PLATINUM2024

Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands

#ALLINFORKIDS

aka CIS of AH   |   Bristol, VA   |  www.cisofah.org

Mission

Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highland's mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Ruling year info

2014

President & CEO

Chase Stewart

Main address

280 Lee Street

Bristol, VA 24201 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

46-1775208

NTEE code info

Educational Services and Schools - Other (B90)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

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Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Bristol (VA & TN)

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Children and youth
At-risk youth
Families

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Families
Children and youth
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Families
Children and youth
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Families
Children and youth
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Families

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Families
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Children and youth
Families
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Children and youth
Families
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served

Our school-based Student Support Coordinators work inside the school building everyday, ensuring our services are targeted and aligned with the current needs of each school and the respective students and families. We provide our highest at-risk students with trauma informed supportive guidance and counseling; advocacy; social-emotional learning; academic support, including tutoring and homework assistance; truancy interventions; opportunities to give back to the community; college application assistance; community-based mentoring; career/college exposure; parent education and engagement opportunities; and referrals to other agencies for mental health, physical health, behavioral health and other basic needs supports. Our whole-school supports are designed to impact every student and are carried out through attendance incentives, college/career fairs, basic needs and prevention program.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth
Families
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Children and youth
Families
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people
Children and youth
Families
At-risk youth
Economically disadvantaged people

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

CIS National Accresitations 2023

CIS National 2023

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of students served.

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people, Children and youth, Families

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The metrics shown by year are not by calendar year, but school year. For instance, 2023 means SY2022-2023.

Number of students who received individualized case management.

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Children and youth, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people

Related Program

Bristol (VA & TN)

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

The metrics shown by year are not by calendar year, but school year. For instance, 2023 means SY2022-2023.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

CIS of AH is an independent affiliate of the nations largest dropout prevention organization, both decreasing dropout rates and increasing graduation rates. We do this through providing our unique model of integrated student supports that is backed by 40 years of research and implementation and guided by our belief that programs dont change kids - relationships do.

We place school-based site coordinators inside the school building to provide targeted, individualized services to our highest at-risk students and also provide whole-school programming aimed at prevention and access to needed services. We amplify the power of each students potential by connecting them to caring adults and community resources, empowering them to succeed. Our goals are as follows: 1)At a minimum, 10% of at-risk students, in each school we serve, will receive individualized, targeted supports through CIS of AH case management to decrease and respond effectively to childhood trauma and/or adverse childhood experiences, provide programming to support development of life skills, healthy behaviors, and academic achievement, ensuring their overall well-being and success inside and outside of school. 2) CIS of AH will implement positive school attendance and engagement incentive programs at all CIS of AH school site locations. 3) All case managed students will complete an ACE score assessment. 4) Parent programming - CIS of AH site coordinators will develop/partner and offer evidenced-based parenting programs to families, with a focus on elementary school families. 5) All CIS of AH team members have been, or will be, trained on Trauma Informed Care practices and ACEs and will continue to receive ongoing education around Trauma Informed Care. As an organization, CIS of AH will continue to participate in the Bristol TN/VA Trauma Informed Care Community and the Southwest Virginia Trauma Informed Care Network. 6) Expand current comcommunity-basedntoring by 50% throughout our network. 7) CIS of AH site coordinators will refer students and parents to other resources and programs available in the community to support educational, economic and health outcomes. 8) Access to whole-school programs, prevention programs, and family engagement events focused on utilizing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) assessment, college and career exposure and access to basic needs through CIS of AH.

CIS of AH identifies at-risk students as those students who live in poverty, are at-risk of dropping out of school and are at a higher risk of experiencing trauma and/or adverse childhood experiences, affecting their ability to be successful in school and in life. At-risk students are more likely to experience child abuse/neglect, have a parent who abuses drugs/alcohol, live in violent neighborhoods, and be witness to a host of adverse behaviors and experiences than their more moderate-income peers. In Southwest Virginia, three out of five students (60%) are economically disadvantaged. Students throughout Southwest Virginia continue to be exposed to trauma and have high numbers of adverse childhood experiences, live in generational poverty, and lack the skills necessary to find their individual self-worth. Their continued exposure to toxic stress makes it even more difficult for economically disadvantaged students to be successful in and out of the classroom and break the cycle of poverty. That is why now, more than ever, school divisions must have supportive structures in place to close the achievements gaps for our students who suffer trauma and/or have adverse childhood experiences.

Caring adults in a school setting, such as CIS of SWVA school-based site coordinators, are in a unique position to intervene at the first sign of an adverse experience and/or trauma, preventing the trauma from becoming cumulative. CIS of SWVA school-based site coordinators are able to assess and identify student barriers and formulate goal-driven case plans to move the student towards success and overcoming trauma while utilizing a network of community partners to wrap services around the student and family.

To evaluate our impact and ensure we are progressing towards our goals, we utilize our robust data management system which allows our school-based site coordinators to set concrete goals in primarily the areas of attendance, behavior and course performance for both the school as a whole and our individual case-managed students. We are then able to track these goals throughout the year to make sure our students stay on track to success and make adjustments as needed.

During the most recent school year, CIS of SWVA will serve over 8,000 students with 650 of those receiving individual case-management. As a result, teachers can teach, and students can learn.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback

Financials

Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Communities In Schools of Appalachian Highlands

Board of directors
as of 02/02/2024
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Kathy Johnson

Washington County Virginia Department of Social Services

Term: 2023 - 2022


Board co-chair

Justin Nidiffer

Christy Eige

Delegate Kilgore

AJ Johnson

Tazewell County VA

Gary Ritchie

Bristol Virginia Public Schools

Glayde Brown

Tazewell County Public Schools

Craig Barber

Highlands Fellowship

Carter Miles

Retired

Pat Ball

Retired

Lyndsay Whitmore

Bristol Motor Speedway

Thomas Brewster

Bluefield College

Jacob Holmes

Delegate Israel O'Quinn

John Austin

Bristol Virginia Police Department

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/2/2024
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 05/10/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.