CIS
of Denton County Enters the Technological Age
Our Community Comes Together to Help Families During the
Holidays!
Speedway Children's Charities Supports Summer Programs
Carla Zuniga, What Would We Do Without You?
Alternative School Transition Program at Ryan High School
Corporate Volunteers Make a Difference!
CIS
of Denton County Enters the Technological Age
Thanks to two very special companies, Lienhua Design Group and The Masterlink
Group, CIS of Denton County is able to launch our very first web site
and e-newsletter.
The MasterLink Group, Inc has provided various Internet services to companies nationwide since 1995. The services provided range from custom website design and programming to high-speed Internet access, web hosting, and data backup/recovery. The MasterLink Group, Inc. has very generously donated web hosting to CIS.
Lienhua Design Group was formed as a web design company in 2001. Its partners have completed web design projects for departments at companies such as Fujitsu, Alcatel, Nortel, and several other small and medium sized businesses. Lienhua Design Group has multiple years of experience in technologies such as HTML, Flash, script programming, and design. At least 80 hours were donated to complete the site at a complimentary professional cost of $2,500 which includes web design and layout, script programming, and consultation. The site consists of 18 web pages which was designed to be easily navigable and informative.
Through this web site, we will be able to share success stories, information about special programs and dedicated volunteers. We will also be able to post jobs on-line and prospective employees will be able to complete an application through the web site. In addition, volunteers will be able to complete a volunteer application from their home and submit it through email. We believe that these two features will make applying for employment and volunteer opportunities much more accessible to community members.
In addition, the web site will enable CIS to send e-newsletters, such as the one you are reading right now, to funders, volunteers and supporters. The newsletters will be sent out via email with links to our CIS News page on the web site. The e-newsletter is much more economical than sending paper newsletters and individuals will have the opportunity to sign up for the publication or will be able to unsubscribe to the publication on line.
Both companies have devoted their time and expertise to make this technological advance possible. If you would like additional information on Lienhua Design, their portfolio can be seen at www.lienhua.com. For more information about the services provided by The MasterLink Group, Inc please contact Eric Williamson at (214) 323-2128 or visit their website at www.masterlink.com .
Our Community Comes Together to Help Families
During the Holidays!
Communities
In Schools of Denton County (CISDC) was able to bring much joy and assistance
to many needy families and individuals during the 2001 holiday season.
By partnering with different agencies and coordinating donations from
throughout the community, CISDC was able to provide food, clothes and
toys for many children, family members and community members in Denton
and Wise Counties. During the month of November, 89 families and 496 individuals
benefited from CISDC Thanksgiving services. In the month of December,
CISDC provided Christmas assistance services to 179 families and 662 individuals.
One CISDC student and her family at Seven Hills Elementary in Rhome, TX benefited greatly from the holiday assistance program. Her mother approached Lara Varcoe, Campus Manager at Seven Hills Elementary. When Ms. Varcoe offered to provide holiday assistance services, the mother was very grateful and even cried tears of relief. Through a cooperative venture with the United Way of Denton County, CISDC was able to secure a fiber optic Christmas tree from Target of Denton for the family. When the child, who is usually very reserved and quiet, found out that she was going to have a tree for the holidays, she jumped up and down, laughed with delight and carried the biggest smile on her face that Ms. Varcoe had ever seen.
One can find the true meaning of Christmas at DeLay Middle School in Lewisville. Several families were unable to have a Christmas for their children, so the campus manager, Nellie Oporto, asked teachers and staff to adopt a child for the holidays. As teachers and staff opened their hearts and wallets to share the true meaning of Christmas, so did the DeLay students. CISDC had a contest during their study-hall classes for the best-dressed holiday door. The winning study-hall class would win a pizza party. Ms. Oporto was quite surprised that the winning class all voted to use the pizza party money to buy toys for a CIS family instead.
CISDC is very grateful for the help and assistance these
agencies, organizations, businesses, churches and individuals provided
to our families in need:
· St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church
· Seven Hills Elementary Staff
· Roanoke Food Pantry
· Boy Scouts of America/Cub Scout Pack 328
· Premiere Academy
· Little Elm High School Faculty
· Little Elm High School Student Council
· Garden Ridge Church of Christ
· Medical Center of Lewisville
· Women of Faith
· Lewisville Police Department: Dispatch Unit
· Old Settlers Elementary
· Lewisville ISD: Special Education Department
· Carolyn Rowland
· Bob Orr
· Mary Lee Smith
· Jeff Flowers
· Lewisville Rotary Club
· Diane Rowland: The Dallas Morning News
· Flower Mound Chamber of Commercce
· Neil Grant: Morgan Stanley
· Lavada Smith
· Jeff Little: L&K Auto Glass Specialities
· Lewisville Central Elementary Administrative Staff
· Gilbert Mantez
· Lions Club of The Colony
· DeLay Middle School Faculty and Staff
· DeLay Student Council
· Christian Community Action
· Danny Apodaca
· HelpNet
During the months of November and December $39,750 in in-kind donations were made to CISDC. The majority of these donations were given to support the CIS holiday assistance programs.
Thank you to the many individuals, organizations, agencies and businesses who graciously gave to the children and families in our community.
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Speedway Children's Charities
Supports Summer Programs
Speedway
Children's Charities has just granted $3,300 to CISDC to fund summer programming.
