About This Episode

Season 7. Episode 3.

In this episode of Education Insight, we explore an important and often misunderstood question in education today: what do adolescent girls need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally, and how can all-girls schools help meet those needs? Host Lacey Kendall is joined by Dr. Barbara Ostos, Head of School at Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California, for an in-depth conversation about the role of all-girls education in today’s learning landscape.

Dr. Ostos shares insight from her decades of experience as an educator and school leader, describing how intentionally designed all-girls learning environments can foster academic confidence, leadership, and personal growth. The discussion examines how Santa Catalina’s approach centers the “whole student,” blending rigorous academics with mentorship, community, and social-emotional development to help girls navigate a critical stage of adolescence.

The episode also addresses common misconceptions about single-gender education, challenging the idea that all-girls schools are outdated or limiting. Instead, Dr. Ostos explains how research on how girls learn and engage in school informs classroom practices, daily routines, and leadership opportunities that empower students to find their voice, take intellectual risks, and connect learning to real-world purpose.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how all-girls schools create spaces where young women can build confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of self. While recognizing that no single model fits every student, the conversation invites educators, families, and policymakers to reflect on how intentional learning environments—whether single-gender or coeducational—can better support students and prepare them for college, careers, and life beyond the classroom.

Featured Guest

Dr. Barbara Ostos

Head of School

Biography

Dr. Barbara Ostos is Head of School at Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California, where she leads with a deep commitment to the school’s mission and a belief in the power of a unified, one-school community. Since joining Santa Catalina in 2022 as the fifth head of school in 75 years, she has championed community spirit, advanced strategic priorities, strengthened alumnae engagement, and focused intentionally on enhancing the student experience. With more than twenty-five years in education, Dr. Ostos has served as a teacher, dean of students, divisional head, and senior administrator. At her core, she is an organizational change leader who believes deeply in schools as communities of care, growth, and possibility, leading with clarity, compassion, and mission-centered purpose. She holds degrees from Harvard University, the University of San Diego, and the University of California, San Diego.