Transform Your Auxiliary Programs with the Power of Partnerships

Auxiliary directors often find themselves siloed off in their schools, making it essential that they reach out and form relationships with other departments. The good news is that the key skill of creating and sustaining professional relationships can lead to real partnerships, allowing for both your partner and your programs to fill needs, be creative, and grow in ways neither could do independently.

In a recent interview, SPARC Senior Advisor and Sidwell School's Director of Auxiliary Programs Karen McCann McClelland discussed why partnerships can amplify the impact of auxiliary programs. Inspired by a recent panel at SPARC's Summer Summit, featuring three auxiliary leaders--Kate Vizen of Inly School, Jeff Malloy of Oak Hall School, and Kevin Sealy of Moravian Academy--where they shared key insights into building partnerships, keeping them healthy, and why they should be a part of every auxiliary director's professional life.

Value Alignment and Mutual Benefits--the Win/Win of Partnerships

Choose partners whose value align with your program and your school and that allow for all parties to benefit. Karen starts with finding creative people with other departments, citing collaborations for a pop-up school store, coffee house, or movie night. Partners can leverage each other strenghts--auxiliary, for example, is great for planning, scheduling, registration, and bringing the fun and magic to events.

“Partnerships with local businesses and non-profit organizations can open doors for unique learning experiences.”

--Kate Vizen, Director of Student Life and Strategic Programs, Inly School

Partnerships within the community can also fill a need for auxiliary they can't fill independently. For example, Karen says "if someone has a yoga studio that's full in the mornings with stay-at-home parents but is empty in the afternoons, maybe they'd be happy to come to your school and do yoga lessons for the after-school program." She has seen success collaborating with yoga, chess, and culinary programs, to name a few--all by seeking to fill a need each party has.

Start Small and Write it Down

Make short-term commitments to test the compatibility of new partnerships. Start small; if things work out, you can scale the program later. "I wouldn't jump into something with 100 kids," Karen says. "The first year, maybe you want to do 20."

“Not every idea needs to scale immediately. Some of the most impactful programs are the ones that grow slowly and intentionally.”

--Kevin Sealy, Director of External Programs & Strategic Partnerships, Moravian Academy

Ensure that each partner is clear about what they offer and expect from the other. Outline detailed terms and document them. Whose curriculum is being used? Who will be leading the program and when? Who is getting paid what? Include a termination clause in case it doesn't work out. Transparency and clear communication with plenty of planning meetings are crucial to success. 

Documenting both the terms and how programs operate are also necessary for inevitable transitions, as when people leave their positions to retire, move, or take another job. "They take a lot of experience and know-how with them," Karen says. "Document as much as you can to keep the program going with a new hire."

Keep it Healthy With Clear Communication

Ensure that your partnerships thrive with communication, setting clear expectations, and valuing the power of feedback. "Parternships are a great way to break down silos," Karen says, and this requires transparency from both parties. Have regular check-ins and post-event meetings to evaluate what went well and what needs improvement. 

“Sometimes the biggest challenge is managing different expectations. It’s important to stay adaptable and solution-oriented, especially when things don’t go as planned.”

--Jeff Malloy, Director of Upper School/Director of Operations, Oak Hall School

When challenges occur, meet them with open dialogue, flexibility, and focusing on shared goals. Staying adaptable and working toward solutions will go a along way toward resolving conflicts and issues that arise.

Sidwell Summer and the Washington Canoe Club

Sidwell Summer's partnership with the Washington Canoe Club provides a valuable model of collaboration that meets all of the above guidelines. The Club had great equipment, facilities, and staff, but no idea how to run a summer program. Karen saw the opportunity to fill a need that would leverage both parties' strengths. "We built a three-year program where Sidwell Summer would design and market the program, have the registration list, and get the insurance, while they provided the boats and staff." After the three-year pilot initiative, the Club would then be in a position to take over running the program--one that wouldn't exist if they hadn't created their partnership.

Partnerships--They're Happening Everywhere

"People are doing great work in all different places," Karen says. In communities across the country, partnerships are growing with non-profits, Parks and Recreation, libraries, businesses, schools--even grocery stores are getting in on the action. 

SPARC has also recognized the power of partnerships by collaborating with the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) bringing together experts across the youth development industry.  Recently, Karen moderated a panel on Community Partnerships as part of NSLA's Summer Boot Camp. She is also spearheading a new professional learning community within NSLA focused on independent, parochial, and charter schools. "Working with NSLA increases awareness of auxiliary programming in independent schools within their community while bringing valuable new resources and benefits to SPARC members," Karen says. And NSLA benefits from the experience and knowledge of SPARC's auxiliary experts. 

"I love to think about whatever ways we can get more people involved, use more research, and make our resources more efficient," Karen says. "Because we're all trying to do the same good work. We can do it together and reach more people in the process. And isn't that wonderful?"

By becoming a SPARC member school, you'll receive valuable benefits such as professional development webinars, access to roundtable discussions, community support on SPARC connect, opportunities for collaboration and networking, tools, and much more. Join us today!