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SPARC Leadership Institute

The SPARC Leadership Institute is designed for Directors of Summer and Auxiliary Programs who are looking for a comprehensive professional development experience. The curriculum and format serve early-career professionals as well as mid-career leaders who are looking to advance their skills and programs. The Leadership Institute will be delivered entirely online and provide participants with concrete guidance and materials in each facet of their complex positions. Upon completion, Directors will be equipped with best practices, helpful resources, and new ideas to implement at their school. In addition, they will have developed valuable relationships with a small cohort of peers and leaders that will provide guidance and support well beyond the Institute.

 

Specific program content areas include:

  • Strategic Planning Guidance
  • Personnel and HR Management
  • Auxiliary Program Development
  • Budgeting and Financial Management
  • Marketing and Communications Strategies
  • Integration within your School
  • Safety and Risk Management

"SPARC-LI gave me the key concepts and vocabulary I needed to get my ideas across to Senior Leadership in actionable ways. There was also plenty of room for creative thinking and problem solving. Instructors were generous with their time and highly motivating!"

  • 2025-2026 Leadership Institute attendee

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Institute Features

  • 10 sessions (90 min. each) for a total of 15 hours of intensive online professional development programming
  • Collaborative approach in learning with individual projects that support your specific work
  • Experienced faculty who understand the unique challenges and opportunities within your role
  • Shared community portal with resource collections and discussion boards
  • Session recordings available for review

 

Faculty

The SPARC Leadership Institute will be led by:

David Sullivan, Senior Advisor, SPARC

Karen McCann McClelland, Director of Auxiliary Programs, Sidwell Friends School and Senior Advisor, SPARC

Bob Rojee, Senior Advisor, SPARC

Nat Saltonstall, Executive Director, SPARC

 

Schedule

The next Leadership Institute will begin in November 2026. The schedule will include ten meetings over the months of November, December, and January. We encourage active participation in all sessions, but we also recognize that conflicts may arise. All sessions will be recorded and available to participants.

"If you've ever felt isolated while doing this amazing work, you will walk away from SPARC Leadership Institute instantly feeling part of an incredibly creative, entrepreneurial, and supportive community. In addition to the vast resources that were shared, I was blown away by the generosity of my cohort in sharing ideas and feedback. I have so much work to do, but I left with the confidence to keep pushing and the knowledge that there are people I can lean on to help me along the way." 

  • 2025-2026 Leadership Institute attendee