SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative

⚕️ Are you Prepped And Ready? 🩹 Karen McCann McClelland, SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative Senior Advisor had a fantastic planning meeting with Jacqueline Longo and Catherine Emo Castle from SeriousFun Children's Network to gear up for an incredibly important webinar focused on creating safe, supportive, and inclusive camp experiences for children living with serious illnesses. Join us on Tuesday, February 4th, 1-2 PM ET This session will dive into the best practices and practical tools SeriousFun Camps use to ensure medical safety while fostering an environment where kids can thrive, have fun, and feel cared for—from the moment they arrive until long after camp ends. If you're involved in auxiliary programs, summer camps, or youth programming, this is one you won’t want to miss! 📅 Join Us to enhance and grow the incredible work you’re already doing for young people. 🎥 Can’t make it live? All registrants will receive the recording and presentation slides within 48 hours. 🔑 SPARC members can access all recorded webinars anytime through SPARC Connect. ✨ Looking forward to this important conversation! 💬 Drop a comment and let us know your challenges and needs so you can best serve your participants and families this Summer! Find more information here: https://lnkd.in/efVvurSP #SummerPrograms #SummerCamps #InclusiveCamps #YouthPrograms #AuxiliaryPrograms

💥 Happy New Year from SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative! 💥 #SummerPrograms #AuxiliaryPrograms #LeadershipDevelopment

🎉 Happy Holidays, SPARC Members! 🎉 Congratulations on making it to winter break! You’ve worked hard, inspired others, and made an incredible impact this year. Now it’s time to kick back, recharge, and enjoy some well-deserved rest. Whether you’re spending the break reading by the fire, exploring new places, or simply catching up on sleep – we hope your time off brings you joy and energy for the new year. We’d love to hear how you’re celebrating or relaxing! Drop a comment or share a photo of your holiday view. Here’s to a fantastic 2025 – we can’t wait to see all the amazing things we’ll accomplish together! Stay warm, stay safe, and happy holidays from all of us at SPARC! #SummerPrograms #AuxiliaryPrograms #IndependentSchools #Gratitude #ProfessionalDevelopment

🎅✨ The magic of being a camp or auxiliary director is all about bringing joy, creativity, and unforgettable moments to life! Today, one of our amazing SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative members took on the role of Santa with a future camper, spreading cheer and making memories for their community. Whether you’re donning a red suit, dressing up as a superhero, or stepping into any fun character role, these moments remind us why we do what we do—to inspire, delight, and make a difference. What’s your best 🦸♀️ dress-up moment? Share your magical 🪄 stories in the comments—we’d love to hear how you bring that campiness to your programs! 🎭🎄 Cheers to all our SPARC members for making every day a little more magical! #SPARCmagic #AuxiliaryDirectors #HolidayFun #SummerPrograms #AuxiliaryPrograms #IndependentSchools #LeadershipDevelopment

