The month of February flew by, but it certainly did not leave quietly. During the week of February 15th, a series of intense winter storms and extreme low temperatures left many Texans without power, heat, and running water, with road conditions and overwhelmed services worsening these issues. From the first signs of cold temperatures to the return of sunny weather and thawing ice and snow, CISNT Site Coordinators worked hard to make sure that student needs were met.
At Chisholm Trail Middle School, Site Coordinator Ryan Hooper and school staff members went above and beyond when severe winter storms were initially forecasted to make sure that students were prepared for the extreme weather.
Mr. Hooper writes:
“The week before [the severe winter storms], Dr. Warren had mentioned the potential for very cold winter weather, and sent out an email asking to make sure that any children that did not have a winter coat were offered one. In order to assist with this, CIS had recently hosted a coat drive at our main office. I was able to secure roughly 20 brand new winter coats from the main office. Mr. Hays and CIS worked together to come up with a list of the highest need families and send out a google form to those families asking if they would like a winter coat. We immediately got responses from multiple families saying yes they would love the coats. Since we had multiple styles of coats and sizes every student was able to pick out a coat that was the style and color that they liked. We later received several emails from teachers saying how proud and happy the students were to receive their new coats. Little did we know how important those coats would prove to be during the following week!”
Preparation is everything, and we want to shout-out Mr. Hooper, NWISD Superintendent Dr. Ryder Warren, and Chisholm Trail Middle School Counselor Mike Hays for working quickly to equip students with proper attire for cold weather! Way to go!
After winter storms had passed, CISNT asked Site Coordinators to check-in with families to make sure that everyone was okay and to assess needs and impact. Cooper Spruill, Site Coordinator at Northwest High School, took immediate action to conduct check-in calls and make families aware of disaster assistance resources.
Mr. Spruill writes:
“February was an intense month, and at times it may have felt like there was snow way out, but we found ways to serve everyone at NHS this month! From providing jackets to students in need, to leading our scheduled groups and meeting new people, we found ways to overcome the setbacks caused by winter weather, which affected all of us in many different ways! As a response, CIS @ NHS took part in completing disaster relief calls to check in on CIS connected students and connect them with FEMA’s Disaster Assistance and other resources.”
We appreciate Mr. Spruill’s role in our organization-wide check-in calls following the winter storms, and we applaud Mr. Spruill for raising awareness of FEMA’s Disaster Assistance resources. You can find a link to FEMA’s Disaster Assistance page at the bottom of this article! Read on for the link.
Eminia Vanegas, Site Coordinator at Ginnings Elementary School, joined a collaborative effort between multiple campuses, staff, PTA, and community members to connect impacted families with donations to provide relief following the storms.
Ms. Vanegas writes:
“Through Ginnings E.S. and Strickland M.S. staff, Ginnings PTA and community members, we were able to collect many items needed to offer our families. In a matter of 2 days we were able to serve approximately 67 families in the Ginning E.S. and Strickland M.S. school zone. Families were able to come to the school to ‘shop’ our donations. Families were very appreciative of the support offered. We appreciate the help of everyone who donated items and/or their time for this event. This was truly a team effort.”
In the hardest times, our families can count on their Community of Support to come together and offer assistance – and this donation drive was truly a community effort. CISNT thanks Ms. Vanegas for being part of an awesome community initiative to help students and their families!
Site Coordinators like Mr. Hooper, Mr. Spruill, and Ms. Vanegas exemplify the Community of Support that CISNT forms with schools, volunteers, and community partners in order to uplift our amazing students and families during the most challenging circumstances. We are so grateful for these wonderful individuals who put their best foot forward through their work with CISNT every day!
Rain, snow, or shine, CISNT is #AllInForKids!
If your home sustained damage during the severe winter storms in February, you may be eligible for disaster assistance. Click here to visit the FEMA Texas Severe Winter Storms Disaster Page and to apply for assistance: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4586
