Communities In Schools Of Philadelphia Inc

NAME CHANGE: EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2020, COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF PHILADELPHIA BEGAN DOING BUSINESS AS "LAUNCH OF PHILADELPHIA" ( "LAUNCH- OR "THE ORGANIZATION". THE LEGAL ENTITY, COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF PHILADELPHIA, INC., CONTINUES IN EXISTENCE AS THE LEGAL NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE NAME CHANGE IS THE RESULT OF LAUNCH'S EXIT FROM THE NATIONAL NETWORK OF COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS, INC., WHICH BECAME EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 31, 2019. MISSION: LAUNCH'S MISSION IS TO SURROUND STUDENTS WITH A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT, EMPOWERING THEM TO STAY IN SCHOOL AND ACHIEVE IN LIFE. LAUNCH FULFILLS ITS MISSION BY ENTERING INTO SERVICE CONTRACTS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.

ORGANIZATION PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS A DESCRIPTION OF THE MAJOR CONTRACTS AND SERVICES FOLLOWS: 1.ELECT (EDUCATION LEADING TO EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER TRAINING). ELECT ASSISTS PREGNANT OR PARENTING STUDENTS IN THE COMPLETION OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR EQUIVALENCY. ELECT STUDENTS RECEIVE TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO ENABLE THEM TO MAKE SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS INTO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND PARENTHOOD. LAUNCH'S SITE COORDINATORS PROVIDE INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT; PARENTING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT TRAINING; HEALTH AND NUTRITION SEMINARS; ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL SERVICES SUPPORT; AND LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. A COMPONENT OF ELECT IS A FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE DEDICATED TO YOUNG MEN WHO ARE PARENTING. 2.URBAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA, LAUNCH DEVELOPED A PROGRAM TO ADDRESS DIGITAL INCLUSION ISSUES WITHIN PHILADELPHIA. THE URBAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT PROVIDES YOUTH WITH OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEANINGFUL ACCESS TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TOOLS AND EDUCATION, PROMOTING OWNERSHIP OF KNOWLEDGE, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND SELF-RELIANCE. THE URBAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT INCLUDES THE DIGITAL SERVICE FELLOWS AND COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS DESCRIBED BELOW. DIGITAL SERVICE FELLOWS (DSF). DSF IS A FULL-TIME AMERICORPS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES WHO HAVE AN INTEREST IN BOTH SERVING THEIR COMMUNITIES AND IN PURSUING THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIELD. DSF PARTICIPANTS LEARN UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL AND ACTIVELY APPLY THE SKILLS LEARNED BY INSTALLING NEW EQUIPMENT OR REPAIRING EXISTING EQUIPMENT IN SCHOOLS AND BY LEADING SCHOOL-BASED TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS AND WORKSHOPS. COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS. LAUNCH AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA HAVE ALSO PARTNERED TO CREATE THE COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS PROGRAM. COMPUTER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO 56 SCHOOLS AND 4 CENTRAL OFFICES OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA. THIS PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS THE DSF INITIATIVE AND ALLOWS RECENT GRADUATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A ONE-YEAR APPRENTICESHIP WITH MASTER TECHNICIANS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 3.OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN PROVIDING ENGAGING AND QUALITY BASED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SIX WEEK SUMMER CAMPS IN TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SINCE 2003. THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA'S DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (DHS) HAS BEEN THE SOLE FUNDER OF THIS INITIATIVE. THE DHS OUT OF SCHOOL TIME PROJECT HAS EVOLVED SINCE 2008 TO COMPLIMENT THE AGENCY'S EFFORTS TO DEVELOP HIGHER ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS AND MEASUREABLE RESULTS AS EVIDENCED BY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN INITIATIVE (IOC). THE GOAL OF THIS INITIATIVE IS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH PARTICULARLY THOSE RECEIVING DHS SERVICES LIVING IN DISTRESSED SECTIONS OF THE CITY. THESE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS HAVE GROWN DRAMATICALLY SINCE 2008. ANNUALLY, THE CITY HAS INCREASED THE CENTER SLOT LEVELS. FUNDING IS BASED ON THE SLOT UTILIZATION AND ATTENDANCE. SLOT UTILIZATION AT BOTH LOCATIONS IS CONSISTENTLY OVER 95%. OUR SITES HAVE ACHIEVED LICENSURE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WELFARE, OFFICE OF EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS KEYSTONE STARS LEVEL ONE CERTIFICATION.