Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands

06/05/2026

As the semester winds down, we want to talk about our All-Senior Signing Day!

The CIS-AH All-Senior Signing Day is a school-wide event where all seniors are able to share their future plans. Whether that’s continuing their education at a college, joining the military, or immediately entering into the workforce. Inspired by athletic signing days, this event allows all students an opportunity to show how far they have come!

We are so proud of each and every single one of our graduating seniors across the region. Their determination will be on full display as they walk across the stage to receive their high school diploma!



Communities In Schools of Virginia | Communities In Schools

05/15/2026

While a lot of what we do takes place between bells, did you know CIS-AH also operates five different after-school programs, across the Highlands, in partnership with our friends at 21st Century Community Learning Center?

These programs aim to address the limited availability of evening child-care in the region while providing various learning opportunities for students. Students enrolled in our afterschool programs have access to tutoring/homework assistance, hands-on activities, clubs, field trips, evening meals, and bus transportation back home. These afterschool programs emphasize how our student support doesn't end when the bell rings!



Communities In Schools of Virginia | Communities In Schools

04/27/2026

04/24/2026

🎉It's Student Support Coordinator Appreciation Week! 🎉

We would like to shine the spotlight on our amazing Student Support Coordinators who never fail to go above and beyond every day, ensuring that students have all the resources, support, and encouragement they need to succeed! 🍎✏️🏆

The dedication and passion that drives our team is the reason our footprint has expanded to cover 17 School Districts and 115 Schools across the two states!! 🤩

To cap off the week-long celebration, our admin team hit the road today to surprise each of our SSCs with the 2nd annual ✨PRIZE PATROL✨ where they got the chance to spin-the-wheel for some awesome prizes!

Once again, we want to thank each and every Student Support Coordinator for what you do! Your compassion, effort, and unwavering commitment to all of the students we serve does not go unnoticed! You truly are the heart of CIS-AH! ❤️

If you see your SSC this week, give them a shout-out and tell them THANK YOU! 🥳🤩🎉



Communities In Schools of Virginia | Communities In Schools

04/17/2026

Did you know: Family engagement in schools contributes to positive student outcomes, including improved child and student achievement, decreased disciplinary issues, improved parent-teacher and teacher-student relationships, and improved school environment? 🍎✏️

Our Family Honor Roll programing recognizes families who are heavily involved in their student’s education inside and outside of the classroom. Throughout the year, parents/guardians are encouraged to participate in activities such as attending parent-teacher conferences, turning in signed report cards, prioritizing school attendance, participating in school-related events, and providing support for the student’s homework. This program, which emphasizes strong family engagement, is not about communicating to families, but instead about building relationships WITH families!



Communities In Schools of Virginia | Communities In Schools

04/10/2026

🎉 We're so excited to share about our attendance winners! 🎉

March Madness is one of our Attendance Programs that Student Support Coordinators implement through the month of March, where classrooms are placed into a bracket-based (Class vs Class or Grade vs Grade) tournament and face-off weekly against each other based on attendance until there is only one remaining: the Attendance Champions! 🏆

Our Attendance Madness program is designed to reduce chronic absenteeism in our schools by creating excitement and enthusiasm about coming to school. Congratulations to these students on having their 'One Shining Moment' this March!



Communities In Schools | Communities In Schools of Virginia

04/06/2026

We’ve talked about who we are, what we do, and who we serve, now let’s take a look at some of the programs we offer in schools across the region!

First up is: Sesame Street In Communities

Sesame Street In Communities is a program designed to strengthen social-emotional skills using our familiar friends from Sesame Street! Topics include reading and vocabulary building, study skills, routine development, building healthy habits, and more! Each lesson is meant to get the children involved in the learning, plus there’s always a special guest or two!



Communities In Schools | Communities In Schools of Virginia

03/27/2026

Let's talk about who we serve: CIS-AH serves at-risk students who are living in poverty, at risk of dropping out of school, and those who are at a higher risk of experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which can affect success in school and in life. Yet despite their circumstances, at-risk students are incredibly resilient; they simply need a caring adult working with them every day to help them succeed and reach their goals!



Communities In Schools | Communities In Schools of Virginia

03/20/2026

This week we celebrated St. Patrick's Day across the region with various attendance incentives from doughnuts and encouraging four-leaf clovers to helping Leprechauns search for gold! 🪙🍀

We are so 🍀LUCKY🍀 to have such great students who show up to school everyday!



Communities In Schools | Communities In Schools of Virginia

03/13/2026

How We Work: Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands (CIS-AH) places Student Support Coordinators in schools to remove barriers to learning through data-driven, relationship-based support. Coordinators provide individualized case management, connect students with essential resources, and strengthen school climate through attendance initiatives, family engagement, and various innovative programs.

• Tier 1: Widely-available services designed to foster a positive school climate and address school level risk factors.
• Attendance Incentive Programs
• Substance-Use Prevention Campaigns
• Family Engagement Events

• Tier 2: Targeted services typically provided in a group setting to students with a common need.
• Managing Stress
• Social-Emotional Learning Support
• Improving Academic Skill

• Tier 3: Intensive, individualized services typically provided in a one-on-one setting to students with highly specific needs.
• Attendance & Behavior Interventions
• Coping with Family Transitions
• Basic Needs Resources

Through this comprehensive, three-tiered model, CIS-AH ensures that every student is supported, every family is engaged, and every school has the resources it needs to help students stay in school, succeed academically, and achieve in life.

To learn more you can visit us online at: www.cisofah.org



Communities In Schools | Communities In Schools of Virginia