Operation Breakthrough relocated to the former JC Penny's store at 3039 Troost in 1981. In 2006, our first Capital Campaign allowed an addition to the original buillding expanding to create 6 neighborhoods and 22 classrooms. In 2018 a bridge was built to connect Berta's Place to the new school-age facility - Corita's Place. Berta's place is home to over 425 of our early learning students, age 6 wks. to 5 years old. It also hosts wrap around services including our food pantry, children's clothing closet and Children's Mercy Clinic. Recent additions include a pre-school MakerSpace, STEM Lab and T-shirt printing studio.
Neighborhoods
There are six pre-school neighborhoods at Operation Breakthrough, (Purple, Green, Orange, Blue, Yellow and Red). Yellow 1, 2 and 3 classrooms are located at DeLaSalle High School.
Playgrounds
Operation Breakthrough has 5 playgrounds for all of the children at Operation Breakthrough. Every day, weather permitting, the children ride trikes, slide, climb – getting lots of exercise they need. Our older children have a basketball court on their playground.
MakerSpace
Operation Breakthrough's MakerSpace promotes personalized learning through the use of real materials to tinker, problem solve, collaborate and create. Over 300 children have the opportunity to engage weekly in projects across the MakerSpace's six different zones. The six zones include textiles, construction/toy hacking, studio arts, chef's corner, building and circuitry. These areas provide a creative outlet as well as opportunities to practice problem solving and teamwork.
Stem Lab
Connected to the MakerSpace is the Stem Lab for the preschool children. This lab features fully integrated systems of hardware, software to promote real world learning. These systems allow children to engage with a wide range of activities like robotics, electronics, coding and alternative energy.
Outdoor Classroom
The Outdoor Classroom was developed to connect our urban core children to the natural world. Classroom areas include flower and vegetable gardens, a wind area and a composting space. There are opportunities for children of all ages to harvest fruits and vegetables, explore animal and insect life, observe the elements and experience the outdoors.
Food Pantry
The food pantry at Operation Breakthrough helps keep children from going hungry at night and on weekends, when they are not at Operation Breakthrough, by providing groceries to their families. It also provides access to daily essentials that can't be purchased with food stamps such as hygiene items, toilet paper, diapers, laundry detergent, etc.
Children's Mercy Clinic
Providers, including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, and mental health professionals, provide care in a full-service clinic operated by Children's Mercy Hospital. Services offered include sick visits, well-child checkups and walk-in availability. While children at Operation Breakthrough get priority, appointments are available to members of the community. In addition, nursing staff complete daily rounds to the classrooms of all children enrolled at Operation Breakthrough.
Children's Therapy
Licensed clinical and masters level therapists provide individual and family play therapy to children and their families who have experienced loss, traumatic events and changes in their family systems that impact healthy attachment to caregivers. Group therapy is also provided by child and music therapists within their classrooms.
Children's Clothing Closet
Run by dedicated volunteers and stocked entirely by donations - both new and gently used - the Children's Clothing Closet keeps Operation Breakthrough children warm in winter, cool in summer and looking sharp all year long. Families can sign up to receive shoes, school uniforms, winter coats, underwear and socks, as well as pants and tops, depending on the children's needs.
Birthday Closet
All Operation Breakthrough children receive birthday gifts and the makings of a party from The Birthday Closet, thanks to donations of new toys and kits containing cake mix, frosting and candles.
T-Shirt Manufacturing
A new T-Shirt Manufacturing Lab teaches our school-age children how to screen print and create sellable goods as well as spirit wear for children and staff.
