Newsletter
FALL UPDATE 2011
Letter From Board Chair, Donna Weiss
Fall is an exciting time of year for those of us involved in education. We enter the school year with high hopes and expectations for a year of learning and growth. As board chair of Communities In Schools of Los Angeles , this time is particularly special to me. We’ve added two new schools - Clinton Middle School and Emerson Middle School - to our family and will provide approximately 1900 LAUSD students with the support and services they need to learn and thrive. We’ve also expanded our dedicated staff considerably - adding 10 more site coordinators and 3 more AmeriCorps members to our team.
CIS of Los Angeles kicked off this season with an intensive 3 day training for our staff capped off by a wonderful event at board member, Pamela Robinson’s beautiful home in Santa Monica Canyon. I was overwhelmed with pride and appreciation at the sight of 30 committed and skilled staff members and 20 devoted supporters and volunteers being brought together. It was a diverse group of people with different backgrounds and experiences who were joined by a common love of young people and a belief that the consistent, individualized support from a caring adult can change the trajectory of students’ lives.
Our tremendous growth this year is due in large part to a grant from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation’s True North Fund (“EMCF”) through our national organization. EMCF is one of the premier funders of youth serving organizations – over one hundred organizations applied for the True North Fund grants and only nine non-profits received funding. The fact that we were one of the chosen few is a testament to our success in transforming the lives of economically disadvantaged young people.
It is particularly amazing that our growth is occurring during such dire economic times. Both the students and the schools we serve continue to be impacted by the economic downturn. More students are feeling the detrimental effects of poverty and more and more school programs and staff are being cut. Communities In Schools is filling that gap in the schools we serve thanks to this new funding from EMCF, along with additional financial support from the NBC Universal Foundation, The United Way, The Saban Family Foundation and the Yahoo Employee Foundation. We are providing college access and dropout prevention services in schools that have lost their college and drop out counselors. We are providing after school extended learning time opportunities. We are providing after school arts programming in schools where art programs have been cut to the bone. Most importantly, we are providing one-on-one academic support and advisory services to students in schools where guidance counselor caseloads can be greater than 800:1 and class sizes have increased dramatically.
Together with our Executive Director, Bud Jacobs, and our President, Deborah Marcus, I look forward to a wonderful 2011-12 school year.
Sincerely,
Donna Weiss
Communities in Schools of Los Angeles Board Chair
Starting Strong
The 2011-2012 school year got off to a terrific start. Our three days of orientation for the entire staff helped us all “hit the ground running” and proved to be very informative and effective for the 10 returning staff members and the 16 new staff members. CIS of Los Angeles has been warmly received by all our principals since this year of budget cuts have severely impacted their ability to deliver support services to students. They all understand the value we add to their campuses.
We had a very productive summer highlighted by our ability to send 175 CIS students to UCLA's UniCamp and hosting a "Summer Bridge" program for 40 incoming at-risk 6th grade students at John Liechty Middle School. Now we're eight weeks into the new school year and have already been sending our students on "Opportunities to Learn" field trips where they have been exposed to college, career and cultural exploration as well as providing various academic supports, including afterschool tutoring at all of our schools. Our mentor program is expanding and we just completed the first of three mentor orientation training sessions for this school year.
Hollenbeck Middle Schoolstudents visiting The Getty Museum
We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with The Los Angeles County Museum of Art. They are generously providing, free of charge, a 10-week afterschool arts program for 15 CIS Mark Twain Middle School students. Hollenbeck Middle School students are raising awareness on the solvable issue of homelessness by participating in the United Way's annual HomeWalk, a 5k run/walk. In just a couple of weeks, CIS and Venice High School will be hosting a Career Day, bringing in professionals from across Los Angeles to share their own stories of success while encouraging students to stay in school and pursue their dreams.
Ashlee Margolis with the Hamilton High School students of Ladies First
50 of our high school girls from Venice and Hamilton are participating in Ladies First, an afterschool, year-long workshop designed to provide teenage girls with tools necessary to prepare them for success in college and in the workforce. This new program includes a monthly speakers series, partnering with professional female mentors, academic support, dress for success workshops, college exploration and a speed-networking evening where the students will have the opportunity to practice what they have learned while networking with 25 professionals from our community.
It has been a busy ten weeks, and this is just a sampling of some of what we have been up to. Our staff has been working incredibly hard to launch these new programs, as well as meeting with their students, identifying risk factors that are contributing to them falling behind, pairing them with the necessary resources to get them back on track and then helping them create roadmaps for a successful middle and high school career leading to on-time graduation with their classes.
Bud Jacobs
Executive Director
Deborah Marcus
President
Welcome New Board Members
CIS of Los Angeles welcomes new board members to its team! Welcome to Michael Keithley, chief information officer at Creative Artists Agency, Dan Burrier, chief innovative officer at Ogilvy & Mather, David Eisman, partner at the law firm Skadden Arps, and most recently Mary Ann Cloyd, global partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. We are thrilled to have you join our team and look forward to introducing them to our community of supporters.
Staff Update
Deborah Marcus, who joined CIS of Los Angeles in the spring of 2010 as its first development director, has been promoted to President of the affiliate. While continuing to oversee all resource development, she will also oversee all financial, operational and marketing initiatives as well as all reporting and evaluation procedures. With an increased program staff to manage and expansion to 7 new schools over the next 3 years, Gaudencio Marquez, MSW, former CIS of Los Angeles site coordinator at John Liechty Middle School, has been promoted to Program Director, overseeing a program staff of 25.
