTER ACADEMICS, STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CHEERLEADING, DANCE, ARTS AND CRAFTS, AND SPORTS. EACH OF THESE ACTIVITIES IS LED BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED AFTER-SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE BACKGROUND SCREENED BY DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. CERTAIN AFTERSCHOOL SITES ARE ABLE TO OFFER UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS. THE JUMP START STRINGS PROGRAM, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JACKSONVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ALLOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS TO LEARN AND PLAY STRING INSTRUMENTS WHILE BEING INSTRUCTED BY THE SYMPHONY MUSICIANS. PARTICIPATING STUDENTS HAVE A CHANCE TO PERFORM FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. OTHER UNIQUE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ROBOTICS, ANIMATION AND VIDEO PRODUCTION. AFTER STUDENTS COMPLETE THESE ACTIVITIES, THEY GATHER TOGETHER TO ENJOY A NUTRITIOUS DINNER AND THEN ARE DISMISSED AND PICKED UP BY PARENTS OR APPROVED GUARDIANS. OF THE 2,129 STUDENTS SERVED IN THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR: GPA - 2.86; 73% MISSED LESS THAN 21 DAYS; 91% HAD NO IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 84% HAD NO OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS; 49% MALE, 51% FEMALE; RACE: 1% AMERICAN INDIAN; 1% ASIAN/PACIFIC, 72% BLACK, 10% HISPANIC, 4% MULTI, AND 12% WHITE. CIS SERVES AN ADDITIONAL 218 STUDENTS IN THE HOPE = SUCCESS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM IN 6 HIGH SCHOOLS.