October 16, 2026 · 8:51 AM

Clarity Is an Act of Service: Helping Middle School Students Know What Success Looks Like

The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field | Episode 8

What if one of the most meaningful things we can do for middle school students is simply remove some of the unnecessary confusion they experience throughout the school day? I have been reflecting on this question as Dr. LaTonya White and I continue our work on The Middle School Culture Blueprint, a forthcoming manuscript in collaboration with the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA).

For Episode 8 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field, I had the pleasure of welcoming Laura MacDonald, Vice President of Content and Program Development for NCEA, to explore an essential component of positive middle school culture: clarity and consistency. Laura brings a wealth of educational leadership experience and a deep commitment to supporting teachers and school leaders. Our conversation centered on an important question: How do we create learning environments where middle school students understand what is expected, know what success looks like, and feel confident enough to engage fully in learning? While clarity may sound like a simple concept, its influence on students, teachers, and the broader school community deserves our attention.

The Middle School Experience Through the Eyes of a Student

Imagine being a middle school student moving through six or seven different classrooms in a single day. Each classroom introduces a different teacher, instructional approach, set of routines, and perhaps a different way of communicating assignments or assessing student learning. Now consider the developmental changes students are navigating during early adolescence.

Middle school is a season of tremendous growth, possibility, and discovery. It can also bring uncertainty as students develop greater independence, manage increasingly complex academic responsibilities, and navigate changing relationships. When expectations differ significantly across classrooms, students may spend unnecessary energy simply trying to understand how each classroom operates. What if we could reduce some of that noise? This is where thoughtful clarity and consistency can make a meaningful difference.

The Education Endowment Foundation (2019), in its research-informed guidance Improving Behaviour in Schools, emphasizes the importance of clear and consistent approaches to expectations and behavior, while recognizing the need to understand and respond to individual students. Consistency, when thoughtfully implemented, can strengthen relationships and create supportive conditions for learning. For middle school teams, this means considering not only what we expect students to learn, but also how we communicate and reinforce those expectations across the school day.

Consistency Does Not Require Sameness

One of the distinctions I especially appreciate in conversations about school culture is the difference between coherence and conformity. Teachers bring extraordinary gifts, professional expertise, creativity, and personalities into their classrooms. These differences are strengths worth celebrating!

The goal of developing consistent schoolwide expectations is not to create identical classrooms or diminish the professional judgment of teachers. Rather, it is to identify the shared practices that help students experience greater clarity. For example, a middle school team might agree upon common language for classroom expectations, consistent procedures for communicating assignments, or shared approaches to helping students understand learning goals. Within those structures, teachers retain the freedom to design meaningful instruction, respond to student needs, and bring their individual strengths to the learning experience.

Consistency should create conditions for creativity, not eliminate it.

I believe this distinction is particularly important for school leaders and Laura provides some good insights during our conversation. When we invite teachers to collaborate in developing shared expectations, we honor their expertise while strengthening the collective experience of students. We are not asking teachers to become the same. We are asking them to work together with intention.

Clear Routines Can Create Greater Confidence and Independence

One of the most important purposes of classroom routines is to help students understand what comes next. When students know how to begin class, where to locate materials, how to ask for assistance, and what successful work looks like, they are better positioned to focus on learning. This is particularly valuable for students who need additional support with organization, attention, transitions, or managing multiple responsibilities.

Predictable routines can also provide a foundation for developing greater independence. The Education Endowment Foundation (2025), in its updated Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning guidance, highlights the importance of explicitly teaching, modeling, and scaffolding strategies that help students plan, monitor, and evaluate their learning. These findings offer an important connection to our conversation about clarity. Students cannot be expected to independently manage their learning if we have not first helped them understand the expectations, processes, and strategies that support success.

For example, a teacher might model how to break a complex assignment into manageable steps, provide clear success criteria, or establish a consistent process for students to review their progress. Over time, these practices can help students become more confident and independent learners. Clarity, therefore, is not simply about classroom management. It is also about empowering students to take greater ownership of their learning.

The Power of Common Language

Another important consideration for middle school teams is the language we use when communicating with students and families. Do students encounter consistent terminology when teachers describe expectations, assignments, assessments, and behavior? Do families understand where to find information and how to support their children? Are our communications clear, or are we unintentionally adding complexity? These are important questions because communication is not simply about delivering information.

It is about ensuring that the intended message is understood. Common language can help students and families navigate the school experience with greater confidence. It can also strengthen collaboration among teachers by reinforcing shared priorities and expectations. This does not mean every communication needs to follow an identical script. Instead, it invites educators to consider how their communication practices support a coherent and understandable experience for students and families. Sometimes a small adjustment in language or process can make a meaningful difference.

Clarity Is Connected to Belonging, Coherence, and Formation

Throughout The Middle School Culture Blueprint, LaTonya and I have organized our work around four interconnected pillars: Belonging, Clarity, Coherence, and Formation. Although Episode 8 focuses specifically on clarity, it is difficult to consider this pillar without recognizing its relationship to the others. Belonging helps students know they are seen, valued, and needed within the community. Clarity helps them understand what is expected and how to experience success. Coherence ensures that the commitments we make as a school are reflected in the practices students experience throughout the day. Formation recognizes that our responsibility extends beyond academic instruction to supporting students’ growth in character, responsibility, faith, and service.

Together, these pillars offer a framework for creating the conditions in which middle school students and educators can thrive. I am drawn to the idea that clarity can communicate care. When we take time to explain expectations, establish understandable routines, and provide meaningful guidance, we communicate something important to students: We want you to succeed, and we are committed to helping you understand how. That is a powerful message for a young adolescent to experience.

