Today, hundreds of global educators from independent schools across North America descend upon Washington, D.C. to kick off the Global Education Benchmark Group’s (GEGB) annual conference, hosted by Holton-Arms. A leader in preparing K-12 students for a culturally diverse and rapidly changing world, GEGB challenges its member schools engage students in deep learning about complex global issues, leverage virtual learning to integrate global perspectives from peer schools around the world, strengthen policies and procedures around global travel and better design and assess global competencies across disciplines and grade levels. 

With more than 380 people registered (a record for GEBG!), Holton is proud to host experts and peers in this field. Holton is also honored to be leading several sessions during the conference including:

STATE OF OUR WORLD: A DIALOGUE WITH AMBASSADORS

Three former ambassadors in dialogue with Head of School Susanna Jones in partnership with American Women for International Understanding. Panelists include Ambassador (ret) Judith Cefkin who served concurrently as the U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu, while resident in Suva, Fiji; Ambassador (ret) Eunice Reddick, the US ambassador to Niger, as well as to Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe. Most recently, she was in charge of the US Embassy in Burundi; and Ambassador (ret) Tatiana Gfoeller, who served as the ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, in Central Asia and part of the former Soviet Union. 

STATE OF OUR WORLD: A DIALOGUE WITH ALUMNI JOURNALISTS

Two accomplished journalists and alumni of two different GEBG member schools–– Justin Worland of Time magazine and Joshua Keating, author of Invisible Countries – in dialogue with Holton-Arms board member and alumna, Clara Brillembourg '97.

PANEL: GIRLS AS GLOBAL CITIZENS

This panel featuring Melissa Brown, Director of Diversity, Wellbeing, and Global Education, will explore the unique opportunity girls schools have to cater their global programs and efforts to their communities. Many girls schools within the GEBG community have been actively building and designing programs that center girls leadership and development as global citizens.

Bringing Schoolwide Global Competencies Into Every Student’s Learning

Melissa Brown and Kelly Randall lead this workshop featuring Holton’s schoolwide goals and competencies that articulate specific student learning outcomes related to DEI, wellness, and global education. This session will share more about the collaborative process of developing these goals and competencies. Presenters will also share some examples of how these schoolwide competencies are used to support the design, curriculum, and assessment of various learning opportunities and courses across divisions and disciplines.

PANEL: Climate Change And Global Education

Holton’s own science teacher Rachel Lowenthal is a featured panelist discussing how schools can meaningfully connect the science, ethics, civic engagement, and leadership skills needed to combat climate change through carbon-offsetting travel programs, transdisciplinary coursework, and action-oriented teaching and learning.

PANEL: Heads Of School Reflect On Global Education’s Challenges And Opportunities

Susanna Jones participates in this lively discussion about the role schools play at the nexus of a great number of significant societal challenges and opportunities, from questions of inclusion and social justice to ethical dilemmas around student safety and community wellbeing. Heads of School have been leading in the navigation of these complex and nuanced global circumstances, impacting major decisions related to programmatic, staffing, and budgetary priorities. How have Heads of School at some of GEBG’s leading institutions navigated these tensions, and what do they see as the future of our field, in schools and beyond?

To learn more about GEGB or the sessions featured this year, visit their website.