Communities in Schools has partnered with East Penn School District for the past nine years to provide support services for students and families, particularly at the secondary level. During the Aug. 10 school board meeting, CIS Director of Programs Phil Parise presented the organization’s annual update.

CIS maintains site coordinators at Emmaus High School and Eyer Middle School and works with district administrators and counselors to align programming with school goals. The organization uses individual, small-group and schoolwide supports to improve student outcomes.

At Emmaus High School, attendance remained a primary focus. The district’s goal was to reduce chronic absenteeism from 10.2% to 8.2%, but the year concluded at 14%. Parise said CIS is working to implement earlier interventions.

The high school also focused on school climate and academics. While the percentage of students reporting they felt understood declined slightly to 61% from a goal of 65%, other climate indicators improved. Academic support participation increased from 8.1% to 8.4%.

At Eyer Middle School, students’ sense of belonging increased from 78% to 83%, exceeding the goal of 80%. The number of extracurricular and pro-social programs increased to 45, surpassing the goal of 42. Students also reported improved social-emotional regulation, rising from 79% to 84%.

Parise said CIS exceeded goals at both schools and highlighted the organization’s partnerships with more than 32 community organizations. He concluded with student testimonials and emphasized the importance of relationships in helping students succeed.

“Programs don’t change people, relationships do,” Parise said.