Three Questions for Middle School Teams

As we consider how to bring greater clarity to the school day, I encourage middle school teachers and leaders to pause and reflect on three questions.

1. What should students be able to count on in every classroom?

Consider the routines, expectations, and communication practices that would benefit from greater consistency.

2. Where might we be creating unnecessary noise?

Take time to examine the school day through the eyes of a student. Are there competing expectations, confusing procedures, or processes that could be simplified?

3. How can we preserve teacher creativity while strengthening shared expectations?

Invite teachers into the conversation. Identify practices that benefit from consistency while protecting the professional judgment and creativity that make each classroom unique.

These questions do not require a new initiative or an elaborate implementation plan. They invite intentional reflection and collaborative action. and sometimes, that is exactly where meaningful improvement begins.

Clarity Is an Act of Service

As I reflect on this episode, I continue returning to one central idea. Clarity is an act of service. When we create understandable expectations, establish thoughtful routines, and communicate with consistency, we are helping students direct more of their energy toward learning, relationships, and growth. We are also supporting teachers by creating shared structures that can reduce unnecessary confusion and strengthen collaboration. Through clarity, we are also helping families experience a school community that is organized, intentional, and committed to student success.

A heartfelt thank you to Laura MacDonald for joining The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field and contributing her leadership perspective to this important conversation.

I am grateful for the opportunity to continue learning alongside educators and leaders who generously share their experiences and wisdom for the good of our profession.

May we continue to pause, reflect, and recognize the opportunities we have to strengthen the daily experiences of the students and educators we serve.

Sometimes the most meaningful improvements are not the result of adding something new, but they begin by simplifying, clarifying, and protecting what matters most.

We can do so much more together!

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

References

Education Endowment Foundation. (2019). Improving behaviour in schools. https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/behaviour/

Education Endowment Foundation. (2025). Metacognition and self-regulated learning (2nd ed.). https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/metacognition

Join Dr. Denise Ball and Laura MacDonald for Episode 8, “Clarity and Consistency: Helping Middle School Students Know What Success Looks Like,” on Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

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October 14, 2026 · 12:11 PM

Culture by Design, Not by Default: The Courage to Listen, Learn, and Lead With Intention

The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field | Episode 7 with Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling

Sometimes the most powerful act of leadership is not offering a solution, but it is simply being present, listening, and acknowledging. This was one of the many meaningful reminders shared during my recent conversation with Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling, Associate Superintendent for the Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Schools, for Episode 7 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field.

Anita is a favorite voice of the Sharing the Good community, and it is always a JOY to welcome her into the conversation. With 36 years of experience serving in education, she brings a thoughtful combination of research, leadership experience, practical wisdom, and a deep commitment to Catholic education. Our discussion centered on a question that Dr. LaTonya White and I continue to explore through our work on The Middle School Culture Blueprint: How do we move from allowing school culture to develop by default to intentionally creating the conditions in which students and adults can thrive? Anita’s reflections offered several powerful lessons for school leaders and teachers alike.

Listening Is an Act of Leadership

Anita began by emphasizing the importance of intentional planning and discernment. As she reflected on professional learning and school improvement, she underscored the value of gathering feedback through surveys and then taking the additional step of personally asking questions, pausing, and truly listening to the responses. Even when feedback is constructive or difficult to hear, there is value in acknowledging the perspective being shared. I found this particularly important to share to remind us all.

As leaders, we can become so focused on solving problems, managing priorities, or moving initiatives forward that we unintentionally overlook the importance of simply listening. Yet the act of listening communicates respect. It reminds faculty, staff, families, and students that their voices matter. Most importantly, listening helps build trust. This is not always about agreeing with every perspective or immediately implementing every suggestion. It is about creating an environment where individuals know they have been heard and their contributions are valued.

Trust is strengthened when people experience that level of intentional care!

The Courage to Have Difficult Conversations

Another important thread in our conversation was the courage required to lead. Anita reminded us that school leaders must be willing to enter difficult conversations rather than avoiding them. This is especially important when we consider the culture we are creating within our school communities. Unresolved concerns, inconsistent expectations, and uncomfortable situations rarely disappear simply because they are left unaddressed. Leading with intention requires the courage to engage in honest dialogue while preserving the dignity of every individual involved.

I appreciate the connection between courage and compassion here because difficult conversations do not have to become confrontational conversations. When approached thoughtfully, they can become opportunities for understanding, growth, accountability, and stronger relationships. It is essential for us to recognize the dignity of every person, including in the moments when conversations are challenging.

Our Words Matter More Than We May Realize

One reflection that I hope every middle school educator takes to heart is Anita’s reminder about sarcasm. What an important point! Sarcasm can sometimes be perceived as harmless humor, but it can also be deeply hurtful, particularly for young adolescents navigating the complex social and emotional experiences of middle school. Students are paying attention to far more than the academic content we teach. They notice how adults speak to one another. They notice how teachers respond to mistakes. They notice whether corrections are offered with respect, and they notice whether humor strengthens relationships or comes at someone else’s expense.

Our middle school students come to us for learning, but they also come to us for formation. This is such an important distinction. We have the privilege of helping young people develop not only academic knowledge and skills but also character, confidence, responsibility, and an understanding of how to treat others. The words we choose are part of that formation. As Anita reminded us, the dignity of each person must remain at the heart of our work.

Collective Efficacy: Is This What Is Right for the Students?

