2009 Champ Profiles

Mr. James Heaton

Mr. James Heaton is a welcome and dedicated volunteer to the students of Kalamazoo Central High School. Many Monday mornings find him in the “AGA”, or All Giants Achieve room, where he is willing to do anything and everything to address the needs of students. “He is a cheerful and dedicated tutor”, says AGA Program Coordinator and Teacher, Patricia Carlin. “He establishes an easy, yet on-task rapport with students.”

James Heaton’s teaching experience is evident because he understands young people in all of their manifestations. He is steady, calm, non-judgmental and upbeat. Staff are pleased to observe him and the work he does with students. He is not afraid of challenges, yet also goes with the flow of the school. Kalamazoo Central staff tell us they feel fortunate to have him in their midst and consider him to be an essential part of the K-Central family.

State Farm Insurance

In 2008 there were 160 volunteers who read to 500 children in seven elementary schools during the month of March for Bagels and Books. State Farm Insurance not only gave KCIS a generous grant to buy books and bagels, but made it possible for 30 State Farm employees to give of their time, reading to children. Special thanks are due to Frances High, who ably organized the State Farm volunteers – and affixed the State Farm bookplate to 450 books purchased by their grant.

In 2009 State Farm also underwrote the Bagels and Books program which targeted 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th graders in seven KPS schools. Again, State Farm employees volunteered as readers. In addition to the company’s financial assistance, Frances High was supported by the company to give 40 hours of her time to assist KCIS. For her efforts and dedication, State Farm is giving KCIS an additional $500 which will also be used to purchase books for KCIS literacy support.

This year, State Farm’s HERO program—HERO stands for Hispanic Employee Resource Organization—began working with KCIS, and also contributed financially to allow KCIS to purchase books in Spanish for the Bagels & Books program. HERO then provided Spanish-speaking volunteers to read to students.

Charles Parker

The Kalamazoo Gazette referred to this man as “Mr. Everything”. For the previous two years, we referred to him as Site Coordinator. This year, Charles Parker dons the title Behavioral Specialist at Edison Environmental Science Academy. And yet, whatever title this man holds, one thing remains constant: Charles Parker goes above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of Kalamazoo Public School children.

Site Coordinator Deb Yarborough has witnessed this first hand, noting, “He cares for not only the students but the families and staff that he works with. I have witnessed Mr. Parker working after hours with many families to do what is necessary to make a difference in their lives. He has a calm manner to his approach with children, families, and staff.” Yarbrough also emphasized that, “Mr. Parker is always willing to assist staff and assist me with anything that I have needed: advice, help with interns and other KCIS volunteers, and he always has been more than willing to coordinate programs with me.”

Charles Parker consistently puts his own needs aside in order to lighten the load of a family or to gently remind a student of their responsibilities and his high expectations for him. He can be seen standing outside at Edison no matter what the weather, greeting students by name and letting them know that Mr. Parker always shows up for them.

Portage Chapel Hill United Methodist Church

Portage Chapel Hill United Methodist Church, known as CHUM, is highly responsive to the needs of Parkwood Upjohn Students. They approached KCIS in the fall of 2006 because they were determined to support the Kalamazoo Promise. Having ‘adopted’ Parkwood as a result, they help in meeting a number of individual and school needs. Several members commit weekly to mentoring and tutoring students. In order to be effective in helping students in reading, four of the volunteers completed 25 hours of the intense training offered by the SLD Center. These volunteers are excited and encouraged by the significant improvement all of their students are showing in reading.

Some are beginning to follow their students to middle school. These volunteers are making a difference not only in the lives of children, but in lives of entire families. Take, for example, Shirley Freeman. When Site Coordinator Jody Sikkema connected her to a sixth grader in need of tutoring, she worked consistently with him all school year and when he requested spending more time with her, she suggested they meet over the summer at the Kalamazoo Public Library. The student was thrilled that there were so many books and that he could actually check them out for free like he did with the library at Parkwood Upjohn. When the student’s father and younger sibling arrived to pick him up, Shirley and the student asked if he could get a library card. Dad was amenable and that day the student, along with his little sister walked out of the building with brand new library cards on rainbow lanyards. The next day in school, and many times after that, the student proudly wore his library card. In introducing the student to this community resource, Shirley also introduced his parents to it and now his entire family incorporates the library into their lives.

