Communities in Schools launches in Floyd
Superintendent Cromer said that integrating CIS has been an “overwhelmingly positive experience.” She said, “The CIS organization has done an excellent job of connecting our students with more resources that help them overcome barriers to success..."
Communities in Schools is a new resource being provided to students at Floyd County High School this year with the goal of helping them develop their social-emotional skills and improve overall attendance, both of which contribute to academic success.
Part of the Communities in School of the Appalachian Highlands (CIS-AH) group that covers Southwest Virginia, the local program is overseen by Sydney Capito, regional director of programming and community schools, who started working in Floyd in July.
While currently only operating in Floyd County High for the 2025-2026 school year, both Capito Floyd Schools Superintendent Jessica Cromer said the program hopes to expand into elementary schools in the future.
Superintendent Cromer said that integrating CIS has been an “overwhelmingly positive experience.” She said, “The CIS organization has done an excellent job of connecting our students with more resources that help them overcome barriers to success. This support aligns with our core goal of ensuring every student has the support they need to learn and achieve.”
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Capito has worked with CIS for more than a decade, gaining experience in Richmond and Chesterfield public schools. She said since starting in Floyd County, her main focus has been on “building strong, meaningful relationships” both within the school system and the community.
“A major priority has been identifying student needs early and developing effective systems for referrals and support, as well as tracking engagement and outcomes,” she said, noting that CIS-AH has launched school-wide attendance campaigns “to encourage consistent and timely student attendance.”
Cromer said that administrators are “particularly excited about these focuses because they are “critical” areas for ensuring student stability and success.
Capito said other issues she’s helped Floyd students address include “lack of motivation, difficulty with emotional regulation, and struggles with building positive relationships with peers and adults.”
“Many students also face external stressors such as family instability, unmet basic needs, and mental health concerns,” she said. Working with students one-on-one or in small groups, and bringing in other resources (such as community partners) help create a more supportive environment for students to thrive in.
Her job is to be someone students can turn to when they need help, Capito said, whether it be at school or at home. “CIS is about helping students not only stay in school but thrive in life,” she added.
Capito said seeing the direct impact of the program — “particularly when [students] begin to recognize their own potential” — is the most rewarding part of working with CIS. She added that “every resource (food, clothing, mentoring, or encouragement) we provide is made possible through community collaboration.”
Funding for CIS-AH is procured through a number of sources, including from school districts, federal and state grants, philanthropic foundations, and businesses, corporations, and individuals in the community.
The launch of CIS-AH in Floyd has been supported by a “major contribution" from Jack Wall and Kamala Bauers, Capito said, noting that additional funding includes a national grant from the Ballmer Group and a grant from Atlantic Union Bank.
“CIS-AH has become a model example of a nonprofit organization that leverages the public/private partnership to support long-term sustainability and will implement this strategy with the goal to serve Floyd County for many years to come,” Capito said.
Learn more about CIS-AH and participating schools online at www.cisofah.org. With questions or for more information about services available to Floyd County students, email scapito@cisofah.org or visit Room 104 at Floyd County High.