Our Mission

Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

WHO WE ARE

CISP wins the Nonprofit of the Year Award from Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce

CISP wins the Nonprofit of the Year Award from Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce. Pictured above Miriam Battson, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and Colleen Speer, Executive Director, Communities In Schools of Peninsula.

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Upcoming Events

Golf Tournament

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Communities In Schools of Peninsula is the community’s leading drop-out prevention organization, serving in 10 schools in the Peninsula School District. Recently, we added South Kitsap High School in South Kitsap School District to our program, making a total of 11 schools. Together with community partners, we ensure every student, regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic background, has what they need to realize their potential in school, by connecting students to caring adults and community resources that help them see, confront, and overcome the barriers that stand between them and a brighter future. 

Wendy at Red Barn

OUR MISSION

Little Boy and Dog reading

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. CIS fuels personal potential, so every student can take charge of their story and define their success for life.

When kids face uncertainty, Communities In Schools of Peninsula will be there. The spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a disproportionate effect on low-income children and families, bringing to light the need for equity in education. We provide help, access to technology, food, and PPE supplies in crisis situations. Students with substantial needs receive targeted support like tutoringmentoring, and counseling

OUR SOLUTION

Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school. The CIS model includes holistic supports and wraparound services implemented with high fidelity across our network of schools and is validated by a 5-year independent evaluation resulting in the strongest reduction in school dropout rates of any existing fully scaled dropout prevention program. 

Why We Exist

For students we serve, barriers to success can look like many things. Students may have unmet basic needs, be marginalized at school, or need support navigating a maze of public and private resources. At Communities In Schools, we are resource navigators, youth advocates, and community organizers. We are here to break down barriers so that all students can write their own version of a success story.

What We Do

We help make sure that every student, regardless of race, gender, ability, zip code, or socioeconomic background has what they need to unlock their full potential in school and beyond. We walk by their side to challenge the systems and barriers that stand between them and their success in life.

5 laughing students with arms around each other
Two smiling students sitting in front of a bookshelf

How We Do It

Working directly in 10 schools in the Peninsula School District and 1 school in South Kitsap School District, our evidence-based model connects students to caring adults and community resources to transform how they see and experience the world around them. By surrounding them with a network of trust they can turn to no matter where they are in their journey, we empower students to confront and overcome personal challenges and structural barriers—so they can take charge of the future they want for themselves, their communities and each other.

Game-changing Investment Helps Students Overcome Obstacles TO LEARNING


$133.5M Donation from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott Will Deepen School Impact National

Making a Difference

At Communities In Schools of Peninsula, our 424 case-managed students show outstanding progress towards their personal goals.

  • 92%
    Improved Attendance
  • 75%
    Improved Behavior
  • 88%
    Improved Coursework

* Outcomes reflect data from last school year