SPARC's Partnership with NSLA Brings New Resources to our Member Schools
present at NSLA's recent Summer Learning Summit
To connect its members with more resources for building and expanding their summer programs and community outreach, SPARC is excited to launch a partnership with the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA).
NSLA’s mission—"to ensure all of America’s students, regardless of background, income, or zip code, can access and benefit from a high-quality summer learning experience every year”—aligns with the mission of many of SPARC’s member schools to serve their communities. Until recently, however, the NSLA did not specifically partner with independent schools.
This dynamic collaboration was "sparked" when SPARC Senior Advisor and Sidwell Friends School’s Director of Auxiliary Programs Karen McCann McClelland led the SPARC Symposium panel "Transformative Participant Impact" in February 2024. The panel featured Aaron Dworkin, CEO of NSLA, who shared valuable insights on the transformative effects of summer programming and the potential for independent schools to collaborate with their communities to expand and secure resources for these programs. Inspired by Aaron’s talent for connecting people and ideas, Karen invited him to visit Sidwell Summer. In July, Aaron joined Karen and Laura Kelly, SPARC Business Partner and Founder/CEO of DEAN Adventure Camps, for a day exploring Sidwell’s summer programs. They observed participants and staff engaged in a variety of activities and discussed the alignment between SPARC and NSLA’s missions. Together, they brainstormed innovative ways to collaborate and leverage resources, laying the foundation for this new partnership.
“Our partnership with NSLA increases awareness of SPARC within the NSLA community, but also provides SPARC members with valuable new resources and connections.”
--Karen McCann McClelland, SPARC Senior Advisor
As part of this new initiative, Karen agreed to spearhead a new professional learning community (PLC) within NSLA focusing on Independent, Parochial, and Charter Schools (IPCS PLC). Like SPARC roundtables and webinars, NSLA Professional Learning Communities (PLC) are created for different focus groups (i.e. special needs, public housing residents, libraries) as collaborative networks designed to empower and equip youth development staff at all stages of program development. These PLCs convene regularly to provide training, resources, and support on key topics affecting youth.
“Joining the IPCS PLC is a great networking opportunity for SPARC members and hopefully a way for others outside of SPARC to learn more about summer and auxiliary programming at independent schools, and there’s no cost to participate,” Karen says. “Our partnership with NSLA increases awareness of SPARC within the NSLA community, but also provides SPARC members with valuable new resources and connections.”
SPARC members can benefit from NSLA resources such as:
- Guidance in securing local, state, or national funding, when appropriate
- Valuable networking opportunities via PLCs or quarterly events that align with SPARC's event schedule
- Resources and tools, such as the Destination Summer Learning Planning Guide, Tips to Keep Tweens and Teens Learning over the Summer, and Building Resilience in Youth Through Summer Experiences
- Research, such as the 2023 Gallup Poll, showing the vital importance of summer learning in the lives of American families and the need to expand access to summer programming
SPARC members can easily access the benefits of the NSLA partnership at no extra cost. Within the next month, several SPARC events are being held with NSLA participation, including the Summer Summit on December 6 and the Symposium on February 13, 2025.
“The SPARC/NSLA partnership brings together our creativity, energy, and resources to amplify our collective impact,” Karen shares. “By incorporating the voices of SPARC members and independent schools into NSLA’s work at local, state, and federal levels, we can further elevate the importance of Summer and Auxiliary Programs.” To learn more about the IPCS PLC or NSLA, please reach out to Karen at Karen@SPARCNational.com.
Enjoy access to all of SPARC's resources, tools, webinars, roundtables, and so much more as we continue to develop partnerships and grow. Join us today!