As I consider the 2022 fiscal year at Communities In Schools of Mid-America, two things stand out: the learning environment of our students and an incredibly generous gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
To say that MacKenzie Scott’s $4 million gift to our organization has been a “gamechanger” could well be the understatement of a decade. To be selected by Ms. Scott’s rigorous vetting process is nearly as validating as the gift itself. The gift has and will enable us to grow and deepen and face the future with more intentionality and security than we’ve ever experienced. At the same time, to put the size of the gift in perspective, $4 million is just less than 55% of our FY23 $7.32 million budget. Thus, while the largest single private gift we’ve ever received, it is not one that is overwhelming in its size. What does that ultimately mean for both our organization and our donors and funders? That continued financial support from our private and public partners is as critical as it has ever been
As for the learning environment, lingering effects of the pandemic on our students, families, and services are still felt, but thankfully, the intense day-to-day impact is no longer with us. What does remain with us, unfortunately, is significant learning loss and worsening child and youth mental health, as evidenced by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in a recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report and in the Annie E. Casey Foundation in its most recent Kids Count Data Book. These challenges are daunting, but we know that our work is a critical part of turning around circumstances such as these.
As you read through our FY22 Annual Report, there is one message I hope you retain: our Communities In Schools of Mid-America students and families need our highly effective services and your generous support as much as ever. Thank you for your commitment to our work.
CIS of Mid-America serviced the following schools during FY22 (July 2021-June 2022)
CHANUTE
Chanute Elementary School
Chanute High School
Royster Middle School
DODGE CITY
Dodge City High School
EL DORADO
El Dorado Middle School
EMPORIA
Emporia High School
Logan Avenue Elementary School
Walnut Elementary School
William Allen White Elementary School
FORT SCOTT
Fort Scott High School
Fort Scott Middle School
GARDEN CITY
Garden City High School
IOWA
WATERLOO
Central Middle School
INDEPENDENCE
Independence High School
LAWRENCE
Prairie Park Elementary School
MARYSVILLE
Marysville Junior-Senior High School
NEODESHA
Heller Elementary School
Neodesha Middle-High School
North Lawn Elementary School
OTTAWA
Ottawa High School
Ottawa Middle School
OVERLAND PARK
Shawnee Mission West High School
PARSONS
Parsons High School
Parsons Middle School
George Washington Carver Academy
BOONVILLE
Boonville High School
David Barton Elementary School
Hannah Cole Primary School
Laura Speed Elliott Middle School
ANADARKO
Anadarko East Elementary School
Anadarko High School
Anadarko Middle School
KANSAS CITY
Benjamin Banneker Elementary School
Crossroads Preparatory Academy
DeLaSalle Education Center
Frontier School of Innovation
Middle School
George Melcher Elementary
Guadalupe Centers High School
Southeast High School
PITTSBURG
George Nettels Elementary School
Lakeside Elementary School
Meadowlark Elementary School
Pittsburg Community Middle School
Pittsburg High School
Westside Elementary School
SALINA
Lakewood Middle School
Salina Central High School
SHAWNEE
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
TOPEKA
Highland Park High School
Ross Elementary School
State Street Elementary School
Topeka High School
Topeka West High School
UNIONTOWN
West Bourbon Elementary School
Uniontown Junior High/High School
Anadarko Mission Elementary School
Anadarko Sunset Elementary School
McDONALD COUNTY
Noel Elementary School
Pineville Elementary School
Southwest Elementary School
White Rock School
TROY
Culvre Park Elementary School
Troy Middle School
TULSA (in partnership with Growing Together)
Daniel Webster High School
Daniel Webster Middle School
Eugene Field Elementary School
Kendall-Whittier Elementary School
Sequoyah Elementary School
Will Rogers Junior High School
Will Rogers High School
What makes the CIS of Mid-America program in rural Missouri unique?
Our program is unique as many of the Student Support Coordinators in this area have two sites that provide shared services. The Shared Services Model allows us to connect and reach more families, providing a better relationship between the Student Support Coordinator and the schools, families, students, and community they serve. I feel that the rural Missouri program is unique because living in a rural area, there is often a lack of resources. In our schools, we are often the only people who are able to offer students and families the level of support that they need.
How are you and each of your team members different from Student Support Coordinators in other areas?
