Major Project and Travel Update

If you’ve been following the flight paths lately, you’ll know the suitcase hasn’t seen the back of a closet in a while. It’s been a whirlwind run across North and South America—a true “planes, trains, and automobiles” stretch that has taken us from the crisp air of Ontario to the humid, modernist sprawl of Brasilia.

When you spend this much time on the ground (and in the air) with school leaders, you start to see the patterns behind the noise. Here’s a quick look at the rearview mirror and a glimpse at what’s through the windshield.

We kicked things off with the CAIS board both in Toronto and Gatineau, diving deep into the governance puzzles that keep Canadian heads up at night. From there, it was a long haul south to the American School of Brasilia, where the coffee is stronger and the global perspective is even sharper.

Back in the Pacific Northwest, St. George’s in Vancouver BC reminded me why the West Coast remains a hotbed for pedagogical evolution. Then, a quick pivot to the US East Coast and South: Bancroft School in Worcester and Lee-Scott Academy in Auburn. Different zip codes, different vibes, but the same core questions about sustainability and value proposition are echoing in every boardroom.

The itinerary for the next few weeks is, frankly, exhausting just to look at, but the conversations are too good to miss. We’re heading to:

• The West and Far West: Honolulu for the Hawaii School for Girls and LA for Marymount.
• The East: St. George’s in Newport, The Bolles School in Jax, and Brookwood in Thomasville.
• Canada: Back to Ontario for Ridley College and Branksome Hall.
• The Mid-Atlantic & Northeast: Green Hedges in VA, Ravenscroft in Raleigh, Episcopal School of Nashville, and finally  City and Country in Manhattan.

I’m collecting notes, observations, and insights at every stop. The goal is to get a pulse on where we actually stand as an industry as we finish up major strategy projects. 

I’ll be synthesizing all of this—the good, the bad, and the unexpected—into a State of the Industry update this May. Stay tuned for that. It’s going to be a fascinating look at where the puck is headed.

See you down the road.