Communities In Schools of Washington

Call Website

Communities In Schools of Washington The mission of Communities In Schools of Washington is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

Communities In Schools of Washington is a proven national leader in dropout prevention. We do whatever it takes to transform the lives of struggling youth into confident, self-reliant graduates who believe in their ability to achieve in college, career, and life. We leverage best practices and resources to increase our effectiveness and efficiency so we can help more students graduate. This enhances the quality of the future workforce, which creates healthier and more vibrant communities for all of us.

What happens when students have someone in their corner, year after year? During a recent visit from Washington State S...
10/15/2026

What happens when students have someone in their corner, year after year?

During a recent visit from Washington State Senator Perry Dozier, seven high school students shared their stories, experiences, and dreams for the future with our Communities In Schools of the Blue Mountain Region team.

Some of these students have been connected to CIS since fifth grade, receiving consistent support as they've grown and navigated challenges along the way. Today, they're thriving in school, building friendships, participating in activities, and learning to advocate for themselves.

Their stories are a powerful reminder of the lasting impact of caring relationships. With trusted adults who believe in their potential and continue showing up, students can build the confidence, skills, and connections they need to shape their futures.

A special thank you to Senator Dozier for taking the time to listen to our students, and to the incredible CIS of the Blue Mountain Region team, including Student & Community Advocate Vicki Zanes, for building meaningful connections and making a difference in students' lives every day.

Every student deserves someone who believes in them. 💙

Help us welcome Tremayne Edwards, our new Director of Development! 🎉Tremayne joins Communities In Schools of Washington ...
10/14/2026

Help us welcome Tremayne Edwards, our new Director of Development! 🎉

Tremayne joins Communities In Schools of Washington with experience in fundraising, donor stewardship, events, and strategic partnerships. His journey into development began in the arts, where he discovered something that has continued to guide his career: the strongest support comes from genuine relationships and giving people a meaningful way to be part of work they believe in.

That philosophy makes CISWA a particularly meaningful fit. Tremayne knows firsthand how powerful it can be when caring adults show up for a young person at school, and he is excited to meet the supporters who help make that kind of support possible for students across Washington.

When he’s not building relationships for a cause he believes in, Tremayne enjoys hiking, karaoke, theatre, and experimenting in the kitchen. And according to Tremayne, we have also just hired the best sweet potato pie baker in America. 🥧

We’re so glad to have you on the team, Tremayne. Welcome to CISWA! 💙

When the overall school environment is stronger, every student benefits. Across the CIS WA network, Tier I schoolwide su...
10/13/2026

When the overall school environment is stronger, every student benefits.

Across the CIS WA network, Tier I schoolwide supports included attendance programs, basic needs support, digital equity, family engagement, and school partnerships designed to strengthen the conditions that shape a student’s day-to-day experience.

This is how the Washington CIS affiliates are helping to create schools where students feel supported from the moment they walk through the doors.

Learn more about how the CIS WA network is strengthening school communities across the state in our annual report at ciswa.org/annual-report

Strong support for students starts with strong support for the people serving them. CISWA’s new Train the Trainer series...
10/07/2026

Strong support for students starts with strong support for the people serving them.

CISWA’s new Train the Trainer series gives affiliate leaders practical, ready-to-use tools they can bring back to their own teams, helping build local training capacity while creating greater consistency across the Communities In Schools network in Washington.

The first workshops focus on goal setting and progress monitoring, two essential parts of providing individualized support to students.

The response so far? 100% of post-training survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the curriculum would be useful to their affiliate and that the training increased their capacity to do their jobs.

Learn more about the series and how CISWA is helping strengthen the network across Washington: https://ciswa.org/news/ciswa-launches-train-the-trainer-series

When there are identified student needs within a CIS supported school, the job of CIS team members is to help connect th...
10/06/2026

When there are identified student needs within a CIS supported school, the job of CIS team members is to help connect them with support. 💙

That’s why Communities In Schools of Washington is excited to begin a new partnership with Gheorg, bringing complimentary access to its digital wellbeing platform to selected schools within the CIS WA network.

Through short check-ins, activities and friendly characters, Gheorg helps children practice identifying their emotions, calming themselves when worries feel big and building everyday coping and resilience skills.

This partnership provides a resource and an opportunity to learn. We’ll be closely monitoring the data and outcomes from participating schools to understand how students engage with the resource, and to see what is working and where there may be opportunities to improve.

That connection between student need and community resource is at the heart of the Communities In Schools model. Sometimes that means providing basic needs items like food or hygiene products, clothing or transportation. And sometimes it means exploring a new tool that could add another layer of support.

Gheorg is not intended to replace professional mental-health care or the trusted adults surrounding a student. It is one more resource we’re excited to thoughtfully explore alongside our schools and communities.

Every point on this map represents a community where students and families have people showing up for them. 💙 For 35 yea...
09/25/2026

Every point on this map represents a community where students and families have people showing up for them. 💙

For 35 years, Communities In Schools has been growing its presence across Washington. The CIS Washington network is bringing caring adults, relationships, and resources directly into schools and communities throughout the state.

And we’re not finished growing.

We want to reach even more corners of our state, so that more Washington students (regardless of whether they live in a large city, a small town, or a rural community), can have the support they need to thrive in school and in life.

We’re proud of how far this statewide network has come. And we’re excited about how much farther it can go.

Learn more about this work at ciswa.org.

Time’s running out! Don’t miss your chance to support us on Target Circle’s list of featured nonprofits. Make your voice...
09/22/2026

Time’s running out! Don’t miss your chance to support us on Target Circle’s list of featured nonprofits. Make your voice count before 9/30! Here’s how:

Step 1: Choose “My Target” in the Target app, or visit https://www.target.com/circle/community-voting in your browser.

Step 2: Tap ‘Cast votes’

Step 3: Find us & vote

09/17/2026

They’re the people building relationships, finding solutions, and showing up for students day after day. As Dr. Gwynth Nelson shares, Site Coordinators truly are the heartbeat of Communities In Schools.

During our 35th anniversary year, we’re celebrating the people at the center of this work and the difference they make across Washington every day.

Celebrate with us: https://ciswa.org/celebrating-35-years/

We have some exciting news to share as Communities In Schools of Washington celebrates 35 years of showing up for studen...
09/16/2026

We have some exciting news to share as Communities In Schools of Washington celebrates 35 years of showing up for students and families across our state. 💙

Dr. Gwynth R. Nelson’s title has been updated to CEO and State Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Washington.

This updated title recognizes the full scope of Gwynth’s leadership and the support she provides to our statewide network.

Over the past year, Gwynth has traveled across Washington, connecting with affiliate leaders, staff, Site Coordinators, board members, partners, and communities while helping strengthen the relationships and opportunities that move our mission forward.

We’re grateful for her leadership and her commitment to ensuring students across Washington are surrounded by a community of support.

Please join us in congratulating Gwynth, CEO and State Executive Director of Communities In Schools of Washington! 🎉

Address

1001 Pacific Avenue, Suite 240
Tacoma, WA

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12532481991

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Communities In Schools of Washington posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category