REFLECTIONS FROM THE NBOA AND NAIS CONFERENCES

Last month, we had the privilege of attending both the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) and National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) conferences. As leaders in auxiliary programs with years of experience, our team of advisors shared our expertise with the wider independent school community. 

HERE ARE OUR FIVE SIGNIFICANT TAKEAWAYS FROM THESE CONFERENCES:

 
1. The Strength of Community 

SPARC is its own strong community in itself – but conferences like these are a great reminder how we're also an active and critical member of a larger independent school community. 

At conferences like these, leaders come together to share best practices, resources, and ideas all with the same goal of bettering their programs. Not only did these conferences give us the opportunity to reinforce connections with current SPARC members, but we got to meet and cultivate relationships with other school leaders. 

The independent school community has so many incredible people dedicated to working together on behalf of children and their education. We're grateful to have had the chance to connect with so many of them during these conferences. 

2. The Importance of Leadership

The independent school and auxiliary program landscape is ever changing. That's why it's critical to have strong leaders in our community who are thinking with an open mind about the future of these programs and how we can all improve to best serve schools and students.  

One of the main messages our team shared with others is how important leadership is to the success of their programs. The job is difficult, complicated, and requires a wide range of specialized skills. There is a clear correlation between a school’s investment in high caliber auxiliary leadership and the benefits they see through their programs. This is particularly true for schools looking to launch new program initiatives with an expectation of rapid growth. The “old school” model of auxiliary leadership as an “add-on” responsibility is no longer sufficient for most schools.

SPARC is proud to be the leading expert in auxiliary programming and we are grateful for the chance to share our knowledge with others to help them grow and improve their programs. 

3. Noticeably Increased Awareness

Throughout both conferences, our team noticed a heightened awareness among CFOs and Heads of School about the importance of auxiliary programming. Whether driven by the need for increased non-tuition revenue, a desire for improved program quality, or the creation of new offerings, more and more school leaders understand how important auxiliary programs are to the overall health of their schools. 

This is the continuation of a trend that we’ve observed over the past ten to twenty years as schools seek to professionalize their auxiliary programming by investing in specialized leadership and connecting their work to the larger strategic priorities of the school. The conferences gave our team an opportunity to share best practices and educate others through our sessions and in the Exhibit Halls one school leader at a time.

4. The Power of Partnerships

After many years of working in independent schools and auxiliary programs, our team knows how important partnerships are to success. These conferences provided us with an incredible opportunity to network with specific schools and other organizations that support them. We had a chance to learn from others, share our own expertise, and connect with several of our SPARC Business Partners including CampBrain and SOSThreeSixty. 

It's a great feeling to be in the same room with many others who share our goals and are willing to collaborate and share ideas about how we can all improve our businesses or programs. The partnerships built and grown at these conferences will lead to better programs for member schools and the many families they serve.

5. The Need and Opportunity for a Covid Reset

The multi-year pandemic has led to an auxiliary programs reset for many schools. Leaders are taking this time to rebuild, reframe, recreate or transform their programs to meet the changing landscape and needs. We heard from many schools that COVID presented them with an opportunity to initiate a long recognized need for change.

This was an unprecedented time for auxiliary programs, and many school leaders sought our advice to guide them through this process. Through our advisory services, we supported schools with strategic program development, departmental audits, and ongoing leadership mentoring.

These conferences provided an additional chance for us to discuss in-person the changes that schools have made, what's worked, and where to go next. 

While in the Los Angeles area, the SPARC Team had the opportunity to visit and tour Harvard-Westlake School, one of our original member schools. Jim Patterson, Director of the Kutler Center and Summer Programs was a great host!

Every year, we look forward to attending the NBOA Annual Meeting and NAIS National Conference. Getting the opportunity to share SPARC’s collective expertise, learn from others, and grow partnerships is so valuable. We look forward to taking what we've learned to help better serve our members and improve independent school auxiliary programs across the country.