Back to School Support

A new school year represents more than the end of summer - it also marks a new beginning for students across the region. Excitement builds as school halls and classrooms are once again populated, friends made, teachers met, and opportunities explored. While the 2021-2022 school year starts with safety protocols in place, Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania (CISEasternPA) is ready to provide students the support they need to overcome any challenges they may encounter along the way.

The region is entering its second complete academic year during the Covid-19 pandemic, and CISEasternPA predicts that more students than ever before will need assistance. From attendance difficulties to academic struggles, our staff is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep students coming to the classroom ready to learn.

“With an expected influx of student referrals, it will be important for Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania to work with staff and community partners to be the faces of encouragement and empowerment for students needing extra help to achieve their goals,” said Wendy Seiffert, Associate Vice President of Operations at CISEasternPA. “The pandemic profoundly changed everyone’s lives, and disadvantaged students and families will continue to feel the impact for a long time.”

To meet anticipated heightened community needs, the organization is adding new staff positions to various sites, such as re-engagement coordinators in Bethlehem Area School District and Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, and prioritizing social and emotional learning.

Covid-19 has impacted all students in some capacity. In the last year and a half, they have missed school, friends, and scheduled activities. Canceled milestones like graduations and birthday parties were huge losses. Some may have experienced sickness, death, job loss, homelessness, or other hardships within the family.

Whether CISEasternPA is aiding student academic success or providing coping and mindfulness skills, all organizational programs will offer social-emotional learning supports. Students at several schools will also be given take-home social-emotional learning kits for practice.

“The pandemic is a worldwide prolonged trauma that we all continue to live through and social and emotional learning is vital in helping students get through these unprecedented times,” reflected Seiffert. “This school year and beyond, CISEasternPA is dedicated to empowering students and their families by offering them the tools they need to reach academic and personal success.”

To learn more about CISEastern PA programs, visit here.