Anne van Zyl – Head of the Academy
 
Anne van Zyl was appointed Head of the Academy in January 2010. With 22 years of experience as the Head of four different schools, Anne has successfully managed girls’, co-ed boarding and day schools, as well as traditional schools in both urban and rural settings.
 
Having matriculated from St Cyprians School Cape Town, Anne attended San Mateo High School in California as an American Field Service exchange student. She graduated from the University of Cape Town with a BA degree in English and French, having spent her first year at Stellenbosch University. After attending the Sorbonne and working in Paris, Anne returned to Pretoria, South Africa.
 
Anne started teaching French at Loreto Convent, Pretoria, and then enrolled at the University of South Africa where she obtained both her teaching diploma and a BEd degree majoring in Educational Management. She joined the staff of  Pretoria High School for Girls as a teacher of English and was later promoted to Head of Department and then Deputy  Head. In 1988 she became Principal, and in 1990 she was instrumental in the move which saw Pretoria Girls High becoming the first state school in the region to admit girls of all races.
 
Leaving a school of 980 girls (day girls and boarders), Anne was appointed Founder Head of St Stithians Collegiate in 1995. Starting with 150 girls in Grades 1 to 3, the school expanded in the following years to 750 girls in Grades 1 to 12 and became known as St Stithians Girls’ College. Apart from gaining a reputation for academic, sporting and cultural excellence, St Stithians, together with St Cyprians, became the first South African Schools to be accepted as members of the Round Square International movement, with its emphasis on internationalism, democracy, environmental awareness, adventure, leadership and service (IDEALS).
 
In 2001 Anne moved to the country, becoming Head of Stanford Lake College in Magoebaskloof, Limpopo Province. She introduced an outdoor adventure programme “Dream and Do” into the curriculum, expanded the boarding facilities, and brought the school into the Round Square International movement.
 
In 2003 Anne returned home to the Cape, becoming Head of Bridge House School in Franschhoek. During the seven years she spent there, the school numbers doubled from 330 to 660 boys and girls from Grade 00 to Grade 12. Two new boarding houses and a large dining hall, together with a college block and new classrooms were built. Bringing Bridge House into Round Square International meant that many students were able to go on international exchange and take part in regional and international conferences and service projects.
 
During her career, Anne has served as Examiner for English literature and been a member of the Assessment Committee of the IEB (Independent Examinations Board). She has served on the Boards St Mary’s DSG, Pretoria, Mitchell House, Penryn College and on the International Board of Round Square. She is currently a member of St Cyprians Council and in 2008 was honoured to be made a Life Member of Round Square.
 
Anne believes that OWLAG is a unique educational model that is contributing to nation-building in South Africa and could be used in other developing countries.