December Spotlights

When it comes to supporting families, there are few places quite like this one. In Ohio County, Communities In Schools site coordinators have created something truly special for students and families who find themselves in need. They call it The Giving Tree —a once-ordinary building that has been lovingly transformed into a welcoming space filled with clothing, hygiene items, school supplies, and food.    But The Giving Tree is so much more than a storage area. It offers fami

Communities In Schools Site Coordinator Kristy Mullins is placing a strong emphasis on improving student attendance at Coalfield Elementary School while ensuring each child’s individual needs are met.  Through daily check-ins, relationship-building, and collaboration with families and teachers, Kristy works to identify the underlying barriers that keep students from coming to school consistently. Whether those challenges are academic, social, emotional, or related to basic ne

Marion County continues to experience the positive impact of Communities In Schools, strengthening its commitment to student success each year. CIS first launched in the 2023–24 school year at West Fairmont Middle School, Fairmont Senior High School, and Watson Elementary. Building on that strong foundation, the program expanded in 2024–25 to North Marion High School, Mannington Middle School, and Blackshere Elementary. This year, the momentum grows once again with the additi

I am Mrs. Jenna, and I am the Communities In Schools Site Coordinator at Horace Mann Middle School. This is my second year as a Site Coordinator at this school. Working in a middle school is a very unique population of students, and when I began this journey I knew I had to build trust with my students for them to be honest about their needs.   In this area of Charleston, there are families who live very close to the school and some who reside across the river, over a mountai

Grant County Communities In Schools, in partnership with the Child Nutrition Program, was honored to share Thanksgiving food boxes with 56 families across Grant County Schools. This incredible effort was made even more meaningful thanks to the generous support of Pilgrim's Prepared Foods, whose contribution allowed families to experience a little extra holiday warmth and gratitude.  What truly stands out about Grant County is their unwavering commitment to caring for their co

In Clay County—one of West Virginia’s most rural and economically challenged counties—Communities In Schools (CIS) isn’t just a program; it’s the difference between a child staying in school or slipping through the cracks. With poverty rates consistently above the state average, limited access to transportation, and families stretched thin, CIS site coordinators are embedded inside every Clay County school, working tirelessly to remove the barriers that too often push kids ou