February 15, 2023 edition

Share appreciation and gratitude for a fellow CIS employee. Giving a shout out is a great way to recognize an individual or group for their extra effort and talent, and to contribute to a culture of appreciation, community, and kindness.  

Nominate someone for Employee Excellence. Click here for the form and here to learn about employee recognition & appreciation at CIS of Central Texas. 

CEO Update

I am pleased to announce that Jerry Roberts will be joining our organization in the role of Chief Program Officer. Jerry has 20 years of leadership experience in the economic justice and workforce field and brings many of the skills and experiences that will help us meet our strategic plan goals. Jerry will supervise the Innovation Officer, Program Officer, and Sr. Director of Mental Health and Wellness. His first day will be on March 20th.

I am also pleased to announce that Debra Joiner will be our Chief Operations Officer after having held the interim COO position since September 2022. Debra has 20+ years of experience leading teams and projects. Debra will supervise the Grants & Impact Officer, Sr. Director of IT, Director of Communications, and Sr. Operations Manager. The Director of Communications position will be posted next week.

The Chief People & Equity Officer is the final Executive team role left to fill and it is currently posted. This role will lead the Human Resources Department and the organization’s commitment and strategy to be a diverse, anti-racist, equitable, and inclusive organization. 

Sharon Vigil

CEO

Values & Competencies

This week we began exploring the new CIS of Central Texas Values & Competencies together during the first of four intro sessions. Click here to review a 1-pager to reference and click here for the PowerPoint presentation from yesterday’s session. 

Introducing the Male Achievement Program

We currently have two high quality programs working to support male students -- the XY-Zone program focuses on leadership development, and the MBK Scholars program focuses on college, career and military readiness and attainment.

I am very excited to share the news that we will be merging these two programs into a new Male Achievement Program. We will take the XY-Zone curriculum and best practices from MBK Scholars to layer services and better support young males to achieve their potential. Being housed under one department with a strategic focus, there will be more opportunities to work collaboratively and innovatively to better support male students.

• Wayne Williams will transition from the role of Innovation Officer to the new role of Senior Director for Male Programs.
• Wayne will supervise Xavier DeGrate, MBK Program Director, effective this week.
• The Innovation Officer position is already posted, this is an internal only posting. Wayne will continue to supervise his team until the position is filled.
• The XY-Zone team and their Program Managers, as well as the MBK team, have all been informed. While transition planning will begin immediately, there will be no changes this school year to supervision or programming.
• The position Robert Bachicha recently left has been eliminated and will not be refilled.
• Transition meetings will take place over the next several months as Jackie, Marjorie, Karen, and Wayne develop plans for a transfer of knowledge, and the supervision transition plan for next school year. 

Wayne and I are excited to focus on bringing greater educational equity to all of our young men. Please read a message from Wayne below.

“I’ve always believed life and work should be about purpose and pursuing one’s passion. Leading the Male Achievement Program will allow me to pursue my passion while living out my purpose. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing the work of XY-Zone and MBK.” – Wayne Williams 

The Communications Department is looking for campuses to participate in the Spring Photoshoots starting in February. Please reach out to Angela @ [email protected] to schedule your date and time.

YouTubeVideo

"In Living Color" Affinity Group

In Celebration of Black History Month

On this day in Black History:

Feb. 15, 1848 - Sarah Roberts barred from white school in Boston. Her father, Benjamin Roberts, filed the first school integration suit on her behalf.

Feb. 15, 1851 - Black abolitionists invaded a Boston courtroom and rescued a fugitive slave.

Feb. 15, 1968 - Henry Lewis becomes the first black to lead a symphony orchestra in the United States

SNAP benefit replacements

SNAP benefit replacements are now available to people who were affected by the winter storm -- since so much food was lost or destroyed by power loss.

https://www.hhs.texas.gov/services/financial/disaster-assistance/receiving-disaster-assistance

Recipient must fill out the attached form and submit to HHSC via fax or mail.

Hello from the PMD team! Some quick updates:

• PMD Office Hours are Fridays from 2:00pm – 3:00pm. If you have questions or need support, drop by anytime and chat. No need to register as the link will always be the same.
• (NEW!)  CIS-NAV Assessment Performance Criteria and Guidance:  This document expands on previous guidance; specifically, how to determine which Performance Level to select when documenting an Assessment and an overview of the MAP Assessment. Please be sure to review this to stay up-to-date with PMD’s guidance.

• The AmeriCorps Site Supervisor Application for the 2023-2024 school year is due TODAY, February 15th! Click here to review the Application Overview and for a link to the application.
• The annual Life After AmeriCorps Conference is next Monday, February 20. Please register to attend here.  
• ALL AmeriCorps Members (Mentors, Squad Leaders, ASPIRE, EAOs) are invited to attend. Read below to see if it is required or optional for your position type:  
• Mentors/Squad Leaders who normally serve on Mondays: Required  
• Mentors/Squad Leaders who don’t normally serve on Mondays: Optional  
• ASPIRE: Optional  
• EAO Interns: Optional 

Mental Health and Wellness Update

Attention all campus-based staff:

Deadline extension for Intern Interest Form: March 1st. Be sure to complete the form if you will have been in your role for at least a year, have some supervisory experience, and/or hold a BSW or LMSW, LCSW, or LPC. We are hoping to host a diverse group of interns and need a diverse group of supervisors to do so. Please note, that you do not have to have a social work or counseling degree to host some of the interns that we are recruiting.”

https://forms.office.com/r/da5BBBjBak  

DEI Training Opportunity

DEI & Psychological Safety: The Future of the Workforce Is Empowerment

Tuesday, February 28, 2023 | 2 PM ET

Inside the Webinar

Come hear Rola Aamar, PhD, Partner of Behavioral Health Solutions at Relias, share why DEI and TIC initiatives need to be core components of your organization’s development strategy.