One of my favorite moments in the conversation centered on collective efficacy and the importance of keeping students at the center of our decisions. Anita offered a question that I believe belongs at the forefront of every faculty meeting, leadership discussion, and school improvement effort:

“Is this what is right for the students?”

Such a simple question, yet one that can bring remarkable clarity to complex decisions. Anita then shared a story from her years in education that beautifully illustrates what collective commitment can look like in practice. While teaching at a school where English was a second language for many students, the faculty recognized an opportunity to strengthen communication with the students and families they served. Rather than placing the responsibility for communication entirely upon the families, the teachers approached the parent community with a question. Would parents be willing to tutor the teachers in Spanish one afternoon each week after school?

Think about the humility, trust, and partnership represented in that decision. The teachers recognized that they had something to learn from the very families they were serving. They identified a need. They invited collaboration, and they took collective responsibility for strengthening the school community. What a powerful example of educators placing students first!

This is the kind of story I hope we continue to celebrate and share. It reminds us that positive school culture is not simply created through programs, policies, or carefully written plans. It comes to life when individuals are willing to learn from one another and act together in service to students.

The Importance of Doing the Preparatory Work

As our conversation turned toward practical recommendations, Anita offered an important reminder to leaders who want to strengthen their school culture.

Do the preparatory work. Conduct an inventory and take time to have the conversations. Listen to the people who experience the culture every day, and allow the dignity of every person to guide the process.

I appreciate how closely this aligns with the work LaTonya and I are developing through the four pillars of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Belonging, Clarity, Coherence, and Formation.

Belonging invites us to create environments where individuals feel seen, known, valued, and needed.

Clarity challenges us to establish shared priorities and expectations.

Coherence encourages us to align our practices and decisions with those priorities.

Formation reminds us that our work is ultimately about helping young people grow academically, socially, spiritually, and personally.

These pillars are interconnected, and none can be sustained through good intentions alone. They require thoughtful reflection and daily attention. A culture inventory, meaningful conversations, and a willingness to examine our practices can help us recognize both the strengths worth protecting and the habits that may need to change.

Sometimes Presence Is Enough

As we approached the end of our conversation, Anita shared a reminder that I believe every school leader needs to hear: You do not always have to have the solution. Sometimes your presence is what matters most, and listening is enough. Acknowledging another person’s experience is the very thing that helps strengthen trust and connection. In a profession where leaders encounter countless decisions, competing priorities, and unexpected challenges, this is a particularly meaningful reminder.

We do not have to respond to every concern with a new initiative. We do not have to fill every silence with an answer. There is wisdom in pausing, listening, and allowing others to know that they are not navigating challenges alone… an essential part of culture by design.

The Gift of Serving in Education

As I reflect on this conversation, I am reminded of the blessing of collaboration and the extraordinary relationships we develop through serving in education. Relationships matter and remind me that the culture we intentionally cultivate is not limited to the walls of a school building. It extends across our schools, dioceses, universities, and professional communities. We are connected through a shared commitment to serve students, support educators, and strengthen those placed in our care.

A Final Reflection for School Leaders

As you consider the culture of your own school community, I invite you to reflect on three questions:

  1. Are we creating intentional opportunities to listen to those we serve, including when their feedback challenges our assumptions?
  2. Do our daily words, actions, and decisions consistently reflect the dignity and respect we hope our students will demonstrate?
  3. Are we collectively asking, “Is this what is right for the students?”

Culture by design begins when we make the intentional choice to examine what we are reinforcing each day. It grows when we have the courage to engage in meaningful conversations, and it thrives when we remain committed to listening, learning, and serving one another.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling for sharing her wisdom, experiences, and leadership with our Sharing the Good community.

Your commitment to serving others is a blessing to our profession.

May we continue to recognize that our words and actions matter, that every person deserves to be treated with dignity, and that we are called to serve with both courage and grace.

We can do so much more together.

Please feel welcome to watch Episode 7 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field on Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball, available on YouTube and your favorite podcast platforms.

Whether during your morning commute, a quiet moment of reflection, or a well-deserved pause in your day, I hope these conversations invite us to be intentional about learning from one another, reflecting on our shared mission, and rediscovering the JOY that first called us to serve.

We can do so much more together. It is easy to share the good!

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

#SharingTheGood #CatholicEducation #CatholicLeadership #MiddleSchoolCultureBlueprint #SchoolCulture

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October 11, 2026 · 4:18 PM

Deconstructed Retreat: Same Roads with an Intentional Way of Seeing

The journey is the retreat, gratitude is my compass, and JOY is found in the everyday.

What if a retreat was not defined by where we go, but by how we choose to see and respond to what surrounds us?

As educational leaders, we often encourage others to slow down, reflect, reconnect with their purpose, and care for their well-being. Yet, how often do we give ourselves permission to do the same? Perhaps we have made the idea of a retreat more complicated than it needs to be. Perhaps a retreat can happen on an ordinary drive, during a walk along the water, through a meaningful conversation, while listening to music, or in the unexpected kindness of others.

I am calling this my Deconstructed Retreat.

Gratitude: Beginning the Day with God

As I walk through this new season of life, I am striving to listen more intentionally, live more fully, and recognize God’s presence in all aspects of my life. One simple practice is beginning each morning with gratitude, giving thanks for another day to serve Him and others. My favorite morning jam these days is Phil Wickham’s Isn’t He Good. It is a beautiful reminder of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Recently, I shared the song with an NCEA intern. When I saw him a few weeks later, he shared that it had become his favorite morning jam, too!

JOY is synergistic. When we share the good, it has a way of multiplying. Tune in to my favorite Spotify playlist I call, Streaming in His Spirit.

