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- [00:02]
A
You're listening to ASBO International's School Business Insider. I'm your host, John Brucato. Each week on School Business Insider, I sit down with school business officials and industry experts from around the world to share their stories and explore the topics that matter most to you. Find out what it means to be a school business official and get your insider pass on all things school business. Hello everyone and welcome back to School Business Insider. Today's episode gets you ready for the biggest professional development gathering of the year for School Business official leaders. ASBO International's annual conference and Expo Acne 2025 coming to Fort Worth, Texas October 21st through the 23rd with pre conference workshops on October 20th. Joining me today are Kristen Watson, Lori Grooms and Angie Smith from ASBO International. Together they'll share what makes this year's conference unique. From the theme Navigate Leading the Journey to Growth, the sessions, workshops, networking opportunities and expo hall innovations you won't want to miss. Whether you're attending for the first time or returning for the 10th, this episode will help you plan ahead to make the most of acne 2025. Welcome everyone. So happy to have you today.
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B
Thank you.
- [01:24]
C
Thank you.
- [01:26]
A
So everyone knows who they're listening to. Why don't we just take a quick moment and have each of you just introduce yourselves. Angie, why don't we start with you?
- [01:34]
B
Sure, sure, sure. Thanks for having me. My name is Angie Smith. I'm the Associate Superintendent for Operations for the West Aurora School District. West Aurora is a suburb of Chicago. I also am a member of the Board of Directors for Illinois Iasborough and am part of the Education Committee for ASBO International.
- [01:52]
A
Wonderful. Welcome and first time guest on School Business Insider. You're joined by a couple a couple veterans here. So Kristen, how about you, why don't you remind the audience of your wonderful work at ASBO International?
- [02:03]
D
Sure. And thank you for having us again. So I'm Kristen Watson, Director of Education. I've been with ASBO International for about three and a half years now. I oversee all of the content development for our online and in person learning and I work closely with the Education Committee members and leadership to curate the most relevant content for the annual conference.
- [02:22]
A
Awesome.
- [02:23]
C
And Lori, My name is Lori Grooms and it's a pleasure to be back now for the second time. I am the Director of Events at ASBO International. I've worked with ASBO for just over seven years in an event planning role and as the Director of Events I manage all the logistics. So to generalize, that includes anything related to the hotels, audio, visual exhibits, food and beverage, and setup.
- [02:46]
A
Wonderful, wonderful. So, Angie, I want to start with you a little bit. Can you tell our listeners from your perspective as a school business official, what makes acne so valuable and as vice chair, what is your role in kind of putting this whole thing together?
- [02:59]
B
Sure, sure. So I think it's interesting you say from that role, because I actually think about when I go to the conference, I kind of feel like I look at it in three different ways. So one is certainly as a school business official, and I think in that capacity, you're really looking to build your knowledge base. What's new and exciting that maybe you're not seeing in your state, but that being exposed to people from across the country and actually across the world, you could maybe hear about their success and then take it back. I think as a member of Illinois iasbo, I look at what are things that seem to be working really well at this conference and how do we maybe bring that back and put our own spin on it or maybe reinforce it if it's, you know, sessions that were really wildly widely attended and we don't have similar ones? Hey, maybe we need to think about that because there's, there's some interest there. And then I think from the ASBO hat, the education committee, similar. And then what rooms are full, what rooms aren't? What's really seeming to resonate with people? What are they wanting more on that, you know, you just can't peel people off the sides of the walls because the room is so full, versus sometimes there's topics that we thought would go over really well and the room is deserted because maybe it's too state specific or maybe it's something that really needs more than the session time and so people can't go deep enough. So I really think, as I attend sessions, I kind of look at it in different ways, and sometimes things might be great for one and not the other. Like sometimes there are things that are super state specific that ASBO just can't fill the bucket there. But then there's other things that we don't have the national resources for or we don't have the exposure to that. If it weren't for asthma, we wouldn't even have an opportunity to hear about because maybe that vendor is in our state yet.
- [04:47]
A
Right, right. Well, it's interesting the way you look at attending a conference, especially in your capacity now. Do you. Do you find it challenging to be an attendee when you're looking at all these, you know, what's Being attended. What's not? Are you able to focus on your own PD rather than everybody else?
