Investing in Back-to-School Readiness at All Levels
Communities In Schools® (CIS®) of Cape Fear is no stranger to preparing students to return to school. Last year, their site coordinators provided programming and support to nearly 35,000 students.
The true highlight of the back-to-school season at CIS of Cape Fear is their annual Stuff the Bus event, the region’s oldest and largest school supply drive. In its 24th year, the event has evolved into a community engagement opportunity, inviting local businesses, corporations, civic organizations, and churches to collect essential back-to-school items for students in public schools across New Hanover and Pender counties.
Every August, Cape Fear neighbors can stop by a school bus and drop off school supplies for the upcoming year. It's a special moment during the summer that invites community members to ensure every student has what they need to enjoy a successful year in school.
For some families with multiple children, providing school supplies can be overwhelming or not financially possible. CIS of Cape Fear is determined to provide every student with the materials they need to start the school year strong.
So many of us have memories of back-to-school shopping and getting a new backpack, but for many kids in our region, the cost is just too high, or those resources are not available. We want to support these students, teachers, and schools to ensure they have what they need to be successful and excited about the new school year.
- Kendall McGee Englehart, Communications Manager, Communities In Schools of Cape Fear
An unexpected back-to-school item is headphones because students have transitioned to virtual learning. Site coordinators receive many requests for headphones that can pair with laptops or other devices. As the region's largest school supply drive, CIS of Cape Fear wants to cover 100 students at every school across Pender and New Hanover counties, roughly 50 schools and 5,000 students.
The CIS of Cape Fear team is also getting their site coordinators and school administrators ready to go back to school. The affiliate is in its second year of the Scaling for Success cohort. Launched in the summer of 2023, the $165 million investment provided by the Ballmer Group aims to expand integrated student supports to 1,000 new majority low-income schools over the next five years. With support from the Ballmer investment, CIS of Cape Fear has expanded the CIS model to an additional nine school sites and deepened resources at six existing schools.
It is important to the affiliate that new and veteran site coordinators feel equipped to support new schools and students. Back-to-school prep for Cape Fear leadership includes investing in training and professional development for staff.
Site coordinators also participate in first aid and mental health support training. A major priority for the organization this school year is to be prepared to provide mental health resources and programming to students.
An important part of the Scaling for Success initiative is staying connected with the schools and school administrators. In early August, CIS of Cape Fear hosted a principal breakfast, inviting district leaders to meet with CIS program leadership and site coordinators.
One key benefit of this new relationship-building event is that it allows CIS staff to connect with new school sites to help deepen a school’s understanding of CIS and the integrated student support model. It's also an opportunity for new principals to recognize the value of their CIS representative. The breakfast offers existing principals a chance to discuss expectations and focus areas for the upcoming school year.
When students feel prepared for school, they are ready to show up and do their best. The same is true for site coordinators and school administrators – the caring adults who identify goals for the year and prepare to support students. CIS of Cape Fear is a notable example of how investing in back-to-school readiness at all levels contributes to student success district-wide.
