Communities In Schools Newsletter Coweta County

CommunitiesIn SchoolsCoweta County

Stopping Dropouts. Saving Futures. Changing Lives Forever.

Hats and Hooves Derby Affair is May 2, 2015

Communities In Schools of Coweta County | P.O. Box 781 | Newnan, GA 30264 | 770-710-9540 | www.ciscoweta.org

One of the community’s most highly anticipated

fundraisers of the year is the CIS Hats and Hooves Derby Affair, coming up on May 2, 2015.

This year’s fundraiser will be held Saturday, May 2, from 5-10 p.m. at the McRitchie-Hollis Museum, 74 Jackson St., Newnan. Tickets are $75 each, and you may order them by visiting our website.

Those attending will get to watch the Kentucky Derby live on big screens while enjoying food and beverages, a live band, silent auction, door prizes and lots of Derby-themed fun! Dress is Derby attire or business casual.

You can click here to register now, or for more information, contact Executive Director Gina Weathersby at 770-710-9540.

1st Quarter, 2015

Hats and Hooves . . . . . . . . 1Letter from Gina . . . . . . . . . 2CIS Highlights . . . . . . . . . . 3Letter from Dennis . . . . . . . 4CIS sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . 5Abby’s Angels . . . . . . . . . . 6

In This Issue ...

Coweta-Fayette EMC has signed on as an event partner for Hats and Hooves. From left are CIS of Coweta County Executive Director Gina Weathersby; Coweta-Fayette EMC Vice President of Marketing Mary Ann Bell, who presented a check on behalf of the company; and Newnan Utilities General Manager Dennis McEntire, who also serves as CIS of Coweta Board Chair.

At a recent planning meeting for Hats and Hooves are, from left, Phil Aaron, Jac Counts, Garnet Reynolds, Gerald Kemp, Tony Ferguson, Denise Buchanan, Samantha Brazie, Candy the horse, Lana Mobley, Carole Ann Fields, Dennis McEntire, Gina Weathersby and Matt Brass.

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Be sure to “Like” and “Follow” our page on Facebook and read “Our CIS Blog” on Blogger for all the latest updates about CIS of Coweta County.Find the links here:https://www.facebook.com/CommunitiesInSchoolsofCowetaCountyhttp://cisofcoweta.blogspot.com

Dear Friends,

I am so excited to welcome you to this first edition of the Communities In Schools of Coweta County quarterly newsletter!

We often talk about how blessed we are to live in Coweta County, and I am reminded of those blessings every day. Communities In Schools of Coweta has already made great strides this school year with the help of our dedicated sponsors, volunteers and supporters. You have truly made all the difference.

Special thanks to our dedicated Board of Directors for making sure the CIS of Coweta program remained an important part of the community even when the activities had to be reduced following the untimely passing of former CIS director Bonnie Garrison.

With the board’s help and the encouragement and support of new sponsors and supporters, we were able to revitalize the program at the beginning of the 2014 school year, and I’m proud to report that CIS is back

and bigger and better than ever.

We began the school year with Denise Buchanan serving as our new Site Coordinator at East Coweta High School. With the support and help of EC Principal Evan Horton and the rest of the EC faculty and staff, over 65 students have become part of the CIS program and are working hard to graduate from high school and achieve success in life.

We will keep you updated on their progress in future editions of this newsletter.

The program has been so successful that our partners with the Coweta County School System, led by Superintendent Dr. Steve Barker, have approved a second staffer to assist Denise at East Coweta. We will introduce our new staffer soon. Be watching for that news at our website: www.ciscoweta.org.

Be sure to keep up with current happenings on our CIS of Coweta blog: http://cisofcoweta.blogspot.com. And don’t forget to “like” and “share” our Communities In Schools of Coweta Facebook page. This will help spread the word about the program and grow our circle of friends and supporters.

Planning is almost completed for our May 2 Hats & Hooves Derby Day fundraiser. More information about that event is in this newsletter, and updates are posted on our social media accounts.

I am so excited about what we are doing and can’t wait to see what lies ahead. I know our Coweta County CIS students appreciate your awesome help and support. I want you to know that I do, too.

