The American School Counselor Association’s 2016 Annual Conference begins in New Orleans this weekend.

About 2,000 K-12 school counselors, college professors, graduate students, and counseling supervisors will make their way to Crescent City to enhance their knowledge, improve their school-counseling programs, and network with colleagues to discover best practices in the field.

Association: American School Counselor Association

Conference: 2016 ASCA Annual Conference

Venue: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Location: New Orleans

The ASCA Annual Conference is set to start on Saturday with morning tours, afternoon sessions, and an opening general session and reception in the evening. Keynoter Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré will discuss the essential qualities 21st-century leaders need, including “decision superiority” and the ability to “see first, understand first, and act first.” Also on the schedule:

Firsthand experience. Attendees can dive right in on the first day of the conference with EduTours. They’ll have the chance to learn more about students’ inner workings and career options at some of the city’s most famous locations, including the Port of New Orleans and Mardi Gras World.

Legal literacy. School counselors must negotiate the competing interests of the school environment, students’ need for confidentiality, and parents’ legal right to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives. A special three-hour interactive session will focus on recent court cases addressing these issues. Attendees will work through case studies and learn to apply case law as well as federal and state laws.

Long-distance opportunity. Those who can’t attend the meeting in person can register for the virtual conference. Virtual attendees will have access to a livestream of the two keynote addresses, as well as a breakout session in each time slot during the four days of the conference.

The usual social spaces, Facebook and Twitter (#ASCA2016), will have all the other meeting details you’re looking for.