This year, on International Women’s Day, we spoke with Ms Emma McDonald, our Head of Senior School and Deputy Head of the School. As a strong role model for students and staff, she shared her journey to St Michael’s and discussed the obstacles women often face when building a career in education.
Could you please tell us a bit about your pathway into your current position as Head of Senior School and Deputy Head of the School?
It has been a mixture of taking up opportunities as they come and, at other times, being ‘convinced’ to apply for roles, even when I haven’t necessarily felt 100% prepared – which is a very common mindset of a lot of women when seeking out promotions or leadership roles.
I have had a range of roles in both wellbeing and curriculum, firstly as Head of Breen, then Director 7-9, Director of Curriculum, and now my current role (Deputy Head and Head of Senior School).
I have always tried to look for both areas of interest and passion, as well as possible gaps, and matched this to further study. For example, as a passionate advocate for student wellbeing, I undertook a Graduate Certificate in Youth Mental Health. Wanting to also upskill my leadership and governance, I then completed my Masters of Educational Leadership.
I have two boys, and I really want them to be led by strong women and see women in leadership roles, so I have seen it as almost an obligation that I can be such a role model for them.
What are some of the obstacles you have faced as a woman pursuing a career in education?
It is interesting working in a coeducational, independent school where many senior leaders of like schools are male. There are many female principals of independent girls’ schools, but appointments of senior leadership roles in co-educational schools in the independent sector are often male.
This creates a dynamic environment in terms of role-modelling and mentoring for female educators wanting to pursue leadership roles in a school like ours. So while not an obstacle as such, it is an observation, and really important to consider how and where the young people within those schools are seeing females in senior roles, in their senior schools. The reality is, if you have children, there is going to be a necessary pause in your career, whether that be weeks, months or years.
The biggest obstacle I have faced in my career as an educational leader is the inherent requirement of my roles to be full-time. When you have young children, it is not always an option to return to work full-time. It requires logistical acrobatics on the home front and a strong passion for your role! The former, I’ve had to learn; the latter I’ve always had! I have two boys, and I really want them to be led by strong women and see women in leadership roles, so I have seen it as almost an obligation that I can be such a role model for them.
The number of females in executive positions is quite low. What are your thoughts around this, and do you foresee a shift?
Yes, very low, indeed! According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, in Australia today, only 19% of CEOs are female, and only 18% of board chairs. A societal shift that could help here is better access to quality, affordable childcare for families.
Childcare is incredibly expensive and a big barrier to women returning to work. We also need to continue to challenge gender norms that exist within families, where the main caregiver is assumed to be “mum” – why am I always the first to be called when my son is sick at school, for example?!
Within organisations and industries, many workplaces are getting better at providing flexible work options for both men and women, but this can also be tricky in an industry like teaching. A strong mentoring program for early-career female leaders and potential leaders has also been shown to increase the representation of women in leadership roles.
According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, in Australia today, only 19% of CEOs are female, and only 18% of board chairs
How has St Michael’s supported you and other female staff to be the best educators and succeed in your roles?
I am fortunate to have had amazing female role models and leaders at St Michael’s to look up to, with our former Head of English Lisa McNeice and former Head of the School Terrie Jones, just two examples that come to mind who have been incredible educators and generous mentors. The School has been very supportive of my further study and has actively encouraged this.
Being International Women’s Day, could you tell us about the amazing opportunities for girls at St Michael’s and some of your favourite memories in your time at the school?
St Michael’s is proudly an inclusive school where students of all genders are supported to thrive. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing students over the years, including two recent graduates from the class of 2024, Eva Dickson who was our Co-Captain and Dux, who is now studying Science at University of Melbourne, and Emily McPhee who is off to Oxford University this year to study Philosophy and Italian. These inspiring alumni leave a lasting legacy for our current and future students to look up to.
We also know that girls are under-represented in particular VCE subjects state-wide and in certain university courses, such as engineering and technology. That’s why it’s really important that St Michael’s fosters relationships with institutions such as VicPhysics and the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology to provide opportunities for our girls to engage in networking and enrichment learning opportunities, especially tailored to young female scientists.
We thank Emma for taking the time to provide insights into her professional journey. As a celebrated educational leader in the independent school space, we are beyond lucky to have her in such a critical role in our School.
Our IWD provided a great opportunity to celebrate the women in our School and wider community and reflect on the impact they have. This included our special guest speaker, Liz Courtney, an award-winning social entrepreneur and filmmaker, who discussed her life and career. To hear from Emma, Liz, and other guests on who the most influential woman in their life is, click the button below.
