Ian Wheeler Leverages the Power of SPARC to Create Thayer's First Auxiliary Department

It isn't difficult to see why Ian Wheeler saw such success developing Thayer Academy's first auxiliary department. His positive energy and love of a challenge radiates even through a Zoom call. Appointed as the interim director of Thayer's nascent auxiliary department, he didn't know that within 60 days he'd be asked to fill the position permanently as the Manager of Auxiliary Services. But he was ready to take it on, combining his own innovative ideas with the school leadership's vision.

Thayer had a long-running, traditional day camp, but no enrichment. "As someone who went to the camp as a kid, it hasn't changed much. Some would say don't fix what isn't broken, but I think there's always room for innovation and change." His success--which, in its first year, led to generating $130,000 in non-tuition revenue from new summer enrichment initiatives alone--was due largely to his positivity, planning, eagerness to build relationships, and skills learned with the SPARC Accelerator and Leadership Institute.

Leveraging the Power of SPARC

It was in last year's Leadership Institute where Ian began to develop his vision of new enrichment programs for Thayer. His Head of School had a concept of programs designed around global entrepreneurship, but didn't know exactly how to make that happen. Ian took this idea and, as his Leadership Institute Capstone Project, developed a portfolio of enrichment programs that would fit this vision.

Karen McCann McClelland, SPARC Senior Advisor and one of the Leadership Institute's teachers, has been impressed with how Ian took his ideas from project to reality in just a few months. "With the sports programs, he’s created a sustainable, scalable format and framework. Same with the academic enrichment program.”

"The Leadership Institute was fantastic," Ian says. "This wouldn't have been possible without it. One thing I took away from it is the necessity and importance of being able to communicate with my CFO in a language that makes sense to him and is pertinent to him financially.” 

Thayer became a part of the SPARC Accelerator in June of 2024, an advisory service designed to assist schools in meeting their auxiliary goals with greater speed and quality then they could on their own. Ian and Karen meet weekly, continuing a mentoring relationship that has helped guide Ian in his new role.

In addition to the new sports framework with six offerings in Summer 2025, Thayer's Summer Academic Enrichment Program launched with nine classes, including Sports Business and Management, Podcasting, First Food Truck ("Kind of an intro to entrepreneurship," Ian says) and Little Fashionistas, in which Ian and his Assistant Director served as judges for the final runway show. "We made sure everyone got a prize for something."

Building Relationships: The Core of Auxiliary Leadership

As the new manager of a new department, Ian knew he'd have to reach out and collaborate with faculty and staff across the school. He found that departments were largely siloed in their communication, and he'd have to work hard to make those connections happen. "I think that’s my number one win this year is creating more communication and dialogue cross-departmentally than has been needed in the past,” he says, "that we could introduce these new programs and collaborate together was my biggest win. I created really good relationships with a lot of the staff and faculty."

This work paid off in a summer workforce fully on board and excited about enrichment. In fact, all of Thayer's programs are run and taught by Thayer faculty and staff.

“That is huge," says Karen, "to be able to build and collaborate across the whole campus and the various departments because that’s one of the biggest challenges auxiliary people face. And Ian has done that incredibly well.”

Staying Positive and Flexible

Along with strong planning, a good staff, and collaboration, Ian says that staying flexible is a must in auxiliary leadership. "You have to collaborate and be flexible. Find the way in which the school can accommodate your programs and be ready to fit that way."

When it comes to sharing space--always a challenge for auxiliary--Ian emphasizes "leaving a positive footprint at the end of every day or each interaction." It goes a long way toward nurturing goodwill, and makes it easier later to ask for a favor or to use space.

When asked what he found most challenging in his first year, Ian mentioned how little faculty and staff know about the job of an Auxiliary Director. "I feel like it took me this year to explain to the school what it is I do," he says. It would have been easier to have been able to lay that groundwork from the start.

As for advice for new Auxiliary Directors, Ian is clear. "Come with a smile on your face. Come ready to make relationships and build on relationships and come ready to problem solve and be ready to be flexible."

SPARC's Leadership Institute and Accelerator are only two of the many services and professional development programs, webinars, and tool available to SPARC members. Join us today to gain access to these as well as unparalleled community support through SPARC Connect.