🎉 Kicking Off 2025 with SPARC Webinars! 🎉 We’re thrilled to announce the first five SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative webinars of 2025, packed with dynamic topics and inspiring presenters. These sessions are designed to help auxiliary and summer program leaders gain actionable insights, explore innovative ideas, and build stronger, more inclusive programs. Mark your calendars and get ready to dive in! 💻 Resilient Students, Thriving Schools: Strategies for Student Success in a Digital World 📅 Date: January 14th 📢 Presenter: Kathy Van Benthuysen, Converlation®, Inc. Explore practical strategies to foster emotional resilience and mental well-being in students navigating today’s digital challenges. Equip your students with the skills they need to thrive both academically and personally. 💻 Auxiliary and Advancement: A Deeper Partnership 📅 Date: January 21st 📢 Presenter: Mattingly Messina, Throughline Discover how aligning auxiliary programs with advancement efforts can amplify your school’s mission and financial health. Learn how to create compelling narratives, shared metrics, and collaborative strategies to strengthen both fundraising and program quality. 💻 AI in Action: Practical Strategies for Auxiliary Programs 📅 Date: January 28th 📢 Presenter: Jonathan Schmid, Chief Innovation Officer, The Meadowbrook School of Weston Learn how to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into your daily workflow to streamline operations, enhance programming, and save time. No sci-fi—just practical tools to make your program smarter, more efficient, and even more fun! 💻 Prepped and Ready: Providing a Safe and Supportive Environment for Children Living with Medical Conditions 📅 Date: February 4th 📢 Presenter: Jacqueline Longo, Associate Director Learning & Education, SeriousFun Children's Network Explore best practices from SeriousFun Camps on creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for children with serious illnesses. Gain tools to enhance the incredible work you’re already doing for young people. 💻 Building Belonging in Auxiliary and Summer Programs 📅 Date: March 4th 📢 Presenter: Sterling Nell Leija, CEO, Innovative Camp Company In today’s world, after-school and summer programs must meet the diverse needs of all youth. Small but intentional changes in program design can make a huge impact, ensuring that all children—regardless of their abilities or health conditions—feel truly welcome and included. Learn practical tips for decision-making that supports children with disabilities and health challenges, creating spaces where everyone belongs. 💬 Don’t Miss Out! These webinars are perfect for leaders looking to innovate, connect, and grow in 2025. Register today - https://lnkd.in/eTK3ijb5 - encourage your colleagues to join us! #SPARCLeads #AuxiliaryPrograms #SummerPrograms #ProfessionalDevelopment #Leadership #Innovation #IndependentSchools

📆✨ Turning the Page to 2025 with SPARC! ✨📆 As we step into 2025, it’s time to start filling your calendar with SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative’s incredible lineup of webinars, roundtables, and special events designed to support and inspire auxiliary and summer program leaders. 🎉 Here’s what’s coming up: 📆 Virtual Symposium February 13: Dive into key topics and trends shaping auxiliary programs in a flexible, online format. 📆 Auxiliary Revenue Summit March 12: Join us in person at St. Mark's School for an unforgettable opportunity to network, learn, and explore innovative strategies to enhance auxiliary revenue streams. SPARC events are crafted to help you stay ahead of the curve, build meaningful connections, and bring fresh ideas back to your school. 💬 What’s Your 2025 Goal? Whether you’re looking to grow your programs, build partnerships, or tackle challenges, SPARC has something for you. 🖱️ Register now and invite your colleagues! Let’s make 2025 a year of collaboration, innovation, and growth. #SPARCLeads #AuxiliaryPrograms #ProfessionalDevelopment #Networking #Leadership #Innovation #SummerPrograms #IndependentSchools

🌟 SPARC Regional Workshops: Empowering Auxiliary Leaders Through Networking and Development 🌟 This month, SPARC brought professional development directly to auxiliary and summer program leaders through two fantastic regional workshops! These events offered opportunities to network, share, and learn while making SPARC experiences more accessible to leaders across the country. ✨ The Summer Summit at Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.) – Dec. 6, 2024 ✨ The SoCal Summer and Auxiliary Leaders Workshop (Harvard-Westlake School, Culver City, CA) – Dec. 11, 2024 Both workshops featured keynote speaker Travis Allen, who challenged us to rethink traditional schooling in an AI-driven world, emphasizing the importance of cultivating uniquely human skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. In addition to this thought-provoking keynote, sessions covered: ✅ Building strategic partnerships ✅ Shaping camp culture ✅ Developing mission-aligned programming ✅ Creative marketing strategies ✅ Current trends and best practices in auxiliary programs SPARC Executive Director Nat Saltonstall reflected on the events, calling them an “inspiring mix of auxiliary leaders networking and building relationships while learning about the cutting-edge work being accomplished in our field.” 💬 Thank you to everyone who joined us in D.C. and SoCal! We loved seeing the collaboration, innovation, and enthusiasm that make our community so strong. #SPARCLeads #ProfessionalDevelopment #AuxiliaryPrograms #Networking #Leadership #Innovation #SummerPrograms #IndependentSchools