Fondly, Gina Weathersby, Executive Director

Communities In Schools of Coweta County | P.O. Box 781 Newnan, GA 30264 | 770-710-9540 | www.ciscoweta.org

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From the desk of Gina Weathersby

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It’s been an exciting first year for CIS at East Coweta High

School thanks to the hard work of Denise Buchanan, our Site Coordinator, and ECHS Principal Evan Horton.

The year started with a donation of school supplies from Walmart as well as individuals. Denise recalled meeting one student whose parent had just changed jobs and didn’t yet have the funds for basic school supplies. Thanks to CIS, the student received a backpack filled with everything needed for a successful start to school.

“Things like that remind you that people in our community just need a little help from time to time,” she said.

Once the school year got underway, CIS got some support in the form of a visit from Atlanta Falcons All Pro linebacker Buddy Curry, who spoke to the ninth grade class at ECHS in support of CIS. Curry is one of the founders of Kids & Pros, a non-profit character-based youth sports organization that engages retired NFL Players to teach football

fundamental skills and character lessons to young people.

Later in the fall, Congressman Lynn Westmoreland visited East Coweta to learn about the difference CIS is making there. He was joined by a number of CIS supporters and board members.

In December, Denise attended Site Coordinator training in Washington, D.C. Denise was able to learn even more about connecting students and families with community resources that address both academic and nonacademic needs.

Early in 2015, CIS sponsored a STEM conference at the University of West Georgia. ECHS took a total of fifty 11th and 12th grade girls and four teachers to the conference.

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education. STEM proponents focus on these areas because they are essential for student success and also because these fields are so critical in today’s world.

CIS gets off to strong start at ECHS

ECHS Principal Evan Horton and CIS of Coweta County’s ECHS Site Coordinator, Denise Buchanan, welcomed students to the first year of the new CIS program at EC.

In October, Congressman Lynn Westmoreland visited East Coweta High School and learned about the difference CIS is making at ECHS. Those on hand for the visit included, from left, Dr. Steve Barker, superintendent of the Coweta County School System; Donna Brooks, community volunteer and incoming board chair of CIS of Coweta County; Congressman Westmoreland; CIS Board Member Gerald Kemp of Fidelity Bank; ECHS Principal Evan Horton; CIS of Coweta County Board Chair Dennis McEntire of Newnan Utilities; CIS Site Coordinator Denise Buchanan; Rich Johnson of AT&T, a Sustaining Partner of CIS; Dean Jackson, public information officer for the Coweta County School System; and Executive Director of CIS of Coweta County Gina Weathersby.

Former college football All American and Atlanta Falcons All Pro linebacker Buddy Curry spoke to the ninth grade class at East Coweta High in August. Curry appeared in support of CIS of Coweta County and is shown with East Coweta Site Coordinator Denise Buchanan, left, and CIS of Coweta County Executive Director Gina Weathersby, right.

LensCrafters in Peachtree City partnered with us and graciously supplied an eye examination and free eyeglasses to one of our CIS students, India Anderson, shown here with Site Coordinator Denise Buchanan at East Coweta High School.

LaChastin Thomas, at right, is a senior at East Coweta High School, and due to some financial struggles, she required some assistance getting the supplies she needed for her cosmetology class at Central Educational Center. Through her relationship with our CIS Site Coordinator, Denise Buchanan, at left, LaChastin was able to get all of the supplies she needed for her class and for her future as a cosmetologist.

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Dennis McEntire, ChairmanNewnan Utilities

Donna Brooks

Community Volunteer, Incoming Board Chair

Vince Bass

Coweta County School System

Mary Ann BellCoweta-Fayette EMC

Keith Brady

Mayor, City of Newnan

Matt BrassOffice of Congressman Lynn Westmoreland

Jac Counts

Cancer Treatment Centers of America

Tony FergusonGeorgia Power

Arthur “Skin” EdgeGeorgiaLink

Carole Ann FieldsGoodwill Industries

Sally Hensley

Community Volunteer

Gerald KempFidelity Bank

Lisa McDonald

Pots and Plants, Inc.

Garnet ReynoldsBB&T Bank

Rhodes Shell

Shell & Shepard Financial Services/ City Councilman

Bev Yeager

Retired Principal, Coweta County School System

Communities In Schools of Coweta County Board of Directors

Dear friends and supporters of CIS of Coweta County,

It is an honor to welcome you to this first quarterly edition of our CIS of Coweta County newsletter. I know you will enjoy reading about the great progress we have made during the 2014-15 school year.

