My Experience at the MISBO Conference

I recently attended the MISBO annual conference in Greenville, South Carolina, hoping to make valuable connections, learn new strategies, and participate in discussions relevant to my role as a K-12 technology director. This was my first time attending a MISBO event, and unfortunately, the experience fell well short of my expectations.

The Hotel: Style Over Substance

One of the first frustrations I encountered was with the hotel. On the surface, it tried to present itself as a high-end business hotel, but it felt more like a façade of luxury. Our room overlooked the lobby, leading to constant noise that disrupted our sleep throughout the stay. A comfortable, quiet space is essential when attending a multi-day event, and this hotel didn’t provide that.

The Content: Where Were the Technology Tracks?

The heart of my disappointment, however, lies with the conference itself. One of the main reasons I chose to attend was that the conference materials advertised tracks specifically for K-12 technology directors. I was eager to learn, exchange ideas with my peers, and discover new approaches to problems I face in my role.

However, once the sessions began, it became clear that the event was focused almost entirely on heads of schools, business officers, and CFOs. While cybersecurity was mentioned occasionally, it was not presented in a way that was meaningful or actionable for someone in my position. It felt like an afterthought—tacked onto discussions meant for an entirely different audience.

Feeling Out of Place

As the conference progressed, I felt increasingly out of place. I had been excited to be part of the event, to engage actively with content that spoke to my professional interests. But instead, I found myself sitting through sessions that were not relevant to my work. By the end of the weekend, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the event was not intended for people in technology leadership, despite what had been promised.

Moving Forward

This weekend left me frustrated and disappointed. While I wanted to come away with insights and meaningful takeaways, I left feeling disconnected and alienated. I’ve decided that this will be my first and last MISBO event—at least until the content and structure of the conference better align with the needs of technology professionals like me.

I do plan to make another post focused on the positive aspects of this trip. I just had to get this out of the way first because the context was super important for me to put up front. While I did enjoy aspects of my trip, most of it was overshadowed by this huge issue.