PDS Center @NAIS Annual Conference

We had an amazing three days at this year’s NAIS Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA.  We could not have been more excited to continue our engagement with the NAIS Innovation Kitchen.  The Speed Innovating session was one of the highlights of our experience, and we were delighted to continue telling a story about innovating public-private partnerships with our Middle School Head, Michael Magno.  We relished the opportunity to be curious with the three rounds of amazing people who tried out one of our newest low-tech file folder prototypes.  The Speed Innovating session got expanded the next day when Magno and his public school partner, Barry Sherman, led an entire hour-long design experience that emphasized sharing old stories and designing opportunities for new ones.  Our last official encounter was a PDS Center led session devoted entirely to “Designing and Improvising Collaborative Leadership.”  The joy of these official opportunities was only outstripped by all the joy we found in the unofficial moments and connections and conversations where we got to wonder aloud and be in awe of the amazing work and profound change independent schools can enact in the world.  We had no trouble adopting our customary posture of gratitude as we found ourselves genuinely thankful over and over for the chance to be at the NAIS Annual Conference.