Brown Family Charitable Foundation - Kansas City

???Discover. Innovate. Thrive.??? ? It’s Deep Dive Week at Notre Dame de Sion School, where students are stepping beyond the traditional classroom to immerse themselves in hands-on learning across the greater community. It’s a week of exploration and innovation - with STEAM leading the charge! ? Over the past four years,?406 students?have selected STEAM-focused Deep Dives, with interest skyrocketing by?+66% this year. And the curiosity goes way beyond one week. The 2024-25 school year saw a?12% increase?in science course enrollment, reflecting a growing passion for STEM pathways. ? What’s driving this growth? Sion faculty! ? ???Emilie Lai?has reshaped the Sion STEM curriculum, creating standards-aligned and community-engaged opportunities including partnerships with?KU Research College of Nursing?and?UMKC Dental School?givng students real-world biomedical experiences that inspire future careers. ? ???Sarah DeConink?has introduced coding and computational thinking into the curriculum. Pioneering an application-based computer science course utilizing?Python?and?drone technology?provides students with cutting-edge, practical learning experiences. Her leadership also brought advanced courses like?AP Physics?and?AP Statistics, opening new doors for student learning. ? BFFKC is proud to support visionary educators like Emilie and Sarah, whose passion and dedication empower students to pursue STEM careers with confidence. Photo credit: Surriya Quddus ? #BFFKCproud

???We’re Hiring!??? ? BFFKC is thrilled to partner with?Holy Rosary Wea in Bucyrus, KS?to hire a full-time?Math Specialist/Data Coordinator?to join our extended educator team. ? In this pivotal role, you'll: ??Serve as an instructional coach and mentor, supporting teachers with curriculum development, instructional strategies, and assessment implementation. ??Lead the integration of Eureka Math, design rigorous lessons aligned with Kansas and Archdiocesan standards, and incorporate STREAM and Project-Based Learning strategies. ??Facilitate data reviews using MAP, Kansas state assessments, and progress monitoring tools. ??Support MTSS interventions and collaborate with families to enhance student learning outcomes. ? This role is essential to advancing math achievement and fostering a collaborative, faith-centered learning environment. ? ???Qualifications: A Master’s Degree or relevant experience as a Math Specialist/Data Coordinator. Ready to make a difference? Apply now through the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Job Board. ? Link:?https://lnkd.in/eB8GgExh ?

? Innovation, Creativity & Real-World Learning at Mater Dei! ? At the Brown Family Charitable Foundation, we love supporting schools that think outside the box—and Mater Dei’s Makerspace is doing just that! Since its inception in 2014, Mater Dei's Makerspace has evolved from humble beginnings to a state-of-the-art hub filled with laser cutters, 3D printers, and endless opportunities for creativity. Under the leadership of STREAM Director Shawn Hillebert, this space has become a dynamic cornerstone of learning, where students in grades 3-8 engage in hands-on projects that challenge them to think critically and design solutions to real-world problems. ??? Picture this: A box of random materials sits on the table. The challenge? Build a chair strong enough to hold Thing One (yes, the Dr. Seuss character) in just 20 minutes. This is the kind of creative problem-solving that happens in the Makerspace every day! Now, Mater Dei is taking it even further. ?? With the launch of a new entrepreneurship elective, students will research, design, and market products while learning firsthand what it takes to bring an idea to life. This unique program is creating connections beyond the classroom—partnering with a laser cutter manufacturer to develop curriculum materials in exchange for new equipment! ? Real-world collaboration ? Design-thinking & problem-solving ? Project planning & time management ? Building confidence through creativity Mater Dei’s journey is proof that when you give students the tools to explore, they’ll go further than you ever imagined—and we’re just getting started. #BFFKCproud #InnovationInEducation #Makerspace #Entrepreneurship #RealWorldLearning

BFFKC is excited to announce a new opportunity! We’re hiring a?full-time Reading Interventionist?to join our extended educator team at Holy Cross Catholic School in Kansas. In this role, you’ll work with a dynamic instructional staff dedicated to boosting student achievement in Reading through small group and individualized instruction. An endorsement or background in ESOL is highly preferred. Join a vibrant community serving 200 students in the heart of Overland Park and help shape the future of literacy! ? To express interest in this incredible opportunity, visit the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas Job Board. Link:?https://lnkd.in/gnuQY-RX

Forget about higher temps. This will warm your heart! ?? Watching these future engineers kick off their PBL adventure reminds us that innovation starts with curiosity - and a little wiggle-bot magic. Thanks for inspiring us, Lee Marie Gruss, and here's to building tomorrow, one fun project at a time! #BFFKCproud