Working in a rural area makes us different because it is not uncommon for us to already know most of our student population or families due to the small size of our community. This is also true for many of the resources that we try to connect families with. The advantage of working in a rural community can be that if we don’t know someone personally, we know someone who does, which can aid in the connection to a resource or support for the students and families.
39,336
What sets the CIS of Mid-America program in Anadarko apart from other areas?
An important aspect of the CIS of Mid-America program in Anadarko is that we have been able to develop deeper relationships and trust with our Native families because our staff is Native. There is a historical factor that happened before our time that has perpetuated mistrust among most Native families and schools. Since our staff is Native, they know the community and the culture and are already familiar with many of our families. That has created a stronger bond and trust with our Student Support Coordinators which has been used to strengthen relationships. We also help students make connections with their culture. Our Student Support Coordinators partner with local tribal programs to provide activities such as making ribbon skirts, beading graduation caps, and inviting native authors to speak.
What are you most proud of regarding the work being done in Anadarko?
I am so proud that we are providing more representation for our Native students. This is critical in helping Native students create their own vision for their future. Through us, they can see that there are many voices rising to remind them that they are resilient, important, valued, and needed to help that voice grow louder for other students just like them.
What are your hopes for the future of the CIS program in Anadarko?
My hope for the future of the CIS program in Anadarko is that we empower our alumna to return to this community to teach, lead, be an entrepreneur, etc. I hope that they will return and create the opportunity for someone who was just like they were, to be that one person for another student.
94% Seniors graduated
80% improved their academics
72% improved their attendance
87% improved their behavior
During the second week of school, the Student Support Coordinator (SSC) noticed Liam* refusing to leave his mom’s car and enter the school. Every day, staff would wait outside for the student’s mom and help him get the student out of the car. The SSC noticed the behavior and approached the mom. The mom said Liam didn’t seem to have any issues at school. He loved his teacher, and his brother attended the same school. The SSC reached out to Liam and began building a trusting relationship. The SSC found out the problem was the student’s shoes. The shoes were so worn out that Liam had to put toilet paper to cushion the pain in his feet. He did this after entering the school and did not tell his mom because he did not want to make his mom “feel sad.” Liam said, “Mommy doesn’t have money, and she sometimes cries when I ask her for stuff.” The SSC provided him with shoes the next day. Liam’s smile was so big that he was quick to try them on. He said, “Look, I can even step on my toes, and it doesn’t hurt.” He said it was the happiest day of his life and that he loved the SSC. The next day, the school staff was waiting for the mom and Liam, but to everyone’s surprise, he got out of the car and walked in with his new shoes with a big smile. The school’s front desk staff said to the SSC, “You help these kids in a way we can’t. Thank you!”
*Name has been changed to protect the student's identity
A teacher on hall duty overheard a conversation between two students. One student, Maddie*, was crying and telling her friend that she was very sad over the loss of her father and wasn’t feeling like she was keeping it together. The other student told her that she should go to the CIS of MidAmerica small group which discusses topics such as grief and loss. Maddie went to her teacher and asked if she could join CIS. Maddie shared with the group that she was still very sad, having nightmares, and was scared to even be home in her room alone. Many students in the group had also experienced some kind of loss. The Student Support Coordinator, students, and Maddie all shared ideas about coping with sadness, grief, pain, and fear. Maddie said, “I never thought so many other kids knew how I felt!” Maddie overcame her fears and was very intentional about applying the coping skills she practiced in the group. Maddie’s grades have improved since joining the small group, and she has formed new peer relationships.
*Name has been changed to protect the student's identity
$4,000,000+
Chicago Community Foundation/MacKenzie Scott
$2,000,000+
Kansas Department for Children and Families
$250,000+
Communities In Schools (CIS) National
National Indian Education Association
$100,000+
Anonymous Foundation
Boonville R-1 School District
Hall Family Foundation
Lincoln County R-III School District
McDonald County R-I School District
SchoolSmartKC
United Way of Greater Topeka
$50,000+
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation/ Roger A. and Corinne R Durkee Fund
Health Forward Foundation
Kansas City Public Schools
Kansas State Department of Education
USD 235 - Uniontown School District
USD 250 - Pittsburg Public Schools
USD 413 - Chanute Public Schools
$25,000+
Cloud L Cray Foundation
Crossroads Charter Schools
DeLaSalle Education Center
Fidelity Brokerage Services
Frontier School of Innovation Middle School
Guadalupe Educational Systems, Inc.