Learning Objectives

• Articulate the need for a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce.

• Share strategies for creating psychologically safe work environments.

• Explain the impact of proper DEI and TIC initiatives on staff well-being and client outcomes. 

Finance Update

Hello CISCT teammates, I am happy to announce that starting on March 1st, CISCT will increase the mileage reimbursement rate to 65.5 cents from 62.5. For this month, February 2023, we’re leaving the mileage reimbursement form and rate the same, but please use the new form and rate effective March 1. The new form will be available in Members Only on the date the new rate goes into effect, Wednesday, March 1, 2023. 

We're Hiring! Positions include

• Chief People & Equity Officer, Central Office
• Database Success Specialist, Central Office
• Higher Education Advisors, Austin ISD
• High School Youth Development Specialist
• Innovation Officer, Central (deadline February 17th at 10 a.m.)

College and Career Success Department

Click here to find a list of scholarships that are currently available to Seniors! This link will be updated throughout the school year as more scholarships become available. If you and your Senior would like some support completing any scholarship application, please reach out to Jami Herrera with the College and Career Success Department at [email protected]

Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble play entitled “The Scope of Us.”

Click to learn more about the play and get the full tour calendar. 

City Relaunches program to help people with unpaid citations,

outstanding warrants

On Tuesday, the City of Austin announced it relaunched its Warrant Amnesty Program. The city said the program helps people take care of unpaid citations and/or outstanding warrants without the threat of arrest. According to information from the city, people who resolve active warrants will have the warrant fees waived, but they must contact the court to take advantage of this program.

Schedule: 

Municipal Court cases – 6800 Burleson Road, Building 310, Suite 175

• Monday: 8:30 to 11 a.m. & 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday: 8:30 to 11 a.m. & 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Wednesday: 8:30 to 11 a.m. & 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Thursday: 8:30 to 11 a.m., 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. & 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
• Friday: 8:30 to 11 a.m. & 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. 

If an individual does not need to speak to a judge, they can visit a substation during operating hours:

North Center, 12425 Lamplight Village

• Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Downtown Austin Community Court cases – 505 Barton Springs Road

• Monday – Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. & 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

This is the first year since COVID that the courts are offering the Warrant Amnesty program.

Join NASW Texas for the workshop “Repatriation & Refugee Wellness: Supporting Afghan Newcomer Families" on February 24, 2023 at 9am CT.

In Summer 2021, the U.S. withdrew their military presence from Afghanistan and shortly after, the Taliban took control of the capital, Kabul. Over 78,000 Afghan citizens were evacuated from Afghanistan to the United States. Individuals and families are being resettled throughout the country, and a variety of organizations are helping to support their adjustment to life in a new society. This webinar seeks to equip social workers with the knowledge and skills to provide people-centered and trauma-informed assistance to this population. Following this webinar you will be able to:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the qualifications for Repatriated Refugee families status and the overall process of refugee resettlement 
• Understand the importance of fostering relationships with local schools, identify the challenges Refugee children and their families face during the process of resettlement 
• Understand the importance of support services, and local businesses when engaging the Refugee community
• Identify common mental health problems that are prevalent in Refugee populations, including Misconceptions and Myths about Refugees 
• Understand the importance of Cultural Humility and Cultural Competency

This event is open for all and free to attend! Register now!

The winner of the Apple drawing for a CIS Hoodie is Kiki Williams!

Catarina Silva, Dominique Graves, Anna Rodriguez and Christina Boatman represented CIS Central Texas at the Student Supports Institute this last week in Las Vegas.

Langford Student Council posing with their lightsabers. The students helped to organize and promote J.E.D.I. (Justice Equity Diversity & Inclusion) week as part of a schoolwide No Place for Hate activity. 

For Valentine’s Day, the CIS SHOW Club (Students Helping Out Widen) spread some love to teachers by passing out breakfast tacos, donuts, and coffee. This group of 6th grade leaders also volunteers weekly in the Pre-K early learning lab. CIS loves teachers! Pictured: EAO member, Emma Pierce, and PM, Nissa Roark

Christy Mitchell, Dorothy Garza and Amara Nitibhon outside of Langford Elementary after talking to the Texas Tribune about their work at CIS. Thanks y’all for representing the organization!

AmeriCorps Member Brianna Gonzalez from Chapa MS, created a positivity activity for students and their adult female to participate in at our Girls Night Out.

Communities In Schools of Central Texas surrounds students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.