In education, support for leaders is extremely rare. In the United States Army however, working together as a team is when they are strongest, making the network and support essential to success.
Meet Demetrius Ball, the principal of California High School, just outside of Oakland, California. He graduated from West Point Military Academy prior to getting into education, and when he moved from the military, to teaching, to educational leadership, Demetrius found his new support network within Better Leaders Better Schools!
Demetrius is not only an educational leader, he also shares his experiences presenting at local, regional, and national conferences on topics such as: Technology Integration, The Power of Developing Your Professional & Personal Learning Community, Restorative Justice, and Culturally Responsive Teaching.
Husband and proud father of four, Demetrius is what you call, a true Ruckus Maker!
He joined the mastermind in 2017, and has this to say about the experience:
“It’s the personal ‘feel’ that I get from folks on the other side of the world, down south, and other parts of the United States that I liked. It was really cool to see how willing everyone was to share their experiences. We all had similar challenges, and everyone’s goal was to be a better leader.”
Like many of his peers, Demetrius can easily get caught up in the day to day, which enhances the sense of isolation he feels as a principal.
When we take on roles as leaders, this tends to happen. Everyone is spread thin.
Luckily, Demetrius has a motto, “…investing in myself, is investing in my future!”
We know he’s in the right place because what we say at Better Leaders Better Schools is,
“When YOU get better … Everyone wins!”
The Ruckus Maker Mastermind™ is a weekly experience grounded in Relevant, Responsive, and Results-Oriented Professional Development™
Members participate in guided discussions on current and trending topics in education, and multidisciplinary book studies, and the coveted “Hot Seat” where we solve our #1 challenge each week.
The Ruckus Maker Mastermind™ helps you become an even more effective leader.
Demetrius praised the value and impact of staying current on ideas and strategies, by saying, “… the mastermind opened my eyes to the possibilities that were out there and this helped me develop confidence.”
A teacher at his school stated in front of his superintendent that Demetrius is the best leader they’ve ever had and would not leave as long as he was there.
Way to go Demetrius, your prioritization of building trust is paying off!
So how is life and leadership now different for Demetrius after joining The Ruckus Maker Mastermind™?
“The guidance and support at the very beginning of my experience as a leader has really helped me mature and set a clear vision of what I wanted, which was to build trust.”
At a time like now when turnover and burnout rates are at the highest we’ve seen in education, Demetrius says, “Finding community and support is crucial to your longevity. No one wants to bounce around schools or bounce out of education altogether.”
Demetrius was given a choice of one word to describe his mastermind experience, and he said, “vital,” adding, “it helps balance the job, maintain my health, and find joy in my career.”
The Better Leaders Better Schools network is grateful to have Demetrius Ball, and would like to expand throughout San Ramon Valley Unified School District, and districts like yours!
Whenever you are ready to be an even more effective leader, visit https://betterleadersbetterschools.com/mastermind and complete your application today!
