Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball

Middle School Culture Blueprint: Reflections from the Field

Creating a Positive Start to the 2026–2027 School Year

I am grateful to host this conversation with Catholic educators, school leaders, and diocesan leaders who are serving and making a difference in and for middle school communities.

Featured guests:

Dr. Nancy Baker

Mary Peters

Lynsie Reavis

Karina Lepkowski

Tricia Florance

This episode is connected to The Middle School Culture Blueprint, a manuscript project I am blessed to be developing with Dr. LaTonya White.

Together, we laugh and discuss practical ways to welcome teachers, support students, build belonging, strengthen team culture, and begin the school year with intention, clarity, and JOY.

#SharingTheGood #MiddleSchoolCultureBlueprint #CatholicEducation #SchoolCulture #MiddleSchoolLeadership #CultivatingJOY

What if joy was not something we waited to find in our work, but something we intentionally chose to lead with?

In the first episode of the Joy in the Work series, Dr. Denise Ball welcomes Dr. Christina Mendez-Hall for a heartfelt conversation about choosing joy as educators and school leaders. Together, they explore how joy can influence the way we lead, strengthen relationships, navigate challenges, and contribute to positive, healthy school cultures.

As a new school year begins, this conversation offers a simple invitation: before the meetings, plans, initiatives, and inevitable challenges, consider how you want to show up for the people you serve.

Joy does not mean ignoring the hard parts of our work. It means making room for gratitude, hope, laughter, faith, purpose, and connection alongside them.

One question to carry with you:

How will someone experience joy because they crossed your path today?

Join the conversation and consider what might happen when we choose to Lead with Joy.

Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball

“When we train our eyes to see the good, amazing things happen.”

Words rarely disappear when the conversation ends. They can linger in a heart, shape a relationship, awaken curiosity, restore confidence, offer forgiveness, or become part of the story another person carries forward. After spending several days in the presence of my mother- and father-in-law, who have shared 65 years of marriage, I found myself reflecting on the words that build a life, a marriage, a family, a classroom, and a community.

In this episode of the Words Have Power series on Sharing the Good, I invite us to consider not simply the words we speak, but the legacy they may leave behind.

For educators–

What words will my students carry with them after they leave my classroom?

Did I tell them they were capable? Did I cultivate curiosity rather than fear of being wrong?

Did my words communicate…I see something in you?

For leaders–

What words do people associate with being in your presence?

Did my words invite collaboration?

Did my words make difficult conversations safer and more productive?

Have my words preserved another person’s dignity even when disagreement was necessary?

For families–

What language are we handing down from one generation to the next by the words we choose to use today?

Sometimes, the legacy of our words isn’t ONLY about what we say but also about the words we choose NOT to say…

The apology we finally offer,

The conversation we have the courage to enter, OR

The grace we extend when someone’s words have hurt us.

As we begin to welcome a new school year, I invite educators, parents, and leaders into a simple reflection:

Before you speak, teach, correct, post, email, lead, or respond, ask:

If these words were remembered, would I be grateful they were mine?

Thank you for being a part of the Sharing the Good community!

Until next time, let us cultivate joy and be committed to sharing the good, knowing that when we train our eyes to see the good, amazing things do indeed happen!

Join the conversation

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/deniseballedu

Instagram: deniseball_edu

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SharingTheGoodwithDrDeniseBall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharingTheGoodWithDrDeniseBall

Blog: www.unlocktheteacher.org

Sharing the Good is also available wherever podcasts are enjoyed!

Words can encourage, affirm, and create a sense of belonging, or leave a lasting impact in ways we may not realize. In this first episode of the Words Have Power series, Dr. Denise Ball invites educators and school leaders to reflect on the language they use and how intentional words can help build positive, joy-filled school communities.

The complimentary Educator Toolkit: 90 Positive Comments to Help Every Student Feel Seen, Valued, and Connected is available at www.unlocktheteacher.org.

