Breakout Session D – 2024 ICGS Conference

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Breakout Session D
Tuesday, June 25
10:20-11:10 a.m.

Supporting the Social & Academic Success of Grades 7-12 Neurodivergent Girls
Increasingly, students are diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition, however, educators may struggle to understand and support these students. This workshop will help educators to understand the terms neurodiversity, neurodivergent, and neurotypical. With a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD-1), We will discuss what we have learned about supporting girls with an ASD-1 diagnosis, including the common challenges and strengths for students with this profile. This workshop aims to provide a glimpse of the experience of our students with ASD-1 and those supports we have found successful in helping them thrive in our community.

Presenters: Nicole Davies, Director of LINCWell; Nicole Klement, Grade 7-12 Learning Strategist | St. Clement’s School (Canada)

Audience: Middle School; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Teachers/Faculty; Admissions/Enrollment; School Counselors; Student Life; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Practitioners

Assessment of Learning: A Small Shift To Positively Impacting Student Success
We will explore the benefits of shifting to the assessment for learning for students. Being transparent with mastery of content and skills can transform a classroom into an energetic learning environment that best meets the needs of all students. We will discuss how this model can eradicate barriers to student participation, how the information collected can assist educators in shifting instructional pace and content, and how we mitigate assessment anxiety and promote self-confidence by highlighting the comprehensive components of assignments and learning objectives.

Presenter: Ed Dougherty, Director of Innovation | Ashley Hall (United States)

Audience: Elementary/Primary/Lower School; Middle School; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Teachers/Faculty

Action Learning Teams: Promoting Solutions-Driven Professional Collaborations
This presentation explores the synergy between Action Learning Teams (ALTs) and the principles of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to empower educators in steering programmatic change. ALTs are collaborative groups where teachers work together to address real challenges, fostering collective problem-solving and professional development. SDT, comprising autonomy, competence, and relatedness, focuses on cultivating intrinsic motivation and well-being. By integrating ALTs with SDT, we aim to illuminate how autonomy in decision-making, competence through collaborative learning, and a supportive community enhance teacher engagement. Real-world examples, research insights, and actionable strategies will be shared, offering a comprehensive guide for educators seeking impactful, teacher-driven programmatic renewal.

Presenters: Rachel Herlein, Assistant Head of School for Academics; Megan Weiskopf, Director of Teaching and Learning; Leslie Segal, Director of Middle School; Leighann Delorenzo, Director of Upper School | Laurel School (United States)

Audience: Early Childhood; Elementary/Primary/Lower School; Middle School; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Teachers/Faculty; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Practitioners; Professional Development Facilitators

Girl Ethical Hackers: Global Impact in Cybersecurity via Experiential Learning
The Baldwin School’s high-school Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking class represents a highly impactful, experiential learning journey. Students utilized real-world and browser-based tools for ethical hacking, developing critical skills in cybersecurity and ethical decision making. Through team-based reconnaissance, students uncovered vulnerabilities, experimented with testing various security measures, and mined diverse sources, including ChatGPT, to draft insightful reports. Their efforts led to the identification and reporting of approximately 100 vulnerabilities to over 30 organizations across the world, thereby significantly enhancing global cybersecurity. This session offers insights into integrating experiential learning in education and empowering students to be global change agents.

Presenter: Thomas Heverin, Cybersecurity and Ethical Hacking Teacher | The Baldwin School (United States)

Audience: Middle School; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Teachers/Faculty; Communications/Marketing

Best Practices: PBL through Laro, Likha and Linang
Miriam College’s presentation showcases the successful integration of Project-Based Learning (PBL) into our educational framework, fostering transformative impact on students, parents, and faculty. Aligned with our vision-mission, PBL, supported by Design Thinking, incorporates unique phases – Laro (Inspiration), Likha (Ideation), and Linang (Iteration). This approach allows students to delve into authentic, complex challenges, cultivating a deep connection to subjects. Guided by our vision ‘to love and to serve,’ values integration enhances empathy and character development. The Whole Child philosophy underpins our PBL, emphasizing holistic education through well-rounded lesson plans. Evaluation results reveal PBL’s substantial impact on 21st-century skills and positive stakeholder responses, positioning it as an innovative alternative to traditional exams.

Presenter: Maria Coney Pallones, Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs | Miriam College (Philippines)

Audience: Early Childhood; Elementary/Primary/Lower School; Middle School; Senior Administrators

Safe Spaces, Strong Leaders: Cultivating Consent Awareness in Girls’ Schools
Schools play a crucial role in ensuring student safety and fostering a culture of respect. Because 1 in 4 girls face sexual assault before high school graduation, school leaders must use effective tools to teach and model the values of self-respect and mutual respect. Learn strategies to create a Gold Standard program to define sexual assault, integrate training into curricula, and support assault victims, to create a respectful and safe ecosystem for students, faculty, and staff. Participants will learn how to incorporate these principles into their curriculum and inspire student leadership on these critical issues, aligning with their school’s values.

