Category Archive

Kara Heinrich was Vice Principal at La Seda Elementary School when she told this story. She is no longer with the district.

Through this work with Ball, I see the district turning into a professional learning community, knowing that the knowledge and best practices are within our own people, and within our own thoughts and actions. We’re now bringing that forth by opening the doors of classrooms. People are de-privatizing their practice. To see all this sharing going on, along with the facilitation that is encouraging people to share has been very meaningful.

One specific thing I’m seeing happen as a result of this work with Ball is that relationships are starting to form amongst the administrators. Even though we’re a unified school district, the elementary division and the secondary division pretty much keep to themselves. Ball has brought us together, and we’ve formed relationships with each other. For example, the elementary vice principals have gotten together now on our own with the secondary vice principals just to have lunch or to meet and talk. We’ve never had these relationships before and we’ve rarely shared between divisions. The elementary VPs would sit on one side of the table and the secondary on the other side of the table. Now we intermingle, and I feel I have a connection with people.

I think what prevented this from happening earlier was the lack of vehicle for collaboration. Even though we collaborated in bits and pieces, it wasn’t consistent. Ball has provided the same type of consistent vehicle for us to meet around the common goal of the strategic plan. I know these kinds of relationships are going to happen with the teachers because I’m already seeing the same sparks occur. Before, they kept everything to themselves, and now they’re asking for us to, “Come on in and watch this lesson.”

To see how Ball has facilitated this process without forcing their opinions or telling us how we should do it, but instead bringing us to our own conclusions has helped me as an administrator. Whenever I’ve met with Ball, I’ve been very conscious about watching how things are done because the process sparked something inside me. The experience was so different from what I’m used to, and I liked it because I felt like I was a participant. I felt like I was part of the whole decision-making process, and I wanted other people to feel that same way. So, I’m using some of the facilitation practices we’ve learned in my work with individuals and groups to help them come to their own conclusions, to solve their own problems, and to come up with best practices that work for our students.

Just recently, we had a team leadership meeting in which we talked about the future of La Seda, and how to move forward. We were speaking specifically about how to tie in Response to Intervention (RTI) at our school for students who are at risk. The principal and I knew what kind of direction we wanted to go in, but we needed to hear where everyone else wanted to go. We were able to use facilitation practices that we’d seen at meetings with Ball that allow people to bring up their own thoughts without feeling that they’re on the spot. Some really good things came out of the meeting about what people would like to see for the children – things that we never would have thought of.

My greatest surprise in working with the Ball Partnership has been the tremendous support they’ve given us. Their support has touched everything in the district, which is so meaningful, especially now that we’re going through tough times. Ball has helped us to be more cohesive as things get a little hairy with the budget. I think they’ve brought this out through their questions, and through laying out the brutal facts in a kind way for everyone to see. They keep telling us, “Hey, you still need to maintain that focus on moving forward. Even though you’re going through these tough times, you’re going to make it, and you’re going to be better for it.” It’s almost like having a personal therapist. Ball has been a coach, a cheerleader, and a counselor.

I feel like I’ve been blessed to be a part of this work with Ball. The people of Ball have been so genuine and great, and I’ve learned so much. I would just like to say thank you.

Word cloud created at wordle.net.