French Quarter Festival
December 17th, 2009Shelley
So, I just found out why the Sheraton New Orleans is booked Saturday, April 10. It’s French Quarter Festival weekend! While I’m proud to say I’m an annual Jazz Fest attendee, I’ve never been to the French Quarter Festival. Although, after learning about it, it sounds like a great reason to stay the weekend.
Here’s the lowdown: Music all day in the French Quarter. Fifteen stages showcasing jazz, rock, gospel, Cajun, zydeco, classical, Latin and brass. More than 50 food and beverage booths in Jackson Square – and along the river – selling small portions from famous New Orleans restaurants. Plus, there’s an oyster-eating contest (yuck!), fireworks on the riverfront, historic courtyard tours and more! The best part? It’s totally free! Who’s staying the weekend?
The Big Question
December 15th, 2009Shelley
My friends in Client Services tell me the most frequently asked question about the conference is, “Who from eSchool Solutions is attending the Solutions Summit?” Not surprising when you consider that meeting the eSchool Solutions team always ranks as one of the top three reasons for attending the conference. (Networking with peers and learning more about SmartFindExpress are also in the top three.)
Team members will be identified by mid-January and as soon as assignments have been finalized, I’ll announce the 2010 Solutions Summit Team right here on our blog! Once the team is in place, they’ll start guest blogging about their sessions, so stay tuned! Keeping up-to-date with our blog is easy – simply subscribe to our RSS.
Still Juggling Those Elephants?
December 8th, 2009Shelley
Greetings from St. Louis! I’m at the NSDC conference promoting TeacherStudio - our brand new professional development network. We’ve met dozens of educational professionals who are excited about connecting teachers, done more than 50 demos and given away all our t-shirts – the hottest give away at this year’s event! St. Louis seems like a great city (maybe a future SmartFindExpress Solutions Summit destination?). We’re hoping to get in a trip to the Arch before we leave, but we’ve been so busy meeting district representatives that we may not have time.
I just ran into Jones Loflin - last year’s keynote speaker. He asked about all of you and sends his best wishes. He hopes you’re utilizing some of the techniques he shared for Juggling Elephants. Not only is Jones a dynamic speaker, he’s just a really special person. It was wonderful catching up with him!
At the 2010 event in New Orleans, your peers are the keynote presenters. In Thinking Outside the Box: Best Practices in Substitute Management you’ll hear from Elaine Alexandres about her five-step approach for improving fill rates and Tricia Griffith will talk about using Twitter to communicate with substitutes. Plus, Scott Cummins will show us how he uses Google Maps and business cards to reduce help desk calls and Cathy McCabe will explain how her district automates the entire substitute management process. Join us in April and learn how to incorporate these great ideas into your own best practices!
Make Your Hotel Reservations Soon!
December 3rd, 2009Shelley
A little birdie told me the Sheraton New Orleans is almost completely booked for Saturday (April 10). If you’re planning to spend the weekend in New Orleans – and I highly recommend that you do – consider making your reservations soon. When you contact the hotel, remember to mention eSchool Solutions to get the special discounted rate of $129 per person, per night. Click here for more info. Once the Sheraton is sold out, Meghann and I will do our best to help you find alternative hotels for a Saturday night stay.
By the way, if you were visiting New Orleans this weekend, you could stop by the Ritz-Carlton and walk through their spectacular Christmas display – a life-size gingerbread house. Guests have to walk through the house to get to the front desk, restaurant and lounges. See a photo at ABCNews.com.
