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So it’s that time again—the last few weeks of the school year! College acceptances have arrived, commitment letters have been signed, and seniors are taking part in a slew of ceremonies and events to celebrate and honor their time in high school before they move on to their next step.

But in the midst of all the excitement and hustle and bustle leading up to commencement, we at Westridge like to take a moment or two to reflect on the journey that has brought our seniors to the moment when they will cross the threshold into their young adulthood, moving from one season into the next.

I am too often asked if there is still a true need for girls’ schools and my answer is always an emphatic yes. Among the reasons is that when girls spend their formative years in a community centered on the needs and voices of girls, they are better prepared to challenge the gender bias they will face outside of school and, critically, they are more likely to support the work of and amplify the voices of other women.

The recent release of McKinsey & Company and Leanin.org’s 7^th Women in the Workplace report caught my eye as we begin work on the fourth priority area of our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, student leadership and agency. Though progress continues, women are still underrepresented in leadership positions and representation decreases with each rung of the corporate ladder, especially for women of color. The report also touches on the changing nature of the roles women are increasingly taking on at work, labor important to outcomes including employee support and diversity, equity, and inclusion, which is not being formally recognized.