The Challenge:
This fall, the CIS national office launched a new campaign highlighting the impact of our work. As schools nationwide, including in North Carolina, focus on academic recovery post-pandemic, chronic absenteeism remains a major issue. Defined as missing 10% or more of school days in a year, nearly one-third (27%) of North Carolina’s students are affected, with Chatham County facing similar challenges.
Attendance matters. Chronic absenteeism has significant consequences, from lower academic performance to increased dropout rates and reduced lifetime economic opportunities. This crisis affects not only education but also entire communities.
A Powerful Solution:
To address absenteeism, we must look beyond academics and tackle root causes through trusting relationships. Wraparound services and integrated student supports (ISS) are the cornerstone of Communities In Schools (CIS), the largest ISS provider in the country. CISCC has provided these services in Chatham County for over 35 years!
Many students and families face significant challenges, but there is hope. When a caring adult is present, real transformation happens.
A National Campaign with a Local Presence!
The Being Present Matters campaign shows that when we engage with students, attendance improves, graduation rates rise, and students are set on a path to success. We are especially proud that our own Deanna Fox was featured in this national campaign!
In the coming weeks, we will share stories from our board, students, staff, and alumni that highlight the impact of our efforts. The challenges are real, but so is the difference we make, as, together, we provide a community of support that empowers students to stay in school and achieve in life!
Watch the Video Below
CISCC’s Deanna Fox Shares
We recently asked Deanna about her work at CISCC, and her thoughts about being part of this important campaign that draws attention to our work.
What do you enjoy most about your work at CISCC?
I love being able to continue to interact with students every day. As a former classroom teacher the one thing that I knew I would miss was being able to create the relationships necessary to support students to get them to the next level. I am able to interact with so many different students each day and to be able to be there for them, to show them that there is a caring adult there to look out for them is incredible and continues to push me to show up each day.
What does “being present” in a student’s life mean to you (i.e. what practical ways does this show up in your work)?
I think just literally being present is what all of this means to me. So many of our students don’t have people who are consistently there for them. To be able to show up for my students every day and to be able to support them in the small things as well as the big things is so inspiring. It shows that our presence truly matters to our students because they know that even in the hard times we still do what is necessary to uplift and help them achieve in life.
What did you learn through your involvement in filming the Being Present Matters video/campaign?
By being involved in the Being Present Matters campaign, I have realized that all site coordinators have different sites and different stories but we are all here for the same reasons, simply to show up for our students. We all want to be that person that we may have had or did not have while growing up in school. I learned that the folks within the CIS network from site coordinators to the marketing team truly believe in the work and the mission of Communities In Schools. That made me want to be a part of this project and this organization even more. To see the passion and dedication that everyone has added a little more fuel to my fire to keep going and to keep pushing and advocating for my students because it truly makes a difference when we show up and are present for our students!
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing stories from our board, students, staff, and alumni that highlight the encouraging results of our work. The need is great, but so is the impact we can make together. We invite you to invest in our work, and join us in being present in the lives of students, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life! If you would like to make a donation to CISCC, please visit this link.