Figure 2. Streaming in the Spirit recommended praise and worship playlist supporting amazing Christian artists like Phil Wickham, Mathew West, Natalie Grant, Crowder, Amanda Cook and so many more artists lifting up their voice for the greater glory of God!

Surround Yourself with People and Ideas That Illuminate Your Soul

Throughout my educational leadership journey, I have found tremendous value in surrounding myself with people who carry His light, challenge my thinking, and inspire me to grow. I also love reading work that inspires my soul and lights my dendrites on fire!

One person I have recently discovered is author and podcaster Chris Stefanick, thanks to my husband sharing his morning men’s devotional with me. In Living Joy, Stefanick draws upon the wisdom of Blessed Solanus Casey: “It’s heaven begun, for the grateful on earth.” Stefanick (2020) reminds readers that gratitude helps us recognize and enjoy the blessings already present in our lives. What a powerful invitation for leaders. Gratitude does not remove our challenges. It changes the lens through which we experience them.

The Road Becomes the Retreat

This weekend, I traveled through Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, headed toward Lake Michigan in preparation for the MANS Great Lakes UNITY Conference and NCEA Catholic Leadership Summit.

The autumn colors, open roads, changing skies, and beauty of Lake Michigan provided an unexpected opportunity for reflection. As I traveled, I found myself returning to Matthew Kelly’s prayer of transformation in Rediscover Jesus (2015):

“Loving Father,

Here I am.

I trust that you have incredible plans for me.

Transform me. Transform my life.

Everything is on the table.

Take what you want to take and give what you want to give.

Transform me into the person you created me to be, so I can live the life you envisioned for me.

I hold nothing back; I am 100 percent available. How can I help?

Amen.”

In reading this invitation to trust God’s plans, hold nothing back, and become the person He created us to be felt particularly meaningful in this season of my life. There is something powerful about being willing to say, “How can I help?” Not simply in our professional lives, but in our personal and spiritual journeys as well. I am learning that sometimes the most meaningful transformation begins when we stop filling every moment with activity and allow ourselves to listen. I am so blessed to have my husband of 33 years, and two adult children, walking beside me on this journey, cheering, encouraging, and supporting the dream!

An Unexpected Gift of JOY

When I arrived at my destination today, a beautiful surprise awaited me. My Loyola Press partners had thoughtfully prepared a JOY Kit in celebration of my forthcoming book, The Four Pillars of JOY for Catholic Educators: A Pocket Retreat. What a gift! The kit includes creative resources designed to encourage educators to pause, reflect, and rediscover the JOY at the heart of their vocation. I am especially excited to raffle a few of these during my upcoming leadership session.

Choosing a publishing partner is an important process of discernment. I am deeply grateful to collaborate with a team that understands the heart of this work and the importance of nurturing the spiritual well-being of Catholic educators. Small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact.

Leading with Intention: The Retreat We Carry with Us

St. Ignatius of Loyola’s spirituality invites us to find God in all things. That invitation has become especially meaningful to me. What if we approached our everyday lives as opportunities for spiritual renewal? What if we intentionally made room to laugh, play, explore nature, enjoy fellowship, read something inspiring, and listen for God’s voice?

What if we recognized that caring for our own spiritual well-being is not separate from our leadership responsibilities, but essential to fulfilling them? As I prepare to spend time with educational leaders this week discussing Leading with Intention, I am reminded that intentional leadership begins with intentional living. We cannot continually pour into others without making space to be renewed ourselves.

As I traveled the highways, windows down, praise and worship turned up high, I realized that renewal does not always require a formal retreat. Sometimes it begins with gratitude, a beautiful sunrise, a favorite song, a conversation with a friend, or the courage to embrace a new season of life.

Continuously Streaming in His Spirit

Over these next few days, I am choosing to tune my eyes to God’s beauty, open my heart to His grace, and listen more closely to His invitations.

I intend to laugh, learn, explore, pray, and be fully present!

Not a traditional retreat, but a deconstructed retreat. One that reminds me that God is not waiting for us only at the destination. He is present throughout the journey. Same roads but an intentional, new way of seeing. I surrender!

Perhaps that is one of the greatest gifts of all, to discover that when we intentionally seek His presence, we can continuously stream in His Spirit!

What might change if you approached your next ordinary day as an opportunity for retreat?

With gratitude and JOY,

Dr. Denise Ball

References and Inspirations

Kelly, M. (2015). Rediscover Jesus: An invitation. Beacon Publishing.

Stefanick, C. (2020). Living Joy: 9 rules to help you rediscover and live joy every day. Emmaus Road Publishing.

Wickham, P. Isn’t He Good [Song].

Spiritual inspiration: St. Ignatius of Loyola and Blessed Solanus Casey.

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October 8, 2026 · 6:52 PM

Belonging by Design: Every Student Has a Place, a Purpose, and a Part to Play

The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field | Episode 6

What if one of the most powerful ways to help middle school students experience belonging is to give them a meaningful responsibility within their school community?

This question was at the heart of a wonderful conversation with the leadership and middle school team from Holy Redeemer Catholic School in Kensington, Maryland.

For Episode 6 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field, I had the privilege of welcoming Principal Tommy Corrigan, Assistant Principal Jeanne Donatelli, and middle school teachers Ted Scott and Danielle Trotta to share how their school intentionally cultivates a culture where students are seen, known, and needed.

As Dr. LaTonya White and I continue developing The Middle School Culture Blueprint manuscript in collaboration with NCEA, we return often to a foundational principle, that a positive school culture does not happen by chance. It must be cultivated with intention.