- [05:00]
B
I had a split personality for a long time, John, because when I was perfect, I was a school board member at one point while I was an administrator in another district, and I was also a parent. So I've just always tried really hard to, like, is it working for all of those groups? And you're not going to hit it out of the park every single time for all three of those, but you need to basically probably be hitting it out of the park for two of those three every single time. So I think it just makes you, you know, as Lori touched on, there's a lot of things go on behind the scenes that, you know, you could plan so much, and then people don't necessarily behave the way you think they were going to do. It's like, okay, we got to switch that up. But I just, you know, trying to have that. That customer kind of eye. You know, we talk a lot about in my district, you know, customer service operations, the customer service department. Same thing here. Like, is the customer, in this case, the school business officials and the service associates, vendors, is it working for them? Because as long as it's working for them and people are coming back year in, year out, you've got a great conference. If it starts not to work for them, then you won't see people go out of their way to, you know, work it into their budgets. And we always want to be in their budgets.
- [06:09]
A
Absolutely. So one of the big draws to ASBO International's annual conference is the location. Lori. It's in Fort Worth, as I said. This year, what can attendees look forward to both at the venue and just things to do outside of sessions and other things that are hosted by International.
- [06:25]
C
Yes, this year we are hosting at the Fort Worth Convention center. And because of the size of our conference and expo, we often cannot fit inside of a single conference hotel. So our education sessions, our general sessions and expo will all be at the convention center. And attendees will be staying at one of our three hotels that are all within a quarter mile from the convention center, so very easily and compact for attendees. Of course, the convention center is very Texas, and it offers several photo opportunities attendees can experience. But outside of the convention center, Fort Worth has a great downtown area, and the Stockyards, which are said to be rich in cowboy heritage, are only three miles away from the downtown area. So the Stockyards are known for their daily cattle drive, live country music, bull riding, shopping for western wear, and loads of authentic Texas fun. So take a look at our conference website. We have on asbo intl.org ACE25 we have a travel and transportation section that provides some information and links to more details about using the Trinity Metro lines. And these are two different lines that are going to help attendees after the conference is over to go around downtown. The blue line loops free around the downtown area and the orange line picks up through downtown and then takes you all the way to the stockyards. And that's $4 for an all day ride. So we also have several links on our hotel and conference site webpage that will show you multiple resources for different things to explore throughout Fort Worth and what they have to offer. So definitely take a look at our webpages to make sure you're prepared to have a full Texas experience.
- [08:16]
A
Awesome. Yeah, it sounds really interesting. You know, we had Tracy Ginsburg and Heather Wilson on from Tasbo a few weeks ago and they were really juicing up the stockyard. So it sounds like a really interesting experience. And yeah, I'm sure a lot of people looking forward to it.
- [08:29]
B
John, this is probably blasphemy, but as a Midwest person, I appreciate the fact that we had Nashville and then Texas back to back so that you can, they can justify the existence of the sparkly boots that I bought in two places, you know.
- [08:44]
A
Oh, so you're telling me, is it so you're going to wear them again? I mean, you don't buy them one.
- [08:48]
B
Time, you know, one and done, but it's like, no, hey, at least, you know, they might not work in Chicago or Miami, but you know, Nashville and Dallas, they should work.
- [08:59]
A
Yeah, dust them off, Angie. Gonna get ready. So, Kristen, tell me a little bit more about the vision behind this year's programming.
- [09:07]
B
What?
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A
Are there any themes or focus areas that attendees or prospective attendees should be aware of?
- [09:13]
D
Absolutely. So annual conference is really about the nuts and bolts of school business. So let's say, like if Leadership Forum is where you go to sharpen your leadership skills, Ace is where you come to sharpen your professional skills as a school business official. The vision is always to make sure that there's something valuable for everyone. So whether you're just starting out, a seasoned professional focused on a specific area like HR or facilities, there's something there for you. As for the theme, a couple years ago we started building a theme into the conference. And last year's theme was Balance. This year we wanted to take the next step and kind of think about what comes after balance. Naturally, for us, we felt like that was growth. But growth doesn't just happen, it's a journey. So this year's theme is Navigate leading the journey to growth. We've designed the program so that no matter where you are in your career, you'll find something that helps you navigate your path and lead your own growth journey.
- [10:09]
A
Wonderful. Sounds great. And Angie, you've been to acne before. Again, from, from an SBO's perspective, what has been the most, what's, what's most impactful for you? Prefer personally and professionally. Why, why do you keep going year after year? It's a huge commitment to, to get out of the office. I mean you're even more invol helping plan these things. Why are you so invested? Why is it so important that you attend?
