147: Building Software to Support Alternative Schools with Larissa Green and Joseph Jung

Personalized learning deserves personalized tools.

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Larissa Green and Joseph Jung, the duo behind Spark, a flexible EdTech platform built from the ground up for alternative schools.

Tune in to hear how Spark is giving microschools and co-ops the software they need to organize, manage, and inspire student-centered education.

RESOURCES AND LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• www.sparkyourschool.com
• www.facebook.com/YourSchoolSpark
• www.instagram.com/spark.schools
• x.com/SparkYourSchool
• www.youtube.com/@SparkSchoolSoftware
• Want to open your dream school with the freedom you deserve and the support you need?Visit https://openmyschool.my.canva.site/rebelkaipod to learn more about our partnership with KaiPod Learning and get help opening your dream school!
• Learn more about the Rebel Project Literacy Curriculum, a fully integrated literacy and project based learning curriculum, at  projectup.us or inkwire.co/rplc 
• Get your copy of Rebel Educator: Create Classrooms Where Impact and Imagination Meet
• Learn more about Rebel Educator, explore our professional development opportunities for educators and students, and check out our project library.
• Visit us at UP Academy to learn more about our personalized and inclusive learning environment.
• Connect with Tanya and UP Academy on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram and learn more about her journey here.

GUEST BIO:

Larissa Green is a homeschool mom of over 10 years, a homeschool co-op founder and leader, and a teacher with experience in many types of alternative classrooms—including an overseas English school, a microschool, and a foster care training center. She has a passion for helping alternative educators succeed.

Her knack for planning and communication, eye for detail, and close relationship with others on the Spark team have enabled her to learn Product Management skills quickly. The Spark team has created a new and delightful learning management system that aspires to fill a niche in our market as an affordable, flexible, comprehensive, and user-friendly software for alternative educators.

Her favorite part of the job is actually using the Spark platform for her homeschool, microschool, and co-op. She also loves to watch Spark empower dedicated teachers as they build their innovative school.

Joseph Jung is the technical CEO of Spark, an all-in-one school operations platform. With over 10 years of experience in software development and a background in education, Joseph brings a rare blend of technical depth and domain expertise. He leads product and engineering at Spark, designing systems that help schools manage tuition, scholarships, enrollment, communication, and compliance — all in one place.

Joseph’s work is grounded in a deep understanding of