State Office
The CIS of Alaska State Office is based in Anchorage. Under the leadership
of the State Board of Directors, the State Office serves to provide
administrative and technical support to local CIS Affiliates. Primary
functions include fiscal management, sustainability, training and
development, statewide coordination and, growth and expansion.
The CIS of Alaska statewide network is comprised of five Affiliate communities (hosting programs and services in 13 school sites) and three innovative initiatives; the Career Exploration Program (CEO), the Ma’o Tosi PRIDE Program and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Highlights of the CIS of AlaskaState Office Initiatives
~ Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Children ages 0-5 who are registered for the program receive a book every month to encourage a love of reading and learning. If a family has more than one pre-school aged child, each child may participate and receive his/her own library. Developmentally appropriate books arrive monthly through the mail and are addressed to the child. Current IL sites are in Nome, Juneau and Wainwright with planned replication in Anchorage, Mat-Su and Girdwood. The Imagination Library has been endorsed by New Beginnings, Rotary District 5010, Weed and Seed of Mountain View and Conoco Phillips. CIS of Alaska is taking the lead to assist interested communities in replicating the Imagination Library in their areas.
~ Career Exploration Opportunities (CEO): An innovative distance education, virtual learning video conferencing program that focuses on informed career decisions. Seventy students enrolled in the 2006-2007 school year, from Anchorage, Buckland, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, Takotna, and Valdez last year, with an anticipated growth to 150 students this school year.
CIS of Alaska services include academic
enhancement programs, mentoring, leadership development, life skills
training, community service activities, pre-employment development,
parental and cultural engagement programs, substance abuse
prevention/intervention, violence prevention, school safety, summer and
after-school programs and health and human service referrals.
CIS of Alaska
believes that caring, one-on-one relationships between adults and young
people make the crucial difference. Programs don’t change kids –
relationships do. We help communities through facilitating a more
comprehensive, locally controlled and owned support system around
schools. Through partnership with local school districts, we identify
the most critical needs of students and families, and work to connect
community resources and volunteers with the schools (both during the
day and after school) thereby making the work of our educators more
effective.
State Office: Tom Morgan, State Director
Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 140090
Anchorage, Alaska 99514-0090
Office Address:
Communities In Schools of Alaska, Inc.
1569 Bragaw, Suite 205
Anchorage, Alaska 99514-0090
CIS of Anchorage
CIS of Anchorage Coordinator
Ma'o Tosi
East High School
Phone: 907-333-4033
fvtosi@gci.net
PRIDE Program Summary
As of March 31st, 2008, the Ma’o Tosi PRIDE Program separated from CIS of Alaska. During its short time (May 07-March 08) under the umbrella of CIS, the PRIDE program provided:
The Summer Program, serving over 400 youth and,
The After School Program reaching approximately 500 students, with an active core member group of 60.
Program activities included cultural awareness, leadership training, academic tutoring, job awareness, community resource referral, and recreational/avocational activities.
PRIDE students gave a dynamic performance in music, dance, and poetry for over 700 community members in a special event hosted at the PAC on December 5th.
We wish Ma’o and the PRIDE Program all the best and will continue to be supportive from the sidelines.
CIS of AVAIL
Gina Pastos, Principal
425 C Street Anchorage, AK 99501-2323
Phone: 907-742-4930
Fax: 907-742-4933
Pastos_gina@asdk12.org
CIS of AVAIL operates through the Anchorage Vocational Academic Institute
of Learning. AVAIL is an alternative high school program devoted to teens that have dropped out of more traditional schools and exists from a joint partnership between the Anchorage School District, CIS and local businesses. AVAIL is designed to help students return to the educational system, obtain skills for employment, and build self esteem, with an emphasis on students earning a high school diploma. AVAIL focuses on six basic components: Life Skills, Academics, Employment Skills, Personal Responsibility, Individualized Learning, and Preparation for the High School Qualifying Exam (HSGQE).
CIS of Mat-Su
Dennis Boyer, CIS Coordinator
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District,
501 N. Gulkana, Palmer, AK 99654
(907) 746-9218
CIS of Mat-Su has partnered with the Mat-Su Borough School District and Alaska Family Services to establish a new school named the Mat-Su Day School. This school opened on August 15, 2007.
Program Description
The Mat-Su Day School is an educational placement (K-12) for students with IEPs who require a separate school for special circumstances including dropout prevention, transitions, safety concerns, and behavior challenges.
Targeted Youth
This program is designed for K-12 students whose needs cannot be met within the regular school environment. These youth include:
• Students with IEPs facing long-term suspension or expulsion
• Students who are 19-22 years old who need to transition to community programs and access additional educational or behavioral opportunities.
• Students returning from residential placement outside of Alaska
• Students demonstrating behavior challenges requiring a more restrictive environment than self-contained programs in regular schools.
Targeted Skill Development and Anticipated Outcomes
The goal for all students is full community and educational reintegration.
Performance Measures
Each student will have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) developed by a team of professionals that will address the specific needs of the student. This team will review progress on the IEP goals every nine weeks. Grades, placement success, job performance and others data will be kept and used to make program changes based on students progress and needs.
Staffing/Project Administration
This program is designed as an interagency cooperative model.
• The Mat-Su School District provides building space, a principal, four teachers, four teaching assistants, a part-time School psychologist, and a Secretary/Registrar.
• Communities In Schools of Alaska provides a Program Coordinator.
• Alaska Family Services provides full time on-site Master level mental health clinician and a full time Behavior Analyst.
• Mat-Su Health Services provides mental health worker as needed by Memorandum of Agreement.
• Boys and Girls Club is providing gym space and opportunities for recreation and physical education within their facility.
