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THE COALITION CONNECTION
February 3, 2017
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Dear NCGS Community,
As the leading advocate for girls' schools, NCGS connects and collaborates globally with individuals, schools, and organizations dedicated to educating and empowering girls. Building on the momentum and energy from the first-ever
Global Forum on Girls' Education, NCGS and our strategic partners in Australasia and the UK are expanding our international collaborations to provide greater value and additional services to our member schools.
As girls' schools continue to globalize their curricula, NCGS, AGSA, and GSA have been receiving an increasing number of requests from our collective member base for information on how to start exchange programs and recommendations of girls' schools that might be suitable partners. To better support the needs of our member schools, our three organizations have created an online
questionnaire that strives to facilitate global connections between mission-aligned girls' schools. The goal of the questionnaire is to assist member schools with establishing successful international student and/or faculty exchange programs, either in person or virtually. The questionnaire is designed to help a school articulate what kind of global exchange it is interested in establishing, whether the school is in the exploratory stage or already has a clear vision for its program.
Click here to complete the questionnaire and have your school added to the Global Exchange Database. After submission of the form, you will receive a list of schools that have also expressed interest in an exchange program along with the requisite contact information. If you have any questions, please contact
Jen Shakeshaft, NCGS Director of Strategic Initiatives & Professional Development.
Through the Global Exchange Database, we hope to increase awareness and understanding of the world and further prepare students and faculty to be of service to the global community.
Megan Murphy
Executive Director
P.S. Save the date for the Global Forum on Girls' Education II: June 18-20, 2018, in Washington, DC!
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New Episode of PEP Talks Podcast Now Available
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"Innovations in Health & Wellness Programming" features LINCWell Program Manager Megan Clay and a student at
St. Clement's School as well as Teacher and High School Lead Advisor Julie Wood and a student at
The Young Women's Leadership School of Brooklyn. They provide a glimpse into the "Healthy Mind Platter" concept for optimizing well-being and the implementation of "talking circles" as a new approach to traditional advisory time.
PEP Talks is a 20-minute professional development resource. Each episode features experts from NCGS member schools sharing and discussing best practices and innovations in educating and empowering girls. We encourage you to share PEP Talks with your faculty, administrators, and trustees.
New episodes of PEP Talks are released monthly (with the exception of March) and are available through the
NCGS website,
iTunes, and now
Google Play.
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Student Conferences and Experiential Trips in 2017
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The following is a list of conferences and experiential learning opportunities for girls happening throughout the next six months:
March 4, 2017
Online Event
This free, online event will feature keynote speakers and crowdsourced presentations by students in grades 6-12 and in college. The conference provides an international forum for the presentation, discussion, and sharing of educational technology in schools and other academic settings.
March 11, 2017
Chattanooga, TN
This free event specifically designed for girls ages 8-18 seeks to equip the next generation of successful business and social entrepreneurs by encouraging girls and their entrepreneurial dreams. Activities include a Girls' Marketplace and Co.Lab's 24Hour Generator -- a marathon brainstorm session with a team of peers and experts.
April 2-4, 2017
Palo Alto, CA
A school-based event for high school girls, the 2017 GAINS Conference will be held at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University. The conference will connect girls interested in STEM with peers and role models; give girls information about a variety of STEM careers through interactions with STEM professionals; and expose girls to STEM-focused research being led by women through workshops, tours, and technical talks.
April 8, 2017
Princeton, NJ
A free conference for risk-takers and changemakers, the day is designed to showcase and inspire girls' confidence, creativity, and leadership in STEM and entrepreneurship. Conference keynotes are Dr. Ellen Stofan, NASA Chief Scientist and Debbie Sterling, GoldieBlox Founder and CEO. Sessions include STEM Talks, a Business Fair, workshops, and expert panel discussions. K-12 girls, their parents, and educators are invited to attend.
Registration
is now open. Click here for more information.
June 11-July 1, 2017
Lisbon, Portugal
During this girls' only session of the aquatic ecosystems and sustainability program, students will explore a range of fascinating topics related to water resources and aquatic biodiversity as they are immersed in conservation and sustainability projects. CIEE is offering a $1,000 program fee discount exclusively for student participants from NCGS member schools.
July 30-August 15, 2017
Malawi, Africa
Girls aged 15-18 from around the world will come together for a camp that will enhance STEAM skills, develop leadership potential, and build networks that will propel students to new opportunities in the STEAM fields. WiSci 2017 will focus on how we can use technology to create a safer, more secure world-especially preventing gender-based violence. This interactive program is built to be a cross-cultural, immersive learning experience.
Applications
are open until February 13. Click here for more information.
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NCGS Student Delegates Report on 2017 Student Leadership Conference in Australia
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Last month, two students from NCGS member schools had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to the "Land Down Under" to attend the 2017 Student Leadership Conference (SLC), hosted by our strategic partner, the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Nina '17 of The Ethel Walker School and Olivia '18 of Holy Name of Mary College School, were selected among several applicants to attend the SLC. Here's what they had to say about their experience:
"SLC was absolutely life changing. There is no doubt in my mind that the speakers and activities throughout the week left me a better leader than when I arrived...I am a much more confident and positive leader. The traits instilled in me at SLC will stay with me for a lifetime and I look forward to continually sharing my strengths with others to help build up other women."
-- Nina
"Throughout these four days, we had inspirational guest speakers that were all successful women from fields that are male-dominated. They explained their imperfect journey and gave us advice on how to be courageous and fight for what we believe in although obstacles will interfere. I learned the importance of chasing your dreams, regardless of all the setbacks that women face. We are all more than capable of creating change!"
--Olivia
Click here to read the full versions of Nina and Olivia's trip summaries.
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Highlights from the NCGS "Listening & Learning Tour"
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Megan Murphy and Jen Shakeshaft traveled to the Lone Star State last week to connect with member schools at the 2017 CASE-NAIS Independent Schools Conference in Austin. On Monday evening, they welcomed over 70 colleagues from across North America to a lively reception generously sponsored by fundraising and management consulting firm Graham-Pelton. The next morning, Megan, Graham-Pelton President Elizabeth Zeigler, and fundraising and leadership consultant Kathleen Loehr delivered a dynamic presentation on "Women in the Philanthropic Driver's Seat" to a room of over 100 attendees. Many thanks to Elizabeth, Kathleen, and Andrea Pactor of the Women's Philanthropy Institute for sharing their time and deep expertise in this field. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the presentation PowerPoint slides, please contact Jen Shakeshaft.
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[L to R] Elizabeth Zeigler, Kathleen Loehr, and Megan Murphy
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Jen then headed to Houston to visit two NCGS member schools. Her first stop was the Young Women's College Preparatory Academy (YWCPA), which is one of eight schools that comprise the Young Women's Preparatory Network. Jen met with Founding Principal Delesa O'Dell-Thomas and learned about the school's exemplary STEM program as well as the variety of strong partnerships YWCPA has forged with local universities and organizations, such as the IPAA (Independent Petroleum Association of America). The visit was capped off with a tour led by two impressive juniors during which Jen had an opportunity to see the exciting $30M bond renovation and construction project currently underway on campus.
The final stop was Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, dedicated to strengthening the "wise hearts and sharp minds" of girls in grades PK-12. Jen visited with Head of School Patricia Swenson and the school's three division heads to learn about Duchesne's 57-year history and future plans. Duchesne provides students with an education deeply rooted in the Sacred Heart tradition with an emphasis on academic inquiry, social awareness, and global outreach. As the world continues to become increasingly connected, the school is exploring innovative ways to tap into the international Network of Sacred Heart Schools and further globalize the student experience.
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