Our conversation with the Holy Redeemer team offered a beautiful example of this principle in action.

From Belonging to Social Purpose

During our conversation, I shared the Thriving with Social Purpose model and research by Ford and Smith, highlighting the importance of helping students understand that they have a meaningful responsibility within their community. For middle school students, belonging is about more than being welcomed or included. It is also about understanding that their presence and contributions matter. I often think about the power of these three simple words and what it means for our students to be seen, known, and needed.

We want students to know that their teachers see them as individuals, recognize their gifts, and value the unique contributions they bring to the classroom. However, there is something especially powerful about helping students recognize that other people are counting on them. Ted and Danielle, both middle school teachers, brought this concept to life by describing the many “jobs” students have throughout the Holy Redeemer community.

These opportunities to contribute remind us that students are not simply recipients of an educational experience. They are active participants in building the community around them. What an important distinction! When we intentionally invite students to serve, lead, and assume responsibility, we help them recognize that they have a place and a purpose within the school.

Faith as the Foundation

Another meaningful thread throughout our conversation came from Tommy and Jeanne, who shared the importance of prayer in the daily life of Holy Redeemer. Prayer is not reserved for one moment of the school day. It is present throughout the day and serves as something the school community leans on. I found this particularly inspiring. In Catholic education, our shared faith provides the foundation upon which relationships, decisions, and community life are built. Prayer offers opportunities to pause, reconnect, express gratitude, and recognize that we are called to something greater than ourselves.

When prayer becomes part of the natural rhythm of a school, it reinforces a shared identity and purpose, and when students witness adults leaning on prayer, they experience an important lesson about the role of faith in everyday life.

Routines, Traditions, and Expectations Matter

One of my greatest takeaways from this conversation was the intentionality with which the Holy Redeemer team has created a framework of routines, traditions, and expectations. We sometimes think about school culture primarily in terms of relationships. While relationships are essential, they are strengthened by the structures that support them. Routines create predictability, traditions strengthen community identity, and clear expectations provide consistency. Together, these elements create the conditions in which students and adults can thrive. Dr. White and I speak to the four pillars of The Middle School Culture Blueprint being Belonging, Clarity, Coherence, and Formation.

Belonging helps students recognize that they are valued members of the community. Clarity establishes shared expectations. Coherence ensures that those expectations and practices are experienced consistently. Formation invites students to grow in character, responsibility, faith, and service to others. Each pillar strengthens the others.

The Holy Redeemer conversation reminded me that a thriving middle school culture is not built through one initiative or a particularly successful school event. It is cultivated through the daily decisions and shared commitments of an entire school team.

Celebrating Community Through Traditions

Speaking of traditions, I may have discovered another reason to visit Holy Redeemer! The team shared their Friday Night Lights flag football tradition, and I have already decided that I need to experience one of these games firsthand. What a wonderful opportunity for students and families to come together, celebrate their community, and strengthen the relationships that extend beyond the classroom. Traditions such as these create shared memories and help students connect their school experience to something larger than themselves. They become part of the story students carry with them long after they leave middle school.

A Reflection for Middle School Teams

As I reflect on this conversation, I am reminded that every student who walks through our school doors deserves to experience a community where their presence matters. Perhaps one of the simplest questions we can ask as educators is: Does every student have a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the life of our school?

Not every student will seek the spotlight. Not every student will participate in the same activities or demonstrate leadership in the same way, but every student has gifts to share.

Our responsibility is to create multiple pathways for those gifts to be recognized, nurtured, and celebrated.

Sharing the Good

A heartfelt thank you to Tommy, Jeanne, Ted, and Danielle for sharing their experiences and offering such meaningful reflections from the field. Your commitment to your students, families, and one another is evident in the intentional culture you continue to cultivate at Holy Redeemer Catholic School. It is a privilege to highlight the good happening within our Catholic schools and to learn alongside educators who so generously share their wisdom for the benefit of others.

As Dr. LaTonya White and I continue our work on The Middle School Culture Blueprint, conversations like this reaffirm why we believe the voices of practitioners must be part of the story. Research provides an important foundation, and the experiences of educators bring that research to life.

May we continue creating middle school communities where every student is seen, known, and needed because belonging is not simply about having a place in the school community. It is about knowing that we have a part to play in making that community stronger.

We can do so much more together.

Watch Episode 6 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field on Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball, available on YouTube and your favorite podcast platforms.

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

Denise M. Ball, Ed.D.

Retired Catholic Education Leader | Author | Researcher | Consultant
Assistant Professor | Marymount University

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October 1, 2026 · 9:52 AM

Protecting the JOY: Sustaining the Educators Who Serve Our Students

The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field | Episode 5

There is so much good happening within our Catholic schools, and one of the greatest privileges of my work is having the opportunity to share it! On this Thankful Thursday, I am especially grateful for three wonderful educators from School of the Incarnation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore who joined me for Episode 5 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field.

Dr. Nancy Baker, Principal; Christine Hinton, Assistant Principal; and George Milan, Middle School Teacher, generously shared their experiences and perspectives on a topic that is increasingly important to our profession: sustaining the JOY, formation, and purpose of the educators who serve our students and families. What an inspiring conversation!

Protecting JOY Is a Leadership Responsibility

One of the most meaningful takeaways from our conversation was Dr. Baker’s reminder that school leaders must intentionally support balance among their faculty and staff. Think about that for a moment. Our educators enter the school year with enthusiasm, carefully developed plans, professional goals, and a genuine commitment to their students. Yet, even the most prepared teams will encounter unexpected challenges, competing priorities, and the inevitable demands of school life. If we want educators to sustain their JOY throughout the school year, we must recognize their need for balance and renewal.

