Our Wildwood, Volume 48

There’s no question that schools are filled with strong women who dedicate their lives to creating educational environments where students can learn and grow. However, while women comprise the majority of teaching positions (approximately 70-74 percent), research shows that many women aren’t obtaining leadership positions in K–12 schools across the U.S. When averaging the total number of school board members, principals, superintendents, and chief state education officers, women comprise approximately 30 percent nationally. However, the case for more women in school leadership positions is clear, strong, and pressing. Diving further into the data, the schools where these women are part of the leadership team happen to be among the top performing elementary, middle, and high schools in the U.S.* With a series of female leaders going back to our founding in 1971, Wildwood has bucked this national trend to the benefit of students, alumni, and our faculty and staff. Women make up the majority of our Heads Leadership Team members, as well as trustees. Wildwood is also a longtime member of The Head’s Network, founded in 1920 to promote female leadership in schools. Current Head of School Landis Green is a former trustee for the organization. From founder Belle Mason to former Head of School Hope Boyd, current school directors to emerging student leaders, Wildwood women always have (and continue to) lead the way.

* Benchmarking Women’s Leadership in the United States , University of Denver, 2018

OWW WINTER 2023

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