CIS Washington News

Who knew Mardi Gras could find its way up to Seattle in January? But on a rainy winter night, typical of the Pacific Northwest, Mardi Gras was in full swing. The costumes were extravagant, the laughs were affable and the beads abundant. And all of this festivity was in the spirit of giving. On January 30th, 2010 Communities In Schools held its first-annual Mardi Gras Dinner Auction to both celebrate and support the organization’s statewide mission to keep kids in school.

The guests of the night clearly captured this spirit of donation and dedication and met it with their own share of festivity and fun. Bidding wars broke out as guests tried to claim their favorite items in the silent auction. Throughout the presentation attendees stood to celebrate our work. And when the invitation to give was announced, auction paddles were pushed into the air.

Through the energy and compassion of the 125 guests, Communities In Schools is, after expenses $12,000 more able to do our work. Schools can’t do it alone, and neither can we. We sincerely thank all our supporters, our sponsors—Pike Brewing Co., Mercer Estates, Service Linen Supply, and Linda and Larry Huseby—and each and every guest that showed their support for kids and families.

 

Thank you,
Communities In Schools of Washington
Board and Staff

Communities In Schools, Glover Middle School and Spokane County are offering the Strengthening Families program at Glover Middle School starting on January 21st. 
 
This program is for parents and youth ages 10-14.  Free meals and childcare are provided.  The program runs every Thursday January 21st – March 11th.
 
This is a research based, nationally recognized program offered for FREE for interested families. 
 
Session topics include using lover love and limits, goal setting, rules, dealing with stress, and building family bonds.
 
To register please email sherry@cisspokane.org or call Sherry at 509-413-1436.  We will be accepting registrations as late as January 21st.

On Wednesday, January 20, the first annual Auburn Area Middle School Career Conference will be held from 7:55 A.M. to 10 A.M. at Cascade Middle School in Auburn and from 11:55 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M. at Mt. Baker Middle School in Auburn.

Auburn School District, Auburn Area Chamber of Commerce and Communities In Schools of Auburn are partnering together to encourage middle school students to stay engaged in school, plan appropriate high school course of study, graduate from high school on time, and set goals for successes beyond high school.

A 20-minute college-bound program awareness assembly kicks off the career conference, followed by four 15-minute breakout sessions with 18 local business professionals and representatives from six community and technical colleges, and a four-year university.

Middle school students from Valley Christian School will be participating in the event with students from Mt. Baker Middle School during the afternoon session.

For More information contact: Jonathan Cole at 253-288-7659.

As a result of a new game-changing study it released on January 12, the Alliance for Excellent Education said there was demonstrated evidence that lowering the high school dropout rate will have important positive implications for the economic vitality of the forty-five largest metropolitan areas in the United States.

The study, “The Economic Benefits from Halving the Dropout Rate: A Boom to Businesses in the Nation’s Largest Metropolitan Areas” measures on a city-by-city basis the growth in jobs, home ownership, levels of spending and investment, and car sales that will result from cutting the high school dropout rate in half.

According to the study 34% of high school students in the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan area do not graduate on time with a regular diploma – 14,700 dropped out from the class of 2008.

If just half of the dropouts had graduated these 7,300 “new graduates’ would experience a combined $96 million annual increase in earnings. This would result in $68 million additional spending, supporting 700 new jobs which would increase our gross regional product by $128 million and deliver $9 million in additional tax revenues. After earning their diploma 71% would pursue some type of post secondary education.

According to Alliance President Bob Wise, “The report underscores the notion that the best economic stimulus package is a high school diploma. If the U.S. is to improve its competitiveness in the global economy, it must have an education system that meets the fast-growing demand for high-level skills.”

Download the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan area results here.

KIRA M. COX – THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

Kristina Blake knows first-hand the importance of finishing high school.
She dropped out of Bellingham High School three months before graduating because she “didn’t value or appreciate education” and just wanted to make money.

After working low-paying jobs for a couple of years, she decided she needed to go back to school in order to be successful and get the kind of job she valued. Now, the 24-year-old is helping teens avoid the same mistake she did.

Blake is a mentor with a new high school mentorship program called SEE YOU IN SCHOOL! run by Communities In Schools of Whatcom County.
SEE YOU IN SCHOOL! targets high school students, mostly freshmen, who are struggling academically. The students are paired with an adult mentor who serves as a role model, provides a mature viewpoint, and helps guide the students to a successful path through school.

“Failure to thrive academically … is one of the greatest indicators a student will drop out. Who wants to say in school if they’re unsuccessful?” said Dennis D’Amelio, director of Communities in Schools. “It’s our belief, and it’s documented widely, that if a kid is doing better in school, they are less likely to drop out.”

Blake is now a Whatcom Community College student on track to graduate this spring and transfer to Washington State University. She said she joined the program because she can “definitely relate to some of the students.”
“A lot of young people are maybe in the same situation,” she said. “They’re at that time in their lives when they’re over school, they’re done with it, and they want to go out and make money.”

“It’s not until you realize when you’re in that situation that you’re only going to get so far,” she said.

ADULT MENTORS NEEDED
The high school mentoring program SEE YOU IN SCHOOL! needs adult mentors. To volunteer or learn more about the program, call 360-778-3759 or send an e-mail to volunteer@ciswhatcom.org.

With a smile and a seemingly fearless chicken on her head, Jordan Lederman showed the world what she knew. A nation-wide video contest titled “I Am What I Learn” invited students to create a video that answered the question of why their education is important to fulfilling their dreams. The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and was launched on September 21.

