Frequently Asked Questions
For those learning about Communities In Schools of North Texas for the first time, we want to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions about us. We're excited that you are learning more about the children we serve, our programs, and the needs of the at-risk student community
Who does CISNT
help?
How is a student determined to be at-risk of dropping out
of school?
What does it cost a student to participate in CISNT services
and programs?
What does CISNT attempt to accomplish working with at-risk
students?
What age children do you work with at CISNT?
How does CISNT use volunteers?
Why do you ask Mentors/Tutors to volunteer once a week for
an hour?
Which is more important, the academic benefit a mentor brings
or the supportive guidance the mentor brings into an at-risk student's
life?
Does CISNT only serve students?
Do you offer services in Spanish?
What is the typical day like for a CISNT Campus Manager?
Is CISNT a non-profit organization?
Is CISNT planning to expand?
If I want to become a CISNT volunteer, what should I do?
Who should I contact if my company or organization wants
to become involved with CISNT?
Who does CISNT help?
CISNT focuses our services on at-risk students, but provides services
to an entire school-wide campus body. CISNT places full time professionals-we
call them "Campus Managers"-on school campuses that have significant
(generally more than 40 percent) populations of students that are considered
"at-risk" of failing to promote to the next level or dropping
out of school. We provide direct services (social work case management,
student supplies, mentors, character building programs).
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How is a student determined to be at-risk of
dropping out of school?
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has defined criteria that help identify
students that are likely to drop out of school. Determining if a student
is at-risk includes analysis of academic data, economic data, attendance
data, behavior data and ethnic data. Teachers, counselors, administrators,
nurses, peers and parents of the student can refer a student at-risk of
failing to promote to the next grade level or dropping out of school.
Once referred to CISNT, parental consent must be given to allow CISNT
to serve an at-risk student.
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What does it cost a student to participate in
CISNT services and programs?
CISNT services and programs are free of charge.
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What does CISNT attempt to accomplish working
with at-risk students?
We believe that children coming from less advantaged, economically or
educationally, homes possess less resources required to succeed in school
than their more advantaged peers. These students lack resources that provide
eye exams and glasses, shoes, coats, school supplies, appropriate clothing,
homework assistance at home, proper nutrition, and healthy role models
that value the benefits of a high school education. In providing these
services, or meeting these needs, we know that the probability of academic
success increases dramatically. From a community perspective, CISNT believes
that our programs and services result in students that are far less likely
in participating in risky behaviors (drug abuse, gang violence, etc.)
and once they graduate, become a member of a ready workforce.
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What age children do you work with at CISNT?
CISNT serves children in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade. Many people
assume that dropout prevention services need only be provided to high
school students. But studies show that children coming from less advantaged
economic backgrounds start Kindergarten 4 to 5 months behind their more
advantaged peers. However, if there is no interventions, these same students
experience in the 9th grade that the academic gap has grown to 4 to 5
years! So, while we work with children in all grades (K through 12th grade),
the earlier we catch a student in their academic career, the more effective
we all are at preventing a student from dropping out of school.
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How does CISNT use volunteers?
There are several ways a volunteer can participate in our dropout prevention
programs. First, we are always looking for individuals to spend one hour
a week meeting with one or several students, on a school campus, being
a role model, helping with academic issues, increasing literacy, and building
relationships that support and challenge students to improve. In addition,
volunteers can participate in career days, help with service learning
projects, and help generate supplies and donations that at-risk students
need to achieve success. Finally, there are administrative and leadership
volunteer opportunities for individuals interested in helping CISNT grow
to meet the needs of the community.
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Why do you ask Mentors/Tutors to volunteer once
a week for an hour?
CISNT has found that when a volunteer meets with an at-risk student on
a weekly basis for 45 minutes to an hour, the mentor often becomes the
most consistent adult in the student's life. Many of the students we serve
come from homes with incarcerated parent(s), second generation parents
(Grandparents serving as the student's legal guardian), parent(s) working
multiple jobs, parents who have not completed High School themselves and
often have less than a 9th grade level of education. The consistency of
the mentor relationship with an at-risk student is critical to the impact
the mentor will make in the student's life. However, we realize that from
time to time, situations arise that prohibit the volunteer from being
able to meet with their student during a week - in those cases, we communicate
to the student that the mentor is not available and set their expectations
appropriately. Often, volunteers will "pair as mentors" to serve
a student; thereby ensuring that one mentor will always be able to meet
with the student.
