Ditong is supporting Communities in Schools of PA

The mission of Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. We believe that every child, regardless of their circumstances, deserves the resources and opportunities needed to thrive.

CISPA serves 30 individual schools in 12 school districts, including 8 schools in York County. CISPA currently provides programming in the School District of the City of York at Davis Pre K-8, Goode Pre K-8, Hannah Penn Pre K-8, Devers Pre K-8, Ferguson Pre K-8, McKinley Pre K-8, and William Penn Senior High School and Spring Grove Area School District at Paradise Elementary. 

In these schools, supports include 3 tiers of services to students: Tier 1 (whole-school), Tier 2 (small group), and Tier 3 (intensive case management). Our talented school based team members find partnerships and resources in the community and brings them to students and families, work to support and empower students to remove non-academic barriers to their success, and bring programs and resources to the whole school and work 1:1 with small groups.

I started working for CISPA in January as the Site Coordinator at Ferguson Pre‑K–8, and it has already been such a meaningful experience. One of the most important parts of my role is building strong relationships with students. Even though I joined during the second half of the school year, I’ve been intentional about connecting with them—through mentoring, helping with classwork, and supporting their social‑emotional learning in both one‑on‑one and group settings.

I started working for CISPA in January as the Site Coordinator at Ferguson Pre‑K–8, and it has already been such a meaningful experience. One of the most important parts of my role is building strong relationships with students. Even though I joined during the second half of the school year, I’ve been intentional about connecting with them—through mentoring, helping with classwork, and supporting their social‑emotional learning in both one‑on‑one and group settings.

I also co‑host our E‑sports club alongside school administration, giving students more opportunities to engage in activities beyond traditional classroom learning. In addition to that, I offer an Art Nook program for students who are interested in arts and crafts, which has quickly become a creative and calming space for them.

Another part of my work involves helping secure much‑needed hygiene items and clothing through our generous local donors. Every dollar and every donated item is put to good use to support students at Ferguson and across York City schools. I also assist with academic support and help plan school‑wide attendance events to promote healthy, consistent attendance.

Working for CISPA has shown me how powerful it is to create spaces where students feel supported, encouraged, and excited to grow. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of a team that truly invests in our students and their success.

In York County during the 2024-2025 school year:

• 70,502 (duplicated) students participated in Tier 1 (whole-school) programs

• 316 students were served through intensive, one-on-one case management

• 20,099 (duplicated) parents were served through Tier 1 (whole-school) supports

• 566 basic needs items were distributed, including clothing, food, hygiene, and school supplies