SchoolSmart KC

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SchoolSmartKC is an education based non-profit organization focused on reducing gaps of opportunity and achievement for public school students in Kansas City.

10/09/2026

🎨 Mural by Isaac Tapia and Rodrigo Alvarez, Pendleton Heights.

Latino families have shaped Kansas City for generations. Their children and grandchildren now lead in our schools as principals, teachers, and the staff who keep a school running every day. Some grew up translating for their parents at the doctor’s office and the bank. Now they make sure every parent who walks into a school is understood. Kansas City needs the doctor who can explain a diagnosis to a grandmother in her own language and the electrician who can explain the job to every customer on the block.

Being multilingual is a strength. At Paseo Academy of Fine and Performing Arts, the dual language program keeps students reading, writing, and learning in Spanish in middle and high school. Paseo also works with SSKC and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation on Real World Learning, which connects bilingual students to mentors and career paths.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the families who kept their language and culture strong in Kansas City for generations, and the educators who make sure students keep both.

10/08/2026

For more than 26 years, Stacy has taught music at the elementary, secondary, and college levels, believing that education is about more than what happens in the classroom. It is about building community, creating belonging, and making sure people have the support they need to succeed. She continues to teach at Northwest Missouri State University and Kansas City Kansas Community College, and in 2013 she co-founded the Kansas City Horn Club , a no-cost, no-audition community that has grown to more than 60 members, from young French horn players in middle and high school to veteran players with decades of experience. Across each of these spaces, Stacy has focused on creating communities where people feel connected, supported, and part of something bigger.

Today she brings that same belief to her role as Director of Operations at SchoolSmartKC, supporting the team, vendors, and partners who help move our mission forward. From managing the day-to-day systems that keep the organization running to helping create a welcoming and connected workplace, Stacy works behind the scenes so others can stay focused on serving Kansas City students. Whether in a classroom, an ensemble, or at SSKC, she believes strong communities are built when people show up for one another and know they belong. This is who we are.

10/07/2026

A firm believer that every student deserves the resources and support to thrive, Sarena Weatherspoon has dedicated her career to helping young people reach their full potential.

As Program Coordinator at SchoolSmartKC, she brings together the people, programs, and partnerships that support students and educators across Kansas City. She coordinates our leadership and literacy coach fellowships alongside UMKC , the UMKC Institute for Urban Education, and Leaders. Coaches in those fellowships average 9 of 10 sessions attended, and much of that consistency comes from the details Sarena makes sure never slip.

Sarena believes lasting change happens when schools, families, and communities work together. Through the relationships she builds and the work she makes possible, she is committed to ensuring Kansas City's students have the support they need to thrive. This is who we are.

10/06/2026

For more than three decades, Kris Collins has served Kansas City's children, in district and charter schools alike, holding to one truth: a child's success story begins long before kindergarten. She has been a driving force in Kansas City's kindergarten readiness movement through SchoolSmartKC’s PreK Cooperative, bringing early childhood providers and K-12 schools to the same table for our youngest learners, adding nearly 800 seats to our ecosystem, over 9 years, at no cost to families.

Funders who share that conviction have invested in SSKC’s PreK work, including Durwood Foundation ($175,000),PNC Grow Up Great ($25,000), R and C Charitable Foundation ($60,000), the Hall Family Foundation ($500,000+), and the Sherman Family Foundation ($48,000). Today Kris leads the SchoolSmartKC PreK Cooperative, with 30 partner organizations now serving 700+ children. Last year, 24% of children entered meeting readiness benchmarks and 83% left more prepared. Every one of those children started stronger because Kris and SchoolSmartKC refused to wait, and because partners chose to stand behind the vision. This is who we are.

10/05/2026

Stanley Taylor Jr. was born and raised in Indianola, Mississippi, where his grandmother was his principal and his aunt was his teacher. When he arrived at Northwest Missouri State University without a single dual credit, certification, or real-world learning experience, he felt the gap firsthand. He has spent 14+ years serving as a nonprofit leader making sure Kansas City students never start behind.

Today he leads Real World Learning at SchoolSmartKC, made possible through our partnership with Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, so every student graduates with market-value assets (internships, college courses, certifications) that can propel their futures. Last year, 769 Kansas City high schoolers earned at least one market-value asset, more than double the 298 when the work began. Recently presented with the Echoes Of The City KC Award, Stanley’s impact continues to be seen and felt across Kansas City. A proud member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., he lives by the motto . For Stanley, serving youth is not just a profession; it is a lifestyle. He may not change the world himself, but he's determined to spark the mind that will. This is who we are.

09/11/2026

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Frances Gipson and Jerry Williams to the SchoolSmartKC Board!

Dr. Gipson brings deep experience in education, instructional leadership, and leadership development. She previously served as Chief Academic Officer for Los Angeles Unified School District, overseeing instructional planning and capacity building for more than 600,000 students. Today, she is a clinical professor of education and Director of the Urban Leadership Program at Claremont Graduate University. Her career has also included roles as a teacher, principal, district administrator, and superintendent.

Jerry brings more than 30 years of executive leadership experience from T-Mobile, where he held leadership roles across engineering, finance, and customer support operations. He also chaired T-Mobile’s Multicultural Alliance, representing more than 20,000 employees nationwide. His commitment to community continues through civic and nonprofit leadership, including his current roles as a Fairway City Councilmember and Board Chair of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey.

We are excited for the expertise, perspective, and commitment to community that Dr. Gipson and Jerry bring to SchoolSmartKC as we continue working to expand opportunities for Kansas City students.

09/02/2026

Thank you to Bellwether's team for the months they spent reviewing Literacy For All Students - design, partnerships, and implementation.

Three cohorts in, 15 schools, district and charter, side-by-side.

08/24/2026

10 months to 10 days.

How do we create environments where students can be their best?

For a family it means less to manage. For a student it means getting support without falling behind. For schools it means community supporting students where they already are.

The need was never in question. The schools were doing their part, and the agencies were doing theirs. What was missing sat in the space between them. A student showed a need in one system, and the care lived in another, too far apart to connect. In our SCMH partner schools the wait is now 10 days on average. Hear it from those closest to the work in this video.

Closing that distance is the systems work of SchoolSmartKC. We bring schools and agencies into one partnership, the School-Based Collaborative for Mental Health (SCMH), so care reaches students where they already are.

Starting Year 3 in partnership with Children's Services Fund of Jackson County - Support has reached 509 more students.

08/18/2026

A night to remember at The K!

A week ago, we had the honor of hosting our 8th Annual Excellence In Education Awards. There is a unique kind of magic in a room full of people celebrating the champions of Kansas City education.

To all Kansas City teachers, support staff, and leaders: thank you for your relentless commitment and dedication to our students.

Special thanks to our funding partners .

Here is a look back the best of the night and a look ahead to a strong year of learning!

Address

3105 Gillham
Kansas City, MO
64109

Website

http://www.schoolsmartkc.org/

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