Get Ready for the SAIS Annual Conference

As the 2023 SAIS Annual Conference approaches, we encourage you to make the most out of your experience. Conferences are not just gatherings of like-minded individuals; they are platforms for learning, networking, and personal growth. If you are not able to join us this year, we hope that these resources from our keynote speakers will bring some inspiration, challenge, and thought-provoking conversation with your team.

Ten Tips for a Productive and Enriching Conference Experience

1. Review the schedule: Take a close look at the conference schedule. Identify the sessions, workshops, and keynote speakers that are most relevant to your interests and professional goals.
2. Set clear goals: What do you hope to achieve at this conference? Are you looking to acquire new knowledge, build your professional network, or discover innovative solutions to challenges in your school community?
3. Research speakers and attendees: (see keynote resources below) Familiarize yourself with the background and work of the keynote speakers, presenters, and other attendees. This will not only help you engage in more meaningful conversations but also facilitate networking opportunities.
4. Prepare questions: Come prepared with thoughtful questions for the speakers and presenters.
5. Update your resume or LinkedIn: If you’re attending the conference for career development or networking purposes, make sure your resume is up-to-date and easily accessible. You never know when you might come across a potential employer.
6. Bring essential materials: CarterBaldwin will be supplying notebooks for all attendees, but be sure to pack essentials like pens, business cards, and chargers for your devices. Having these items on hand will help you take notes, exchange contact information, and stay connected.
7. Stay informed: Download the conference app for easy access to all conference details and announcements. Instructions on using the conference app are included in the attendee reminder email.
8. Network with intent: Be proactive in approaching fellow attendees, engage in discussions, and exchange contact information. Follow up with connections after the event to maintain relationships.
9. Take care of yourself: Conferences can be physically and mentally taxing. Get enough rest, stay hydrated, and eat healthily. Taking care of your well-being will ensure you’re at your best.
10. Have an open mind: Be open to new ideas, perspectives, and approaches. Conferences are great places to challenge your thinking and broaden your horizons.

Remember, conferences are not just about what you learn in the breakout sessions; they’re also about the connections you make and the inspiration you find.

Sunday Evening Keynote: Five Components of Extraordinary Teams

Lee Rubin has been a human resource professional with Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries for nearly 15 years. With a degree Penn State University, Lee received a full athletic scholarship to play football for the Nittany Lions. Lee emerged as a three-year starting free safety and became a captain of the team. His academic and athletic success has provided a tremendous opportunity to understand and communicate winning strategies and principles.

Lee Rubin’s Books

• WIN: Simple Insights to Help You Win the Game of Life
• Thoughts of a Champion
• WIN: Simple Insights to Help Student-Athletes Win the Game of Life
• WIN: Simple Insights for Student Leaders

Video

• Excellence is a Habit

Monday Morning Keynote: From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)Creating School for Every Child

Michael B. Horn strives to create a world in which all individuals can build their passions and fulfill their potential through his writing, speaking, and work with a portfolio of education organizations. Michael is the co-founder of and a distinguished fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, a non-profit think tank, and teaches at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Michael also serves as an executive editor at Education Next, and his work has been featured in outlets such as TheNew York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and Harvard Business Review. Michael was selected as a 2014 Eisenhower Fellow to study innovation in education in Vietnam and Korea, and Tech&Learning magazine named him to its list of the 100 most important people in the creation and advancement of the use of technology in education. Michael holds a BA in history from Yale University and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Michael Horn’s Books

• From Reopen to Reinvent: (Re)Creating School for Every Child
• Goodnight Box: A Bedtime Story For The Fittest & Their Littlest.
• Choosing College: How To Make Better Learning Decisions Throughout Your Life
• Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change The Way The World Learns
• Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation To Improve Schools
• Private Enterprise And Public Education

Podcasts

• Future U
• Class Disrupted

Videos

• The Future of Education

Tuesday Morning Keynote: Mattering: The Key to Protecting Mental Health and Well-Being

Jennifer Wallace is an award-winning journalist and author of the New York Times bestselling book Never Enough: When Achievement Pressure Becomes Toxic – and What We Can Do About It. She is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post and appears on national television to discuss her articles and relevant topics in the news. After graduating from Harvard College, Wallace began her journalism career at  CBS “60 Minutes,” where she was part of a team that won The Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism. She is a Journalism Fellow at The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Jennifer Wallace’s Book

• Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—And What We Can Do About It

Articles

• Never Enough: A New Book Examines the Real Dangers of Toxic “Achievement Culture” for Teens Katie Couric
• It’s Time to Let Go of Toxic Achievement Culture, Says New Book, ‘Never Enough’ People
• How to Raise Kids Without “Toxic Achievement Culture” CBS

Podcast

• Conversation with Jennifer B. Wallace — What to Do About Toxic Achievement Culture The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

Mattering Movement The mattering movement answers the question: what can we do to combat the pandemic of loneliness and despair that are harming our youth? How can we combat today’s widespread mattering deficit? 

We look forward to seeing you at the conference, safe travels and see you soon!