2. Coordinating Services
How does CIS of Chicago connect my service to schools?
CIS of Chicago accepts community partners on a rolling basis if they are able to provide
quality programs and services that address identified areas of need among our school
network. Your Community Partnership Specialist will create a draft of a program referral with
all important programming details for your review. Once approved, CIS of Chicago school
specialists will determine schools that list your service as a priority and share the referral
information with them.
Steps for scheduling and coordinating a service or program:
• CIS of Chicago and prospective partner schedule a pre-service meeting to discuss
specifics of partnership and available programming
• CIS of Chicago creates a referral, partner reviews and approves it
• Partner signs biannual community partner agreement
• CIS of Chicago shares referral selectively
• Once a school schedules a program, CIS of Chicago arranges a program observation
• CIS of Chicago shares observation feedback with partner
• Barring any program concerns, CIS of Chicago then shares broadly among CIS of
Chicago partner network (dependent on partner’s capacity)
• CIS of Chicago and partner stay in regular contact about scheduled schools so that
CIS of Chicago can keep accurate records and help to maximize partner’s capacity
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3. Resources for Coordinating Services
• Sample Referral Form
• Sample Media Release Form
• Sample Memorandum of Agreement
• Guidelines to Clinical Service Partnerships
• Guidelines for Placing Graduate Students in CIS of
Chicago Schools for Tutoring/Mentoring
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4. Top 10 Tips for Getting Permission
Slips Returned
Even the most enticing field trip opportunities and the essential student healthcare services present one
big challenge for schools and community partners: the dreaded return of consent forms and permission
slips. While it can sometimes feel like root canal work to coax all students to return signed consent forms
and permission slips, hope is not lost! If you’re struggling, try these time-tested tips!
1. Contact teachers and site coordinators sooner rather than later to strategize about how to disperse
and collect the consents
1. Encourage classroom teachers to reach out to parents, if necessary
1. Thank teachers for their support in collecting needed forms
1. Provide an incentive – stickers, health snacks – to students who return the appropriate forms on
time
1. Hold a classroom contest, and reward the first class with all needed forms returned
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5. Top 10 Tips for Getting Permission
Slips Returned Cont...
6. Attend an open house or parent-teacher meeting to remind and notify parents of needed forms that
were sent home
6. Talk to school staff during meetings and events to ask for follow-up support
6. Provide information about the needed forms on the school website
6. Translate the text of the forms into major languages spoken by the community
6. Provide a consistent contact person for information about programs that require consents and
permission slips
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