This funding will be used to support summer programs at Griffin Middle
School and Delay Middle School in Lewisville ISD. CIS will offer summer
school academic help to approximately 35 students who attend these two
schools. Each student will have the opportunity to apply for summer school
tuition assistance, and every student who qualifies for CIS services will
be eligible to receive one on one summer tutoring. In addition, students
will also have the opportunity to attend a field trip to a Texas Ranger's
baseball game. This will serve as a summer program kick off and will be
held just before summer school starts. Statistically, students in summer
school are more likely to complete the program if they have a caring adult
to monitor their progress and give them individual help. It is the goal
of CIS to provide this service. Last summer CIS provided partial tuition
for 35 students in Lewisville ISD. As a result of CIS assistance 97% of
the classes were passed and completed.
Thank you Speedway Children's Charities for your support!!!!!
Carla Zuniga, What
Would We Do Without You?
When
CIS asked for a volunteer, Carla Zuniga was there. In 1997, Carla was
looking for a way to become involved in the community. As a Help Desk
Manager at Allstate Insurance, her company's goal was to balance out their
work with community involvement. One of her peers recommended she apply
to be a mentor at Central Elementary School in Lewisville through the
Communities In Schools program. Carla became a mentor and learned first
hand how one hour per week can shape the lives of kids. In one instance,
she mentored a young boy who could barely read because his family did
not speak English. His mother recognized his need, but could not help
him herself. Carla worked with him and soon realized what a difference
a day can make! In fact, she said he was disappointed if he was sick and
missed their appointment. She saw a difference in attitude as he learned,
and said the ever-increasing smile when she saw him really hooked her
on the program. In fact, soon after working with a student at Central
Elementary School, she decided to become even more involved with CIS and
became a board member in November of 1998. Carla now serves as our President
of the Board of Directors.
Carla does even more than mentor a child and serve on the board. Carla also helps with resource development for the organization. Not only does she secure a donation from Allstate Insurance Company each year, but she also personally donates through the Allstate giving campaign. For the last three consecutive years Allstate has donated between $3,000 and $5,000 each year. Carla personally donates through the company's giving campaign and Allstate contributes 15% on top of her donation. CIS would like to thank Carla Zuniga for her continued support. What would we do without you?
Alternative School Transition
Program at Ryan High School
Jenny Gomez, Campus Manager at Ryan High School, is conducting
a pilot program designed to make the transition from an alternative school
placement back to the home campus more comfortable and less stressful
for both students and faculty. Students who are sent to the alternative
school (AEP-Touchstone) and are designated by AEP staff as viable candidates
for the program, are seen weekly by Ms. Gomez to work with issues such
as anger management, substance-abuse, gang affiliation, and familial problems.
Towards the latter part of their stay, the topics evolve to focus on healthy
choices, decision-making skills, goal-setting and redirecting negative
attitudes. Upon the students' return to Ryan, CIS makes contact immediately
and tries to make the student as comfortable as possible, assisting with
scheduling issues, tutoring and social problems. Students are then seen
on an on-going basis for any issue that they need assistance with and
are often given "refresher" lessons on the topics discussed
during their group. The goal of this program is to provide the student
with one-on-one support and instill in them an inner confidence, motivating
them to succeed, graduate, and avoid trouble issues in the future. Ms.
Gomez has implemented a groundbreaking program at Ryan High School that
will help many students make a smooth transition from an alternative school
placement back to the traditional classroom.
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Corporate Volunteers Make a Difference!
Communities
In Schools of Denton County is pleased to have the commitment from corporate
America. The dedication of each individual from Retractable Technology,
Hillwood Development and IBM shows our students that people do CARE!
A partnership with Retractable Technology was formed with the CIS program at Little Elm High School in August to provide tutors an after school academic program called Finish Line. Finish Line is offered every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:30-4:30. Tutors from Retractable Technologies come to Little Elm High School and tutor students in any subject area. Bilingual tutoring is also offered on Wednesday for the ESL population at L.E.H.S. In the fall semester, students registered for tutoring 168 times. The tutors donated over 105 hours during their normal business day over 4 months. CIS Campus Manager, Brenda Bennett, and students using this program presented the tutors with Christmas gifts in appreciation for giving selflessly of their time for the sake of Little Elm High School students.
CIS
has been servicing the Roanoke Elementary campus since 1999. From the
beginning, Hillwood Development has joined CIS's efforts to help support
the program through financial donations and by volunteering to mentor
students at least one hour a week. Hillwood has committed 14 employees
to mentor students. Through November, these 14 individuals have spent
a total of 115 hours providing insight to students. In addition, these
individuals work to offer other opportunities such as field trips to professional
basketball and baseball games. These gestures are invaluable for our students.
They allow students to participate in activities they might otherwise
not have the opportunity to experience.
IBM began working with students from Roanoke Elementary in the middle of October. IBM employees have taken the initiative to work with and mentor students on a weekly basis for one hour per week. Some even go beyond what is asked and expected of them and come in twice a week. They have committed five individuals who have provided a total of 45 hours through November. Their dedication has been an inspiration to all.
These unique individuals have given the students a chance to develop a one-to-one relationship with a caring adult. In turn, this relationship helps the students succeed through supportive guidance and help with their schoolwork. In return, our volunteers receive the rewarding feeling of making a difference in a child's life.