March 8, 2023 edition

The Apple Staff Bulletin will pause the week of March 15th edition and resume after spring break on Wednesday, March 22nd. Have a great Spring Break!

Shout Outs

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.

Click here to submit a Shout Out

Read this week's Shout Outs

March is #SocialWorkMonth! Happy Social Work Month to all our CIS of Central Texas #Socialworkers!

Input Session Week

We want to hear from you! If you are not able to attend a live session, surveys will be available after the break for everyone to give input on these topics.

Employee Excellence Nominee: Ali Akler

“Ali has consistently demonstrated quality results- as our compliance specialist she has bridged the gap between navigating AmeriCorps Contractual requirements and communicating compassionately to members in order for them to meet those requirements. Ali is always on top of all the small things that keep our program running: putting together supplies for events; reaching out to members and PMs to complete timesheets and meet requirements; enrolling/exiting our members through leadership change; and ensure we are meeting grant compliance requirements. Ali has helped consistently advocate for process improvement- she's built in an annual opportunity for us to address programmatic changes; she came up with providing 360 feedback to incorporate into our mid-year and end of year feedback review; and she is also helping coordinate and put together communications, invites, and information for our OneStar monitoring vin March. Ali has continued to grow and define the AmeriCorps Compliance Role, navigating consistent change and transition within our AmeriCorps Program. She assisted in facilitating a smooth team leadership transition by taking on new responsibilities, sustaining external relationships, and maintaining compliance standards while our team transitioned to new leadership. Her dependability was vital to the team's progress during this time. She's a huge asset to our team and agency and I have greatly appreciated her consistency throughout the past few years.”

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

Celebrating Meghan Video

Please be mindful and take care of you before watching.

https://vimeo.com/804720754

Update from the Let’s Talk Facilitation Team

Given our need to support each other in this time, the Let’s Talk facilitation team has decided to postpone the scheduled Let’s Talk on White Privilege that was scheduled for Thursday, March 9. After we return from spring break, the team will gather to determine a new date for this training. We appreciate your flexibility, and look forward to seeing you at another Let’s Talk soon!

Read Plus 1 Guidance

Site Coordinator Learning Needs Assessment 2023

CIS National has opened the CIS Site Coordinator Learning Needs Assessment. Staff are strongly encouraged to complete this survey to ensure the learning needs of Texas staff are fully included. Also, we will get the feedback aggregated for each affiliate later this year which will help in planning for training activities.

Complete this survey by March 31: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CJMFSBW

PD Reimagined wants to honor your favorite teacher!

We all know inspirational teachers that work tirelessly every day to guide our future thinkers, now we want to give back and celebration them as our local heroes! Please click here to nominate a deserving teacher. We will be giving away 10 hero packs (worth up to $1000 each!) so that they know how valued they are! PLUS, since we know it takes a village, we will also buy lunch for ALL staff at participating schools!

·Our next Collaborative Learning Space is this Friday March 10^th from 8:30am-12:30pm. Our topics are on Addressing School Climate & Culture and Revisiting Cultural Humility. Sign up for this event on Auzmor here for the Zoom Invite.

·AmeriCorps Members were assigned a Termination & Closure course in Auzmor. All Members can earn an extra 30 minutes if they watch this training outside of their regular service hours. This is due prior to our CLS on March 24.

·Casey is looking for a few AmeriCorps Alumni hired as CIS Staff to help lead a short 20-minute Community Grounder at our AmeriCorps Training Spaces in the Spring. If interested, please contact him: [email protected].

Mental Health and Wellness Update

Nutrition and Wellness Lunch & Learn

By Prism Integrated Health

Legislative Briefing for All-Staff

Dr. Joshua Blank, Research Director of the Texas Politics Project

Friday, March 31 @ 9:00 – 10:15 am.

Members of our staff have expressed interest in being more informed about what’s going on at the Texas Capitol. As the legislative session is heating up, we have invited Dr. Joshua Blank, Research Director of the Texas Politics Project at UT Austin, to brief us on legislative priorities that may potentially impact the students and families our organization serves. Please make plans to join us on Friday, March 31 from 9:00 to 10:15 for this important legislative update. For more information or to submit questions for Dr. Blank, please contact Dian [email protected].

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81797060165?pwd=Vk5vcVljTVpXOFJnSlB3Z3dGSHBLZz09

Meeting ID: 817 9706 0165

Passcode: a9eGk9

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]

Do you like to build cool things? Then these apprenticeship opportunities could be your career! R&D Molders, Saleen Performance and TASUS are hiring for advanced manufacturing apprenticeship opportunities in Central Texas. Come check out these amazing companies and benefits. You will have the opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, while growing your skills for a long-term career.

The Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship Job Fair will be held on March 30, 2023, from 3 - 7 p.m., at the Georgetown Public Library, located at 408 W. 8th St., Hewlett RM, 2nd Floor, Georgetown, TX 78626. https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/TXWSRCA/bulletins/34d0087

Do you know a young person who wants to change the world?

Girls Empowerment Network and Excellence and Advancement Foundation is excited to host Spark Change Day on Saturday, March 25th from 10AM-4PM at the Texas State Capitol! This in-person and hands-on advocacy event is meant to inspire youth* in grades 6-12 to lead and get involved within their communities. Learn about developing your unique voice to advocate within your community! Receive training on the power of advocacy, participate in activities exploring issues youth are facing, and hear from local policy makers and advocates.

Link to Register here: https://form.jotform.com/GirlsEmpowermentNetwork/SCD-2023

Topics

Mental Health
Safe and Supportive School Environments
Healthy Relationships
Equity

Spark Change Day Logistics

Date: Saturday, March 25
Time: 10AM-4PM CST
Where: Texas Capitol (in person!)
Who: Youth in grades 6-12*
Cost: There is no cost associated with attending Spark Change Day! A donation is appreciated but not required.
Registration: https://form.jotform.com/GirlsEmpowermentNetwork/SCD-2023

Be sure to visit https://www.girlsempowermentnetwork.org/spark-change-day or email [email protected] for more information! We would love to see the youth in your life at Spark Change Day!

*Although the overall mission of the Spark Change Project is to amplify the voices of girls of color this is also a gender diverse event that is open to all girls and non-binary folks.

Click for one-pager

Texas Rent Relief

The TRR application portal goes live Tuesday, March 14 at 8 a.m. and ends Tuesday, March 28 at 11:59 p.m.

Link to article: Texas rent relief program applications now open | KXAN Austin

Link to Texas Rent Relief Homepage: Texas Rent Relief Home Page | Texas Rent Relie f

Family in Need

Windy Dupre at Lagos Elementary School has a family in need of a kitchen table. If anyone has a lead or if you need any more details please contact Windy at [email protected]

The winner of the Apple drawing for a Torchy's gift card is Mari Gamez and a Target gift card is Keyanna Maxwell!

Click to enter this week's drawing for a prize!

Manor Sr. HS - Some of our XY-Zone students helped us make a wall for recruiting more students for CIS. They are mostly blocking what they made, but they looked so happy!

Bastrop District Event: Dia de la familia

Magic Mirror photos from Kind Campus week at Mina Elementary.

Every student and staff member were able to stand in front of the mirror to hear positive affirmations and receive kindness.

Communication Material Request Form

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