Featured News: The 2010 Champs Celebration
On Tuesday, June 22, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo hosted the 3rd Annual Champs Celebration. Champs is an annual celebration at which CIS honors a handful of community partners and individuals who share in the CIS vision - an engaged community where each child fulfills his or her promise - by actively putting forth time, energy, talent and resources to drive this vision to reality. When it comes to helping our children succeed, Champs reminds us that everyone has a role to play in helping students succeed in school and in life.
Click here meet the 2010 Champs!
Photo: The 2010 Champ statue, created by Kalamazoo artist Jon Reeves.
CIS Partners Make Headlines!
Two CIS partners whose life-changing work is making a difference to KPS students this year - John Rybicki (Writing Solutions) and Kharen Warfield-Shelton (Young Chefs Academy) - were recently profiled in Encore magazine. Please click here to read more about their inspiring work.
About Partners
Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo envisions an engaged community where every child fulfills his or her promise. This can only be achieved by working with committed community partners. CIS is dedicated to working with community partners to develop sustainable, comprehensive services utilizing best-practice approaches that address critical Level One (school-wide) and Level Two (individual student) needs.
A successful partnership shares a determination to meet the needs of Kalamazoo Public Schools students as effectively as possible through the Integrated Student Services (ISS) model. Partners will share their expertise and resources to address an identified Level One or Level Two need.
In working with our community partners, on behalf of the Kalamazoo Public Schools, CIS will be guided by the following principles:
1. Our partners share our values and approach to helping students succeed.
2. We seek to learn from the experience and diversity of our partners by ensuring they are involved in the project design, evaluation, review, and ongoing planning of the service they are delivering.
3. We recognize the critical role that community organizations, agencies, businesses, faith-based organizations, and other groups play in assuring student success.
4. All partnerships are solidified by Memoranda of Understanding, which outlines the objectives of all parties.
Frequently Asked Questions on Partnerships
The 2009 Champs Celebration
The 2008 Champs Celebration