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Communities In Schools tells Avon Grove board its in-school coordinators improved attendance and behavior metrics
Summary
Communities In Schools presenters told the Avon Grove School District board that on-site coordinators at the high school and intermediate school helped case-managed students make measurable progress across academic, attendance, behavior and wellness goals; the board asked about consent and transition gaps to high school.
Communities In Schools (CIS) program staff presented to the Avon Grove School District board, saying on-site coordinators embedded in the intermediate and high schools helped students make measurable gains in attendance, behavior and academics.
Dahlia Garcia, identified in the transcript as the director of programs for Communities In Schools, Eastern Pennsylvania, described CIS’s three-tier model: Tier 1 coordinates schoolwide supports, Tier 2 provides targeted small-group work for consented students, and Tier 3 delivers intensive one-to-one case management. Garcia told the board CIS places coordinators inside schools so staff can link students and families to social supports and community partners.
Garcia and other CIS staff cited local outcome figures: “100 percent of the students that were case managed met or made progress towards at least one academic goal,” 71 percent progressed on attendance goals, 76 percent on wellness and future-ready goals, and 91 percent on behavior goals. Presenters said the district now has two CIS coordinators — one at the high school and one at the intermediate school — and noted growth in referrals this year.
Board members asked how students move between levels of service and why obtaining parental consent is harder at the high school. CIS staff said the district has moved from paper to electronic consent forms to reduce friction but that reaching parents remains a central challenge at the secondary level. Staff also said very few families outright refuse services and described a warm handoff to counselors if CIS support is discontinued.
Student representative Jason Aaron described visible CIS staff presence at the high school and said students commonly recognize coordinators in hallways, reinforcing a student-centered perspective in the presentation.
Several board members, including Missus Moore, thanked CIS staff for their work and recommended continuing the partnership. The presentation concluded with board members and CIS agreeing to follow up on specifics about consent workflows and coordination with counselors.
Next steps: board members requested further detail on consent-tracking, transition plans from intermediate to high school, and how CIS will manage capacity if referrals increase.