And then there is Sue Beadling. She has met with the same student throughout 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grade, offering tutoring and mentoring support. She has kept in contact with him over the summer as well. Each fall, his mother enters Parkwood and heads for the Site Coordinator’s office, requesting that her child be connected with Sue once again. She is grateful that Sue’s support, along with that of Kalamazoo Public Schools, and the additional basic needs & social/emotional support provided by other community partners through KCIS, has helped to move her child’s reading up, from strategic to a proficient level.

CHUM helps families meet basic needs. A family who found themselves homeless this school year, was helped by the generosity and support of CHUM who helped make a new house a home, providing lights, couch, chairs, tables, beds, bedding, etc…. In the past, they have purchased books for students.

Site Coordinator Jody Sikkema says of all the volunteers through CHUM, “They are always willing to help meet identified needs that arise. The members are dependable, caring and they are always there.”

Pam Henshaw

A perfect conduit for partnering with community, Kalamazoo Central teacher Pam Henshaw gives wings to invaluable resources that are linked to the school. Pam supported a music therapy student within her class last year. The young woman’s experience was so positive, that KCIS received a request from the WMU Music Therapy Program to place another intern within her classroom. WMU’s Professor, Ed Roth, who works with KCIS to place music therapists, says “she has done a beautiful job of providing guidance to our interns and bringing out the best in them”.

The very nature of internships is the learning process. Pam takes the time to support the interns through both their struggles and successes. In addition, she serves as a good model for classroom management. Her genuine enjoyment of what she does shines through loud and clear with partners and students alike. Pam Henshaw has taken the resource of Music Therapy and, according to Site Coordinator Deb Faling, “run with it”. This school year, she had two separate interns who came into her room twice a week to work with students, using music as a way to help them grasp math concepts.

This year, Music Therapy interns are in more KPS schools than ever before. KCIS credits Pam, along with WMU, for this. As a Special Education Math Teacher at K Central, Pam provides our partner, and us, with confidence that the music therapy interns connected through KCIS will be supported and nurtured within the KPS schools so that they in turn can help students learn.

Vanessa Hayes

To assure that core academic strategies from the day are carried over into after school programming, our organization relies upon the critical role of Instructional Leads. This position was built into our 21^st Century grant because we need the eyes and ears of educators to help us align the work we and our partners do outside of regular school hours with KPS goals.

As a KPS teacher at Milwood Magnet, Vanessa Hayes also serves as the Instructional Lead. She’s perfect for this as she has just the right combination of skills and knowledge. Vanessa knows the middle school curriculum. She helps us and our partners incorporate the school’s science and technology magnet theme into our after school activities.

When it comes to carrying out the district’s PBLS—positive behavior learning supports—Principal Kevin Campbell and his team are impressive. We want to be as good as KPS is in supporting students in a positive, constructive environment. Vanessa Hayes helps us do that. Behavioral expectations are understood by students during the day and she helps us carry these into after school…so that we can be consistent and seamless for students. She is an invaluable resource, observing our work and helping us grow so that we can offer the best support to students possible.

Site Coordinator Marla Rogers says that Vanessa is “hands on and invested in the success of the students as well as the program. She is always in constant communication with other teachers and parents and uses that knowledge to help monitor and adjust the progress of students. 

Always willing to lend a helping hand, she is a forward thinker, already sharing ideas as to how we can improve the academic component of our programming come fall.

Julie Davis

The role of the school secretary is critical not only to the overall functioning of the school, but to the success of partnerships. Often, the secretary is the face of both KCIS and KPS. Partners that have been linked to Arcadia Elementary School tell us that Julie is welcoming and immediately makes them feel at home. This is not an easy task, for the simple reason that being a secretary at any school represents a multitude of challenges. A school secretary wears many hats: Often they are perceived as nurse, friend, problem-solver, and confidante to students, staff, parents, volunteers and other visitors to the building.

Julie is always cheerful - even when super multi-tasking! She listens carefully and responds warmly to students, staff and the partners that KCIS sends her way. Her smile is contagious, her jokes and funny stories uplifting. She is kind, compassionate, and, according to Site Coordinator Gulnar Husain, “her patience has no limits...when all the phone lines are ringing simultaneously, a deadline for a report has to be met, a sick child has to be taken care of, a dose of medicine, ice pack, or band aid has to be given to a student, visitors have to be greeted, or a teacher’s question has to be answered, Julie is there to take care of everyone’s needs. It would be understandable if she lost her cool, but she doesn’t! She remains calm and composed and has the uncanny ability to keep everything under control.”

Every student at Arcadia loves “Ms. Julie”. Gulnar Husain sees Julie as a friend and an adviser. “She is,” Gulnar says, “an invaluable asset to Arcadia and my job as a KCIS Site Coordinator. She is someone I can always depend upon to support our community partners and volunteers coming into the building.” For eight years now, KCIS partners have felt Julie’s support each and every day they enter the doors of Arcadia.