National Christian Foundation - East Tennessee/
Mr & Mrs Donald Smith
State Farm Insurance Foundation
United Way of Douglas County
USD 234 - Fort Scott Public Schools
USD 253 - Emporia Public Schools
USD 290 - Ottawa Public Schools
USD 501 - Topeka Public Schools
Waterloo Community Schools District
$15,000+
City of Pittsburg
City of Topeka
Douglas County Community Foundation/Bo's Hog
Wild Children's Fund
EL & Z Irene Hopkins Foundation
Evergy/Benevity Community Impact Fund
Finnup Foundation Trust
Growing Together, Inc.
Lewis H. Humphreys Charitable Trust
R J McElroy Trust
USD 443 - Dodge City Public Schools
USD 446 - Independence Public Schools
USD 457 - Garden City Public Schools
USD 461 - Neodesha Public Schools
USD 497 - Lawrence Public Schools
USD 503 - Parsons Public Schools
Walmart Foundation
$10,000+
American Eagle Outfitters Foundation
Otto Schoitz Foundation
Salina Area United Way
United Way of El Dorado
USD 364 - Marysville Public Schools
$5,000+
American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation
Bank of the West
Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa
Direct On Site Care, LLC
Douglas County Community Foundation
Finney County United Way
Franklin County Community Foundation
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation/Raymond & Marguerite Gibson Foundation
Sleep Inn & Suites - Fort Scott
The Signatry/Bicknell Legacy Foundation
The Signatry/Mariner Wealth Foundation
Topeka Community Foundation
United Way of Dodge City
USD 490 - El Dorado Public Schools
WATCO Companies
Winter Family Fund
$2,500+
Anonymous Foundation
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Cindy Wilson
Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas/Elm Acres Foundation
Emporia Community Foundation/79 Fund
Greater Salina Community Foundation
Neta Jeffus
Office of Kansas State Treasurer
Parsons Area Community Foundation
United Way of Southwest Missouri and Southeast Kansas
United Way of the Flint Hills
Verla Nesbitt Joscelyn Foundation
Wells Fargo Advisors - Corporate Giving
$1,000+
Azura Credit Union
City of Parsons
Dawn McNay
Delaware Nation
Don Turnbaugh
El Dorado Charities Auxiliary
Emporia Community Foundation
Franklin County Development Council
Golden Plains Credit Union - Garden City
Gregory Clarkson
Laura Kaiser
Monica Murnan
Orizon Aerostructures LLC
Paul Carttar
Sugar Creek Packing Company
Trent Lancaster
Walmart - Pittsburg
$500+
Alex Delaney
Boonville Rotary Club
Cleaver Farm & Home True Value
Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas/McNay Family Endowment
Cytocheck Laboratory, LLC
Edward Jones St. Louis Headquarters - North Campus
Fraternal Order of Eagles - Ottawa
Global Impact
Great Southern Bank-Parsons
Howard Keim/Imagine That
Labette Bank - Parsons
Matt Godinez
Rebecca Nevergold
United Way of Franklin County, Association
Wood-Dulohery Insurance, Inc
This gift was part of a $133.5 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott to the Communities In Schools Network and National Office. In addition to the CIS National Office, 40 affiliates of the 110 organizations in the CIS Network, were also direct recipients of the MacKenzie Scott donation. CIS of Mid-America was one of them.
In a time when the global pandemic has created unparalleled challenges for students and families, including experiences of social isolation, economic crisis, stress, and trauma, this investment helped CIS of Mid-America to carry out its cause to build sustainable systems of support for the students and families that would otherwise be left behind. An investment in CIS to use its model and evidence base to help students overcome obstacles to learning is tremendous fuel for impact, infrastructure, and the people working inside schools.
“This incredibly generous gift will have a significant impact on not only the kids whom we are currently serving, but also on those whom we will now be able to reach out to,” said Malissa Martin, President and CEO of CIS of Mid-America.
“CIS of Mid-America has used this gift to look forward strategically, allocating the funds over a period of years and in ways that position us for capacity and growth, as well as capital needs that are beyond routine costs. This includes hiring additional staff to increase capacity, improving technology, creating an emergency/basic needs fund for our students and their families, and more,” explained Martin.