🎯 Marketing and Communications for Auxiliary and Summer Programs 🎯 This week, the SPARC Leadership Institute hosted an insightful session led by our Senior Advisors Bob Rojee, David Sullivan, and Karen McCann McClelland, focusing on the critical topic of Marketing and Communications. As the 5th session in our 10-part series, this discussion broke down the essential elements of a successful marketing plan for auxiliary and summer programs, including: 📌 The components of a strategic marketing plan 📌 The importance of consistent and impactful branding 📌 Specific marketing tasks to focus on throughout the year 📌 The value of seeking assistance—whether from your school’s marketing department, SPARC resources and colleagues, or connections within our amazing LinkedIn community (Brendan Schneider, Miriam Posner Stein, Laurie Ehrlich, MBA, ...!) A highlight of the session was guest speaker Kristi Jacobi (SPARC LI Cohort #2), who shared the inspiring rebranding project at The Meadowbrook School. Kristi emphasized the importance of making strategic investments to successfully launch new or reimagined programs—a key takeaway for all of us working to grow and evolve our offerings. 💡 What’s Next? We’ll keep the conversation going in our upcoming roundtable discussion in January, which will focus on launching summer programs. Don’t miss it! 💬 Your Turn! What are some of your favorite marketing actions? Any creative ideas that have worked well for your programs? Let’s share and inspire each other in the comments! #SPARCLeads #AuxiliaryPrograms #SummerPrograms #IndependentSchools #MarketingAndCommunications #LeadershipDevelopment #Innovation #Community #BrandingMatters

🎁 It's the season of giving and many of our SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative Business Partners have creatively assembled a series of gifts to benefit our member schools. 🎁 Take a look through the opportunities below to see how you and your school can benefit from their generosity this holiday season! Thanks to our wonderful Business Partners participating in the SPARC Holiday Gifts - SportsKey, Homeroom, NationsClassroom, Parker-Anderson Enrichment, Inc., Vineyard App, ArxEd, Vericant, Nexplore, myCAMPapp® - your summer camp app, Virtual Enterprises International, Inc., Subler, DFW Institute of Musical Advancement (DIMA Texas), SPARK business academy #Partners #AuxiliaryPrograms #SummerPrograms #BusinessPartners #IndependentSchools

🎉 Reflecting on the SoCal Summer and Auxiliary Leaders Workshop! 🎉 Yesterday, Harvard-Westlake School and SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative brought together directors and leaders from auxiliary, summer, and after-school programs for an incredible day of learning, connecting, and innovating in sunny Studio City, CA. ☕ The day started with coffee and conversations, setting the tone for meaningful connections. 🎤 Keynote Speaker Travis Allen shared his thought-provoking insights on preparing students for an AI world. His call to prioritize human-centered skills like creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking left us all inspired and ready to reimagine education. 💡 Breakout sessions were full of actionable ideas and innovation, tackling topics like: ✅ Leveraging AI in summer programming ✅ Budget-friendly creative marketing strategies ✅ Advancing DEIJ in auxiliary programs 🤝 The panel on effective HR practices and roundtable discussions on program development, staff training, and financial assistance gave attendees a chance to share challenges and solutions with their peers. We left the event energized, full of fresh ideas, and ready to implement strategies that will elevate our programs and serve our communities even better. 💬 What was your biggest takeaway or favorite moment? Share it in the comments—we’d love to hear how this event inspired you! A huge thank you to Jim Patterson and Harvard-Westlake School for hosting, to SPARC, Executive Director Nat Saltonstall, panelists Rebecca Rowland, SPHR, Kevin Austin, Stephanie Kyle, SHRM-SCP and everyone who attended for making this such a successful and impactful day. Until next time! #SummerPrograms #AuxiliaryPrograms #Innovation #Networking #Leadership #AIInEducation #IndependentSchools