Drop out prevention program, Communities in Schools, expanding across MISD and ECISD

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - Communities in Schools, a program focused on dropout prevention, is expanding across MISD and ECISD.

Permian High School is just one of the schools across the two districts offering the program that offers assistance to students in need.

“There’s not a lot stuff that I have in life. I’m an orphan so she’s just been the backbone and Communities in Schools together have been the backbone of my life,” said Permian Senior Jenna Bush.

Communities in Schools of the Permian Basin, gives additional support to students like Bush, to help them graduate.  …

“I can 100% say if it wasn’t for Communities in Schools I wouldn’t have graduated,” said Bush.

Nine new campus coordinator positions were created on seven new campuses, increasing case management services for an additional 800 students.

“They know I’m going to be checking their attendance. I’m going to be checking their tardy’s but on top of that we also offer a support system where we check in on them daily. ‘Hey, what do you need?’ This is their safe haven. They know we are here as their advocates and we are here for them,” said Permian Campus Coordinator Crystal Vasquez.

Their main goal is ensuring students have all the tools they need to get to school every day and succeed.

“They could come in not knowing where they’re gonna grab a meal that day or get a pair of pants or shoes but then they walk out with much more than that they walk out with a plan,” said  Program Coordinator Enedelia Ureta.

With the expansion CISPB will now be able to manage close to 3,000 students in total.

“It’s got me shelter, it’s got me food, it’s got me emotional support, so just stuff you need on a day to day basis,” said Ureta.

The expansion was needed due to high student enrollments.

“There’s a great need here at Permian we have about this year were projecting 4,200 students so if you look at that in the grand scheme of things there is a huge need for these students,” said Vasquez.

Bush says she is appreciative of the program as the coordinators have become family to her.. she encourages other students in need of assistance to become involved.

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