- [10:30]
B
I think it is really important and I know that sometimes it's hard for districts to, you know, in these tight budget years to justify things out of state, but I think it is important to get outside of your little bubble and see what's going on in other places because, you know, Illinois is an interesting state. We have over 800 school districts. We're, we're, but we're also, you know, very, you're a union heavy state. But just looking at what Illinois does is not going to be enough. Like we need to figure out like some of the things that have happened, for example with our evidence based funding formulas were taken from other states. And I think without that exposure as to what's working here, what's not working here, you just kind of, you kind of are in a little bubble and a little echo chamber. So I think it's really important for that. I think it's also important from a networking standpoint just to get out and meet other people who do what you do and understand, you know, I've taken my husband to things before and I've gone to things with him and you know, sometimes you just want to talk to people who do what you do and you know, this is the opportunity to do that and vent. Oh, you know, oh my God. Can you believe this? Or can you believe that? So that's important. I think the sort of expo piece of this, like the ability, you know, there may be vendors who send you information that, you know, it comes in, you look at it. But now you've kind of got a way to actually go out and talk to them and it's, it's relatively, you know, low risk, like you're not going to tie yourself up. And now they're in my office and I really don't want to have to get them out. I often laugh sometimes. You see people who go through the expo, and it's kind of like going through the perfume counter. They don't want to make eye contact with anybody. They just want to take their free stuff and keep moving. But I really do usually look at who's there and be like, okay, I wanted to talk to that vendor. Here. Here's a way to do that, you know, because you can always have a conversation and move on. But if it's a conversation that you really want to get into, you've got a few days to then try to find a time where you could sit down and have a longer conversation. You've got the opportunity, if they've talked to you about people who they do business with, districts they do business with, to maybe find those people and actually talk to them in person. So I think it's just a. It's a great environment to sort of, you know, learn what's working, what's not working, what's up and coming, you know, therapy. There's a lot of boxes that it kind of checks. And not. Not to mention the fun. I mean, I know people think CSBOs, you know, that might sound like accountant, like, and stuffy. No, they let their hair down. So you've always got that part of it as well.
- [13:17]
A
Yeah, you make a good point about the vendor relationships in the expo as well. I mean, I'm not one for cold calls. It's just not, you know, we're busy enough. But I realize that having gone through my own statewide conferences and especially ACE each year, you kind of build those personal connections, and it's not so stiff, and you're able to really talk to these individuals not through email, not through phone. But it's. There's somewhat of a personal connection. So I think it makes it a little bit easier to establish that relationship and leverage products that maybe you otherwise wouldn't have been interested in because it was just kind of a cold call or an email that you may just put right into your trash, you know, so it gives you that opportunity to connect with more. More than just business officials, but those on the vendor side as well.
- [13:58]
B
Yeah, and I would say, you know, both. Because, you know, from. From an IASPO standpoint, we call them service associates. And I asked both. They really, you know, they also provide a lot of the professional development that we're talking about at this session. You know, a lot of it is. Is them with the school district partner, and they're sharing the success, and you can't miss that part of the equation. Like, you know, married to a salesperson, father was a salesperson. So I'm always cognizant of the fact that, you know, sales, not a dirty word. Like, I, I always tell the people that we do business with, I don't care if you make money so long as you're doing right by my kids in the district. And I think this is a good way for us to show that, you know, it's about solutions and it's about getting with people who can make your life easier, you know, work smarter, not harder. And this is one big place, you know, especially if you were going, you know, out to RFP or bid for something, you've got the opportunity to walk down a few aisles and potentially meet a handful of people who could either make your bid specs better or, you know, let you know what's going on. So it's, it's a really nice sort of place to have so many of the heavy hitters in education there.
- [15:06]
A
Yeah, absolutely. I couldn't agree more. So the primary purpose obviously of the conference is education and pd. Kristin, can you highlight a few session tracks or learning opportunities that school business officials can look forward to this year?
