Communities in Schools (CIS)
The mission of Communities in Schools (CIS) is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
While the program was first initiated in New York City by Bill Milliken, Gov. Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice have allocated monies to expand the CIS program from an initial three counties to the current 31 of 55 in the state.
In Pendleton County, our five CIS Coordinators serve in each of the three elementary schools: Brandywine Elementary, Franklin Elementary, and North Fork Elementary, as well as the Pendleton County Middle/High School. The impact the coordinators and the program have had on our students and school community are invaluable and have come at a most crucial time.
"We have been very fortunate to have a Communities In Schools facilitator at our school for the past two and a half years. During this time, our CIS program has improved the culture of our school by meeting the needs of students and staff members. Overall student attendance has increased because our facilitator works with students who have had a history of poor attendance. Parents and guardians have also benefited from this program because our facilitator works closely with them to help their children become more successful students and young adults. My hope is we will be able to continue to have CIS facilitators at each of our schools in Pendleton County. This program has been a great addition to our school system."
John Jenkins
Former Principal of North Fork Elementary School
Attendance Winners Announced!
Below are pictures of the bike winners for our Attendance Reward for NFES for this school year.
Kindergarten – Hunter Kimble
1st grade – Braylon Warner
4th grade – Chloe Barkley
6th grade – Allie Hedrick
CIS Holds Collaborative Meeting
Pendleton County Schools hosted a CIS Collaborative meeting on May 4, 2023 with Randolph, Grant, and Hardy County, and WVDE regional specialist Erin Boyd and Carla Snell led the meeting.
Buffalo Snow Catering Company volunteered to cater the lunch for the CIS county contacts and coordinators.
CIS HOSTS "BATMAN OF WEST VIRGINIA" ACROSS COUNTY
CIS coordinated an assembly at each Pendleton County School with John Buckland (Batman of WV). As an overcomer of terrible child abuse, bullying, addiction, depression and self-destruction John (Batman) brings a message of HOPE & empowerment which is fine tuned for all ages. Each grade level receives an age-appropriate message to impact them as they grow up.
Collaborative CIS Meeting in Pendleton County
Community in Schools Coordinators (CIS) and County Contacts from Grant, Hardy, and Pocahontas County joined together in a collaborative meeting with WV Department of Education CIS Coordinators and Regional Specialists hosted by Pendleton County Schools. Best practices, student services, community programs and supports, and several excellent ideas were shared with the goal of fostering on-going student and school support.