Communities in Schools - Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Volunteer | Donate | Success Stories | Schools                                      WINTER 2016



To our donors, partners, and volunteers.... You all help fuel our students' biggest dreams with your time, commitment and financial support. We hope you'll join us in 2016 for our two signature events - Dine Out For Kids on June 21 and Lowcountry on the Green in mid-September. (date TBD). Attending these events is an easy way to show your support and keep our students dreaming BIG dreams!  And by the way... Happy Valentine's Day! We hope you have lots of LOVE in your life this year!

DINE OUT FOR KIDS
JUNE 21, 2016
LOWCOUNTRY ON THE GREEN
SEPTEMBER 2016 (Date TBD)
Volunteer Spotlight
Patrick Flanagan - Myers Park High School

"Trustworthy." That's the first word that came to mind when Myers Park High School senior Bernard Bennett was asked to describe his CIS volunteer mentor, Pat Flanagan. "He's always there for me and follows through with whatever he says he will do," says Bernard.

Bernard and Pat met 18 months ago when Bernard was beginning his sophomore year at Myers Park. As the saying goes, sometimes it just "clicks." That certainly seems to be the case for these two.  Read More
Celebrating Thirty Years!

In December, CIS-Charlotte celebrated 30 years of serving students in our community!  A luncheon was held for staff, Board members, and former executive directors to mark the December 17, 1985 date when CIS-Charlotte was chartered. Since the 1985-86 school year when CIS enrolled its first students at J.T. Williams Junior High, CIS has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, helping them succeed in school, graduate, and achieve in life.

"10,950 days of pouring hope and love into kids."
- Molly Shaw, CIS Executive Director    Click here to read more of Shaw's remarks at the event.
Ann Clark receives CIS DreamMaker Award
In a surprise presentation at CIS' 30th Anniversary celebration in December, CMS Superintendent Ann Clark received Communities In Schools' special DreamMaker Award, which the agency has historically given to local community leaders who have demonstrated an extraordinary contribution to the education and welfare of children. Past recipients of the award, first bestowed by CIS in 1996, have included Ed Crutchfield, Hugh McColl, and founding CIS-Charlotte executive director Cynthia Marshall, to name a few. 

Click here to read the full remarks from CIS-Charlotte Executive Director Molly Shaw's presentation.
Please take CMS Student Assignment Survey
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education is asking anyone interested in the success of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to help inform future decisions on how students in CMS are assigned to schools. The Board wants to hear what's important to you and invites you to complete an online student assignment survey. Changes to student assignment would take effect in the 2017-2018 school year. 

All citizens, whether or not they have children in CMS, are invited to take the survey, which closes Monday, Feb. 22. The success of our public schools impacts all of us, and the Board wants input from people across all areas of Mecklenburg County.

Volunteers Needed!
Next CIS Volunteer Orientation 

Thursday, February 25 l 6:00 - 7:15 pm
Children & Family Services Center, 601 E 5th Street

Our students need YOU! If you are looking for a way to give back in 2016 to our amazing Charlotte community, please consider becoming a tutor or mentor to a CIS student! Our next Volunteer Orientation will give you more information (no commitment required at this point!) and will help you decide if this is the right volunteer opportunity for you. Join us! RSVP to Volunteer Coordinator Courtney Peterson.
Give Kids A Smile Day

One hundred CMS students received free dental care during the annual Give Kids A Smile day, held Friday, February 5th this year. CIS is grateful to all of the local partners who spent countless hours coordinating the event, including the Junior League of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County Health Dept., Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Partnership for Children's Dental Health, Children's Dental Access Program, and the American Dental Association. And we especially appreciate the many dentists and dental hygienists who donated their services - now that's something to SMILE about!

2016 Participating Dental Practices
Bateman Family Dentistry
Carolina Dental Arts of Ballantyne Village
Clark Pediatric Dentistry
CMC Dentistry
Ghorshi Family Dentistry
Laxer Long Savage
Eastover Pediatric Dentistry
Mountain Island Pediatric Dentistry
Pediatric Dentistry of Matthews
SouthEnd Dentistry
Meck. County Dept. Pediatric Dentistry
Matthews Family Dentistry

Mark Your Calendar!

Feb. 25
CIS Volunteer Orientation, 6:00-7:15 pm
Children & Family Services Center
March 25 - April 1
CMS Spring Break
June 10-16
CMS High School Graduation Dates
June 21
Dine Out For Kids


Communities In Schools  l  601 E 5th Street, Suite 300  l  Charlotte, NC 28202  l  www.cischarlotte.org