What's ahead in our August newsletter:
- Reflections from our CEO
- Our 2023-24 school year impact
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RSVP today for our Sept. 26 annual breakfast event - hope to see you there!
- Back-to-school stories from our schools
- Partner Spotlight: Thank you, Asurion!
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And get your tickets for CAA's Halloween party benefitting CISTN on October 24 here.
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Looking to get more involved with CISTN? Check out some of our volunteer opportunities.
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Dear Friends,
As I reflect on the past year, I am filled with pride and gratitude for our collective achievements. An extraordinary year of growth and impact for Communities In Schools of Tennessee, I am continually impressed by our Program Managers. Their ability to address systemic barriers to meet the needs of our students and families with such effectiveness is truly inspiring. Our efforts led to significant improvements in student attendance, social-emotional well-being, and graduation rates. For example, in the first semester of services in a cluster in Metro Nashville Public Schools last year, we saw double-digit decreases in chronic absenteeism at each school.
This year, we experienced remarkable growth, increasing our reach from 42 to 59 schools and expanding our budget from $4.6 million to nearly $11 million. Our expansion now includes new partnerships in Nashville, several of our existing rural counties, and with Bedford and Putnam Counties. Over 25,000 students will benefit from CISTN services and supports this year. And this work is getting noticed. The National Office invited four of our staff members to speak at the CIS national conference, highlighting their exceptional work in data, development, and collaboration.
In the year ahead, we will deepen our work to address systemic barriers that impact students and families. We will finalize a strategic plan to guide us for the next three years. Our administrative offices will relocate to better meet our business needs. And we will continue to ensure students stay in school and achieve in life.
Sincerely,
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Our 2023-24 School Year Results | |
Regular school attendance is one of the most powerful predictors of a child’s academic success and overall well-being. However, through no fault of their own, thousands of Tennessee students face barriers that keep them from showing up to school every day.
Schools cannot address all of the systemic challenges facing students, many of which have nothing to do with school. That's where CISTN comes in, and our program managers spent the 2023-24 school year building relationships with their students and families, developing new partnerships to bring more community resources into their schools, and collaborating with their peers to share ideas and best practices, all with the goal of ensuring that students and families have the support they need to show up to school each day.
The result? It was a transformative year for our students, who made great progress on their attendance, social and emotional learning, and college and career readiness goals over the year.
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Join Us Sept. 26 for our Annual Breakfast | |
Join us Thursday, September 26 at 14TENN for our All In for Kids Fundraising Breakfast. Networking and coffee will begin at 7:30 am and our program will be from 8-9 am.
We look forward to sharing more about our expansion. One of our board members, Daryl Curry, will facilitate a panel discussion between our staff and several school leaders about how CISTN shows up for students across the state. Thanks to the support of our generous sponsors, the event is free to attend.
Thursday, September 26
7:30 to 9:00 am.
14Tenn (1410 51st Ave N)
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A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors | |
We are so excited to kick off a new school year! Learn about how our program managers are engaging with students and families to ensure they have they support they need to start the new year off on the right foot. | |
"Braids and Fades" at Jere Baxter
Students at Jere Baxter went back to school in style this year! Our Program Manager, Michelle, helped bring in community partners and volunteers to host a "Braids and Fades" event that offered free hair braiding, haircuts, food, and school supplies to students. This event helped students feel confident and ready for the new school year.
A big thank you to everyone who made this amazing event possible, including Cross Point Church, Wellpoint, Fitstars, Legacy Master Barber Academy, Princess 7Queens, A Twist of Greatness, Community Achieves, and Youth Changess.
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A Warm Welcome at Cane Creek
At one of our new schools this year, Cane Creek Elementary in Putnam County, our Program Manager, Debbie, hosted one of the most popular tables in the room at the school's Back-to-School Bash! The event was attended by 250 people, and Debbie got to speak with most of them about CISTN, sharing more information about CISTN's work and services, along with candy, pencils, and playdough. The students and families enjoyed themselves and are very excited that CISTN will be in their school.
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Partner Spotlight: Asurion | |
Our friends at Asurion recently made a generous donation of 150 backpacks to the students at Bellshire Elementary Design Center. Each backpack was thoughtfully packed with a personalized, positive note, bringing not only essential supplies but also a message of encouragement to each student. Asurion team members personally handed out supplies to teachers, ensuring they have the resources they need to continue making a difference in the classroom.
This act of kindness from Asurion exemplifies the spirit of community and collaboration that drives our mission forward. We couldn't do the work we do without the support of partners like Asurion. Thank you, Asurion, for helping us uplift and support our students. Together, we are making a difference!
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Save the Date: October 24 Party Benefiting CISTN
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On October 24, the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Nashville Task Force will host its annual Young Nashville Party at Acme in downtown Nashville. The event brings together celebrities and professionals from across the entertainment and sports industries to help raise money to support Communities In Schools of Tennessee.
We hope to see you there - in your best Halloween costume!
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Looking to get more involved with CISTN? With the new school year underway, there are a variety of ways you can support our students and schools. Learn more about some of our volunteer opportunities for both individuals and groups at the link below, or contact Kennedy Wallace (kwallace@cistn.org) to discuss further. | | | | |