- [15:19]
D
Sure. And I could talk to you for an hour about this. If I go on too long, just cut me off. But I will say one of the things that I love about this year's program is how closely it ties into the theme. So you'll see a number of sessions where the theme is reflected in whether it's the title or just the overall session. But some things like how to navigate regulations and capture savings with a smarter IAQ plan, navigating real estate risks, avoiding common pitfalls, and navigating the path to effective budget communication. So these are all about helping SBOs steer through real world challenges with confidence. We've also got sessions that take on change directly, like Navigating Strategies for Success in a Software Conversion and Navigating Change, Financial Leadership and a Dynamic Landscape. And these sessions speak to the reality of the profession. Things are always evolving and you need tools to help lead through that. Another one of the, you know, biggest highlights of the program is our federal policy update. This session is always a must attend because it gives school business officials the latest on what's happening in Washington from a federal perspective and how those decisions impact their districts. This year, we'll cover the FY26 federal funding, school vouchers, child nutrition programs, E rate, and more. It's not just about what's changing. It's also about how ASBO International is advocating for you on your behalf, but secondarily how you can get involved to make your voice heard. Another great session we're going to have this year is Hot Topics and education. And that's where we'll zoom in on the issues school business leaders are wrestling with right now. The practical day to day challenges that don't always make the headlines, but they matter tremendously in how districts run. So together, this hot topic session with the Federal Update session are two sessions that give you both the big picture policy lens and then the on the ground perspective. Both of which are super important for navigating the year ahead. Navigate Another great session that we have returning is our 403 panel. We'll have a new twist on that this year, so don't worry if you've attended in the past, you don't need to skip it. You'll want to make sure you have it on your list. The panel is titled 403 in Focus Balancing ERISA Influence, Budget Constraints and Retiring Readiness and Public Education. This panel will have industry experts unpack how ERISA best practices are influencing 403 retirement plans and public education. They'll dive into employer liability, plan design and participation protections and talk about how districts can balance compliance, budget realities and employee retirement readiness. It's a really important conversation because it goes straight to how we take care of our people. And then what makes the panel especially valuable is that it brings together representatives from all of the big names in retirement retirement plans, those partners that school districts already know and work with. So having those voices at the table means attendees get a really well rounded view of the landscape directly of the people from the people who are shaping it. So no matter what your goals are for attending ace, there are sessions that can help you navigate those challenges and grow in your role.
- [18:43]
A
Wonderful, wonderful. Are there any newer, innovative formats this year? I know that Aziz is doing a pre conference on AI, which is going to be phenomenal, but what's going on this year?
- [18:53]
D
Yes, absolutely. Don't miss one of the pre conference workshops. There are three. One is on communications, the one that you just mentioned with AI and Aziz, and then our final is with ERS on budgeting. And so all three very important topics for what you guys are dealing with on a day to day basis. So check those out and certainly sign up if you haven't already. You'll also notice more variety in the way sessions are delivered this year. So in addition to our traditional education session, you know, sort of a didactic lecture, maybe a couple of SBOs and AS Angie mentioned, oftentimes industry experts are teaming up. We are introducing more panel discussions where a group of experts dive into issues from various different perspectives. We also have storytelling sessions this year and those will be different in that the speakers will share their experiences in more of a narrative style rather than a lecture. And it just makes the content kind of feel more engageable and. Sorry, engaging and relatable. We are bringing back Innovation Hour that you participated in last year.
- [19:59]
A
Awesome.
- [20:00]
D
This is another opportunity for folks to speak with industry experts in a sort of non threatening way. Right. You know, this isn't a sales environment. This is an opportunity for folks to share ideas. So we're mixing it up a little bit. New refreshed format. It's Innovation Hours. So we have to keep it innovative year to year. So we will have instead of that panel that we've had the past two years where we kind of kicked off with a little bit of panel panel discussion and then went into group discussions, we're going to start right off with those group discussions. So high energy, interactive sessions. Interactive session where attendees will break into smaller groups. Those smaller groups will be led by school business leaders and many of our ASBO International partners. Those conversations will focus on real world challenges that districts face. Things like staffing and retention, strategic budgeting, healthcare and benefits and alternative revenue streams. And you'll be able to get some advice from those school business, school business leaders as well as those industry experts taking some of their life experiences and using that as advice that you can then kind of leverage and take back to your district. And because it is scheduled right before the expo hall opens, you can start those conversations there and then continue them into the exhibit hall to talk about, you know, products and services that some of those industry representatives may have that might help you in those challenges. One other thing I will quickly mention is a new tool that we have developed. So although not new programming, a new tool help you navigate the conference. These are our Learning Journey maps. You can find them on the website that Lori mentioned earlier under Attendee Resources. These maps group the sessions together by topic area, so finance HR facilities and then help you easily chart your own path through the program. So even if it's not your first ace, these maps will be helpful in building a schedule that's intentional and tied to your personal growth. So between the panels, the storytelling sessions, the new Innovation Hour and the Learning Journey Maps, we're really trying to give attendees more ways than ever to engage, connect and walk away with strategies that you can use. Right away, the second you get home.
- [22:16]
A
Every hour you spend soliciting bids is time you could spend improving your district. With KPN and peppm, you skip the bidding process entirely thanks to pre bid contracts designed by a Pennsylvania educational service agency. Join thousands of school districts already saving time, money and stress with nationwide compliant purchasing power. Find out how at www.thekpn.org or www.peppm.org. just a small sliver of the entire conference and there's already so much there. So it's going to be an awesome opportunity for, for attendees.
- [22:53]
B
I think you should have figured out at the beginning how to make it a drinking game every time. Kristen could definitely work towards you.
