SPARC Public Purpose Summer Programs Series

Schools increasingly offer programs that are dedicated to broadening access to high-quality educational opportunities for students from diverse and underserved backgrounds. These programs typically combine rigorous academic preparation, social-emotional learning, and cultural enrichment activities designed to support students’ successful transitions into independent school or higher education environments. By offering these programs during the summer and throughout the year, schools not only help students bridge academic gaps but also provide them with a supportive community where they can build confidence, develop skills, and connect with mentors and peers.

Schools that lead such initiatives are deeply committed to educational equity, investing in partnerships and resources that empower students to thrive academically and personally. These programs also bring together school faculty, families, and community organizations to collaboratively foster an inclusive learning environment, ultimately enriching the school community as a whole.

These programs often fall somewhere between traditional auxiliary programming and the school year academic program. The objectives are often mission related and add a dimension of serving the public good while providing an educational experience that differs from the school’s day program. In an effort to support these programs in independent schools, SPARC is offering the SPARC Public Purpose Summer Program Series to support leaders. 

"Running a nonprofit summer program within my school brings me great joy and fulfillment and is also quite isolating. I often feel like I do the job of every administrator in my school just at a smaller scale, and most folks engaged with the school year program have little understanding of what keeps me busy all year. Finding folks who run programs with similar public purpose missions has been supportive, comforting, stimulating, and collaborative. I’m hoping to connect with more public purpose program leaders within independent schools to share experiences and help one another refine what we are already doing."

• Annie Oppenheim, Director of the (HS)2 program
  Colorado Rocky Mountain School
  

The Public Purpose Series provides a platform for program leaders to:

• Collaborate: Share insights, challenges, and successes in running programs at independent schools that support underserved students.

• Learn: Participate in interactive sessions focused on leadership, program design, partnerships, finance/budgeting, development, faculty, admissions, metrics, and creating inclusive communities.

• Network: Connect with like-minded professionals committed to advancing educational equity and excellence.

The Series will allow for deep dive exploration of topics that include:

• Admissions

• Faculty

• Programming

• Partnerships

• Finance/Budgeting

• Development

• Data

The offerings are open to members and non-members of SPARC and there is no charge for the program. 

Register Now