SPARC National Conference 2024

Often Auxiliary departments are working with limited marketing budgets for our programs, which can be both exciting and challenging. With a little creativity and strategic thinking, you can implement innovative marketing strategies that will attract customers, create great storytelling opportunities, and grow your programs, even on a shoestring budget. We will offer helpful frameworks to think about marketing your auxiliary program while discussing real-world examples and ideas that will provide actionable take-aways to try at your school.

Join us for a wild and energetic session on how being an auxiliary programs leader can be bananas! Explore exciting leadership ideas while learning how to keep the various “monkeys” in line (your staff, school leadership, families, etc.) and avoid going nuts and wanting to ‘split’. Walk away with a practical action plan to navigate the jungle of responsibilities and ensure your programs run smoothly. Don't miss out on this fun-filled session that will leave you feeling ready to take on any challenge with confidence and enthusiasm!

Most successful auxiliary program directors maintain an entrpreneurial approach to their work. They are always thinking about and creating new opportunities, new programs, or new strategies to improve their departmental performance. Join this discussion with others about your current new ideas!

Which of your 2024 summer marketing strategies was most fruitful for you? Was it Google Adwords, increased retention, Facebook ads, creative word of mouth, events, or something else entirely? Join this open discussion to share your most recent successes.

Explore the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence in K-12 school marketing. This session, "Embracing the Future: How AI Can Transform K-12 School Marketing," delves into the latest AI advancements and their practical applications in school marketing. Learn how to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT for creating engaging content and enhancing marketing strategies. Through interactive activities and real-world use cases, participants will gain hands-on experience in prompt engineering and developing AI-driven marketing campaigns. The session also addresses common concerns about AI, including bias and data privacy, equipping school marketing professionals with the knowledge and skills to harness AI effectively and ethically. Join Brendan for an insightful journey into the future of school marketing.

This session will help new directors and other school leaders that looking to launch and formalize their Auxiliary Programs Department by discussing some items you can complete within the first three years. If you’re new to the position or see opportunity for growth, this session will help you set out a three-year plan to expand and partner with the various stakeholders in the school community. We’ll discuss 30,000 foot view items such as organizational structure, project management, and strategically aligning your department within the school. We’ll also discuss granular items such as communications, program offerings, and individual responsibilities within your department.

Like many independent schools, Harvard-Westlake has undertaken a number of significant policy evaluations around diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. While those projects reviewed almost all aspects of school operations, Harvard-Westlake Summer was not explicitly included. To ensure that the summer operation conformed with the schoolwide DEIB vision, Harvard-Westlake Summer performed its own DEI audit. This session will begin by exploring the relationship between the DEIB goals for the auxiliary program and those of the rest of the school. The specific goals of the Harvard-Westlake Summer DEI audit, the process undertaken to complete the audit, and the results obtained will be shared. While the framework was specifically designed for a summer program, the session will explore how the framework could be applied to other auxiliary operations. Participants will leave with concrete steps that can be used to evaluate the DEIB goals of their own auxiliary programs.

Interested in developing auxiliary academic opportunities that prioritize student needs, energize teachers, and cultivate invested partnerships with families? Over the past few years, The Academy at Parish Episcopal School has employed a multifaceted approach to develop unique academic programs for students spanning PreK - 12th grade. This approach combines quantitative and qualitative data analysis through close collaboration with families, teachers, and administration to tailor offerings that meet the specific needs of our community and align with our school's mission and classroom learning objectives. These strategic partnerships have resulted in a diverse range of academic programs designed to foster engagement, encouraging repeat participation year after year. Such strategic development has even been integrated into classroom learning with our executive function curriculum. Let us share the lessons learned from this ongoing process and help you find your own inspiration for creating innovative ways of responding to the needs of your entire school community.

Discover the ways to incorporate your school's early childhood program under auxiliary programs. Learn ways to increase your revenue in summer camps, help work with your school's admission team, and maximize your rosters.