People’s Church

Our partnership with People’s Church is a model of successful and supportive community engagement at Lincoln International Studies School. These vibrant and dedicated volunteers continue to play an integral role as tutors, mentors and classroom helpers. Led by Mary Lewis and Kay Spade, the group gives 100% of their energy to the school and the children. Through KCIS the group has adopted this KPS school – meeting with the Site Coordinator and Principal on a regular basis to remain involved in many aspects of life at Lincoln School.

Our friends from People’s Church have proven to be reliable and steadfast, some coming to the school weekly and others daily, to develop and nurture meaningful relationships with individual students. Every afternoon, as reliable as the daily rising and setting of the sun, Bill Goodman can be found on the 3^rd floor of the school working with a small group of 6^th graders on their math skills. His consistency has made a huge difference in the math capabilities of the 6^th grade students, while also serving as a friend, mentor and consistent role model to many.

People’s Church provides classroom support which is nothing short of fantastic. Catherine Niessink serves as Kindergarten Class Volunteer and helps make learning fun. She is also encouraging and supportive to other volunteers, sharing her experience and providing tips on tutoring. This amazing and generous woman has actually incorporated Lincoln donations into her personal budget. Every month she comes with a bag full of basic needs supplies, from socks and underwear, to coats, sweaters and shoes.

Another couple, Phil and Dru Kramer share two children – bringing double the expertise and attention to those students. The couple also supports the (students’) father, urging him to attend parent meetings, and even ensuring that the young girl had plans for Spring Break.

Holley Lantz is responsible for obtaining the matching funds for the “Adopt a Classroom” project. She has woven herself into the fabric of Lincoln and has helped to support the KCIS/Chase Publishing Center at Lincoln by typing up the children’s works.

All of the volunteers, like Rochelle Habeck Hunt, Joann Dodson, Pat Pratt, Zoe Valette, Martha Beverly, Lea Kunze and others give so much more than the original definition of their positions. They have also been flexible, enthusiastic and supportive as we implement new programs like the Publishing Centers and the School Garden Project.

Lincoln receives a consistent flow of “basic needs” donations, garden supplies and fundraising assistance from our friends at People’s Church’s. People’s Church is an exceptional community partner, always up to the challenge of addressing the many needs of Lincoln students and the entire school.

Patricia Carlin

Since she began serving students as the AGA (All Giants Achieve) Teacher at Kalamazoo Central in the 2001/2002 school year, Patricia Carlin has helped us shed light on the great work of community partners and volunteers coming into Kalamazoo Central to make a difference for students.

It is appropriate to use this day as an opportunity to shine light upon Patricia Carlin. Patricia plays an integral part in supporting the mission of KCIS within her school. The founder of CIS, Bill Milliken, often reminds us that “programs don’t change kids, relationships do”. Patricia epitomizes this truth. She knows all the kids in the school and they know her. She is great about referring students with unmet needs to the Site Coordinator, be it for glasses, tutoring support, mental health services, you name it. She shares her extensive knowledge of community resources and her professional expertise with Site Coordinator Deb Faling and is supportive of the partners and volunteers KCIS connects to Kalamazoo Central.

When it comes to implementing a new service to meet an identified need, Patricia is instrumental in doing whatever it takes to foster success for students. For instance, with the Depression Screening Project that took place over a 3 year period, Patricia offered up her space to a host of KCIS partners coming into the school to organize themselves for the screening, interviewing and referral process of freshmen students. She consistently and willingly shares her space so that volunteers and professional partners can help students. She helps volunteers and other providers feel welcomed to and valued by the school and smoothes the connection between them and students.

Generous of her time, gifts and insights as well as her unwavering attention to students in need, we are glad to have her in our corner.

Marilyn Breu

We first came to know this volunteer through our partnership with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. As part of the “Bigs in Schools” program, Marilyn Breu began serving at Lincoln as a Big Brother Big Sister Mentor. And while she is a “Big Sister” to a student at Lincoln, she is a friend and mentor to many others, including the staff! She has volunteered as a tutor, in the classroom, and as an advisor for the Lincoln School Garden Project. In the winter, Marilyn came every day and stayed at Lincoln from morning until the afternoon working with her mentee and other students who needed additional academic support.

