Monthly Archives: September 2010

We organized the drives. You came out, bringing supplies and donating your free time. And students across the state of Washington triumph.

Throughout the past summer, Communities In Schools hosted supply drives across our state. We filled canoes, stuffed buses, and gathered supplies so that kids could get the tools they needed to learn.

In anticipation for the upcoming school year families will have had to spend $60-100 per child to pay for necessary supplies. Within the Seattle School district, 40% of the area’s 45,000+ students live in poverty, and their families are often unable to rise up to the financial challenge presented by the high costs of needed learning tools.

Teachers will often try to cover costs of school supplies within their classrooms by opening their own wallets. Studies have found that in a nation-wide survey for the 2005-06 school year, teachers have spent of average of over $1,000.

But thanks to the passion and efforts of Washington businesses and individuals, teachers can rest assured that their students will be that much more ready to take in some knowledge. Over 75 community partners, big and small, showed their support through donations or by hosting drives. 150+ volunteers donated their free time so that the drives would run smoothly and effectively. And in the end, more than 10,000 more kids walked into their first class armed with the necessary supplies to begin the new school year.

A sincere thank you to all those who helped out this summer!

In it’s September 20th education feature, “Not a Teacher? Not a Problem….Here’s how to lend a hand” Time magazine recommends Communities In Schools as one of the best organizations to volunteer your time. According to the magazine, “You have a demanding job, which means you also have the expertise that schools can use to get students interested in subjects and career opportunities. Use your passion to spark theirs.”

We couldn’t agree more.

In Washington State we offer a wide range of volunteer opportunities in 166 schools serving 12 communities across the state. Through our school-based mentoring programs you can become like second-family to kids who need someone to hear them and believe in them. Become a tutor and help a struggling student keep up with their classmates. Or help build community by serving as a board member on one of our 12 locally-driven CIS organizations.

Regardless of how you choose to get involved we urge that you do. Not only do thousands of kids across Washington need your help, we guarantee your volunteer experience will change your life. Help a child grow into a productive citizen and help yourself become a happier and fulfilled person.

If you think you are ready to commit click here to find out more.

The Puyallup Fair is back. And for the forth year in a row, Communities In Schools is there to join in on the fall weather fun.

For a number of years now, Communities In Schools has infused itself in the Puyallup Fair scene, providing a stage for local acts throughout the community. From a high school cheerleader troop to a seemly famous miniature Elvis (complete with hip gyrations), fair-goers are treated to local and lovable entertainment.

Throughout the day children and families have the opportunity to grab a free book from the book bus parked next to the stage. All books have been donated by Reading Tree, a longstanding partner of Communities In Schools that collects and redistributes books throughout the country.

Check out this video of Jest In Time, a favorite of the Communities In Schools stage:

Big news is happening in the Communities In Schools of Washington network.

Spaces will be cleared and name tags are to be printed in school districts across the state of Washington; beginning this month, the Communities In Schools of Washington network will be adding 12 new AmeriCorps members to its site coordinator team, thanks to a recent AmeriCorps grant awarded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).

Teamwork pays off…

In a multi-state collaboration effort, Communities In Schools affiliates from Arizona, Pennsylvania, West Los Angeles, Detroit, New Orleans, and Washington were awarded over $1.9 million from the CNCS to fund 92 AmeriCorps volunteers. This project is expected to serve more than 75,000 K-12 grade students and their families. The 12 AmeriCorps members awarded to Washington State will be distributed among 11 of our statewide affiliates.

Connecting the right help…

As site coordinators, the 12 AmeriCorps members will work to connect the right help to the right students at the right time. Equal parts compassion and expertise, Communities In Schools site coordinators work directly in schools to connect struggling students with a vast array of community services – from health and dental care, to clothing and eyeglasses, to housing and food support. They respond quickly to connect students with what they need, when they need it. And over time they form meaningful relationships that boost confidence and set the expectation for success.

Not sure what an AmeriCorps is? Well, AmeriCorps is a national program that places volunteers in a variety of public service settings across the country. Hailing from all over the country, these volunteers dedicate a year of their life to the organization in which they are placed, living off a meager stipend but putting a six-figure salary’s worth of heart into their daily tasks. The program was created simultaneously with CNCS in 1993 under President Clinton, who stated that “Service is a spark to rekindle the spirit of democracy in an age of uncertainty.”

Also under the CNCS umbrella is the Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) program. Those familiar with Communities In Schools may already be aware of the prevalence of AmeriCorps VISTAs within the Washington state network. Through volunteer recruitment, event coordination, and even the occasional blog post (hello), VISTAs play a large role in the day-to-day activities of the state office and its affiliates. This year especially has seen high VISTA participation for our organization, employing 11 AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers throughout the state.

Check out this video to see AmeriCorps VISTA Kaylee Henderson talk about her year of service:

Reprinted from Spokesman Review

Baby boomers often have vivid memories of the school nurse’s office of their childhood. A woman in a white, starched cap poised near a pristine cot, ready to administer a shot or apply a Band-Aid at any hour.

School funding cuts have dramatically changed the role of the school nurse. In Spokane Public Schools, nurses now work in teams to cover as many as eight different schools apiece. The schools employ approximately one nurse to every 2,200 students.

That’s why news last week of a $50,000 Gates Foundation grant to research school-based health centers in Spokane appeared promising. The nonprofit group, Communities in Schools of Spokane County, will use the funds to collaborate with the Spokane Regional Health District, local school districts and community health organizations. An advisory committee will study effective models and devise a plan for pilot and long-term funding.

More than 1,700 school-based health clinics exist throughout the United States, including 14 in Seattle. According to Ben Stuckart, director of Communities in Schools of Spokane County, Spokane is one of the few metropolitan areas of its size without one.

The scope of these clinics varies, but they’re often designed to bring greater access to medical and mental health care to students who attend high-poverty schools.

In 2008 the Washington State Healthy Youth Survey found that 44.2 percent of Spokane County youths had not seen a health care provider for a check-up in the past 12 months.

Struggling working families may lack both time and transportation. A single mother working two jobs and relying on public buses may forgo important doctor’s visits. A child who needs a strep test, for example, may be more likely to receive that care if the clinic is located at school.

According to Kathe Reed-McKay, health services director for Spokane Public Schools, school nurses now focus on meeting the needs of children with serious and chronic health problems. As rates of diabetes have risen and the treatment for the disease has changed, nurses now need to help administer insulin to more children throughout the day. They oversee treatment for asthma, food allergies and seizure disorders, as well as other serious illnesses.

Elsewhere, research has shown that school-based health clinics can improve academic performance. A study reported by the Journal of Adolescent Health last year concluded that school attendance and grade point averages increased for students receiving care in school clinics.

Funding for school-based clinics could come from state and local foundations, government, hospitals and local health care volunteers. The new federal health care reform law includes funds for capital expenses related to school-based clinics. Communities in Schools has set fall 2011 as a target date for opening at least one clinic here.

The days of a school nurse assigned to every classroom building have disappeared right along with those stiff white caps. But this new idea could keep a significant number of Spokane students healthier and much more ready to learn.