Communities In Schools of Georgia in Marietta/Cobb County (CISMCC), part of CIS of Georgia’s Region 2 network, works directly inside schools to surround students with a community of support and empower them to stay in school and achieve in life. Through the evidence-based CIS model, dedicated Site Coordinators provide integrated student supports that address barriers to success related to attendance, academics, behavior, mental wellness, family engagement, basic needs, college and career readiness, and graduation planning.
Communities In Schools currently serves students and families across 14 school communities throughout Cobb County School District and Marietta City Schools. Schools currently implementing the CIS model and programming include:
- Pebblebrook High School
- South Cobb High School
- Garrett Middle School
- Sawyer Road Elementary School
- Marietta High School
- Additional elementary, middle, and high school campuses throughout Cobb County and Marietta City Schools receiving CIS supports and services.
Through school-based Site Coordinators and targeted student support services, Communities In Schools of Marietta/Cobb County currently impacts approximately 20,000 students annually across the region. The organization also mobilizes hundreds of volunteers and community partners to support students and families through mentoring, tutoring, attendance initiatives, family engagement, workforce development, and enrichment programming.
One of the organization’s signature programs is Reality U, a nationally recognized hands-on financial literacy simulation that helps middle and high school students connect their current academic choices to their future financial reality. During the interactive 75-minute experience, students step into adulthood by managing real-world expenses such as housing, transportation, childcare, insurance, groceries, and utilities based on individualized career and income scenarios connected to their GPA, attendance, and future goals.
Reality U helps students:
- Understand budgeting and money management
- Explore career pathways and earning potential
- Recognize how education impacts future opportunities
- Build decision-making and financial planning skills
- Connect school success to long-term life outcomes
The program continues to expand across Cobb County and Marietta schools through partnerships with businesses, volunteers, and sponsors. To date, Reality U has engaged thousands of students and community volunteers in helping young people better prepare for life after graduation.
This year, through generous funding support from Altria Group, Communities In Schools of Marietta/Cobb County also launched Rise Above the Smoke, a smoking and vaping cessation initiative designed to educate and support students in making healthy choices. The program provides prevention education, small group support, and student engagement activities focused on the risks associated with vaping and tobacco use. Communities In Schools is proud to partner with Kids Docs on Wheels, which provides the health education component of the program, helping students better understand the long-term impact of nicotine and vaping on their health and future. The program is currently being implemented at Pebblebrook and South Cobb High Schools as part of CIS’s continued commitment to supporting the whole child.