Melanie Kirby

Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas (CISHOT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 1989 as the McLennan County Youth Collaboration to address the effects of poverty on children and respond to the increasing dropout problem. Based in Waco, Texas, CISHOT's service area extends across McLennan, Hill, Bosque, Falls, Freestone, and Limestone Counties. CISHOT places social services professionals in partner school districts on school campuses to provide academic, behavioral, and social interventions and supports to pre-K-12 students. CIS then leverages relationships with school administration, local businesses, social service agencies, health care professionals, and parent and volunteer organizations in order to surround students with support, addressing the needs of the whole child. The criteria for interventions we use are based on Texas Education Agency standards and is used uniformly across the 8 districts and 26 schools that are served by CISHOT. Nationally, CIS provides services in more than 2,900 schools in 26 states and the District of Columbia, serving 1.7 million young people and their families every year. Communities In Schools is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and promotes policies and practices which support and grow our capacity to reflect these values across all aspects of our agency. CISHOT is an equal opportunity employer. No applicant will be discriminated against because of age, disability, familial status, gender, gender expression, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status.