Women in Educational Leadership Network Meeting

Description

These afternoon network meetings are for anyone interested in gender equality and the role of women in educational leadership. This is looking to be another incredible meeting with our guest speaker being Josie Janz-Dawson. Josie is an Australian netball player, who plays for the West Coast Fever. Josie is also manager for the Wirrpanda Foundation's Deadly Sista Girlz, Josie leads the programme, today successully operating in several states and in communities across Western Australia. Aiming to engage, inspire and empower young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls between the ages of eight and 17. Deadly Sista  Girlz presents strong role models to promote healthy lifestyles, regular school attendance and positive behaviours amoung younger Aboriginals.

This meeting will be held at Christ Church Grammar School. The meetings usually allow for networking from 4.30pm to 5.00pm followed by a speaker from 5.00pm to around 5.30pm. The meeting concludes with refreshments and further networking opportunities. 

‘As many teachers, particularly women, do not consider leadership roles until it is suggested to them by someone else, the identification and development of potential leaders needs to be formalised, rather than just being left to chance.’ Lacey (2005, p4)

‘In addressing this issue, some valuable lessons about women in leadership can be learned from the experience of business and other sectors, However, the unique context in education, of a lack of female principals in a predominantly female workforce, require exploration. This needs to be undertaken urgently, as Australia faces a major challenge in identifying and developing the next generation of school leaders, I believe that a strategic and cohesive national approach is required to meet that challenge and the women in our teacher workforce have a crucial role to play.’ Barbara Watterston (2010, p11)