The Annual conference for NAIS is slated to begin this week. It’s usually a combination of “old home week” seeing colleagues and friends from schools across the country and sensory overload, with exhibitions and many sessions to attend, more than one person can reasonably accomplish. There is often some interviewing mixed in. For this year’s conference, I confess I was very interested in hearing what opening keynote speaker, Anderson Cooper, has to say to educators at this moment in time in our history. I am a big fan of his writing, having devoured both Dispatches from the Edge and The Rainbow Comes and Goes when each was published. I awoke this morning to the disappointing news that he had to cancel his speaking engagement with us. However, I rallied around the announcement of the new speaker, Viola Davis. Having heard her speak at the Women’s March in Los Angeles a year ago, and having watched her be both an actor and an activist in our modern era. I cannot wait to hear what message SHE has for educators in Independent Schools. I look forward to blogging from her talk in just about 48 hours. Stay tuned for what is sure to be an important moment at our conference!