Spark Zones: Customize Your Experience at Spark Symposium
Customize Your Experience at the 2025 Spark Symposium with Spark Zones!
At the 2025 Spark Symposium, we’re offering an exciting way for you to customize your experience through Spark Zones. This unique format allows you to design your day based on what’s most relevant to you and your professional needs. Spark Zones provide a mix of roundtable discussions and breakout sessions, ensuring you have the flexibility to engage in collaboration, conversation, and learning in the way that suits you best.
Engage in Collaboration, Conversation, and Learning:
The Choice is Yours
At the Spark Symposium, we’ve created dedicated Spark Zones—your time to collaborate, converse, and dive deep into the topics that matter most. Each track blends expert-led presentations with interactive roundtable discussions, letting you design your own experience based on what’s most relevant to you.
Want to exchange ideas and engage in conversations? Choose one of our roundtables! Prefer expert-led sessions with strategies and insights? Head to a breakout session!
Ready for the Details?
Check out the details for Track 1 & 2 below!
Spark Zones: Track 1 10:45 AM - 11:55 AM
Closing the Attitude Gap with Principal Kafele
Presenter: Principal Kafele
In this focused breakout session, Principal Kafele will dive into the concept of the "Attitude Gap" and its significant impact on student success. Building on his keynote, he will share practical strategies to help educators and administrators foster an environment that encourages motivation, perseverance, and a growth mindset. Participants will explore ways to create a school culture that supports students facing challenges, providing them with the tools and mindset to overcome obstacles. You’ll leave this session equipped with actionable strategies to inspire and engage students, particularly those who need additional support to succeed.
Charter School Finance Insights: A Collaborative Exchange
Facilitators: Director of Finance Ken Rich and the APSRC Finance team
Join us for an engaging roundtable session where attendees will have the opportunity to dive deep into charter finance topics. This collaborative, interactive discussion will allow participants to share ideas, address concerns, and ask questions. Facilitated by Director of Finance Ken Rich and the APSRC Finance team, the session will offer valuable insights and expertise on a variety of important finance-related topics. Expect to discuss key areas such as the Legislative Session – Finance Acts, the eFinance upgrade and its new features, FY26 Budget Planning, and a CFAM Showcase featuring the Top 10 Reports. Come ready to participate, ask questions, and engage in thought-provoking discussions.
Building Strong Teams: Educator Recruitment, Development, & Retention
Presenter: TBD
Join us for a breakout session focused on strategies for recruiting, developing, and retaining high-quality educators and staff. In this session, we’ll explore various approaches to building and maintaining a strong teaching team, with a focus on long-term success. Expect a session that will provide valuable insights and ideas to help strengthen your recruitment and retention efforts. More information coming soon!
Charter Leader Collective Roundtable: Fostering Collaborative Growth
Facilitators: Jessica Wright, Literacy Specialist and Jeana Williams, Co-Director of Teaching & Learning
Join Jessica Wright, Literacy Specialist and Jeana Williams, Co-Director of Teaching & Learning, along with several Charter Leaders from across Arkansas for an engaging, interactive roundtable session. This discussion will delve into key leadership topics that impact the success of charter school students, educators, and leaders. Stemming from APSRC’s Charter Leader Collective (CLC), a program designed to connect Charter Leaders for collaborative growth, this session offers a unique space for attendees to lead, participate in, and build connections through conversation. Come ready to share ideas, ask questions, and engage in thought-provoking discussions with fellow leaders in the charter school community.
Spark Zones: Track 2 1:40 PM - 2:50 PM
Resources for Charter Schools: Tools and Partnerships for Success
Presenter: Director of School Support, Jim Robb
Join us for an engaging breakout session where we’ll explore a range of valuable resources available to member charter schools. This session will cover partnerships and products that come with special discounts, benefits, rebates, or even no cost to your school. We’ll discuss resources such as K12itc for outsourced technology services, TalkPath Live for remote student services in special education, CFAM for financial analysis tools, and DOTS for managing academic performance metrics. Additionally, we’ll cover options like Edlio OSP for payment processing, Arvest P-Cards for credit card management, and MY EDgislation for tracking legislative updates. You’ll also learn about synK12 Calendar for organizing school events and both the FMS and SMS Listserves to help finance and student records staff collaborate with peers. This session is packed with practical resources to help streamline your operations and support your school’s success.
Teaching and Learning Roundtable: Explore What Matters Most
Facilitators: Co-Director of Teaching & Learning Caroline Nail and APSRC Literacy Specialists
Join us for an engaging roundtable session where we’ll explore a wide range of teaching and learning topics relevant to today’s educators. Whether you’re interested in instructional strategies, professional development, or building capacity within your school, this session provides a collaborative space where you can bring forward topics that matter most to you. Co-Director of Teaching & Learning Caroline Nail, will facilitate the conversation, offering expertise and guidance as the discussion unfolds. Come ready to ask questions, share ideas, and engage in a dynamic conversation focused on supporting educators and enhancing student success. More details to follow.
Insights into School Accountability
Presenter: Co-Director of Teaching & Learning Jeana Williams
Join us for a breakout session that will explore key topics surrounding school accountability and growth within Arkansas. This session will cover various aspects of how schools are held accountable and the role these factors play in fostering growth and improvement. The discussion will offer insights into current trends, challenges, and opportunities. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and engage with the presenter. More details will be shared soon.
Charter Schools: Navigating Legal and Policy Updates
Facilitators: APSRC Staff Attorney Tipp Walter & Director of Legal Services Michael Helms
Join us for an engaging roundtable session where attendees will have the opportunity to dive deep into legal and policy topics affecting charter schools. Expect to discuss topics such as the Arkansas State Legislature 95th General Assembly - Regular Session of 2025, with a focus on legislation impacting charter schools, charter school finance, and other trending legislative issues. Other potential topics include general legal and policy considerations for schools, including school law updates and key policy changes. As APSRC staff facilitates the discussion, participants will also have the opportunity to bring up topics that interest or concern them. APSRC Staff Attorney Tipp Walter & Director of Legal Services Michael Helms will guide the conversation, offering their expertise throughout. Come ready to share ideas, ask questions, and engage in a thought-provoking conversation on these timely and important issues.
Register Now and Get Ready to Customize Your Experience!
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to design your Spark Symposium experience around the topics that matter most to you.
Register now and get ready to explore, learn, and collaborate in the way that works best for you at Spark Symposium 2025!