Ithasbeenaverytumultuousyearofrecoveryformanyorganizationsasweall facemanynewrealitiesandadapttochangesinourbusinesses,theschoolswe serve,andthecultureoftheworkwedointhecountryatlarge.Someofthese changesfallwithinourcontrol;manydonot.
ALEX DELANEY FY23 Board Chair
Notallchangeisbad,however Duetoitsstrongexecutiveleadership, CommunitiesInSchoolsofMid-Americahasgrownstrongerinthesechanging timesandismoreabletoexactlastingchangeinthestatesthatweserve WewereveryfortunatetobeawardedagiftfromphilanthropistMacKenzie Scott.Thesefundswillallowustocementthefoundationsofourorganization foryearstocomeandtrulytransformlivesinourregion.
Asalways,thestaffofCISofMid-Americaarethoughtfulstewards.Theyhave seizedthisuniquemomenttoengageinextensiveplanningoneveryfrontto maximizeeachdollar.Wenowbeginanewthree-yearstrategicplanning process,amarketinginitiative,anevidenceprogram,andalong-termfinancial plan.
Finally, we have been blessed with a truly remarkable Board of Directors. As I try my hardest to fill the rather large shoes that long-time board member and previous board chair Howard Keim left behind him, I am excited by the accomplished faces I see around me. They are an inspiring group.
All of this equates to Communities In Schools of Mid-America being poised to exit from the COVID-19-based reality we have all lived for the last two years into a very bright future with a laser focus on our mission: surrounding students with communities of support.
I recently stepped down from the Board after 22 years of service. This has been one of the most fulfilling roles of my life and career To serve alongside such competent and committed board members for so long is a great privilege that few people experience I will treasure it always
I am especially grateful to our dedicated and competent staff, led by our CEO Malissa Martin. Under her leadership, the mission has become clearer, our programs and budget have grown, and most importantly, thousands of students are being served and given opportunities not possible without our services. Our Student Support Coordinators deliver the promise and live out the mission daily under enormous pressure and difficult circumstances. They are the primary carriers of our vision, and I am grateful that the Board and staff support them so well.
The future of CIS of Mid-America is challenging but bright With the Board, we now have in place, the support of state entities, foundations, and individuals, the leadership of Malissa Martin, and our fine staff, we will continue to make the world a better place by coming alongside students with the support hey need to succeed.
BOARD CHAIR
Howard Keim, PhD
Wichita State University
Hesston, KS
BOARD SECRETARY
Whitney Casement Stevens & Brand, L.L.P.
Topeka, KS
BOARD MEMBERS
Laura Kaiser Community Volunteer
Overland Park, KS
Neta A. Jeffus, CFP Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC
Topeka, KS
Alex Delaney MAD Ones Marketing Group
Kansas City, MO
Matthew Gilbert
MRG & Associates, LLP
Waterloo, IA
Edgar Palacios
Latinx Education Collaborative
Kansas City, MO
BOARD VICE-CHAIR
Paul Carttar
Carttar Consulting, LLC
Lawrence, KS
BOARD TREASURER
Cindy S. Wilson, CPA
Evergy
Topeka, KS
Don Turnbaugh
Bucher + Suter
Kansas City, MO
Matt Godinez
Chanute Regional Development Authority
Chanute, KS
Tasha R. Fridia
Tribal Law and Policy Institute/Oglala Sioux Tribe
Norman, OK
Ellen Goodman Miller
Gronen, Hawks Goodmann & Associates
Dubuque, IA
Cokethea N. Hill, Ph.D.
BLAQUE KC
Kansas City, MO
Alumni Allies Network (AAN) is a network for CIS of Mid-America students who are being provided with continued direct services for support after graduating from high school. Our goal is to provide a virtual and in-person network to continue the mission of our organization, focusing on an individual approach to self-efficacy and self-sufficiency. AAN is a place where alumni engage and lend support to their peers. They are receiving support in skill development, enrichment programs, referrals to community resources and leadership skills.
Participants in the program receive monthly check-ins, leadership team meetings, and all alumni groups. In our monthly groups, they learn about a variety of different topics, including life skills. We ended the 2021-2022 year with a caseload of 49 students and look to double that number next year. Of those 49, 16 are seeking higher education, and 22 are in the workforce. We are excited about all that our alumni have achieved and honored to have the privilege of supporting them along the way.