Supporting educator well-being cannot be reduced to an occasional celebration or another initiative. It requires leaders to pay attention to the daily experiences of the people entrusted to their care. Are we protecting their time? Are we recognizing their contributions? Are we providing opportunities for renewal? Are we creating an environment where they can continue to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually? These are important leadership questions.

Our educators give so much of themselves to their students and families. We must be equally intentional about creating the conditions that sustain them.

Trust Is the Foundation of a Strong Team

Christine Hinton brought another essential perspective to our conversation: the importance of establishing and maintaining trust. I appreciated her emphasis on this fundamental element of school culture. Trust is not established through a single conversation, meeting, or professional development experience, but it is developed through our everyday interactions, the consistency of our actions, and our willingness to support one another. School leaders have countless opportunities to strengthen trust through their daily presence, communication, and relationships, and the small moments matter!

Checking in with a teacher after a challenging day, listening before responding, providing clarity during uncertainty, and recognizing the professional expertise of our colleagues are all meaningful ways to strengthen the adult culture of our schools. Trust allows teams to collaborate, navigate challenges, and remain focused on their shared mission. It also reminds us that our teachers need to experience the same sense of belonging that we work so intentionally to create for our students.

Never Underestimate the Power of Humor!

…and then there is George Milan! As a veteran middle school teacher, George reminded us of something I absolutely love, and that is the importance of humor in the classroom.

Middle school is a wonderfully unique developmental season. Our students are growing academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Every day presents opportunities to build relationships, navigate unexpected moments, and celebrate the remarkable young people entrusted to our care. Sometimes, laughter is exactly what we need! Try that on today…

Humor can create connection, strengthen relationships, and help us navigate the unexpected moments that are inevitably part of teaching middle school students. I appreciate this reminder because JOY does not mean every day will be easy. It means we can find moments of gratitude, connection, and purpose even when the work becomes challenging. Imagine the impact on students when they experience classrooms where educators genuinely enjoy teaching and learning alongside them. Our adult culture matters because students experience it every single day.

Connecting the Conversation to The Middle School Culture Blueprint

As Dr. LaTonya White and I continue developing The Middle School Culture Blueprint for publication with the National Catholic Educational Association, conversations like this reinforce the importance of our four interconnected pillars:

Belonging: Educators need to know they are seen, valued, respected, and supported as members of their school community.

Clarity: Clear expectations, meaningful communication, and a shared understanding of priorities help educators navigate the demands of their work.

Coherence: When leadership practices, professional learning, and schoolwide priorities are aligned, educators can devote more energy to the work that matters most.

Formation: Our teachers deserve opportunities to continue growing professionally, personally, relationally, and spiritually throughout their careers.

These pillars are not exclusively about students. They are equally important to the adults responsible for creating and sustaining a positive school culture.

If we want our middle school students to thrive, we must also create school cultures where our educators can thrive.

A Thankful Thursday Reflection

As we settle into the rhythm of another school year, I encourage school leaders to consider a few important questions. Are we paying attention to the well-being of our faculty and staff? Are we intentionally building trust among our teams? Are we creating opportunities for laughter, celebration, and meaningful connection? And perhaps most importantly, are we ensuring that our educators know how much we value their service?

Our educators are highly educated professionals who have chosen a meaningful vocation. Their knowledge, experience, commitment, and daily sacrifices deserve our recognition and respect.

We need to SEE them, RESPECT them, SUPPORT them, and THANK them.

I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Nancy Baker, Christine Hinton, and George Milan for freely giving their time to participate in this conversation and contribute their reflections from the field. Their willingness to share their experiences is a gift to our profession.

There is tremendous power in educators learning from educators. On this Thankful Thursday, may we remember that protecting JOY is not an additional task on our already full schedules. It is an essential part of creating and sustaining the school cultures we desire for our students, families, and colleagues.

Let’s continue to see the good, share the good, and create school cultures where everyone can flourish!

I choose JOY!

Denise

Watch Episode 5: Joy, Formation, and Purpose

https://rss.com/podcasts/sharing-the-good-with-dr-denise-ball/3199282

The Middle School Culture Blueprint, coauthored by Dr. Denise M. Ball and Dr. LaTonya White, is forthcoming from the National Catholic Educational Association in spring 2027.

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September 29, 2026 · 8:40 PM

The Middle School Team as the Engine: Building Collaboration That Actually Works 

Middle school students may move through several classrooms and interact with several teachers during a single school day, but they do not experience those classrooms in isolation. Together, those interactions shape a student’s understanding of school culture.

That idea was at the heart of Episode 4 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field. I was blessed to welcome Mary Peters, a veteran middle school educator at St. Anne Catholic Grade School in the Archdiocese of Detroit, for a conversation about what happens when middle school educators intentionally begin thinking and working as a team.

Mary shared a wonderfully practical example from her school: a common middle school assessment template centered on Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER). Teachers across the middle school use this common framework when assessing student learning. Think about what that can mean for a young adolescent moving from one content area to another. The subject matter changes, the teacher changes, and the learning experience changes. However, there is a familiar framework helping the student understand how to communicate thinking and demonstrate learning. This is so powerful! That is coherence, a Middle School Culture Blueprint pillar in action.

It is also an important reminder that consistency does not require uniformity. We do not want every teacher or classroom to look exactly the same. Great educators bring their own gifts, personalities, content expertise, and creativity to their classrooms. Shared frameworks can provide enough clarity and consistency to help students successfully navigate those different environments.

