SPARC National Conference 2024

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SPARC Concierge - Explore Scottsdale

Pre-Conference Workshops require advance registration and additional payment. To register, go here.

Take a deeper dive into the “Business” of Auxiliary/Summer programs. In this 3-hour session, we will review basic financial understanding, build a budget using a SPARC financial template (that you can take home), and dive deeper into strategies and processes to maximize your bottom-line growth. Learn how effective budgeting processes, lean initiatives, and strong entrepreneurial practices support a foundation for long-term financial success. We will use a SPARC Executive Summary template (that you can take home) to help guide us through building the summary of a business plan for a new initiative.

Pre-Conference Workshops require advance registration and additional payment. To register, go here.

Auxiliary and summer directors have a very unique and complex leadership role in schools and are gaining greater recognition as key players to help advance strategic priorities and deliver on the mission. This workshop is an opportunity to step back and reflect on who you are as a leader (or future leader). Directors are often in charge of a large domain with a lot of responsibility, yet they are also positioned somewhere in middle management or at least report to someone else. Auxiliary and summer program directors are also often unique in the necessity for them to interact with all facets of the school (i.e. facilities, security, academic depts., athletics, etc.). Unlike other roles in a school, auxiliary and summer must be both entrepreneurial and budget-conscious—earning the money that they spend—which creates both challenges and opportunities in leading programs. This workshop will demonstrate the use of conceptual frameworks for thinking about leadership, understanding your style of leadership, creating functional teams, assessing performance, and planning strategically. The emphasis will be on high-level, universal elements of leadership and less about the specifics of management. Claim your rightful place by leading in, leading up, and leading the way!

Pre-Conference Workshops require advance registration and additional payment. To register, go here.

With limited time—and often limited personnel and resources—maximizing efficiency and effectiveness is a challenge faced by both veterans and newcomers to the Auxiliary Programs field. Framed by the scope of a yearlong auxiliary cycle, this working session will explore the tasks and responsibilities associated with an auxiliary programs workload, including: financial management, marketing, human resources, program planning and implementation, enrollment and registration management, risk management, and how to manage the “everything else” that often comes our way. Participants will be introduced to the concept behind the SPARC Compass and will be supported through the creation (or evolution for existing users) of a bespoke Compass for their specific role and responsibilities. Lean into the “bigger picture” of an annual Auxiliary cycle in order to identify techniques and strategies for better managing projects, workloads, and new initiatives on a day-to-day basis. Working with mentors and your auxiliary colleagues, you will build and organize your Compass, share ideas on projects, compare season cycles, identify opportunities for delegation or collaboration, and explore the potential of longitudinal work cycle data. You’ll leave with a working tool and a cohort of colleagues that will help us all find the way.

Come to the registration table to check in, receive your name badge, and conference bag.

Join us for our conference-opening kickoff event to meet other attendees and set the tone for the days ahead! Sponsored by SPARK business academy, we'll be providing appetizers with a cash bar (one drink ticket provided courtesy of SPARK business academy!) in a beautiful outdoor setting. But more importantly, it will be an opportunity to connect with fellow attendees.