Presenters: Katie Shipp, Executive Director | I Have the Right To; Lauren Lek, Head of School; Diana Agostini, Director of Admissions | Academy of Our Lady of Peace (United States)

Audience: Middle School; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; School Counselors; Student Life; Extracurricular/Co-Academic Programs; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Practitioners

Strong and Supportive Boards Ensure Longer Tenure for Heads and More Strategic Accomplishments. How Do We Build Those Boards?
This session will outline three key ways that Heads and board leaders can ensure the future health of the Board: 1. Cultivating, screening, inviting, orienting, training, evaluating, warning and when necessary removing weak board members. 2. Developing powerful protocols for keeping boards strategic and everyone in their “lanes” to avoid crossing boundaries and channels in ways that undermine leadership and good governance. 3. Evaluating heads, chairs and boards in substantive but safe and appropriate ways that build trust among the parties.

Presenter: John Littleford, Founder | Littleford & Associates (United States)

Audience: Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Board Members

OrchKids Interactive Music-Making Experience: Engage, Learn, and Create!
Following their captivating performance under the guidance of Maestra Marin Alsop, we invite you to immerse yourself in an interactive music-making experience presented by OrchKids, a music education program initiated by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In this engaging session you’ll dive deeper into the heart of OrchKids and its mission to empower young minds through music education. Led by OrchKids students and dedicated staff, this session offers a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the impact of music on individuals and the community. Discover the innovative approaches OrchKids employs to cultivate musical talent and foster a sense of belonging. Through hands-on activities and collaborative exercises, you’ll gain insight into OrchKids’ holistic music education methods, which integrate  music, academic enrichment, mentorship, and social-emotional learning. Whether you’re a seasoned musician or a curious enthusiast, this session welcomes all to participate, explore, and create alongside OrchKids!

Presenters: Danielle Williams, Director of Education; Devin Harrington, Associate Director of Programs; OrchKids Students | OrchKids (United States)

Audience: Early Childhood; Elementary/Primary/Lower School; Middle School; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Teachers/Faculty; School Counselors; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Practitioners

Build Community Wherever You Go: Utilizing Network Partnerships to Empower Women and Girls Globally
Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, USA) is honored to receive the 2024 Moulton Student Grant for Global Citizenship alongside St Ursula’s College Kingsgrove (Sydney, Australia). Together with the Ursuline Sisters of the Asia Pacific, they have used ICGS funding to establish a community kitchen at Mother of Peace Primary School in Battambang, Cambodia. In addition to generating economic opportunities for Cambodian women and providing each school team with an expanded platform for intercultural learning, the project has helped strengthen and unify the larger Ursuline global network. This breakout session will explore the different components of the grant-awarded project, underscoring the challenges, successes, and further potential within the tri-community partnership and beyond.

Presenters: Erin Prada, Director of Global Education; Ursuline Academy, Wilmington (United States); Dr. Trisha Medeiros, President; Ursuline Academy, Wilmington (United States)

Audience: Teachers/Faculty; Upper/Senior/High School; Heads of School/Principals/Presidents/Headteachers; Senior Administrators; Extracurricular/Co-Academic Programs

¡Vámonos! Using Collaborative Tasks to Encourage Risk-Taking and to Build Confidence in Intermediate Spanish Students
Global Action Research Collaborative on Girls’ Education Research Presentation
In this presentation, GARC fellows and Spanish teachers Kate Medley and Lisa Warren discuss their action research projects focusing on building oral confidence and encouraging risk-taking with students of Spanish aged 10-11 and 14-15. Both sets of students showed increased confidence with their oral contributions in lessons. Learn how we structured tasks and groupings to help our students become academic risk-takers and more effective Spanish communicators.

Presenters: Kate Medley, Head of Spanish and Pedagogy Lead | Aylesbury High School (United Kingdom); Lisa Warren, Lower School Teacher | The Bryn Mawr School (United States)

Girls in Science: From Collaboration to Belonging
Global Action Research Collaborative on Girls’ Education Research Presentation
Raising wellbeing through collaboration is a strategy which can be used in the secondary science classroom. This session focuses on harnessing girls’ propensity to social learning to foster a supportive environment and greater sense of belonging in science where students feel engaged, valued and connected to their peers.

Presenters: Aruna Chavali, Teacher of Science | The Spence School (United States); Claire Saxon, Head of Year | Wycombe High School (United Kingdom)

Harmonious Hemispheres: Recontextualised Arts-based Creative Activities and Philosophies Sparking Multidimensional Student Collaboration and Innovation
Global Action Research Collaborative on Girls’ Education Research Presentation
The utilisation of the soft skills developed through Arts subjects can prove to be effective and potent means of aiding students in their self-exploration and fostering their innovative mindset in all forms of education. This session delves into ways in which senior girls engage in collaborative visual arts and drama-inspired activities and philosophies, to prepare themselves for social entrepreneurship and bravely embark on a healthy risk-taking journey with their peers. This interactive session concentrates on the incorporation of creative warmups into non-arts lessons to enhance group dynamics, heighten self-conceptualisation, expand the spectrum of creative thinking, and empowers girls to experience the chaotic, imperfect collaborative process through a lens of possibilities.

Presenters: Samanda Sankowsky, Dance and Drama Teacher, Senior Mentor Teacher | Perth College (Australia); Rachel Inman, Art Teacher and Lead Teacher of GDST Lead | Nottingham Girls’ High School, GDST (United Kingdom)