Mary also shared that this year her middle school team is meeting monthly as a professional learning community )PLC), with a shared middle school vision serving as a focus for their work. I love the intentionality behind this practice. A vision should not simply be words written on a document. It can become a framework for conversation: Who are we as a middle school? What do we want our students to experience? What do we believe about teaching and learning? Where do we need greater consistency, and how can we better support one another?

As Dr. LaTonya White and I continue developing The Middle School Culture Blueprint, our work is framed around four interconnected pillars: Belonging, Clarity, Coherence, and Formation.

Mary reflected during our conversation that all four are essential to creating and maintaining a positive school culture. I think her examples demonstrate why. Belonging reminds us that students and adults need to know they are seen, valued, and part of a community. Clarity helps everyone understand expectations and what success looks like. Coherence connects classrooms, practices, language, and expectations so that students experience a community rather than a collection of unrelated classrooms. Formation recognizes that we are continually helping students, and one another, grow academically, professionally, personally, and spiritually. One of the most important lessons from this conversation is that building a strong middle school culture does not always require another large initiative. Sometimes it begins with a shared assessment framework. A monthly conversation. A common expectation. A team willing to ask, “What do we want our students to experience, and educators willing to move from “my students” to “our students.”

When middle school teachers work as a true team, collaboration becomes more than another meeting on the calendar. It becomes part of the culture. When Belonging, Clarity, Coherence, and Formation begin working together, we create environments where both students and educators have greater opportunities to thrive!

Thank you to Mary Peters for sharing the wisdom that comes from years of serving middle school students and to my co-author, Dr. LaTonya White, for continuing this important work alongside me.

There is so much good happening in our Catholic schools. Let’s continue to see it, learn from it, and share it.

All are welcome to join the conversation:

Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball YouTube Channel

Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball on Spotify

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

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September 25, 2026 · 12:02 PM

Through a University Lens: Preparing and Supporting Middle School Educators

There was something particularly meaningful about Episode 3 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field. Four university leaders, representing the Roche Center for Catholic Education, Boston College, Marymount University, and St. John’s University, came together around a shared question:

How can universities better prepare, support, and walk alongside the educators and leaders serving our Catholic schools?

Dr. Michael O’Connor, Dr. Nicci Dowd, Dr. Aliya Holmes, and Dr. Clara Hauth each brought a different lens to the conversation, including professional learning, teacher preparation, innovation and partnership, and educational leadership. Yet throughout the discussion, a common message emerged. Higher education has an important opportunity not simply to prepare people before they enter schools, but to remain connected to the field, listen to its needs, and continue learning alongside the educators doing the work each day.

The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field

Episode 3 | University Lens: Preparing and Supporting Middle School Educators

That spirit of partnership matters! Our teachers and school leaders are navigating increasingly complex responsibilities while remaining focused on the students and families entrusted to their care. Universities can be important partners in that work through relevant professional learning, leadership development, research, teacher preparation, and meaningful school-university partnerships. The strongest partnerships, however, are not built around universities deciding what schools need. They begin with listening. They invite practitioners into the conversation, connect research with classroom realities, and recognize that knowledge flows in both directions. Universities have much to offer schools, but schools also have much to teach universities.

Perhaps the most powerful moment came as each panelist offered a final word of encouragement to educators. Dr. Michael O’Connor reminded them, “You are not alone. Lean on Christ and those in your orbit.” Dr. Nicci Dowd encouraged educators to “Design for possibilities, not limitations.” Dr. Aliya Holmes reminded us to lean on God and community and to recognize the importance of the small things. Dr. Clara Hauth encouraged educators to “Give yourself grace, and ask questions…advocate for yourself and others.” Different words, yet a common thread that community, relationships, and formation all essential, and that none of us was meant to do this important work alone.

As Dr. LaTonya White and I continue preparing The Middle School Culture Blueprint for publication with the National Catholic Educational Association in spring 2027, I am increasingly grateful for the voices entering these Reflections from the Field conversations. Teachers, principals, diocesan leaders, pastors, and university colleagues are reminding us that strong middle school cultures are built when people are willing to listen, share what they have learned, and contribute their gifts for the good of others.

Michael, Nicci, Aliya, and Clara are blessings to the universities they serve, and their willingness to invest in the formation and support of educators is a beautiful example of educational community in action. This is what it looks like when we stop thinking in silos and begin asking what we can accomplish together!

Please be encouraged to listen, engage, and join the conversation.

We can do more–together!

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

Denise Ball, Ed.D.

Retired Catholic Education Leader | Author | Researcher | Consultant
Marymount University | Assistant Professor

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September 23, 2026 · 8:25 PM

Oxford Education Research Symposium | 2027 Research Team| Building School Cultures Where Educators Thrive

Today our 2027 Research Team came together to officially begin the next phase of our work. Today marks the launch of the culminating year of a three-year research journey focused on leadership, professional learning, school culture, and teacher retention.

This meaningful work draws on a strong framework of diverse experience, perspective, and expertise around the table. As 1 Corinthians 12:12 reminds us, many members form one body. In the same way, many voices can strengthen the work and help us see more clearly what PK-12 school leaders and educators need.

Over the coming months, our work will move forward in two connected ways. We will continue gathering, analyzing, and integrating research as we prepare our study for presentation and peer review at the Oxford Education Research Symposium in March 2027. At the same time, we will begin translating that evidence into a manuscript designed to provide school leaders with practical strategies, examples, reflection, and guidance for intentionally creating and sustaining positive school cultures.