- [23:02]
D
Good catch, good catch.
- [23:03]
A
Beautiful. Beautiful. So, so Angie, how does, how does attending ACE complement school business officials, other professional development opportunities? Especially, I know like in Illinois, your state is super, super active. So how does something like ACE really complement everything else that you're doing in your profession when it comes to pd?
- [23:22]
B
Yeah, I think again, I'll go back to the fact that it's just broadening your perspective because, you know, most states have certain PD that they run every year because there's always new people coming into the profession. So there's certain things you always have to do. And so sometimes it makes it tough for us to come up with new and innovative things. As you're navigating there, you go your way through your entire career. And I think the nice thing about this conference is, you know, you could maybe dabble in some things that you might not see locally or just haven't come up on the cycle yet because that's the other nice thing. And we're early enough in the school year that a lot of us don't have our own state conferences till the spring. So I think it gives you the ability to maybe say, oh, okay, I heard a little about this here, but now I'm going to search out more information on that or make sure that I go to those sessions at my own conference. And I think PD's an interesting thing just in general because there's so many different ways to deliver it. There's so many different approaches as Kristen was kind of laying out. Sometimes it makes sense for it to be a panel discussion because you want to hear from as many people as you possibly can versus sometimes I want to hear one district's in depth story start to end this. You can kind of, you know, pick and choose and depending on where you're at, like, oh, I know a little bit about that. So I want to Go to the panel discussion and hear about, you know, how they actually went through it versus oh my God, I know absolutely nothing about this topic. I need to go to an in depth session and, you know, really be treated like a beginner. I think this is just, you know, you know, yet another, you know, for, for all lifelong learners. This is just another one of the stops along the way and it happens to be in lovely Dallas. But you've got the opportunity if you think about how much stuff we touch at school business. Like my husband sometimes will listen to me having conversations. He's like, oh, your job is way harder than mine because we dabble in so many things. Like, you know, transportation is just an industry, but it's a part of what we do. Same thing with food service, same thing with curriculum. Same thing. So I think it's, it's nice to go someplace where you can pick a track if you want to, to stay on a track the whole time or if you want to, you know, jump around, you can kind of, you know, choose your own adventure.
- [25:40]
A
And when you talk to people, you're not met with a bunch of blank stares and all the other stuff that you have to do, you know.
- [25:45]
B
Exactly, exactly. They're not like, oh, okay, right.
- [25:49]
A
I don't understand what you do, but sounds interesting.
- [25:51]
B
They look at you and they're like, I feel your pain. I feel your pain.
- [25:54]
A
Yeah, yeah, I can see it. I can see your pain.
- [25:56]
B
Yeah. We had a parent that was even worse or we had an implementation that was even worse. So yeah, absolutely.
- [26:01]
A
Right. So not only is Ace a wonderful opportunity for professional development, one of the best things is really the networking and the opportunity to connect with your fellow school business official. So. So beyond the sessions, Lori, what other opportunities will attendees have to connect with each other across the country?
- [26:18]
C
So we'll have several times when attendees can connect. And our first gathering for all the attendees will be our opening session. That's on Tuesday at 1pm this really kicks off the conference and it gets you into the conference spirit and allows you to meet up with your fellow attendees for the first time all together. And then that night, on Tuesday night, we have our welcome reception that begins at 6:30 at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel. And we'll have a live band, some snacks and beverages. And immediately following the welcome reception, this year's President's Reception hosted by ASGO International President Wanda. She will continue the festivities in that same room for an additional hour. So you can plan to dance and connect with everyone from 6:30 to 8:30. That night. New this year, we have some built in open networking time. And this isn't a formal program. It's just some downtime that you can schedule to meet up with someone that you want to connect with at any location. And these times have been placed toward the end of the conference day and right before a reception would start, so you can debrief about your day or make some dinner plans. And I hope attendees really take advantage of this allotted time to make sure that you don't have to run from one end of the conference day directly to the next activity. This will kind of be the buffer between those two things.
- [27:39]
A
That's great because the conference I've felt is jam packed full of stuff. So it's as soon as you're done with sessions, you're on to the night events and then you're onto something else and then before you know it, it's then the next day. So having a little bit of downtime and open time sounds. Sounds nice. We talked a little bit about the Expo, always a highlight for attendees. Can you share a little bit more about what's in store for this year, what attendees can look forward to?
