Spark Symposium
Overview
The 2025 Spark Symposium for Charter Schools will offer an exciting and insightful experience for attendees.
Engage in roundtable discussions, participate in a legislative Q&A over lunch with expert panelists, and celebrate standout achievements during our awards ceremony. With impactful presentations from distinguished speakers, the symposium will explore the latest trends and developments shaping the charter school landscape.
8:15 - 9:00 A.M. Registration
9:00 - 10:00 A.M. Welcome & Morning Keynote
10:00 - 10:45 A.M. Break with Exhibitors
10:45 - 11:55 A.M. Spark Zones: Track 1
12:00 - 1:30 P.M. Working Lunch with Legislative Q&A Panel
1:40 - 2:50 P.M. Spark Zones: Track 2
2:50 - 3:00 P.M. Break
3:00 - 3:30 P.M. Awards & Door Prizes
8:15 AM - 9:00 AM
Registration
2nd Floor Lobby
Check in at the registration desk for your welcome bag and name tag. Need to register on-site? No worries, our staff is here to help!
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Welcome
Ballroom D
Join us in Ballroom D for the Welcome Remarks to kick off the Spark25 Symposium, followed by a special student performance to set the tone for the day. After the welcome, stay for our keynote speaker, Baruti Kafele, Education Speaker and Consultant at Principal Kafele Consulting, LLC. You can find more details about his bio and the full speaker lineup under the Speaker tab.
10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Break with Exhibitors
Foyer
Take advantage of your designated time slot to interact with our exhibitors and vendors in the foyer. Learn more about their organizations and don’t forget—visiting our vendors earns you extra raffle tickets, increasing your chances of winning big!
10:45 AM - 11:55 AM
Spark Zones: Track 1
Rooms A,B,C, & E
‘Spark Zones’ are dedicated times for collaboration, meaningful conversations, and in-depth learning. Each Spark Zone Track offers four total sessions: two expert-led presentations and two roundtable discussions. Attendees can choose one session that best aligns with their interests and provides the most relevant insights.
Breakout Session: Room C
Dive deeper into Principal Kafale’s keynote message and explore the topics in greater detail during this exclusive session, led by the keynote speaker himself.
Breakout Session: Room E
This roundtable discussion will focus on finance-related topics. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
Roundtable Discussion: Room TBD
Join us for a breakout session on Educator Recruitment, Development, & Retention. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
Roundtable Discussion: Room TBD
This roundtable discussion will focus on leadership-related topics. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch Begins
Ballroom D
Join us in Ballroom D for a working lunch with a Legislative Q&A Panel, offering you the chance to ask questions and gain insight into the latest legislative developments affecting charter schools.
1:40 PM - 2:50 PM
Spark Zones: Track 2
Rooms A,B,C, & E
‘Spark Zones’ are dedicated times for collaboration, meaningful conversations, and in-depth learning. Each Spark Zone Track offers four total sessions: two expert-led presentations and two roundtable discussions. Attendees can choose one session that best aligns with their interests and provides the most relevant insights.
Breakout Session: Room C
Join us for a breakout session on Resources for Charter Schools. More details coming soon!
Breakout Session: Room E
This roundtable discussion will focus on Teaching & Learning-related topics. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
Roundtable Discussion: Room TBD
Join us for the breakout session on Accountability. More details coming soon!
Roundtable Discussion: Room TBD
This roundtable discussion will focus on Legal & Policy-related topics. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!
2:50 PM - 3:00 PM
Break
Foyer
Take a brief break as we prepare for the final session on the Spark 2025 schedule!
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Awards & Door Prizes
Ballroom D
Join us to close out this year’s Spark Symposium with an awards ceremony, celebrating the exceptional contributions of charter schools, their leaders, partners, supporters, and advocates who are making a lasting impact on the charter school community. We’ll also wrap up with a raffle drawing, where three lucky winners will receive cash prizes!
Event Details
Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
State House Convention Center