I am grateful for the wisdom, experience, and commitment this team brings to the work, and I am excited about where this research may lead as we seek to contribute something both scholarly and useful to Catholic school leaders and the educators they serve.

Oxford Education Research Symposium | 2027 Research Team

Building School Cultures Where Educators Thrive

Joy Roberts, Ed.D. + Christina Mendez-Hall + Denise Ball, Ed.D + Anita Harkins-Mehsling + Karina Lepkowski + Aliya Holmes, Ph.D. + Lynsie Reavis + Amanda Zingone + Dr. Nicci Dowd + Michael T. O’Connor, Ph.D. + Dr. LaTonya Rayford White + Jim Rigg =A Dynamic TEAM!

Representing:

Marymount University

Roche Center for Catholic Education – Boston College

St. John’s University

Marymount University School of Education

Marymount Doctor of Education, Online Ed.D. Educational Leadership & Organizational Innovation

Catholic Diocese of Arlington

Archdiocese of Miami

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington

Archdiocese of New Orleans

Archdiocese of Detroit

Archdiocese of Omaha

Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston

National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)

We can do more for our Catholic schools when we do it together!

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September 17, 2026 · 7:01 PM

Why Professional Learning…Is it Important or Just One More Thing?

Professional learning is intended to help educators grow, strengthen their practice, and ultimately better serve students. Yet for teachers carrying increasingly full plates, even well-intentioned professional learning can sometimes feel like “one more thing.” That tension became the starting point for Episode 2 of The Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field, where I had the opportunity to talk with Lynsie Reavis, Director for Educational Programs for the Archdiocese of Washington. Our conversation offered an important reminder for those of us who lead and design professional learning: honoring teachers’ time, capacity, and experience must be part of the planning process.

One of Lynsie’s recommendations was beautifully practical…to choose one or two meaningful initiatives each year and avoid exceeding three. Teachers wear many hats, and meaningful implementation requires time. Rather than expecting every educator to embrace a new initiative at the same pace, Lynsie encouraged leaders to begin with those who are ready and willing. These educators can become “initiative ambassadors,” sharing authentically with colleagues how a new practice is influencing teaching and learning. Growth can often spread more effectively through trusted relationships and visible impact than through another mandate. That same relational approach shaped Lynsie’s own middle school teaching. She spoke about creating challenges and friendly competition to make learning collaborative and enjoyable and reflected on the familiar instructional progression of “I do, we do, you do.”

Our conversation also reinforced how professional learning can strengthen the culture of an entire middle school. Lynsie emphasized giving teams time to develop shared expectations around practices such as weekly assessment schedules, bell work, and family communication. These conversations require compromise, openness, and time, but the resulting coherence matters. Middle school students move among multiple teachers and classrooms each day, and, as Lynsie reminded us, they are always watching the dynamics and structures around them. Greater consistency among adults can create greater clarity and security for students. Professional learning, then, becomes more than the transfer of information. It becomes an opportunity to strengthen relationships, shared language, teamwork, and culture.

Click HERE to listen to episode 2 and available anywhere podcasts are enjoyed.

For educators interested in exploring this area further, Deans for Impact’s free The Science of Learning resource offers an accessible, research-informed look at how cognitive science can inform everyday instructional decisions. 

https://www.deansforimpact.org/files/assets/thescienceoflearning.pdf?

Perhaps one of the most important themes of our discussion was reflection. Lynsie highlighted brain-based teaching and learning and reminded us that the instructional decisions educators make influence how students experience and process learning. That makes reflection essential, not optional. As Dr. LaTonya White and I continue our work on The Middle School Culture Blueprint (NCEA, 2027), these conversations continue to reinforce the interconnected nature of Belonging, Clarity, Coherence, and Formation, our middle school culture blueprint. Professional learning can contribute to each of these pillars when it is thoughtful, relevant, and connected to the actual work of teachers. And through all of the strategies, structures, initiatives, and demands of education, Lynsie left us with a simple reminder worth carrying with us, “Always remember your why!”

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

Denise M. Ball, Ed.D.

Retired Catholic Education Leader | Author | Researcher | Consultant

Assistant Professor | Marymount University

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Blog: www.unlocktheteacher.org

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September 4, 2026 · 9:35 AM

An Invitation to Jump Off The Chaos Wheel for an Hour

Happy Friday!

I am honored and grateful to have been invited by Marymount University to lead a conversation next Wednesday on The Joy in the Work: Cultivating School Cultures Where Everyone Belongs.

As C. S. Lewis reminds us through “The Screwtape Letters,” there will always be voices competing for our attention. If you have an hour, perhaps we can step off the chaos wheel together, encourage one another, and reflect on how forgiveness, trust, service, and joy can help strengthen our Catholic school communities.

I would be thrilled to have you join the conversation.

Wednesday, September 9 | 6:00 PM ET

Complimentary virtual event hosted by Marymount University

Register here: https://marymountuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/6DZUnq-gSkKcq5pN6kSeIg#/registration

Thank you to Loyola Press, Dr. Jessica Marotta, Dr. Skye Donovan, and the entire College of Health and Education for the invitation, encouragement, and support.

When we train our eyes to see the good, amazing things happen!

I am so excited to see registrants thus far joining the conversation from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Archdiocese of Detroit, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, the Diocese of Palm Beach, The Diocese of Charleston, the Catholic Diocese Of Richmond, and the Archdiocese of Seattle.

We can do more to support our Catholic schools — together!

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

#CultivatingJoy #JoyInTheWork #SchoolCulture #SharingTheGood #JOY

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