2026 SPARC National Conference

Building on the recent success of Pop Ups at Pine Crest School, we launched "Maymester Pop Ups"—a month-long series of Pop Ups in May. This initiative served a dual purpose: internally advertising our summer programs and acting as a concrete example of pivoting on success. The school has consistently found Pop Ups, which are single events requiring minimal time commitment, to be highly effective for encouraging faculty and students to explore new activities.

In today’s fast-paced educational environments, leadership cannot live in an office—it must be visible, relational, and responsive. Boots on the Ground Leadership challenges leaders to move beyond theory and into daily, intentional practices that strengthen culture, increase staff commitment, and improve operational flow.

This interactive session is designed for early childhood, auxiliary and school leaders who are ready to lead alongside their teams, not above them. Participants will explore what it means to be a present, people-centered leader while still maintaining high expectations and operational excellence. Through real-life scenarios, reflective moments, and collaborative discussion, attendees will leave with practical strategies to build trust, reduce staff burnout, and create environments where both children and adults thrive.

You've claimed your seat at the table. Now what do you do with it?

This session picks up where advanced leadership conversations leave off–moving beyond the mechanics of institutional influence and into the harder, quieter work of sustaining it. Designed for auxiliary professionals who have already begun operating at a strategic level, this workshop confronts challenges such as maintaining credibility through leadership transitions, advocating for your division when the institutional winds shift, and deciding what kind of leader you actually want to become.

Together we will wrestle with the ambiguities of senior leadership: when to push and when to hold, how to protect your team's culture while absorbing institutional change, and how to build a professional legacy that outlasts any single program or position.Because the most sophisticated leadership skill isn't getting to the executive level. It's knowing what to do once you get there. During this session we will explore how to:
- Sustain strategic influence through administrative turnover and shifting institutional priorities
- Lead auxiliary divisions through organizational change without losing program integrity or team trust
- Translate auxiliary program outcomes into language that resonates with boards, heads of school, and accreditation bodies
- Navigate the tension between division loyalty and institution-wide responsibility
- Define and communicate your own leadership identity beyond your program's metrics
- Build a professional legacy through intentional mentorship, knowledge transfer, and field contribution