New Placement Director

Middle School teacher Frances Ramberg will take on an additional responsibility this year as Placement Director, a new position created by Head of School Lisa Schmitt. Ms. Ramberg will work with eighth grade students and their families to help them plan their transition to high school.

“It’s a service we have needed here at The Girls’ School, and I’m excited about doing it,” Ms. Ramberg said. “I’m researching the schools in the area, getting in touch with admissions counselors and directors to find out what a successful application looks like. I’m also designing a new transcript, because our trimester reviews are usually more information than a school wants,” she said.

Ms. Ramberg will help students and parents learn more about the high school options in Austin and the surrounding communities. Many high schools in AISD have special magnet programs such as Liberal Arts magnet at LBJ High School, the Fine Arts magnet at McCallum High School and the International Baccalaureate program at Anderson High School.

Private schools require admissions testing, written recommendations from teachers and often a personal statement written by the student. It is important to start planning now, so students can attend private school open houses this fall.

“I’ll be visiting as many of these schools as possible, so I can get a feel for what the community is like and what the campus is like. I want to find the best fit for our students,” Ms. Ramberg said.

Another facet to the job will be preparing students to take credit exams next summer. Eighth graders who complete Spanish 1 and/or Algebra 1 will need to schedule Credit-By-Exam tests to receive high school credit for class work done at GSA.

Ms. Ramberg comes well equipped to handle the responsibilities. She is the Alumni Admissions Representative in Austin for Wellesley College and interviews students who are applying to attend. “I know from my admissions work with Wellesley that matching the student to the right school is important, so the student can reach their potential. It is the same with high school. There is no reason why a student can’t find a really good fit,” she said.

Ms. Ramberg is beginning her fourth year as a teacher at GSA. She graduated from Wellesley College with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and has a Masters degree in Library and Information Studies from The University of Texas.