It is evident that this relationship between “Big Sister,” and “Little Brother” has facilitated social and emotional growth as well as academic advancement for this student. Says the student: "I love hanging out with Marilyn because we have a lot of fun together and she teaches me a lot. At the beginning of the year I was getting into a lot of trouble. If not for her, I probably wouldn't still be in school."

Without her guidance, advice, and willingness to collaborate with other community resources, the new level one service--Lincoln school garden project--would not have started so efficiently. Thanks to her help our students are a little bit more educated, feel cared for, and have the joy of putting their hands in the dirt to learn and to give back!

Jane Lloyd

For 23 years Jane Lloyd has been a most loyal employee and supporter of the Kalamazoo Public Schools and its students, in most recent years as the assistant to the director of communications within the District. In her role she has consistently strived to showcase the exceptional talent of KPS students and staff, highlighting all of the examples of “every student, every opportunity, every time.” In that framework she has consistently reported and photographed the programs, events and services that KCIS and its partners bring to students in their buildings. She has been behind the scenes, literally behind the camera, shining the spotlight, capturing the successes and great work of many of our community partners as they share their expertise with children and youth in KPS.

Jane demonstrates her caring for students and her respect for KCIS’s role by ensuring that “prime real estate” space in the KPS Excelsior is available for promoting monthly First Fridays requests for basic needs fostering that KCIS vision---an engaged community where all children fulfill their promise. Through her collaboration with KCIS, parents and other members of the community learn about the other needs that students have and how community organizations and individual volunteers have stepped up to meet them. If a picture is worth a thousand words, Jane Lloyd is responsible for millions.

Jane always signed off on her emails to KCIS staff, “…thanks for all that you do for the KPS children.” No. Thank YOU Jane, for all that you’ve done to advocate on behalf of students and to capture their success. We will miss you.

Hannah Dulin

A parent recently wrote that her daughter “loves her tutors and can't stop smiling when talking of them. She is so much more confident in everything and believes in herself again. Thank you so much for helping her this year". Hannah Dulin is one of those tutors.

Hannah first came through KCIS as an America Reads tutor at the start of last year. Although at the end of the first semester Hannah’s contract with America Reads ended, she continued as a volunteer with KCIS at Arcadia Elementary School because she was concerned that students might lose the progress they were making. She recognizes the important role parents play in their child’s education--taking the time to attend Arcadia’s Arabic Parent Night to touch base with parents. Hannah’s efforts have, according to the Site Coordinator, “turned around several strategic level students, especially a few bilingual students.”

One student in particular, a second grader whose primary language is Arabic, began the school year not knowing any English and felt completely at a loss in the classroom. Communicating with the student was quite a challenge and yet, because of the collaborative efforts of the KPS teacher and Hannah, this second grader has blossomed. She is finishing the school year cheerfully and her progress is nothing short of “unbelievable”. She recently wrote the following comment—in English. “Hannah, thank you so much for teaching me English. I hope you come back next year!"

Hannah has not only been working with a variety of students, she has also established good rapport with the classroom teacher. The Arcadia kindergarten teacher, Mr. Aleman* hopes she continues for another four years with his class. Hannah, he says is “good with kids; they respond well to her; she is soft-spoken, caring, very organized; and knows exactly what to do when she comes into the classroom”.

Chuck Tansey

“We can get this done--let’s figure out how.” It is this “can-do” attitude that Chuck Tansey inspires in KCIS staff, partners and KPS staff alike that ignites imagination and determination. As Principal of Edison Environmental Sciences Academy, Chuck Tansey has been a strong advocate for the services that KCIS provides. This attitude was first demonstrated when he was asked whether he would support a school based health center for his building. The answer was quick and clear---“Bring it on!”

This past year and a half, in particular, he has served as a leader in helping both KCIS staff and board to shape the direction of our efforts. He has helped us unleash the power of the Communities In Schools model of Integrated Student Services. In fact, back at the KCIS office, on any given day you might overhear a staff person ask for specifics on implementing the model and the response will be, “Just refer to “The Chuck Book”.

Principal Tansey uses the CIS model to maximize impact on his school and individual students. He has been a valuable asset to the KCIS Program & Evaluation Committee, providing a link between KCIS organizational goals and the reality of what goes on in a school. He has that ability to translate theory and model into action.

He understands that when Superintendent Dr. Rice says ‘we (KPS) can’t do it alone’ that, as a Principal, he can use KCIS as the link between the community and schools and students. With only so much time and finite resources, he maximizes the model. He does his ‘homework’. For next school year, Principal Tansey has already applied the CIS model and identified 25 students who need tutoring in two academic areas. Deb Yarbrough, KCIS Site Coordinator for Edison says, “I’ve learned to be even more focused and accountable because of working with my Principal. He often asks, “How does this fit with the model? Who is accountable?..It’s these kind of questions that help me do my job more effectively.”

