Communities in Schools
Communities in Schools is the nation's largest dropout prevention organization. The mission of CIS is to connect community resources with schools to help young people successfully learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. By bringing caring adults into the schools to address children's unmet needs, CIS provides the link between educators and the community.
We are privileged to work with several schools in the Recovery School District, the Orleans Parish School Board, and independent public charter schools. Some of our partner schools are in Algiers, the Lower 9th Ward, and New Orleans East, while some are closer to Loyola. Within each school, we provide a variety of programs, including: counseling, tutoring, reading and literacy programming for parents and children, ESL, afterschool groups (therapeutic, relational, academic), book distribution, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, test preparation and college support, etc.
Loyola service learning students can support CIS by working directly with children and teens in any of our programming in partner schools.
Location: Partner schools throughout greater New Orleans (see details below)
Transportation: Some of our partner schools are within walking distance of Loyola. Others are accessible by bike, bus, or streetcar. For others, students would need to provide their own transportation or rideshare.
Days and times: Varies, but mostly in-school or afterschool hours
Contact: Lindsay Finlayson, lfinlayson.cisno@gmail.com, 504-486-8002
Partner schools
Eleanor McMain Secondary School
5712 S. Claiborne Ave.
Walkable, bikeable
Walter L. Cohen High School
3520 Dryades
Bikeable, or take the St. Charles streetcar to Louisiana Avenue and walk 3 blocks
John McDonogh High School
2426 Esplanade Avenue
Provide your own transportation, rideshare, or take the #94 bus (Broad) to Broad & Esplanade
George Washington Carver High School
3059 Higgins Blvd
Provide your own transportation or rideshare
William J. Fischer Elementary School
1801 LB Landry Ave. (on the West Bank)
Provide your own transportation or rideshare
Martin Behrman Charter Academy for Creative Arts and Science
715 Opelousas Ave. (on the West Bank)
Provide your own transportation or rideshare
Eisenhower Academy of Global Studies
3700 Tall Pines Drive (on the West Bank)
Provide your own transportation or rideshare
Sarah T. Reed High School
5316 Michoud Blvd. (in New Orleans East)
Provide your own transportation or rideshare