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.