Under the leadership of our Executive Director Gina Weathersby, the number of students enrolled in the CIS program at East Coweta High has grown steadily. Denise Buchanan, our CIS Site Coordinator at EC, has worked tirelessly to identify students in need of support and connect them with services and programs that will help them succeed.

Our success at East Coweta is possible because of the support of Principal Evan Horton, along with his outstanding faculty, as well as Superintendent Dr. Steve Barker of the Coweta County School system.

Equally important to our success is the diligent work of our CIS Board of Directors and our CIS sponsors, whose generous support and resources have been invaluable.

I’m not surprised at all that CIS of Coweta County is such a great success. It’s exactly what I expected. I’ve lived in Coweta County long enough to know that this community always supports a great cause with their gifts and talents. I’ve seen it happen time and again and sure enough, when our CIS board members reached out for supporters and sponsors, the results were overwhelming.

We will do everything in our power to deserve your continued trust and support. If you have suggestions about how we can make the program better, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thank you again for the tremendous support you have shown for Communities In Schools of Coweta County.

Sincerely,

Dennis McEntireGeneral Manager, Newnan UtilitiesChairman of the Board of CIS of Coweta County

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CIS is fortunate to have so many great community partners to help us in our effort to keep students engaged, involved and moving toward success.

Our Founding Partners —

We so appreciate our partners and all they do for our students!

1) Tony Ferguson of Georgia Power makes a donation to CIS as Gina Weathersby and Denise Buchanan look on. 2) Communities In Schools of Coweta County has received a generous financial gift thanks to a partnership between Cargill Meat Solutions and United Way of Metro Atlanta. Celebrating the donation are Ryan Brooks, United Way in Coweta County Advisory Board member; Tim Glenn, Cargill; Bradley Down, Cargill; Dennis McEntire, Newnan Utilities; Jennifer L. Young, United Way, Regional Director; Gina Weathersby, Executive Director of CIS of Coweta County; Paula Hasburger: United Way in Coweta County Advisory Board member, Andy Dunn: United Way in Coweta County Advisory Board member; Sheryl Singletary: United Way, County Engagement Director; Zack Wood, Cargill; Jill Webb, Cargill; and Travis Boyd, Cargill. 3) Crain Oil’s Joe Crain Sr. and Joe Crain Jr. are partners of CIS of Coweta County and generously provide our office space on First Avenue in Newnan.

CIS Sponsors keep students moving toward success

1)

2)

3)

AT&T

Newnan Utilities

Cargill Meat Solutions

Program Partners —

CTCA

Georgia Power

Coweta-Fayette EMC

United Way

Georgia Department of Education

CIS of Georgia

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A bby’s Angels Foundation is a non-profit that was started by Abby Bacho’s

mother, Natalie, when Abby passed away after an automobile accident on December 22, 2012.

Abby Bacho was nine years old and loved to play school, and she also loved to buy school supplies at the beginning of every school year. She was curious and excited about learning. Her mother,

Natalie, even thought she might become a teacher one day.

In Abby’s memory, her mother started partnering with local schools to give them a school supply

closet. Abby’s Closet is now in 13 elementary schools, two middle schools, and East Coweta High School.

Abby’s Closet is a place where any student can come for supplies. Teachers can send students to get supplies without their peers knowing they are in need. The goal at ECHS is for every student to have access to Abby’s Closet,

which is located in the CIS office with Site Coordinator Denise Buchanan.

Communities In Schools of Coweta County is proud to have a partnership with Abby’s Angels. As a partner of Abby’s Angels Foundation, CIS of Coweta County is asking our friends and partners to support the Abby’s Angels Foundation Rainbow Run & Family Fun Day on Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Coweta County Fairgrounds. April also is organ donation awareness month, and this special day is being set aside to honor Abby’s gift of life. The April 18 event is the main fundraiser for this wonderful organization, and we so appreciate your support as we support Abby’s Closet at ECHS.

CIS of Coweta County partners with Abby’s Angels

Coming This Fall!The Sunrise on the Square Road Race is held annually on the

Saturday before Labor Day, and this year the race will benefit Communities In Schools! During the race, runners will have the opportunity to enjoy scenic views of downtown Newnan and the historic neighborhoods. We’ll be sending out more details on the September 5, 2015 race in the coming months!