Communities In Schools of Western Nevada

We measure our success by the results we are able to achieve for the young people we serve. You can make a difference – donate, advocate, or volunteer today!

Communities In Schools of Western Nevada serves more than 13,000 students in 24 Washoe County schools, providing a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult, called site coordinators to remove barriers and help students stay in school. Communities In Schools of Nevada works within the public school system, determining student needs and establishing relationships with local businesses, social ser

vice agencies, health care providers, and parent and volunteer organizations to provide needed resources. We carefully evaluate all aspects of our programs, and use that information to constantly improve. For every one of our success stories, there are dozens of young people who need the help that Communities In Schools provides. Our mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. We serve the most vulnerable students in the most dropout-prone school districts, nearly 1.3 million young people in more than 3,400 schools.We are actively engaged with policy makers, school staff, parents and business partners to ensure that Communities In Schools’ services are extended to as many K-12 students as possible and that those students have access to college.Independent research demonstrates that Communities In Schools is one of very few organizations proven to keep students in school, and the only one to document that it increases graduation rates. In Nevada, 94 students drop out of school every school day. Currently, only 71% of Nevada’s high school students graduate; for minorities, it is fewer than one in three.The future for these students is bleak: chronic unemployment, reliance on government assistance, and high likelihood of incarceration. Dropout not only affects the future of our children, but it affects the future of our state’s economy. If only 10% more males were to graduate high school, Nevada would realize $111 million in crime-related savings and would realize an additional $44 million in income. Complex problems take complex solutions. Teachers can’t do it alone. Administrators can’t do it alone. It takes a community. That’s why Communities In Schools of Nevada brings together all sectors of the community – from businesses and other nonprofits to government agencies and faith-based organizations. Together, we provide the resources that help students to graduate on time, prepared for college, career and life. We are building a stronger state and nation. We hope that you will join us in our mission.

Photos from Communities In Schools of Western Nevada's post

06/05/2026

The quarter 3 Attendance Assembly and Field Day at Glenn Duncan Elementary School was a HIT! Students who achieved 90%+ attendance got to celebrate by blasting CIS Site Coordinator, Tai, with silly string, and in turn, he got to spray kids with water at Field Day! What a sport! This is what showing up looks like: silly string and cooling off on hot days at the end of the school year, all to carry unforgettable memories into the summer.

Shoutout to all of our students for pushing yourself to be the best this year, and to our incredible Site Coordinators in 24 Washoe County School District schools for doing Whatever It Takes for kids each day.

06/05/2026

45 case-managed students were celebrated at Clayton Middle School today thanks to CIS Site Coordinator, Ivonne. A special thank-you to for donating the best pizza & fries, and to our incredible partner, , for the Starbucks cups that our students loved. This is community, helping make memories at school extra special!

06/03/2026

seniors, you're getting ready to walk the stage with a diploma in hand!👏🏽🙌

Shoutout to our incredible Site Coordinators, Melisa and Alex, for showing up for these students every single step of the way this year. Melisa even went the extra mile with custom decals, gifting students with sweatshirts to remember the community built. That's the kind of love and dedication that makes all the difference.

This is what Communities In Schools of Western Nevada is all about: wrapping students in support and in cool-looking sweatshirts, celebrating their wins, and cheering them on as they head off to do amazing things in the community.

Congratulations to the Hug High Class of 2026. We cannot wait to see what you accomplish!

05/29/2026

Dear CIS Class of 2026, you’re days away from graduation! Your hard work, resilience, and determination brought you here, and we CANNOT WAIT to see you walk the stage and conquer all you set out to do.

Recently, we had the privilege of celebrating 13 of our incredible seniors and their families with a milestone photo session, beautifully captured by the talented Yashila Photography. 📸 These moments and these students, we'll treasure them forever.

Hundreds of local seniors from Sparks High, Hug High, and Innovations are crossing the finish line with support from CIS, and we couldn't be more honored to have been part of their journey. For these students, success didn't happen by accident. It happened because they showed up, and because their CIS Site Coordinators showed up right alongside them. Through every challenge, every crossroads, and every big decision about life beyond graduation, we’ve been there to help navigate the path forward.

There's still time to make a gift to our Class of 2026 at //cisnevada.org/graduate.

05/28/2026

Dilan’s story is a powerful reminder that one caring adult can change everything. 💙 At Procter Hug High School, Dilan turned wandering the halls and struggling to stay engaged into earning A’s and B’s with the support of his CIS Site Coordinator, Melisa Jacinto, who believed in his potential every step of the way. Through encouragement, guidance, and consistent support, Dilan found confidence in himself and a path toward success. This graduation season, you can help more students like Dilan reach their goals.🎓 Watch Dilan’s story and support student success today at cisnevada.org/graduate.

05/28/2026

End of year celebrations are HERE, and we couldn't be prouder! 🏫✨

Bernice Mathews Elementary just wrapped up their FINAL Self-Manager Celebration of the year – a PBS Reno program that supports positive school-wide behavior all year long. 4th and 5th graders work hard to earn their badges through great behavior, and these incredible kids EARNED it! Big thanks to our amazing partners at Reno Fire Department for coming out to help our badge earners cool off and celebrate in the BEST way possible! And a huge shoutout to our rockstar CIS Site Coordinator, Tielynn, for making this partnership program unforgettable and ending the year STRONG!

To our official Self-Managers who earned their badge, we're proud of you, and you deserve every drop of this celebration! 🎊

05/26/2026

Graduation is more than a ceremony. It’s years of support turning into a lifetime of opportunity. Behind every graduate is someone who showed up: a mentor, educator, family member, Site Coordinator, or caring adult who helped them keep going. This graduation season, help us celebrate the people who make student success possible. Share this post or tag someone who showed up for you! Join us in showing up for the Class of 2026 and the students shaping our future at cisnevada.org/graduate.

05/21/2026

Behind the scenes of something special. Last week, we teamed up with the talented Yashila Photography to capture our CIS seniors from Hug High, Sparks High, and Innovations — and they showed up! These students have put in the work, and we couldn't be prouder to celebrate them as they head into adulthood — career and college-ready. We can't wait to see their faces when they receive their professional photos, and then as they walk the stage! Help us keep empowering our future leaders at //cisnevada.org/graduate.