As students and families prepare for the return to school, CIS staff from across the state gathered at NC State University for the Communities In Schools of North Carolina’s annual Impact Conference. This conference is where new staff members are welcomed and current members network, learning from one another and the presenters. The theme for this year’s conference was “Pathways to Possibility: Unlocking Potential for Every Student.”

“The 2025 Impact Conference provides an opportunity to ensure CIS student support specialists and staff across the state are prepared to hit the ground running when the school bell rings.” Says Jill Cox, President and CEO of Communities In Schools of North Carolina (CISNC) 

Throughout the two-day event, CIS Specialists learned about emerging issues that their students may encounter and how to support them. Some topics included how developing relationships with students can help them, issues of youth substance abuse, time management, using data to support the organization, and teaching skills for the future. There were also team-building exercises, which helped build the bond between staff members and provided methods to prevent burnout.

The overarching theme for the conference was “Being Present Matters”, a motto aimed at removing barriers to attendance and encouraging students to be physically and mentally ‘Present’ in the classroom. This motto also extends to our staff being present for students.

“Now staff are prepared to be a support system for schools, students, and their families.” Says Jill Cox. “And when our staff show up ready, 98% of seniors graduate and 97% of our k-12 students are promoted to the next grade on time.”

CISNC is excited to start the new school year, doing the work to support students across our network.