CIS of Juneau
Elsa Demeksa, CIS Executive Director
2204 Douglas Highway, Suite 100
Douglas, Alaska, 99824
907-364-3801
elle@gci.net
CIS of Juneau, through the Juneau Effective Prevention Project (JEPP) is
the newest member of Communities In Schools of Alaska. JEPP is a
collaborative effort between the Juneau School District, the Central
Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska and a variety of
other community service organizations to focus on substance use and
violence prevention in teenagers. Among several efforts being led by
CIS of Juneau is a family advocacy program that has been initiated through
a CIS community services grant specifically targeting students with
suspendable behaviors and their families. The goal of this effort is to
reduce the number of students that are suspended and to link them with
available resources that will provide them an alternative to suspension
discipline.
CIS of Juneau has also initiated an "Elders Council" program to address
the dropout rate among Alaska Native students. Elders mentor students
and their families and serve to reconnect them with their rich heritage.
Most recently, CIS of Juneau, in partnership with the Association of Young
Children of Southeast Alaska, have implemented the Imagination Library,
an early literacy program, in Juneau.
Communities In Schools of Bethel
Kerri Fox, Site Coordinator
Bethel Alternative Boarding School (BABS)
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1949
Physical Location: 124 Gunderson Court
Bethel, AK 99559
Phone: (907) 543-0622
Fax: (907) 543-5603
Email: CISBethel@alaska.net; kerri_fox@lksd.org
Communities In Schools of Bethel, through the Lower Kuskokwim School District, is housed within Bethel Alternative Boarding School (BABS). BABS actively recruits students reported as dropouts by other schools in the district. BABS has a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol/drug use: performing regular urine testing and providing support to those struggling with such issues. By utilizing an Advisor/Advisee model, BABS ensures that every student is connected with a caring adult within the school. Monthly Community Work Service is mandatory and celebrated.
In the spring of 2007, Bethel Alternative Boarding School was given the opportunity to participate in an eight-week course hosted by "Our Reality, Underage Drinking Campaign". Classes were overseen and supported locally by CIS of Bethel. During the course, students participated in classes via video-teleconference (VTC) and learned about advertising strategies, hidden messages, and story-boarding. Eight Alaska State Standards for Education were covered in Reading, Writing, Technology, Information, and Health. A professional videographer filmed the 30-second Public Service Announcement. Many students at our school have had issues with drugs/alcohol and turned their lives around. It was a good way for them to "give back" and help others who may be struggling with alcohol/drug problems.
The PSA can be seen on MTV, ESPN, Discovery, CNN, and local Alaska stations.
In the fall of 2007, this group of teens was recognized by the Spirit of Youth organization for the inspiring contributions they have made to Alaska.
Level-one resources include training and support for high school mentors attending Bethel High School or Bethel Alternative Boarding School, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Career-related presentations/luncheons are offered to students in these schools through a partnership with Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation’s Career Pathways program and Bethel High School.
Level-two services focus primarily on the assistance of youth, aged 12 – 20 years, involved with the State Court, alcohol/drugs, or both. A Community Diversionary Program has been formed, for youth facing Minor Consuming Alcohol (MCA) charges, as an alternative to the traditional Court System, utilizing a restorative rather than punitive approach to justice. Particiants meet with a Panel comprised of local Elders, representatives from local Tribal Councils, school personnel, and the State Court. Traditional Tribal Courts/Councils work with youth in villages outside of Bethel to provide a link to local resources, often meeting with them weekly for Elder-led counseling, overseeing Community Work Service, and connecting them with caring adults.
Communities In Schools of Bethel manages the intake of Participants from the court, referrals to other services, scheduling of sessions, data collection, recruitment and screening of Panel members, and attends court-mandated status hearings to advocate for Participants. The Panel is the product of an MCA Task-Force, involving a broad representation of community resources that came together to address the growing alcohol-consumption problem among youth in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The MCA Task-Force and Diversion Panel have worked closely with the State Court System to provide services to this high-risk group, giving them the tools to make better life choices.
This Diversion Program has received more than 100 referrals since its inception in January 2007. Almost a dozen referrals have been from District Courts other than Bethel.
There are currently no alcohol/drug treatment programs for minors within a 400-mile radius. In the future, Communities In Schools of Bethel plans to address the lack of chemical dependency treatment for youth in the area by working with local health care, tribal, and state agencies.
CIS of Nome
Amy Lujan, CIS E.D.
Bruce Klein, CIS Dropout Prevention Specialist
P. O. Box 131
Nome, AK 99762-0131
(907) 443-2231 443-5144 fax
amy_lujan@nps.k12.ak.us
CIS of Nome, through Nome Public Schools, offers a variety of programs to
address the "Five Basics" of Communities in Schools. At Nome-Beltz
Jr./Sr. High School, a Community Service/In School Suspension program
serves to reduce risk factors and increase protective factors for
students so that they can more positively engage in school to improve
their attendance, reduce negative behavior incidents and improve
achievements. CIS of Nome assists in providing educational enhancement
services to students, focusing on tutoring (1:1 and web based) and
homework assistance. Funding dependent, students may be enrolled in
summer school to assist them with academic needs and achievement.
CIS of Nome also works with the community schools program to provide
after-school opportunities for both students and adults. The program
will include partner organizations such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters and
community volunteers, and will provide a range of pro-social,
recreational, avocational and cultural activities such as, Chess Club,
youth basketball, Native Youth Olympics, Eskimo dancing and arts
instruction. CIS of Nome is in the second year of an early literacy
program, the Imagination Library, targeting local children up to age
five and their families. This year, CIS of Nome will add a Dropout
Prevention Specialist to build infrastructure and coordinate resources
throughout the community, with the goal of meeting the needs to
potential dropouts to keep them in school.
