SparkEd School Programme

Introducing: The SparkEd Musical Theatre Programme

A fully structured, school-wide experience where every student participates in singing, movement, and storytelling—culminating in a joyful, low-pressure sharing performance for families (optional).

The programme is thoughtful designed to be:

• Simple for schools to host
• Easy for teaching staff to support with no obligations
• Highly engaging for students across all grade levels
• Development of the Core Competencies in a Fun and Memorable way

This programme is NOT designed as just a Performance Project or another form of Exercise

While a final parent performance is built into the schedule AND it is great exercise to be both singing and dancing, the primary goal does not end at these two outcomes.

The real learning LASTS LONG AFTER the end of our time together and positively effects numerous areas of soft skills and competencies across all areas of academic and life skills.

In every classroom, students are asked to:

• Stay focused in dynamic environments
• Work cooperatively with others
• Follow multi-step instructions
• Regulate emotions and attention
• Participate confidently in shared learning
• Sit still to learn when the instinctual need is to move as part of learning

 What if there was a FUN way to effectively support these necessary skills?

SparkEd uses musical theatre as a structured, embodied context where these capacities are developed through experience—not instruction alone.

The Students will enjoy the classes and the Teachers will benefit from an enhanced learning environment accelerating progress in other areas. 

Ongoing use of "SparkEd Skills" Sessions will allow for cumulative benefits to be enjoyed by all.

What does the SparkEd Programme Spark in the Students?

At its heart, SparkEd is about creating experiences that help students recognize and develop capacities that are already within them.

Students strengthen key core competencies such as collaboration, self-regulation, and communication through embodied learning experiences.

Throughout the residency, the goal is to Spark in Students: 

Musical Theatre has 3 distinct elements:

• Singing (learning the lyrics)
• Acting
• Dancing

Students will discover that everyone, including themselves, will have different areas of strength and areas of challenge.  

Knowledge of everyone's unique Intelligence Profile is a gift that will provide students, parents and teachers a unique gift of acceptance and compassion for how everyone learns.  The result: increased confidence!

The Goal of a Final Performance 

Joy in participation and in the creation of something to share with others leads to satisfaction of a shared achievement.   This helps to build greater cohesion and support within each group. 

Bonus:  The  audience/ parents will not just be impressed, but highly entertained!

And what's better than Sparking a Smile on the faces of those you love?

 **Please note:  A Final Performance is optional and is at the discretion of the principal.

Learning Begins Before the First Step

Before students begin singing, dancing, or storytelling, each session starts with a brief readiness sequence designed to support attention, regulation, and engagement.  These are called, "SparkEd Skills Sessions". 

Through carefully selected movement experiences designed for brain integration, students are guided toward a state that is more conducive to learning, cooperation, creativity, and participation.

These activities help students:

• Settle into the learning environment
• Connect brain and body
• Improve focus and attention
• Regulate energy levels
• Feel more comfortable participating within a large group

The result is not simply better performance outcomes—it is a more positive and effective learning experience for students throughout the residency.

What will be in the SparkEd Skills Sessions? 

At the start of each class, there will be a 4-6 minute warm-up drawing from the movement bank which will address one or more of the following areas:

S — Sensory Awareness (body sensing, proprioception, grounding, presence)
P — Patterning (developmental movement patterns, coordination sequences)
A — Activation (energy, readiness, engagement, wake-up of systems)
R — Regulation (calm, focus, emotional/physiological balance)
K — Kinesthetic Integration (coordination, hemispheric integration, whole-body flow)

 Why Song Choice Matters

The choice of song can make or break the learning experience.

Lyrics that are too fast, too complex, or lacking a clear story can be difficult for students to learn within a short timeframe. Likewise, songs that do not naturally lend themselves to movement and storytelling can make choreography harder to learn and remember.

Songs are carefully selected based on:

• Age appropriateness
• Strong storytelling opportunities
• Memorable, accessible lyrics
• Movement that supports learning and retention
• Suitability for a 10-day residency

Students learn songs from beloved musical theatre classics such as Annie, Mary Poppins, Oliver!, and The Wizard of Oz.

With the continued popularity of productions such as Mary Poppins Returns and Wicked, these timeless stories remain as relevant and engaging for today's students as ever.

Final song selections are confirmed with the school in advance to ensure suitability and avoid duplication with recent performances.

Song Examples

Annie

• It's a Hard Knock Life
• Tomorrow

Oliver

• Food Glorious Food
• Consider Yourself

Grease

• We Go Together

Wizard of Oz

• We're Off to See the Wizard
• If I Only Had a Brain

Mary Poppins

• Let's Go Fly a Kite!