- [28:01]
C
Yes, I love a great expo and we have a lot of great exhibitors participating this year and we continue to grow our exhibit hall. And this year you can see over 140 companies showcasing their products and services. All of our expo times, they are dedicated hours. So what that means is there's no, no other programming schedule during that time slot. So you're not missing out on education when you go to Expo. Expo is your time to be able to allow attendees to focus on finding solutions that they need to the challenges that they're experiencing back in their school districts. So as always, we'll have our Expo hall game, which is just a fun way to encourage you to meet up with exhibitors that are participating. That, and that's through our event app. There'll be the relaxation station that features seated massages, you know, because school business officials need to relax and they need to be pampered too. So take care, take advantage of that and pop in there for a few minutes before you have your next meeting with an exhibitor. And then we'll also have our ASBO International booth. And that's basically a hub of information for you. So whether you're looking to learn more about obtaining your SFO, or you want to talk to the legislative team, or you want to meet the candidates for the upcoming ASBO International election, just be sure to stop by our booth because there are Going to be staff members there and a lot of people interacting to answer any ASBO International questions that you have. So the Expo hall is always full of activity and it's, it's just, to me, it's exciting. I just think expos are just so fun and we'll have food and beverages in there as well on both days. So make sure you stop by in the Expo hall during both of our hours that we have on Wednesday and Thursday because you can't see everybody and just the first day. So make sure you are like Angie and you map out who you're going to see and schedule time with people so that you know they know that you're coming to see them. But we look forward to having everyone there and look forward to seeing the hustle and bustle of the Expo Hall.
- [29:56]
A
That's great. You know, to Angie's earlier point, one thing that we took back from ASBO International in New York was doing that dedicated Expo hall time. Because both for those who are exhibiting and the attendees know that that's dedicated time that they can interact. They're being distract or pulled into sessions and kind of saying, hey, I'll be right back. I got the session I really want to go to, but I also really want to talk to you. So we adopted that format in New York on the ASBO board and that has proven really successful. But yeah, the Expo is great. Can't beat a good exhibit hall with all those great vendors. Andrew, you talked to this a little bit prior, but how have you used the Expo to find solutions for your school district specifically?
- [30:38]
B
Oh, great question. I think, you know, it's, it's started conversations. I mean, to, to your point, there are vendors who, you know, we all know that shortly before any conference starts, they release the email list and you get all these emails saying, come see me at Boots.
- [30:53]
D
Such and such.
- [30:53]
B
Do you ignore a lot of them? Yeah, because maybe you already have something that's working, but every year there's at least a few where I'm like, okay, I'm gonna stop by and take a look at this. And so, you know, we've. There's a few things that I'm working on right now that I haven't decided final. So I'm not going to say we've made a vendor change or we bought something, but there's definitely a few things that we saw last year that we're still having conversations about that started with conversations that I had there. And oftentimes I think they're things that you just either weren't aware of or you heard about it in a session and then you went to find the booth after you went to the session because now you want more information. I just think it's like I said before, I think it's, it's a nice low key way to, to talk to people without having to, you know, be annoyed because they're trying to put a date on your calendar and you, your calendar feels so crammed. I also think in all honesty, that part of your job as a school business official, you know, we're always, we spend taxpayer money and you should be looking to do that in the most efficient way possible. And if you've got the opportunity to essentially shop while you're at a conference to potentially look for new partners, you need to be bringing things back from this conference that justify why you went. So being to, able to say to your superintendent or your board that, you know, I saw this really good, cool program that XYZ district is doing and then I was able to connect to the vendor and you know, they're coming in in two weeks to meet with, you know, our tech team and me. I think that just helps also to, to tell the story about why the conference is a worth, worthwhile investment. Because let's be honest, if you can come away from the conference doing one thing more efficiently, you probably paid for, you know, what it cost you to go.
- [32:46]
A
That's a great point. All right, million dollar question for those listening. Why do you think school business officials should make Acne 2025 a priority?
- [32:56]
B
If you really want an opportunity to see what's working across the country, if you want a chance to network with your peers that, you know, kind of. My previous answer like this is a worthwhile investment. There are some conferences that you go to and you know, it's a, it's down the street. If it's great, it's not, it doesn't really matter. This, it's a big deal to, to, to work this into your budget, to travel, to take the time out of the office. But I really do think that if you go and you go to the sessions, because sometimes, you know, there can be lots of distractions in Dallas or Nashville. But if you go to the sessions and you, you go to the keynotes and you go walk through the expo, you, I'd be hard pressed to find a person who at the end of that week wouldn't say that it was worth the time investment, the financial investment and that they and potentially their district aren't better for it.
