Center for the Advancement of Girls
Center for the Advancement of Girls
Center for the Advancement of Girls

 

What Does Advancing Girls Look Like?

We are Agnes Irwin's Superpower!

The Center for the Advancement of Girls creates opportunities that empower our community of learners to live their lives with intention, to cultivate their unique voice and to build confidence. The Center seeks to address three essential questions:

What is best for girls?
What do girls need to thrive?
What does it mean to empower girls?

We ensure that every girl at Agnes Irwin is seen, valued and celebrated as she navigates the complexities and layers of her identity. By staying abreast of best practices in educating girls, the Center is the catalyst for creating the most responsive environment for every girl to become her best, most empowered self.

Because the future of the world depends on her.


 

Upcoming Scholars & Speakers Events

Lisa Damour, PhD

Lisa Damour, PhD

Virtual Parent Session: An Evening with Dr. Lisa Damour
The Center for the Advancement of Girls at The Agnes Irwin School invites you to a virtual session with Dr. Lisa Damour to discuss her latest book, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

* This presentation is supported in partnership with the Clower Family Speakers Fund and the Class of 1957 Speaker's Series Endowed Fund.

REGISTER / SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR DR. DAMOUR

Dr. Lisa Damour is the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which have been translated into twenty-three languages. She is the host of the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration with UNICEF, and is recognized as a thought leader by the American Psychological Association. Dr. Damour is also a regular contributor to The New York Times and CBS News.

Dr. Damour serves as a Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University and has written numerous academic papers, chapters, and books related to education and child development. 

Dr. Damour graduated with honors from Yale University and worked for the Yale Child Study Center before earning her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Michigan. She and her husband are the proud parents of two daughters.


Programs

We partner with leading academic researchers and advocates that study the trends, influences, and experiences that shape our girls' futures.

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Professional Development

The Center is committed to supporting our teachers and staff in their understanding of the unique and evolving needs of girls. All of our teachers are kept abreast of current research, trends and best practices in teaching girls.

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Partnerships and Experiential Learning

We forge partnerships with colleges, universities, businesses, and non profits to expand our curricula and extend our educational experiences—allowing our students to apply what they have learned in innovative ways.

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Our Work

The Center aims to ensure that all girls Pre-K through 12th grade see themselves represented in our work by providing an array of narratives, experiences, and voices to inspire them. We translate information on girls into sustainable, innovative programs and forge generative, mutually beneficial partnerships with organizations, universities, fellow girls’ schools and nonprofits that address the unique needs and influences of girls in developmentally appropriate ways across all three divisions.  

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Ali Monzo is the Director of Programs and oversees the development of on-campus programming that serves girls PreK-12th grade. It was during her time at Dickinson College as an undergraduate where she realized a passion for girls education. Upon graduation she matriculated to Catholic University in Washington D.C. where she worked as an Assistant Field Hockey coach while earning her masters in secondary education.

Vanessa Pope is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Experiential Learning. After completing her BA at Harvard College and her M.Ed. at USC, Vanessa worked for various nonprofits and corporations. With her background in business (she started MudLab in Oakland, CA), and her experience working in Waldorf education, public schools and abroad (Somaliland & France), Ms. Pope seeks to enrich the curriculum by coordinating opportunities for girls outside of the classroom. 

 

Ali and Vanessa work closely to bring together cross divisional teams and help the school function more cohesively to specifically adapt to the needs of girls. By pulling out the key aspects of current research and chunking material for busy teachers, CAG helps educators hone their practices. Encouraging community partnerships and finding organizations who can support and strengthen our mission is at the heart of our work.