Girls on the Edge

This week I finished Dr. Leonard Sax’s book, Girls on the Edge: The Four Factors Driving the New Crisis for Girls.  Some of you may have attended Dr. Sax’s lecture when he visited St. Mary’s School earlier this year. WYWLA Dean of Students, Julia Taylor, and I spent time with him at the National Coalition of Girls’ School Annual Conference we attended in February.

Dr. Sax’s text is filled with anecdotes of his experiences with girls through his work in pediatrics and psychology; he shares stories about his visits to girls’ schools around the country. Moreover, he presents his findings with hope that it is within our power and it is our responsibility as parents, as educators, and as a community to bring our girls safely “back from the edge” so they will realize their full potential.

On page 203 of the book, Dr. Sax talks about his visit to PACE Center in Orlando, FL. Director Jill Gentry states, “Once a girl at this school [PACE] finds her voice, she will not lose it.” I paused as I read this; Gentry has described one of the outcomes Ms. Taylor and I envision for WYWLA students. Ms. Taylor is dedicating her time to developing the Girls Leadership Class (GLC), a cornerstone to our students’ experiences. GLC will meet daily for 30-minutes with each faculty member working closely with a small group of our students to guide them in discovering and employing the power of their voice. Each year GLC will have a specific thematic focus, with a culminating school-wide project.  As we interview candidates for teaching positions each Saturday, we are sharing GLC with them to ensure that they understand and are enthusiastic about the program. Our collaborative commitment to GLC will ensure that our students not only find their voices, but also that they share it!

In the same chapter, Dr. Sax writes, “One reason I’ve become a proponent of girls’ schools is because a girls’ school can so easily provide an authentic community of girls and women.” WYWLA certainly intends to create an inclusive community of women and men who are working on behalf of our girls.

To that end, Ms. Taylor and I are building partnerships throughout the Raleigh community to ensure that our students are supported within and beyond our school. This week I met Cynthia Marshall, President, AT&T North Carolina, who enthusiastically expressed support of our school.  She facilitated Vision 2015: Workforce Development Strategic Planning Forum, as part of the North Carolina New Schools Project strategic planning process. Mrs. Marshall is committed to a vision for North Carolina in which each child is college and career ready.

We also attended the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Advisors to present Wake Leadership Academy. This gathering afforded us the opportunity to inform entrepreneurial women and men about our school. We have invited them to participate with us to develop a comprehensive career development program that includes speakers, business lunches, volunteering, job shadowing, and internships. Their enthusiastic reception encourages us to believe that we will be able to provide each senior an internship as part of our academic program.

The only edge that WYWLA students will approach with be the edge of possibility. As a community, we will help them soar.

Teresa Pierrie