Under the criteria of use of creativity, strength and content, and the ability to inspire, 600 submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges. Only ten finalists made the cut, and by a public vote, three videos were selected to receive a $1000 award. The Northwest’s own Lederman claimed one of the top spots.

The 13-year-old Sammamish, WA resident exhibited in her video how her school lessons manifest in the care of her feathered companions. Her two chickens-slash-costars showed a natural talent that the academy couldn’t overlook as Lederman’s video was put on display to YouTube viewers everywhere.

From the science of egg creation to the mathematics of antibiotics, Lederman showcased just how necessary a good education is, even in the more unusual aspects of daily life. The middle-schooler is the youngest of the three winners, the other two hailing from high schools in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. We would like to offer congratulations to Jordan Lederman, along with the other two winners of the contest.

All three videos can be found at youtube.com/usedgov

Dear Colleagues,

I’m pleased to announce that the first four affiliates in our network have gone through the Total Quality System (TQS) accreditation process.  It was a long road, and I want to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the following affiliates and their executive directors for being the first to undergo the accreditation process and become TQS compliant:

·         Communities In Schools of Clay County; Theresa Waldroup

·         Communities In Schools of the Midlands; Terry Linder

·         Communities In Schools of Richmond; Harold Fitrer, Ed.D.

·         Communities In Schools of Tacoma; Teresa Maxwell

Being the first in anything is never easy, but it was important that we had affiliates and review teams willing to partner with us in getting the accreditation process right before the rest of the network moves forward.  Completing the TQS accreditation process is a tremendous accomplishment in which everyone involved can take great pride.  It will help us build on our strengths and become even stronger advocates for the millions of young people we serve every day.

Please join me in extending my sincere congratulations to the TQS pilot group for a job well done.

Warmly,

Daniel J. Cardinali

Excerpted from the Spokesman-Review
By Jody Lawrence-Turner

SPOKANE — Tight school budgets and dedication to the job add up to high out-of-pocket classroom expenses for many educators.

Educators who responded to a questionnaire from The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported spending an average of $751 a year on classroom materials above what they are reimbursed from their districts. Nationwide for the 2005-06 school year, educators spent an average of $1,752, one study found.

According to the questionnaire answers, teachers in poorer areas tend to spend more. Teachers spent the most money when they were establishing their classrooms. One teacher said she’s emptied a $10,000 savings account since she started four years ago.

In general, most of the money that educators spent was for books and educational materials — an average of $317 a year.

“When you are planning a lesson and you want them to learn, you come up with an activity and then you decide: Do I want to give them a worksheet or spend money for other items that I think will help with what we are learning?” said Matthew Inman, a science teacher at Shadle Park High School.

Lawmakers realize teachers spend a lot of money out of their own pockets. Last summer, a bill was introduced in Congress to double the federal tax deduction allowed for teachers to $500. Some districts offer professional stipends.

However, many teachers often spend more than their stipend and tax deductions combined to help their students have the best tools and environment for learning.

Story excerpted from the Spokesman-Review. Read the entire story here.

Clare Farnsworth, Seattle Seahawks

William Beale had no idea what was about to happen Tuesday.

His mother had kept it a secret, because she knew what kind of reaction her 11-year-old son would have if the sixth-grader at Madrona Elementary knew that Seahawks safety Jordan Babineaux would be in the school’s library giving Thanksgiving turkeys to 10 families.

All William was told is that he and his mother were going to school for his parent-teacher conference.

“I was very shocked when I saw him come in,” Beale said, the brightness of his smile a stark contrast to the gloomy weather outside.

“It was amazing. I was so happy, because he’s one of my favorite players – him and Matt Hasselbeck. That’s all I can say, it was great.”

Yes it was, for Babineaux as well as the kids and their families.

The Babineaux Family Foundation donated the turkeys. The employees of Hyatt Hotels chipped in large baskets filled the other ingredients needed for a full Thanksgiving Day meal. Communities In Schools brought all the parties together.

“It was kind of my idea – somewhat, I don’t want to take all the credit,” Babineaux said with a sheepish grin. “But I did want to do it. It was definitely a no-brainer.”

The little Babineaux did certainly means a great deal to the families at Madrona Elementary. In addition to the smiles on the faces of William Beale and his school mates, one of the mothers broke down and cried as she started to pickup her basket and turkey.

“A lot of people just don’t realize that the small gestures go along way,” he said.

Babineaux wants this to be just the first step toward helping the less fortunate at the next holiday.

“I kind of want to use today as a bridge to the Christmas holiday,” he said. “Because I’ll be doing something for Christmas, as well – a toy drive or a holiday shopping spree for kids and families who need it.”

On Facebook?

Chase Bank has initiated their Community Giving program which will allow Facebook users to vote for local charities and non-profits, and help direct Chase corporate philanthropy dollars to eligible organizations in the following focus areas: education, healthcare, housing, the environment, combating hunger, arts and culture, human services, and animal welfare. The grassroots campaign aims to inspire a new way of corporate philanthropy.

The eligible charity receiving the most votes will be awarded $1 million. The top five runners-up will receive $100,000 each and the 100 finalists, including the top winners, will be awarded $25,000 each. Any of these could be Communities In Schools of Washington!

How long does the program run?
Voting for Round 1 ends December 11. Voting for Round 2 ends January 22, 2010 and the top charities will be announced on or around February 1.

Vote for Communities In Schools by clicking below!