Hoping to further enhance educational opportunities at Key Biscayne’s K-8 Center, the Key Biscayne Children & Education Foundation (KBCEF) is working to expand its after-school enrichment programming onto the K-8 campus in collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the YMCA.
Oscar Sardiñas, President and co-founder of KBCEF, confirmed that the expansion follows district approval and represents the next phase of the Foundation’s growth.
While Sardiñas also serves as Village Vice Mayor, he emphasized that KBCEF operates independently as a nonprofit organization focused exclusively on student enrichment and teacher empowerment.
Throughout the past six years, the Foundation has been delivering programming at St. Agnes Academy, Motivating Minds, and on Village Green, building a track record of structured, teacher-led enrichment. Bringing the program directly onto the K-8 Center campus reflects both demand and collaboration with school leadership.
“This is about expanding opportunity in partnership with the school district and our local community,” Sardiñas said. “We’re building something collaborative that enhances the student experience beyond the traditional school day.”
Sardiñas with some of the Key Biscayne Children & Education Foundation team members.
The initiative is positioned as an effort to augment and strengthen the existing public school model through accessible, high-quality after-school enrichment.
According to KBCEF, its programming “has steadily grown into a platform that supports students, empowers teachers and reinvests in the broader school community.”
The model offers nine-week enrichment cycles led by certified educators and mission-aligned instructors.
Teachers design and lead small-group programs in subjects they care deeply about — including creative writing; robotics; math lab; ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages); leadership training; gardening and sustainability; and athletics — while KBCEF manages registration, logistics, insurance and administration.
By keeping programming on campus, families benefit from convenience and safety, while students gain access to structured enrichment opportunities without leaving school grounds.
“This is about creating opportunity on multiple levels,” Sardiñas said. “We are supporting teachers with meaningful supplemental income, providing families with structured and convenient programming, and strengthening our public school through reinvestment.”
The expansion includes new middle school offerings, an area identified as a priority. Programs such as algebra support, leadership development, robotics and sustainability education are designed to help students build both academic confidence and real-world skills.
Teachers who have partnered with KBCEF describe the experience as professional and collaborative.
“Partnering with KBCEF has allowed me to bring my passion directly to students in a small-group setting,” said one participating instructor. “It’s meaningful work, and it creates real connection.”
In addition to academic value, a portion of program revenue supports school initiatives — helping fund classroom resources, teacher support and student-centered improvements.
“This is a collaborative effort with M-DCPS, the YMCA, school leadership, and our teachers,” Sardiñas added. “The goal is simple — strengthen what already exists and create more opportunity for our students.”
Enrollment for the upcoming cycle will open soon.