Leading with Courage: Empowering Girls to Thrive

1. Our Missionis to inspire and develop courageous leaders who think independently, work collaboratively, learn joyfully, and champion change. Our Passionis empowering each girl to live her potential.

2. We Believe … • Empowering a girl changes the world; • It is fundamental to understand and address issues of difference; • An integrated, collaborative curriculum challenges and engages students; • Middle school should be joyful, curiosity-filled, and safe and open to all voices.

3. Innovative Basing all programmatic decisions on how girls thrive. The ultimate outcome of an SGS education is an academically capable and confident young woman.  • Our alumnae say SGS experience was transformative • SGS Advisory Board member, Dr. Joan Deak tells us every interaction a child has, during the course of a day, influences the adult that child will become.  Outcome – resilience!

4. INNOVATIVE TEACHERS = INNOVATIVE OUTCOMES S T E A M

5. Girls at the center Your Homework – do the research! Review The Girls’ School Advantage By The Numbers presented by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS), and shift your perspective on the need for single-gender education.

6. The Research on Resilience • How do girls thrive? What protects them from cyber-bullying? Why are friendships with “unsuitable” girls a good thing? What about the latest brain research really matters? Are single-sex schools and classes good for girls? How can parents and educators work together? Your Homework – do the research!

7. A place where The Middle Matters This We Believe: Keys to Educating Young Adolescents ( Middle School needs to be … Challenging, exploratory, integrative, and relevant.

8. Big Ideas • A Curriculum that focuses on big ideas gives girls permission to dream big. • Our curriculum defines rigorous learning as preparation for high school, future careers and citizenship.

9. Our Alums are wildly successful! Ask for data on alums because they are the ultimate proof points for a school – private or public.

10. Where do SGS students go? Private • Holy Names • Seattle Academy • Lakeside • Seattle Prep • Northwest • University Prep • Bush   • Public • Garfield • Nathan Hale • Roosevelt

11. How do SGS students perform in High School? Average SAT score: 20% advantage • 2013 / 2400 • USA Average – 1538 / 2400 Average ACT score: 22% advantage • 29 / 36 • USA Average – 21 / 36 Average GPA: A • 3.77

12. How do SGS students perform in High School? Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) • 70% in survey enrolled in AP or IB courses • 87% surveyed enrolled in Calculus (14% of USA seniors in Calculus) • 96% surveyed enrolled in Physics (30% of USA seniors in Physics)

13. Informed by standards

14. … AND future oriented! SGS faculty are informed by Common Core Standards as well as the seven “survival skills” for the future defined by Tony Wagner of the Harvard Graduate School of Education: • Critical thinking and problem-solving • Collaboration and leadership • Agility and adaptability • Initiative and entrepreneurialism • Effective oral and written communication • Accessing and analyzing information • Curiosity and imagination

15. Education has changed … and will continue to change! A 21st Century Imperative – A Guide to Becoming a School of the Future by The NAIS Commission on Accreditation • Knowing  Doing • Teacher-centered  Student-centered • The Individual  The Team • Consumption of Info  Construction of Meaning • Schools Networks • Single Sourcing  Crowd Sourcing (Wikipedia)

16. Have a great tour!