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Which is more important, the academic benefit
a mentor brings or the supportive guidance the mentor brings into an at-risk
student's life?
Both are equally important to the overall success of the at-risk student.
CISNT measures success in terms of improved academics (grades), improved
attendance (at school and on time), and improved behavior (reduction in
reported discipline reports through the school's discipline management
system), so we care about the academic progress of a student. However,
we also know that the relationship between grades, attendance and behavior
are linked and all must improve for the student to experience academic
success.
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Does CISNT only serve students?
In addition to serving at-risk students, CISNT provides services and programs
that benefit family members and community members. For example, CISNT
facilitates Healthy Homes Fairs, Parental Training, Service Learning projects
that benefit the community and other services that will create a safer
community and promote healthy families and healthy communities for the
at-risk student to live in.
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Do you offer services in Spanish?
Yes, we have several bilingual campus managers who serve our Hispanic
students and their families. In addition, we offer parent programs that
bring in community resources to help the family that are delivered in
Spanish as well. Our CISNT student application, called the Parental Consent
Form, is in both English and Spanish.
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What is the typical day like for a CISNT Campus
Manager?
CISNT Campus Managers plan their programs throughout the year based on
the needs of the students on the campus and socialize the annual CISNT
campus plan with all staff on the school campus. Day by day though, a
Campus Manager can be asked to react to any number and variety of student
and family needs and crisis situations. So, really there is no "typical
day", but if there were it might include:
- receive feedback from teachers that require immediate attention
- coordinate with school attendance staff to determine if a CISNT case managed student is absent from school
- meet students that need supportive guidance or support services
- meet with school nurse staff
- meet with school counselors
- plan campus-wide programs (Baylor Dental screenings and/or immunizations)
- holiday assistance
- prepare for after school home work programs
- meet with parents of students to provide community resources (CCA for food or financial help, Salvation Army for food or financial help, and many, many more community resources)
- provide clothing to students who are not conforming to the school's uniform dress program
- provide student supplies (like back backs, notebooks, pencils, pens, rulers, markers, project supplies, calculators, etc.)
- provide students with free annual eye exams and free eye glasses annually.
In addition, CISNT Campus Managers build relationships with community
groups, clubs, businesses and corporations who will invest employee resources
and financial resources in the CISNT program.
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Is CISNT a non-profit organization?
Yes, CISNT is a 501(c)(3) non profit organization that receives donations,
grants and foundation support to provide dropout prevention services to
students at risk of failing to promote to the next grade level or dropping
out of school. CISNT in audited annually by and independent CPA and submits
to several monitoring reviews throughout the year by municipal, state
and other funding entities. CISNT is governed by a board of diverse directors
(approximately 20 leaders), that bring a variety of skills to the benefit
of our organization. Schools make a donation to CISNT that provide for
approximately 25% of the cost of an annual campus program - CISNT's Director
of Community Investments, Board of Directors and the CISNT Management
Team work to generate the remaining 75% annually to fund the programs
and services of CISNT at each of our campuses.
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Is CISNT planning to expand?
YES! We estimate that there are over 20,000 students that TEA has identified
as "at-risk" in Denton County alone! CISNT today provides case
management services to just over 2,000 students. CISNT has campus-based
programs in Denton ISD, Lewisville ISD, Little Elm ISD and Northwest ISD
- however, we are constantly being asked by other public school districts
across North Texas about bringing our services to their district - funding
is the only limitation! As for the four districts we currently serve today,
there are more than 15 schools that still need a CISNT program.
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If I want to become a CISNT volunteer, what
should I do?
Volunteering with CISNT is easy. Simply access our volunteer application
online here at our website. We will perform a Criminal Background Check,
and provide a volunteer orientation for you. You will be contacted by
one of our staff to understand your desires, expectations and availability
as a CISNT volunteer and will match you with the very best volunteer assignment
possible.
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Who should I contact if my company or organization
wants to become involved with CISNT?
You should contact our Administrative office at 972-436-6377 and speak
to our Director of Community Investments, Program Director or our Executive
Director. CISNT welcomes the opportunity to bring businesses and community
organizations into our program to help at-risk students.
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