CIS Partners with UCLA’s UniCamp
This past summer, Communities In Schools of Los Angeles had the exciting opportunity to be a part of UCLA UniCamp's first ever matriculation session; a week of camping designed to help 8th grade students transition into high school.
Jeremy and his new friends at UniCamp
UniCamp is UCLA's official student charity and has been around since 1934. Every summer, over 400 UCLA students volunteer their time in order to provide a unique camping experience to over 1200 children from the greater Los Angeles area. During the week, campers from John Liechty, Hollenbeck, Palms, Webster, and Twain middle schools got to take part in traditional camp activities like hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and arts and crafts. During the evening, counselors lead outcome based programs which focused on the transition to high school as well as the importance of education.
In addition to the 130 8th grade students, 45 high school students from Hamilton and Venice were also there to act as mentors. These high school students participated in either a backpacking, sailing, or community service program based on their preferences.
Summer bridge program at John Liechty Middle School
This summer we were able to offer an exciting summer camp program for incoming 6th and 7th grade students at John Liechty Middle school. The program was offered to 35 students who were pre-selected based on their low performing grades, CST scores as well as behavior. The goal of the program was to support students already having a difficult time in elementary school in an attempt to reduce their anxiety as they transition into the middle school grades. Students and parents had an opportunity meet school staff, City Year corps members, and CIS staff. Students went through a curriculum that included goal setting, study skills, icebreakers and activities that fostered positive relationships and leadership.
The three-day program ended with a family lunch where students were presented with certificates. After completing the program, students stated they felt less nervous about starting middle school the following week. This could not have been possible without the support of LAUSD's Graduation Promotion Unit.
Student Profile
Arlette, CIS 8th grade student at Hollenbeck Middle School
Arlette became a CIS student at Hollenbeck Middle School when her mom and teachers expressed concern over her lack of motivation as well as her shy and withdrawn demeanor during her 6th grade year. She was quickly referred and introduced to Ms. Xochitl Cervantes-Luna, MSW (CIS site coordinator) and seemed to develop a great connection very quickly. The CIS office became a safe space and you would find Arlette going to the CIS office before school, during lunch/nutrition and after school just to hang out and talk with Ms. Luna and Mr. Nathaniel Clucas, CIS graduation coach. She was soon connected to additional resources, such as a girls motivational group and a 6th grade transition group. These groups, coupled with her mom's consistent support and Ms. Luna's "never give up" attitude, Arlette started to change her perception not only about herself but about her academic potential. As an 8th grader, not only is Arlette much more confident, but she is taking on a leadership role in her classroom as well as the overall school. Even though she maintains a positive relationship with Ms. Luna and Mr. Clucas, she no longer needs the safe space that the CIS office once offered her as she is now able to navigate the school on her own confidently and positively.
Fall School Supplies Drives
Generous staff of Capitol One Auto Finance
While picking out school supplies can be a favorite part of a new school year for many students, this task is often met with anxiety for parents who are unable to afford the required items. This year CIS of Los Angeles was incredibly fortunate to have several local companies generously partner with us to ease this strain for our students. Capital One Auto Finance of Newport Beach raised over $2,000 and filled two car-trunks with school supplies for our students. Friend of CAA and CIS, Leslie Espy, supplied us with more than 50 binders for our schools. The Office Depot Foundation chose CIS of Los Angeles as one of its recipients for their annual Back-to-School Backpack Donations event, donating 200 sackpacks filled with school supplies. Student planners were previously provided by LAUSD, but were cut from the budget this year. UBS met this need by raising over $2,500 so that each CIS student would have a daily planner. Thank you to each of these community partners for supporting our students and helping to make the start of their school year great!
Events
School Life participant from Hamilton High shows off his artwork
School Life
On June 15th, CIS of Los Angeles celebrated its first annual SCHOOL LIFE fundraiser and photography exhibit. Over 200 people attended the reception held a Creative Artists Agency that raised just under $100,000 for the organization. Photographic works by students at Hamilton High School, who participated in Mark Leibowitz’s after-school photography program, were on display and up for auction and all guests were treated to a special modern dance performance choreographed by CIS site coordinator at Daniel Webster Middle School, Shari Mack, and performed by 8th grade girls from the school.
Webster Middle School dancers at the June SCHOOL LIFE event
The reception held at Creative Artists Agency also premiered a special short video, the first in a series of videos sharing our students’ stories, directed by Mark Leibowitz, featuring Jeremy, an eighth grader from Hollenbeck Middle School who culminated last spring and who started Mendez High School this September. We want to thank Jeremy and his family for opening up their home to us allowing us to share his story with all of you AND of course we want to thank Mark Leibowitz for the countless hours he volunteered to produce this film and launch our photography program.
2011 CAA Young Hollywood Party
On October 13th, the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Task Force hosted its 9th Annual Young Hollywood Party at The Colony, raising over $225,000. Over 1,000 entertainment industry professionals from nearly every major talent agency, management firm, production company, studio, network, and public relations firm were invited to help raise money to support Communities In Schools. Celebrity attendees included Vin Diesel, Miley Cyrus, Aaron Eckhart, Rose Byrne, Cuba Gooding, Jr, Sam Worthington, Eric Dane, Ryan Kwanten, Liam Hemsworth and Anne Heche. Thank you to CAA Task Force leaders Matt Martin, Luke Wang and Alex Villalta for your leadership.
Vin Diesel and Paloma Jimenez Rose Byrne