Collaboration Between Schools and the Community: Community School Coordinators at CIS of Eastern PA

Fruitful collaborations with community mentors and organizations are critical to CIS of Eastern PA’s model for student success. Community school coordinators at CIS of Eastern PA facilitate these relationships, ensuring clear communication and coordination between school and community partners. 

As community school coordinators, our team members wear many hats. Their primary responsibilities include engaging community partners, hosting after-school events, interfacing with parents, and planning support systems with school leaders. They serve as bridges between a whole school and its surrounding community, ensuring that students and families have access to a wealth of resources. While similar to our site coordinators in the role, our community school coordinators approach their work with a whole school approach instead of one-to-one case management. 

The after-school programming our community school coordinators put together is a powerful testament to their dedication. From food drives and hot meal services to study skill sessions and professional workshops for parents, these efforts substantially contribute to the entire school community's academic, social, and emotional growth. 

School-wide events are one of the most prevalent ways that CIS of Eastern PA makes an impact beyond our students who receive one-on-one case management. In the 2022-2023 school year, we served more than 38,000 students through school-wide supports. Many of these events are made possible and impactful because of the strong relationships forged by CISEPA coordinators with our community partners. 

Community school coordinators work closely with other CIS staff and school faculty and administration to better understand students’ needs and which community resources might need extra attention.  They are also part of the national Community School network and collaborate with colleagues all over the county.  The relationship between community school coordinators and parent-family liaisons is especially important in ensuring that parents and families receive engaging, necessary programming. 

Our community school coordinators are integral in establishing student support systems and bringing them to the school's doorstep. These supports allow our students to succeed academically and set themselves up for fulfilling lives beyond education. Read our most recent annual report for more specific measures of CIS of Eastern PA’s impact.