Chuck Tansey has said that Edison is about making a difference, that every day, teachers are instructing and students are learning. He is right. And he is right along side, and in some cases, ‘ahead of the pack’ in making a difference---in reminding us that in making a difference together, the lines between KPS, KCIS and our community partners begin to blur and we are more like a family.

Leeann Ciluffo

Leeann Ciluffo is an incredibly reliable volunteer. A retired Loy Norrix English teacher, "Ms. Lani"--as she is referred to by the students--has the ability to immediately establish good rapport with students, particularly with those who may be considered "hard to reach". She motivates the Milwood Magnet Middle school students to tackle work they would have once ignored by providing solid homework help in an after-school setting.

KCIS was also able to turn to Ms. Lani to help with dental day. She was instrumental in helping connect the students with the dental services that come into the school through Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services.

Ms. Lani understands kids and commits herself fully to being a volunteer through KCIS. Leeann Ciluffo is, as one of the KCIS Site Coordinators puts it, "the complete package: a grandmother, teacher and volunteer all in one."

Gryphon Place

Gryphon Place has been in operation since 1970 and provides a range of services to the Kalamazoo community. KCIS has turned to this organization for over 7 years to help meet identified needs, offering solid support to KPS staff on conflict resolution in the alternative classroom setting and addressing bullying issues on elementary playgrounds. Gryphon Place, like all loyal partners, has hung in with KCIS through thick and thin.

Through its Dispute Resolution Services program, Gryphon Place provides services to students at Kalamazoo Central High School (as well as many other schools in the area). Gryphon Place offers K-Central students critical and consistently high-quality services that are responsive to student and school needs and reflective of best practice.

Last school year, Gryphon Place developed a peer mediation program for K-Central. Susan Douglass, School Programs Coordinator/Trainer for Gryphon Place, developed a strong training component for the initial year of the program. Susan worked closely with the K-Central Freshman Principal in the development of this program according to the specific needs of the school. Twelve students were trained as peer mediators, and Susan’s training on peer mediation techniques was incorporated into the KCIS Orientation Assistant program.

This school year, K-Central and KCIS identified conflict resolution skills as an unmet need of K-Central students. Gryphon Place rose to the challenge and developed a solid curriculum geared to small groups of students. Susan Douglass has been facilitating the weekly group since January. She has shared her considerable skills and insight with the WMU social work intern placed at K-Central, welcoming the intern as a co-facilitator for the group. Susan has worked closely with 30 students through this conflict resolution program.

Deb Faling, Senior Site Coordinator at K-Central, has this to say about Susan Douglass and her work for Gryphon Place: “Susan is no-nonsense and creative in her approach to teaching conflict resolution and peer mediation techniques. She is unflappable and compassionate. She truly wants to assist students in gaining the skills that will help them be successful in school and in the wider world. She is always willing to help and share her insight with others. She is a wonderful asset to KCHS.”

Jessica Chatman

When one of our partners, Peace Jam, lost their Program Coordinator back in 2006, KCIS and King Westwood gained an incredible Site Coordinator. For the past 2 years, Jessica has helped connect essential services to over 500 KPS students and has coordinated events and school-wide services to the MLK student body several times over. She has been instrumental in the implementation of the ISS model at King-Westwood, and in working effectively as a bridge builder between KCIS partners and MLK staff, students and parents, students are one step close to fulfilling their promise.

When making hiring decisions on Site Coordinators, National Communities In Schools recommends the following qualities, behaviors and beliefs that successful site coordinators possess:

• Likes people and people like them;

• Is empathetic;

• Possesses partnership-building skills;

• Is a team player;

• Exhibits entrepreneurial ingenuity;

• Is self-motivated;

• Can be a problem solver; 

• Knows how to negotiate effectively;

• Builds consensus and trust; 

• Persists in the face of obstacles – does not give up easily; and

• Knows how to be an effective leader and manager.

Jessica fits this to a ‘T’. Principal Judy D’Arcangelis says “Jessica is an outstanding person and does fabulous work. In her role as site coordinator, she has done a tremendous amount to deepen KCIS involvement at our school.”

With admiration and affection, KCIS bids farewell to Jessica so that she can complete her second degree in elementary education. We sincerely hope she’ll be back to KPS as a teacher so that students continue to benefit from the extraordinary talents of this exceptional young woman.