CIS STRATEGIES


1. COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIES - Community-Wide Scope

(CIS Program Level)

- Community-wide scope

- Systemic approach - impacts entire community and school system(s)

- CIS program level decision which is implemented through site strategies

- Comprehensive planning goals are to meet community that wants

-services available to every student, family in the community that wants and needs the services

-brokering and coordinating community resources and services through repositioned staff, services and/or redirected dollars

- Facilitates, coordinates, collaborates and re-invests into existing community organizations versus competing for dollars and duplicating community processes and services

- Builds on community assets and resources; engages the community to become self-sufficient

A. SITE STRATEGIES - Project Structure

(Site Level)

1) WHOLE SCHOOL STRATEGY (Individual School)

- This is the site strategy used in a comprehensive approach

- Brokers resources and services which are available to all students, families

- May use other project site strategies as well (ie case management) as a part of a broader array of services provided to students and families - typically through brokering repositioned services vs direct provision of services

2) TRADITIONAL CIS STRATEGY

- Targets and enrolls a limited number of students for intensive services

- Case management of students

3) ACADEMY STRATEGY

- Targets a specific group of students

- Students stay together for at least two periods a day

- Students are usually grouped in a free-standing facility or an identifiable section of an existing building

- One or more sponsors may be underwriting or supporting the site


AN OVERVIEW OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL CIS STRATEGY

The Entire School CIS Strategy builds on the CIS mission as CIS functions as a bridge that enlists, negotiates and facilitates the delivery of services from a community's public and private sectors into schools or other centre where they are more easily accessed and can more effectively serve students and families. Under this strategy , the CIS staff functions as an orchestra leader, and the musicians are the existing social and health services, the public and private youth serving organizations, volunteers, parent groups and other programs. The CIS serves the community by coordinating, enlisting and facilitating.

What happens when the Entire School CIS Strategy is implemented?

  • Services and programs are available to the entire student body.

  • Site coordination is handled by reassigned school staff.

  • Day-to-day activities and services are provided by repositioned and reassigned staff from community-based agencies, programs and businesses.

  • Technical assistance, intervention, periodic monitoring and facilitation at the site is provided by CIS staff.

  • Local CIS resources are focused on systemic reform and new service delivery systems that effect all members of the community.

  • Teams of service providers and educators function in concerted and effective ways to reach children, youth and families.

  • Situations and conditions that prevent children from being prepared and motivated to learn are diminished.

  • A small cadre of CIS staff orchestrate change in a large number of schools and other settings.

  • Large numbers of students are served.

  • There is increased enlistment of partner programs and services.

  • The Entire School CIS Strategy operates on a relatively small local CIS budget.

    • How can success of the Entire School/CIS Strategy be measured?

  • Monitoring aggregate school statistics which, over time, should indicate:

    • improved attendance rates;

  • decreased incidences of school discipline cases;

  • improved promotion rates;

  • decreased dropout rates;

  • decreased incidences of school violence;

  • higher achievement rates on standardized tests.

  • Other quantitative measures include:

    • numbers of partnering organizations and agencies, repositioning staff,

  • value of services and programs that are provided through repositioning of services and staff,

  • increased family attendance at conferences and school events;

  • demonstrated community support for school needs (greater interest and participation in school board elections, etc.);

  • number of repositioned staff;

  • number of participating referral agencies;

  • comprehensiveness of repositioned services and programs;

  • increased volunteerism in the schools.

  • Qualitative measures of success can be demonstrated in:

    • "climate" changes in the classrooms;

  • more positive teacher attitudes and willingness to try new teaching strategies;

  • greater cooperation and less duplication of services among service providers in the community;

  • more positive attitude toward school from families and community.


    • The skills required to function at the systemic level include the ability to motivate and enlist others, to craft agreements that serve the needs of all partners, to negotiate, to mediate and resolve disputes, and to train. Credibility and trusts from community stakeholders is essential to move this systemic strategy forward. In addition, leadership skills should include:

  • the ability to interact comfortably with diverse populations at all socio-economic levels;

  • a passionate commitment to and belief in the viability of this process;

  • an understanding of system functioning and system change;

  • the ability to see the reality of the present and move toward the vision and plans for the future;

  • skills in communication, delegation and negotiation;

  • the ability to organize and plan for the short and long-term;

  • an understanding of accountability to time lines, benchmarks and the achievement of outcomes.

    • However, no matter how good the executive director, true collaboration of a community's multi-purpose organizations requires a broad-based support structure and a diverse, visionary, involved and committed local CIS board of directors.



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