- [33:49]
D
So just really exactly What Angie was saying, it's really the one place where school business officials can come together on a national level to learn, share and connect. It's hundreds of your peers in the same room as you who are dealing with the same challenges as you. And that perspective, it's honestly just invaluable. And it's what we hear over and over and over again from our attendees. You know, it's great to go to your state conference and meet your peers who are dealing with the same things, but to go to the national level and be able to hear same challenges, but maybe different solutions, maybe even some slightly different challenges, but they still relate to you. So those are things that you just aren't going to be able to, you know, get anywhere else. The education program is also designed to be practical. Practical and actionable. So you can sit in the session one morning and then apply what you learned that day in your district as soon as you got back. And I said that earlier, we can't say it enough. It's, you're going to learn something that you can change when you go back home. And if you don't learn anything that you can change when you go back home, I mean, I would be shocked if you didn't. You're also going to learn that, you know what, I'm doing that right. I wasn't sure if I was doing that right, but I just got reassurance that, yes, that is how my peers are doing it, and I just need to give it some time or whatever it may be. So sometimes that might be what it is that you're taking back to your district. So, you know, whether it's going to one of the sessions, whether it's talking to someone in the Expo hall or making a connection at Innovation Hour. You know, I will say this over and over again as well. What's great about Innovation Hour is that it's, you know, low pressure. So you're just talking to what could become a friend, right? And that friend might be someone who, three years from now, offers a product or service that you need. And you're going to remember this great conversation that you had with them at Innovation Hour about something completely different. But now you're like, oh, I need help in this particular area. I'm going to call that person who I had that conversation with because they were so helpful and I learned so much from them, or I just made such a great connection that now I have an opportunity to work with them. So I want to be able to do it. And those are the things that I think that make ACE invaluable and you're sort of got to attend meeting of the year.
- [36:03]
C
So in summary, there are two things we always hear about conference that are important. Number one, education. Number two, networking. Both are valuable for not only your job but also growth in your career. So come to ACE25.
- [36:18]
A
Well said, Lori. And then for someone who may be attending acne for their first time in Fort Worth, what piece of advice could you offer this individual.
- [36:27]
D
So I can start this one first? Take some time before you arrive to look through the schedule. Pick a few sessions that align with the challenges that you're facing, but also leave room for the things that you just didn't expect. So some sessions that you might not realize that you want to attend, but once you're on site you realize how valuable it might be. I would also say to make sure that you have a backup session. So here's the first session that I want to attend. No problems getting into the room. I'm going to go in, I'm going to sit in that one. But if you can't get into the room or you go into the room and you start listening, you're like, oh, this isn't what I thought it was going to be. Have already a session in mind that you'd like to go to instead. This way you're not sort of standing in the hallway trying to figure out what to do and then you don't do anything and you lose an opportunity to gain some knowledge on something. So have a plan. Put a plan in place. Again, those learning journey maps can help with that. So if you're not even sure where to start but you know you're coming under a certain sort of perspective, HR whatever it may be, go check out those learning journey maps and use those as a place to start and putting your schedule together. We will soon release tomorrow if, if, if all goes well. I don't know when this is going to come out, so it'll certainly be out after this. Our app. Get the app downloaded. Start looking at it now. Start favoriting your sessions. Start adding things to your schedule so you can always change it later. You don't have to stick with it, but start thinking about it before you get on site. At a minimum, think about it when you're on the plane. But any as as far as advance you can start looking at that. That would be great. I definitely encourage first timers but everyone to check out the new format. So don't just go to the education sessions, check out the panels and the storytelling Sessions, there's almost always one panel and one storytelling session in each time slot. There's a couple where there isn't, but you'll, you'll see those. So check those out. I'll say it again because I can't stop Innovation Hour. You don't want to miss it. Just go there, check that out again. Don't miss the Expo hall as well. The energy in the Expo hall is always great. So even if you just need a pep up before you go out to dinner because you're starting to, to lose your energy for the day, go in, you'll gain energy from the energy in the room, so certainly take some time in there. And then finally, what I think is one of the most important pieces of the meeting is what you can take back home. So make sure that you, as you go through the conference, you're taking notes with your team in mind so that you can share those key takeaways and really multiply the impact in your district. If you haven't already upgraded to district Membership plus, this is the time to do that. It will help you extend the value of the meeting. All of the ACE sessions are recorded and added to the ASBO learn. And with this membership plus upgrade, which is only $200, you'll be able to have access to all of those recorded sessions from this year's conference, but also from past conferences for no extra cost once you've upgraded to Membership plus. So once the conference ended, you and your team can go back, catch up on those sessions. You can catch up on things that you didn't get to go to. We're going to have an amazing closing session where we talk about some of the great sessions that folks attended and what they learned from those. So if you come to that and you're making notes about sessions that you didn't get to attend, this will be your opportunity to get to view those when they're available. We'll have them up before the end of the year. So yeah, you'll be able to take that and then also share that with your team. And then that also is, you know, invaluable. Hey, I went to this great session. Here's what I took away from it. But now also you can go and watch the session and see what you get from it. Maybe even have some, you know, times where you say, hey, I want everybody on the team to go view this session. And then in our next staff meeting, we'll talk about what we learned from it. So don't miss out on that opportunity as well.
