Girls’ education in the United States has experienced a renaissance over the last 15 years, and advocacy on behalf of girls is just as important going forward, St. Margaret’s Head of School Margaret R. Broad recently told 270 heads of school from 9 countries.

“It is our responsibility to model best practices and to lead by example as we educate young women to make a difference in the world,” she told attendees at the first International Conference on the Education of Girls. “Not just our girls, but all girls, are counting on us.”

Broad made the opening address at the mid-November conference as president of the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools, which represents 105 schools and 45,000 students in the US and Canada. The event, which took place in London, was co-sponsored by the NCGS and its British counterpart, the Girls’ School Association.

In her comments, Broad shared the strategies behind the remarkable resurgence of American girls’ schools: research, collaboration and communication. As a result of discovering how girls learn, partnering with other schools and organizations, and communicating girls’ schools unique strengths to the public, enrollments at a representative sample of US girls’ schools have increased 25% since 1991. In addition, a recently completed NCGS survey of college freshmen found that 93% of girls’ schools graduates believed themselves to be better prepared than their coed counterparts for the academic challenges of college.

Returning to England to speak about education was a homecoming of sorts for Broad, who began her career there more than 30 years ago. She did her teacher training at a well-known girls’ school, Cheltenham Ladies College, then worked in the government school system before coming to the US and St. Margaret’s in 1980.

Other conference speakers included Girls’ School Association President Clarissa Farr;   the Rt. Hon. Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Minister for Women;   Barbara Cassani, founder of Go Airlines and vice-chair for London’s successful Olympic bid;   Dame Carol Black, President of the Royal College of Physicians;   Laura Liswood, Secretary General of the Council of Women World Leaders;   Dr. Stephanie Cook, 2000 Olympic gold medalist in the modern pentathlon;   Ann Cotton, chief executive of the humanitarian organization CAMFED International, and a constellation of leading academics, including women in astrophysics, neuroscience, polymer science and nuclear energy.

For a full copy of the keynote address and links to references and research, go to www.sms.org/gsa