Preparation and Support Tools: 

2 weeks prior to the start of the programme the school will receive an email with preparation and support items for students, parents and teachers.

• Lyric Sheets
• Links to clips of the songs
• How to Support Your Child to Learn the Lyrics document and video

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

A Flexible, Progressive Whole-School Musical Theatre Residency

SparkEd is a structured whole-school musical theatre residency delivered over 10 school days (2 consecutive weeks, Monday–Friday) for K–7 students. The program is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing school timetables, working within each school’s unique scheduling structure while maintaining a clear, progressive learning journey.

Students participate in structured group sessions (max ~60 per group), learning one musical theatre piece from a classic, age-appropriate musical, with singing, movement, and storytelling fully integrated throughout.

A Progressive Learning Journey (Adapted to Each School)

Rather than a fixed daily script, SparkEd follows a carefully scaffolded progression that adapts to each school’s timetable, division structure, and grouping model.

Across their sessions, students are guided through:

• Introduction & Exploration of story, music, and movement vocabulary
• Skill Development through accessible, structured sectional learning
• Integration of Elements as singing, movement, and storytelling come together
• Refinement & Confidence Building through repetition, clarity, and guided feedback
• Rehearsal & Performance Preparation leading toward a shared presentation

Each class may experience approximately 7–10 sessions depending on scheduling and school structure, while still following the same overall developmental arc.

This flexible design ensures the program fits smoothly within existing timetables without requiring timetable disruption or restructuring, while maintaining a consistent student experience across the school.

Final Friday: Celebration Performance

The residency culminates in a whole-school sharing performance, where students come together to present their work with clarity, confidence, and shared celebration.

Program Design Features (Embedded Throughout)

• Whole-school participation (K–7) with structured group delivery
• Flexible scheduling aligned with school timetables and division needs
• Low-disruption integration into existing classroom structures
• Consistent session format to support behaviour, engagement, and flow
• Inclusive, mixed-ability design across all groups
• Full facilitation, planning, and on-site delivery included
• Collaborative scheduling support with school leadership

PROGRAM INVESTMENT

SparkEd is delivered as a structured 10-day whole-school residency designed to integrate seamlessly into the school timetable while supporting participation across all grade levels.

Investment reflects school size, scheduling requirements, and the level of coordination needed to deliver a smooth, fully facilitated experience.

Typical investment ranges:

•  $5,500 – $7,500

Final investment is confirmed following a short planning conversation to ensure the program is appropriately tailored to your school’s structure, timetable, and student body needs.

What is included:

• Full 10-day facilitated residency (K–7)
• Structured musical theatre learning across all classes
• Singing, movement, and storytelling integration
• Group-based learning with clear progression
• Final school-wide sharing performance
• Collaborative scheduling support with school leadership
• All planning, facilitation, and delivery

SAFETY & SCHOOL READINESS

SparkEd is designed with school environments in mind, including:

• Structured group management and clear spatial design
• Age-appropriate movement and interaction
• Inclusive participation for mixed ability levels
• Predictable session structure to support behaviour and engagement

A current Vulnerable Sector Criminal Record Check is available upon request, along with all documentation required for school and district compliance.

Meet Mariah-Jane Thies

Over the past four decades, Mariah-Jane has taught students from age five through adulthood, directed and choreographed musical

Mariah-Jane Thies is an award-winning educator, musical theatre specialist, TEDx speaker, and internationally recognized movement expert with nearly 40 years of experience helping young people build confidence, creativity, and self-expression through the performing arts.

Her work is rooted in a lifelong love of musical theatre and a career dedicated to teaching, directing, and choreographing for students of all ages. From early performances in choirs and pit orchestras to leading musical theatre programs and productions, she has spent decades bringing stories to life on stage.

A Royal Academy of Dance registered teacher and award-winning innovator in dance education, Mariah-Jane combines extensive performance experience with training in Brain Gym®, developmental movement, and movement-based learning. Her approach is grounded in the belief that every student already arrives with strengths worth drawing out—not pouring in.

She has presented at major international conferences including IADMS, NDEO, RAD, Body-Mind Centering, and the World Congress of Dance, and she continues to challenge traditional teaching models by focusing on how educators can unlock what students already know and can do.

Through her online community, The Radiant Dance Teacher, she has supported thousands of educators in creating more inclusive, engaging, and effective learning environments.

At the heart of her work is a simple focus: helping students discover what becomes possible when they feel safe enough to step into the spotlight and let their unique abilities shine.