CIS NOVA and Amazon have teamed up since the onset of the pandemic to provide all students and families across Alexandria City and Arlington with basic need support through Amazon's Right Now Needs program, so students are ready to learn. These items include school supplies, clothing, shoes, undergarments, outerwear, PPE, books, and non-perishable food items. To date this school year, CIS NOVA has coordinated $475,000 in basic needs support across 47 schools, already serving nearly 27,000 students! CIS coordinators and school social workers are also using Right Now Needs (RNN) to engage hard to reach families via family engagement learning series that [...]

At the beginning of this school year, Alex was struggling academically and was referred to CIS NOVA Site Coordinator, Miss Henry. As the year went on, Miss Henry met with Alex and explored ways for him to take ownership of his success. Eventually, Alex proposed an idea: if he met his academic goals this quarter, Miss Henry would have to face him head-to-head in a penalty kick shootout. Knowing Alex's passion for soccer, Miss Henry gladly accepted the challenge and there was a noticeable shift in Alex's performance and attitude. Every morning, he reminded Miss Henry of their pact and was eager [...]