Our Vision & Mission
We envision a time when all public schools welcome and successfully educate all students, regardless of their abilities or background. In order to achieve this goal, we empower NYC charter schools to develop high quality inclusive educational environments by providing professional development opportunities, resources, school-based guidance and access to local and national best practices and renowned special populations’ experts.
History
The Jeannine King S.P.A.R.K. (Special Populations Advocate, Relationship-builder, and Knowledge-Sharer) Award was established in honor of our beloved colleague, Jeannine King, who passed away in April 2023. Jeannine served as an Inclusive Education Specialist at the Collaborative and, prior to that, as a member of the Bronx Community Charter School community for 13 years, holding various positions in special education and leadership. She was a dedicated and passionate advocate for equitable and inclusive education for all children, generously shared her knowledge and experience with peers, and always encouraged thoughtful consideration of student perspectives and genuine relationship-building.
Jeannine began each training she facilitated by sharing a quote from Dr. Chris Emdin: “True teaching is only effective when it triggers something that lasts forever or SPARKS a desire in the student to discover more beyond the classroom.”
Through the S.P.A.R.K. award, we aim to honor Jeannine’s legacy by recognizing educators who embody the same traits and values of educational excellence and inclusion to which Jeannine dedicated herself with authenticity, generosity, and constancy. Nominations for our 2025 S.P.A.R.K. Award will open later this year.
By the Numbers
298
More than 89% of the sector, or 298 charter campuses, are members of The Collaborative for Inclusive Education.
140
The Collaborative offers over 140 professional development workshops, trainings, conferences and webinars annually.
2,200
More than 2,200 educators, leaders and coaches attend the Collaborative’s programs each year.
450
The Collaborative team spends approximately 450 hours in schools each year, conducting classroom observations and providing one-on-one consultations.
900
The Collaborative has certified over 900 educators in crisis prevention.
49
The five Collaborative team members have a combined 49 years of experience in teaching special populations and leading school-based support programs.
Our Evolution
Gissel Burgos
2024 S.P.A.R.K. Award Winner
Gissel is an ENL teacher and teacher leader at Family Life Academy Charter Middle School in the Bronx. She was born and raised in the Bronx, New York to immigrant parents from Colombia and the Dominican Republic. She has degrees in Childhood Education and T.E.S.O.L. and has been teaching and supporting ELL students for five years. In her S.P.A.R.K. nomination submission, Gissel was described as a “fierce advocate for ENL students” and a teacher leader who supports other staff by deepening their understanding of the challenges our ELL population face and ways to create nurturing and inclusive classrooms for all learners.” Take a look at Gissel’s blog series for insights into her work with MLLs/ELLs (Part 1 and Part 2).
Anyelis Taveras
2024 S.P.A.R.K. Award Winner
Anyelis has held several positions in her time with Brilla College Prep Charter School in the Bronx and this year is the Behavioral Specialist. In her role, she builds relationships with individual students and families to create inclusive and targeted behavior supports, as well as supports staff in implementing proactive behavior supports, both for individual students as well as school-wide policies and practices. In her S.P.A.R.K. nomination submission, Anyelis is “the heart and soul of our educational community when it comes to building relationships that champion equity and inclusion. Whether it’s providing tailored resources, advocating for inclusive policies, or simply being a compassionate listener, they’re always there, fighting for the rights and dignity of every student.”
Dawn Campbell
2023 S.P.A.R.K. Award Winner
Dawn is a special education teacher at Bronx Community Charter School for the past 9 years and this year marks her first (and the school’s first) year in a 12:2 setting. She holds degrees from Lehman College and Bank Street and attributes her approach as an educator to being a mother of four children, individualizing and creating meaningful learning experiences for all young children. Her S.P.A.R.K. nomination submission relayed Dawn as “an inspiring role model for her students and colleagues…demonstrating a deep committed to social justice, advocating for and supporting students who are often marginalized” and working to “empower her students to think critically about issues of equity and justice.” Listen to podcast episode where we interview Dawn about how she fosters inclusive environments at her school.
Avery Hollander
2023 S.P.A.R.K. Award Winner
Avery is the Dean of Multilingual Learning at East Harlem Scholars. Her experience spans multilingual learners of all ages, with a focus on instructional coaching and teacher training. She is committed to reimagining and building an educational landscape that is inclusive and meaningful for all learners. In her S.P.A.R.K. nomination submission, Avery was described as “an advocate for MLL students who works tirelessly to ensure that families are valued partners in their education…[is] valued by teachers, and is invaluable to the MLL program at her network.” Check out Avery’s blog post featuring some of her essential MLL/ELL practices.