National Coalition of Girls' Schools Newsletter
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Limited Spaces Available for "Introduction to Girls' Schools" Course
Member Benefit: "The Girls' School Advantage" Video
Magnificat High School to Host Spirituality in Education Conference
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THE COALITION CONNECTION
June 3, 2016
Dear NCGS Community,

In the last issue of The Coalition Connection, I shared the dates of several upcoming NCGS professional development opportunities so you could mark them on your calendar. Today, I'm pleased to share a broader overview of the theme for the 2017 NCGS Conference, Education Innovation: Building Cultures of Creativity.

When the NCGS team was brainstorming potential focus areas for the conference, the concept of "innovation" quickly rose to the top. We asked ourselves, "What exactly do our member schools mean when they talk about innovation?" So, like all good students, we started by consulting a common educational resource -- a dictionary.

innovation
noun  |   in�no�va�tion  |   \ˌi-nə-ˈvā-shən\
  1. : the introduction of something new
  2. : a new idea, method, or device
We agreed this is the standard definition of the word "innovation". We felt, however, that the word encompasses so much more at our schools -- after all, a hallmark of girls' schools is to dive deeper. Our definition is much broader in scope -- one with an emphasis on process and problem-solving rather than on the end product itself. Innovation is not simply about change for change's sake or upgrading to the latest technology -- it's about developing new solutions to existing challenges as well as those that have not even been considered yet. It's about asking new questions -- and asking questions in new ways. It's about challenging limits and exploring possibilities, all while staying true to your beliefs and mission.

What does this mean for education? For classroom teachers, it might entail delivering content in a new, more effective way. For academic administrators, it could result in developing alternative ways for students to master 21st century skills -- and for faculty to assess them. For advancement professionals and enrollment managers, it might include rethinking the use of social media or expanding applicant pools to achieve new levels of constituent engagement and financial sustainability for our schools.

And what does it mean for students -- especially girls? It means providing girls with opportunities to develop the behaviors, skills, habits, and mindsets that will allow them to dream big, try, fail, reimagine, try again, and make their way confidently through the world. It means, in addition to teaching them about history or science or how to speak another language, educators are also helping them to become curious, courageous, empathetic, creative, collaborative problem solvers and global citizens.

In short, innovation is about asking, "What's next?"

We invite you to join fellow educators at the 2017 NCGS Conference, Education Innovation: Building Cultures of Creativity, to define -- and perhaps redefine -- what innovation means for you and your school! Mark your calendar for June 25-27, 2017, at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, DC, for what promises to be an engaging three days full of sharing ideas, making connections, and enthusiastically exploring the possibilities of "what's next?"

Best Wishes,
Megan  

Megan Murphy 
Executive Director
Limited Spaces Available for "Introduction to Girls' Schools" Course
NCGS and Online School for Girls (part of One Schoolhouse) are pleased to once again offer the highly successful "Introduction to Girls' Schools," an online professional development opportunity. This course provides instructional insight to all teachers new to girls' schools, be they seasoned educators or new professionals. In order for your recently hired faculty to thrive and succeed at their first girls' school, it is valuable to provide them with an orientation to the most effective methods for teaching girls. Spots are filling fast -- register today!
 
"Introduction to Girls' Schools" is a four-week long course and requires participants to spend approximately four hours a week engaged in the class. Three sessions will be offered:
  • June 20-July 15, 2016
  • July 25-August 19, 2016
  • October 10-November 4, 2016
What Participants Say:
"This course was a true experience in sharing experiences, methods, and advice on teaching girls. I came away with more confidence and ideas that will benefit my students." -- Agnes Irwin School faculty member

"This course was the perfect introduction to girls' schools. It allowed me to work on my own, while still engaging with classmates via online discussions. The material was highly relevant, well organized and the instructors were wonderful." -- The Hockaday School faculty member

Course Faculty:
NCGS Trustee Ann Klotz, Head of School, and Kathryn Purcell, Assistant Head of School, at Laurel School will mentor faculty through the first session of the course. Former NCGS Board President and Trustee Margaret Broad, retired Head of School from St. Margaret's School, will lead faculty in the second summer session and the fall session.
 
Click here for more information, including fees and the registration form.

Member Benefit: "The Girls' School Advantage" Video

Among the many benefits of NCGS membership is complimentary access to "The Girls' School Advantage: By the Numbers," a video presentation of research highlights that helps make the case for the unique benefits of all-girls schools. This advocacy outreach tool is available exclusively to NCGS member schools.


NCGS encourages our members to share "The Girls' School Advantage" on social media via the NCGS YouTube channel and to download the presentation to add to your school's website. In addition, it is an extremely effective tool for several school departments. Here are just a few of the ways members can maximize use of this new resource:
  • Heads can share it for inspiration at an all-staff/faculty meeting.
  • Admissions can run it on a continuous loop in the background during open houses, new parent orientations, back-to-school nights, etc. and play it on a laptop during recruiting fairs.
  • Alumnae Relations can air it at regional alumnae receptions and during reunions.
  • Advancement can show it to prospective donors to help make the case for the effectiveness of an all-girls education.
  • Communications can use the data and information included in the presentation to draft Op-Eds and make the case for girls' schools in the media. 
To receive access to the video download page for member school use, please email Olivia Haas.
 
Click here to view an updated, extensive list of NCGS member benefits.

Magnificat High School to Host Spirituality in Education Conference
Magnificat High School, in collaboration with Columbia University's Teachers College, will host The Spirituality in Education Conference in Rocky River, OH (near Cleveland) from October 27-28, 2016.
 
Through a series of presenters, workshops, and activities, conference attendees will explore two essential questions:
  1. How does attending to students' spiritual development lead to a more inclusive, holistic educational experience?
  2. What emerging spiritual practices exist in research and education to support balance, wellness, and meaning in our schools and beyond?
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Lisa Miller, a Professor of Psychology and Education, Director of the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, and founder and Executive Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute. She is the author of the New York Times Best Seller "The Spiritual Child," which contains over 15 years of research on the impact of religion and spirituality on young people.
 
Click here for more information, including the call for proposals and registration form.