The Indian Hill School District celebrates Indian Hill Middle School educator Jessica Ball who was named a finalist for the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) national Educator of the Year. Ball will be recognized during the national convention in November.
“We are thrilled to see Ms. Ball recognized on a national stage,” said Indian Hill Middle School Principal Lauren Gentene. “As a leader, Ms. Ball is reflective, compassionate, and committed. In the face of adversity, she stays focused on what is most important: the learning experience of our students.”
Ball teaches sixth grade math within Indian Hill Middle School. Gentene said her ability to embrace new professional learning opportunities to bring enhanced technology practices into her teaching has proven valuable to students.
“Ms. Ball continuously strives to meet the needs of all learners. She believes that all students can learn math, and she persists in finding ways to make math meaningful for even the most reluctant mathematicians in class,” said Gentene. “Ms. Ball sought out a grant and piloted a program that brought virtual reality (VR) systems into her classroom, where students could use VR goggles to immerse themselves in math concepts and graphs. When the state of Ohio provided access for math teachers to use a software called Zearn to help meet the needs of learners, she enthusiastically dove into professional learning and began embedding the program into her instructional design.”
“Jessica Ball is among the very best in the country at her craft, and we are thrilled to see her efforts honored in this prestigious way,” said Indian Hill CEO/Superintendent Kirk Koennecke. “We are extremely fortunate to have a classroom leader of her caliber creating exceptional learning moments for our middle school mathematicians.”
“I am beyond honored to have been thought of for this award and to have been named a finalist,” said Ball. “Having the opportunity to serve our students and grow and learn from my amazing colleagues has brought me so much joy and has forever impacted my own educational experience. While I am blown away by this nomination, I am beyond blessed and thankful to get to serve our community.”
Photo caption: Indian Hill Middle School educator Jessica Ball was named a finalist for national Educator of the Year by the Association for Middle Level Education.