SPARC News

School Spotlight: Armbrae Academy's Innovative After School CAS Program

At Armbrae Adademy in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Ashley Matthews-Duffett founded and heads an innovative after school program. Designed with a focus on its core mission of Creativity, Action, and Service, the CAS program awards points for student involvement and engages them in community service. Continue Reading

The Most Effective Way to Get Teachers Excited About After School

Rebecca Stokes joined the SPARC Effect podcast to talk about staying flexible and open to change when growing your after school program. She also shared the most valuable strategy for getting teachers on board with after school. Continue Reading

The Two Main Challenges that Keep Heads of School Up at Night

With changes in demographics, staff recruitment, and family expectations, Heads of School are facing new challenges to their schools' financial stability. Peter Baron, Founder of MoonshotOS, shares how independent schools can adapt and succeed in a shifting cultural and financial landscape. Continue Reading

SPARC Spring Training Empowers Summer Camp Professionals

Auxiliary leaders wrapped up their SPARC Spring Training last week, leaving with a wealth of new ideas, tools, and connections to elevate their skills and summer programs. SPARC Senior Advisors Bob Rojee and Karen McCann McClelland discuss the importance and success of this free-for-members program. Continue Reading

4 Main Takeaways from The SPARC Effect: The Magic Behind Marketing Auxiliary Programs

In the latest episode of the SPARC Effect podcast, Aubrey Bursch of Easy School Marketing dives into all things marketing for summer and auxiliary programming. Here are 4 main takeaways you can start using right now. Continue Reading

SPARC Launches the New Career Center for Auxiliary Professionals

SPARC has created a new Career Center for both job seekers and employers, bringing a first-of-its-kind auxiliary job search database to the independent school community. Continue Reading

SPARC's 2024 Auxiliary Revenue Summit: Connecting School and Auxiliary Leadership

On March 13th, auxiliary leaders joined Heads of School and CFOs for SPARC's Auxiliary Revenue Summit. Hosted by St. Mark's School, it was the first time SPARC brought school and auxiliary leadership together to connect and collaborate . Continue Reading

Leading from the Middle: A SPARC Presentation by David Sullivan

In his presentation "Leading from the Middle," delivered at the recent NAIS conference, SPARC Senior Advisor David Sullivan shared with auxiliary professionals how to navigate the multifaceted challenge of being an effective and inspiring middle manager and leader. Continue Reading

Trends and Best Practices for Auxiliary Staff Recruitment

Krystal Speed of Your HR Strategist joined Travis Walker on the SPARC Effect Podcast to discuss all things Human Resources—recruitment, employee support, staff retention, and more. Continue Reading

The 10 Step Process for Auxiliary and Summer Program Development

If you'd like to launch a new auxiliary initiative or develop an existing program, Karen McCann McClelland and Bob Rojee's 10-Step Process for Auxiliary Program Development, presented at this year's NAIS National Conference, will keep you focused, on-target, and ready for success. Continue Reading

Digital Storytelling: An Impactful, Creative, and Collaborative Student Activity

At the recent SPARC Symposium, Keynote Speaker Brett Pierce discussed the huge influence digital media has on the lives of young people. Helping them create stories through music, video, and other digital platforms teaches them to collaborate, learn a host of new skills, and have fun in the process. Continue Reading

Oak Hall School’s Signature Programs Enrich Student Life and Increase Community Engagement

Oak Hall School in Gainesville hosts extended day programming with wide-ranging options for younger students. Their two signature programs--Homework Block and the Community Sports League--impressed SPARC Senior advisors with their ingenuity and service to families and the larger community. Continue Reading