Project-based learning (PBL) sparks student engagement, deeper content mastery, and a culture of creativity and collaboration.?But did you know its user-end focus also paves the path to philanthropy? ? The 4th and 5th graders at Queen of the Holy Rosary - Wea in Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas took these values to heart with their Steps for Change marathon. This 100% student-led event integrated finance, health, marketing, and physical education standards while raising over $3,000 for Catholic Charities! ? Wea Achievement Stats: ? 75% of students improved money management and goal-setting skills. ? 80% developed complex communication skills. ? 100% believe giving back to the community is important! ? Thank you, Christina White, Wea Assistant Principal, for sharing this BFFKC PBL impact story! #BFFKCproud

Building professional learning communities and developing teacher leaders are two of BFFKC's favorite and most impactful strategies. Thank you to University of Notre Dame Center for STEM Education recruiter Martha Downer-Assaf and 2023 STEM Fellows Angela Kopp from Holy Cross Catholic School -KS and Maeve O'Connor Tung from Nativity - KS for sharing insights and highlights of the UND STEM Teaching Fellows Program. It was a great night discussing future opportunities with administrators and teachers from Notre Dame de Sion School, St. Elizabeth, and Visitation. UND is recruiting for the next STEM Teaching Fellows cohort - a game changer for programmatic and leadership development. Check it out! #BFFKCproud

?? Future City Challenge at Science City: Celebrating Innovation by St. Agnes Catholic School Students! We’re excited to highlight an incredible project from the Future City Challenge, hosted by Science City. Students from St. Agnes designed and presented Turtle Topia, a visionary floating city that tackles homelessness and pollution while embracing sustainability. Here’s a sneak peek at their innovative ideas: ?? Lightweight, eco-friendly housing with indoor pools and organic gardens. ?? Powered by renewable energy: solar panels, wind turbines, and water wheels. ?? Located off the coast of sunny Florida, offering warmth, hydroponics, and a vacation-like climate. ?? Designed to withstand challenges like hurricanes and flooding, ensuring a safe and sustainable future for its 300 residents. This project showcases the creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork of St. Agnes students and STREAM Director, Maureen Tavernaro. Their vision for a sustainable, inclusive future is truly inspiring! Visit Science City through February to see Turtle Topia on display and learn more about this incredible student-led project. #BFFKCproud ? #STEMEducation #FutureCityChallenge #Sustainability #Innovation #ScienceCity #TurtleTopia

At BFFKC, we know that transformational change happens when visionary leadership meets dedicated expertise and community collaboration - and the Spark Center at St. James Academy proves it! ? After an impressive inaugural year with skyrocketing student participation and a verifiable payoff on the ACT, the St. James Academy Spark Center team took a deeper dive in Year 2 to examine the academic resource center's processes and identify the key drivers of its success. With support from Michael C. Ralph at Multistudio, the team leveraged updated ACT performance metrics as well as new student survey data, yielding compelling insights underscoring the Spark Center’s dual role in skill development and confidence–building. ? ?????? ???????????????? ???????? ???????? ??: ?? Widespread Engagement: 85% of St. James Academy students accessed Spark Center resources, demonstrating its integration into the school’s academic culture. ?? Confidence Boost: 78.4% of students reported a significant increase in academic confidence—an essential ingredient for long-term success. ?? ACT Score Impact: Students actively engaged in Spark Center who experienced a boost in confidence demonstrated a notable performance advantage: +3.4 points in ACT Math +2.0 points in ACT English ?Principal Shane Rapp put it best, “???????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ??????????, ?????? ???????? ?????????????? ?? ???????????? ???? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????????????????? ???? ?????? ??????????????????. ????’?? ???????? ?? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????? ?????????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???? ???????????? ???? ?????? ????????." ? #BFFKCproud

? From Saints to Soldering: Nativity 4th Graders Shine in STREAM! ? How can we inform others about the incredible lives of Saints? The 4th graders at Nativity School in the Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas tackled this question in their innovative STREAM journey, combining faith, creativity, and technology into one unforgettable project! Here’s how each subject came together: ?? Religion: Students researched their favorite saints. ?? ELA: They explored podcasting, created a class template, and wrote individual episodes. ?? Art: Designed custom backgrounds for their podcasts. ?? Music: Composed intro music to bring their stories to life. ?? STREAM Tech: Recorded podcasts and crafted LED cubes with saint imagery and QR codes linking to their episodes! ?? Science: Conducted a deep dive into circuits. ? Math: Studied the 3D properties of cubes through fabrication. The result? A STREAM program that truly celebrates both the creative spirit and the Saints who inspire it. Happy Catholic Schools Week! #BFFKCproud