- [40:14]
B
So I did a couple of practical things. Comfy shoes. I'm a sneaker girl. I'm a sneaker girl. So wear different colors every day. But comfy shoes.
- [40:22]
A
Or sparkly boots.
- [40:23]
B
Yeah, or sparkly boots. It's overnight. And then I also think it's a great opportunity. I know Illinois, like, you know, show your state pride. Like, let people know where you're from. Like, you know, we as a group will wear certain colors on certain days because that lets you find your people. Everybody likes to find their people. And sometimes, you know, if you go to a conference for the first time and you're a little intimidated being able to clearly see, those are the people in blue. Those are my Illinois friends, then they can introduce you to other people. So, you know, have fun with it. Like, you know, show. Show your state pride. I know people get into the whole pin exchange and all that kind of thing, too, but even if you're not one of those people, you know, finding your people, dividing and conquering. Like, if you're there with a friend, like, and there's two great sessions at the same time, hey, you go to this one and I'm going to go to this one. So then we can. We can both talk about them later. Divide and conquer.
- [41:13]
C
I would say the one thing that I recommend, because you can't learn or network if you don't put yourself out there. So although sometimes it can be hard to pull yourself away from the people that you're so excited to see and your friends and your colleagues that maybe you only get to see one time a year. Don't be afraid to sit next to someone you don't know in a session. And don't be afraid to introduce yourself to someone you haven't met yet, because you never know where that relationship could lead you in your career and in your. The needs that you have to solving your problems in your school district.
- [41:42]
A
It's great. I just quick want to circle back to something that Angie just blew right past the whole pin exchange thing. That is like an entire subculture of acd. Can.
- [41:53]
D
Can.
- [41:53]
A
So can one of you explain this? It was just like this phenomenon when I first went. I'm like, what is going on here? Everybody's coming up to me. Do you have a pin? Do you have a pin? I'm like, I have no idea what you're talking about. So prep the listeners. What the heck is the pin thing?
- [42:06]
D
I mean, pins, that's exactly what they are. I'm from West Virginia, so I can't even say the word right but there's also a super secret staff pen that you can get. So when you see one of us in our true blue, be sure to stop us and say, do you have the staff pen? If this is something that you're interested in. But people bring pens from across the U.S. so they're, you know, the states kind of come in droves and they'll all have pens and everybody kind of trades to get the newest, greatest pen. There's also all of the old ones at the ASBO booth. You can come and look and see past ones. Lots of trading between people. Hey, I have this one. I have more than one of this one. Do you have one of that one? And those staff pins are limited edition. There's only a handful of them. So if you get one of those, you're lucky.
- [42:52]
A
And isn't. Isn't Denny the, like, unofficial archaeologist of, of the pins? I, I saw he had a table in Nashville last year and there was pins dating back decades. I think it was pretty impressive.
- [43:03]
C
I love the title Archaeologist. That's amazing. We're gonna have to start calling him Denny the Archaeologist now. He'll love it.
- [43:10]
B
Like Indiana Jones. There you go. Yeah.
- [43:12]
D
You want any history on asbo, Go to that table, find Denny. And maybe it's the pens, maybe it's something else. He'll know it. So spend some time chit chatting with him. It's a, it's a fun experience.
- [43:25]
A
Great. So as we wrap up here, where can people listening find more information out about this conference and where to register and really what to expect in more detail?
- [43:35]
C
If you go to asbointl.org ace25, you will find all the menu options, all the links that you want that we've referenced today and be able to register for conference.
- [43:51]
A
Great. Great. Well, it's been such a pleasure talking to all of you, and I have to say I was a little hesitant to do this episode because unfortunately, I cannot make it this year. And my FOMO was bad before and now it's way worse. Way, way worse. But I wish all of you the best time. And to all those attending Fort Worth, I hope everyone gets everything they can out of the conference. And I'll be back in 26. But thank you so much for speaking with me today.
- [44:14]
B
Thank you.
- [44:14]
D
Thank you, John. We'll miss you.
- [44:16]
B
Thanks.
- [44:18]
A
Thank you for tuning in to School Business Insider. Make sure to check back each week for your favorite topics on school business. Sam.