What Happened to Summer?

I can hardly believe that summer has already come and gone! Communities Supporting Schools has been so busy preparing for the new school year that we blinked - and summer was gone! However, everything that we did this summer has been exciting and productive. Here are a few updates:

• CSS continues to work with the Institute for Emerging Issues through North Carolina State University in an effort to grow and provide for greater support services.

• Michael Lowder, consultant with Moss & Ross, has met with our staff and board members throughout the summer in an effort to review current funding sources and to help prepare for the upcoming ArtXecute program. This work was made possible through the grant received from the North Carolina State Employees Foundation.

• In late August, Selena Bennett, CSS Executive Director, attended the Mission Development Conference in Raleigh. This conference was hosted by the NCSECU Foundation and provided a tremendous “networking” opportunity with twenty non-profits throughout the state.

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• A tremendous “Stuff the Bus” school supply drive was held in late July. CSS also participated in the “Worrell Contracting Back to School” event.

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• The United Way Volunteer Fair provided another great opportunity to network with other non-profits and to introduce CSS programs to potential volunteers.

• Barbara Jones, Restorative Justice Program Director, recently helped with the annual School Resource Officer training. Robin DeVeaux, CSS Success Coach, also presented information related to childhood trauma during the training.

• ArtXecute, the new arts education initiative, has been launched with a Facebook Live event. An informational meeting was held on September 12.

• School staff has returned for the new school year! CSS has staff members in ten schools! Currently, we have staff at Brogden Primary, Carver Elementary, Carver Heights, Brogden Middle, Dillard Middle, Grantham Middle, Mount Olive Middle, Goldsboro High School, Southern Wayne High School, and Spring Creek High School.

Selena Bennett

Executive Director, CSS of Wayne

Communities Supporting Schools of Wayne County (CSS) announced the launch of its arts education initiative ArtXecute. ArtXecute is designed to prevent Wayne County youth from becoming involved in gang activity by providing an opportunity for at- risk and justice-involved youth to form positive peer relations and to express their emotions through the creative arts.

For more information, please visit https://www.waynecss.org/artxecute!

The mission of Communities Supporting Schools is to provide opportunities for students to stay in school, graduate, and be successful in life.