Programs Offered

Communities In Schools of Pittsburgh-Allegheny County (CIS) is a private, non-profit dropout prevention organization that is an affiliate of the nation's largest stay-in-school network. The CIS Mission is to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. We achieve our mission through working in public schools, facilitating after-school programs, and through CIS-operated, state-approved non-traditional alternative educational academies.

In School Services

Integrated Student Services - CIS in-school services are available to any school to help improve their students' attendance, behavior, academics, parental involvement, and community outreach.  Services can be delivered to an entire school or to an educationally at-risk student population.  The services are delivered through a CIS coordinator, who works in the partnering school providing the link between the school and the community.  Whether a student needs tutoring, mentoring, job readiness, job placement, new eyeglasses, nutrition services, counseling, or any other service, the CIS coordinator identifies the child's needs and appropriate resources available in the community, and follows up to make sure the studeent gets what he or she needs.

Be A 6th Grade Mentor - CIS is proud to be a partner organization for Be A 6th Grade Mentor, which is an initiative of the Youth Futures Commission in conjunction with the United Way of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh Public Schools, and the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern PA.  This mentoring effort is designed to match caring, well prepared adults with sixth grade students in Pittsburgh Public Schools in order to assist the students in developing career aspirations that encourage them toward academic excellence. 

After-School Services

CIS coordinates after-school and summer programming and manages special initiatives that support students reaching academic proficiency. Programming focuses on providing relevant, engaging, and non-traditional fun experiences for kids to encourage life-long learning.

CIS operates 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLC) at school sites in the Penn Hills School District and Pittsburgh Public Schools. Services, activities, and field trips are offered, ensuring that members of the served communities are offered a safe, affordable, and positive way to invest in their children’s future by enrolling them in a CLC.

Additionally, CIS operates First Row, an exciting college preparatory rowing program that serve Pittsburgh’s academically and physically underserved population of urban high school girls. The program incorporates the sport of rowing and an intense academic tutoring and mentoring program focusing on college preparation.

Alternative Learning Academies

The Communities In Schools Alternative Learning Academies provides non-traditional education for academically at-risk students and students who dropped out but desire to return.  Communities In Schools is an approved private provider of alternative education through the PA Department of Education, and programs meet all AEDY (Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth) state guidelines. CIS works closely with each school district to provide an education that meets their standards.

 

Certified teachers work closely with students and our professional support staff includes therapeutic counselors and services coordinator at each site.    

 

Students learn through a teacher-led, project-based, computer and book-assisted curriculum individually tailored to meet their academic needs and the standards set by each student’s school. Earning one credit takes a minimum of 60 instructional hours (up to 120 hours depending on school district criterion) and proof through testing of mastery of all concepts in each subject’s scope and sequence.  

 

Over the past eight years over 700 students have earned their high school diplomas through CIS.  Approximately 60% of graduates have pursued post-secondary education, 38% have entered the workforce, and 2% have entered the military. 

 

CIS alternative learning academies are located in Homestead, East End, and Alle-Kiski areas. For enrollment information regarding any of the Academies’ programs, contact:

       CIS Academy South - 338 East Ninth Avenue, Homestead, PA 15120~ 412-326-0044 or wetzel@cispac.org

       CIS Academy East End – located in the Kingsley Association

       6435 Frankstown Avenue, East Liberty, PA  15206 ~ 412-361-4945 or jsprajcar@cispac.org

CIS Alle-Kiski Area - 494 Pittsburgh Street, Springdale, PA 15144 ~ 724-275-7078 or spuskar@cispac.org