Sitting atop the Oxford Castle mound, I found myself reflecting on the extraordinary gift of being in Oxford among scholars from around the world. To be welcomed as a researcher into a community filled with such innovative, curious, and brilliant minds is both humbling and deeply inspiring. Throughout the Oxford Symposia 2026, I have been gathering wisdom nuggets,

forming new connections, and considering how research can move beyond presentation rooms to serve educators, students, schools, and communities. In this video, I invited three remarkable fellow scholars to share one reflection they are taking away from their time in Oxford:

Dr. Nicci Dowd, Assistant Professor at Marymount University and a member of our Oxford Symposia 2026 Research Team (https://marymount.edu/)

Dr. Joy Roberts, Co-Founder of Friendzy and a member of our Oxford Symposia 2026 Research Team (https://friendzy.co/)

Dr. Alvera “Ali” McMillan, representing Louisiana State University and presenting research on the intersection of literacy and nature place-based learning as a transformative pedagogical approach to K-12 education

Their reflections remind us that research is not only about what we discover. It is also about the relationships we form, the questions we carry forward, and how we use what we learn in service to others. What do we take home from experiences such as these? New knowledge, certainly, but also new relationships, renewed purpose, and a deeper responsibility to use what we learn in service to others.

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

May we continue to seek knowledge in all things,

Denise

This conversation is available anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

#SharingTheGoodwithDrDeniseBall #OxfordSymposia2026 #EducationalResearch #SchoolCulture #ProfessionalLearning #Literacy #PlaceBasedLearning #MarymountUniversity

In the final episode of the three-part Summer Series, Belonging, School Culture, and the Joy of the Work, host Dr. Denise Ball welcomes back Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling, Associate Superintendent for the Archdiocese of Omaha.

Denise and Anita explore the important connection between belonging, joy, teacher retention, school stability, and the overall health of a school community. Their conversation considers how leaders can move belonging beyond a one-time welcome and make it part of the rhythm, language, practices, and lived experience of the school throughout the year.

They discuss why joy grows when people feel connected to one another and to a shared mission, how belonging can help educators feel less isolated, and why small, sincere, and consistent leadership practices can make a lasting difference.

As school leaders prepare for the 2026-27 school year, this episode offers a timely invitation: choose one practice that helps people feel seen, known, valued, supported, and connected, and commit to it consistently.

A joyful school community is not a perfect school community. It is a community that continues to see the good, name the good, and carry the good forward together.

Dr. Denise Ball extends her heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling for sharing her research, wisdom, leadership, and generous heart throughout this summer series.

Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball is available wherever you enjoy podcasts, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio. The video conversation and the complete summer series can also be viewed on the Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball YouTube channel.

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

For the video, please visit the Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball YouTube Channel at https://youtu.be/QapHgB7frhY

Reflection Question

Before listening to today's conversation, I invite you to pause for just a moment.

When someone walks into your school for the very first time, what do they experience before anyone says a single word?

What do they see, what do they feel, and what do they notice?

As you listen today, consider how every interaction, every tradition, and every leadership decision contributes to the culture you are creating.

Building a Culture That Lasts: The Leadership Behind Thriving Schools

Summer Series – Episode 2

School culture does not happen by accident.

It is shaped every day through the relationships we build, the values we model, and the countless decisions we make as leaders and educators.

In Episode Two of our Summer Series on Belonging, School Culture, and the Joy of the Work, I am delighted to continue my conversation with Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling, Associate Superintendent for the Archdiocese of Omaha.

One of the joys of hosting this community is introducing you to remarkable people whose work is making a difference, and Dr. Harkins-Mehsling offers thoughtful insight into one of the most important responsibilities of educational leadership: intentionally cultivating a school culture where people can thrive.

Together we explore:

• What school culture truly means

• Why culture is one of a leader's greatest responsibilities

• How everyday interactions shape a school's identity

• The importance of trust, relationships, and shared purpose

• Practical ways to strengthen a positive culture throughout the school year

Healthy school cultures are not built through programs alone. They are formed through consistent leadership, authentic relationships, and a shared commitment to creating environments where every person feels valued and encouraged to grow.

Whether you serve as a teacher, principal, diocesan leader, ministry leader, or parent, I hope this conversation encourages you to reflect on the culture you are helping create each day.

As educational leaders, we have the extraordinary opportunity to shape environments that inspire hope, foster belonging, and remind every member of our community that they matter.

Thank you, Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling, for sharing your wisdom and your unwavering commitment to Catholic education.

Thank you for joining us for Episode Two of our Summer Series.

If this conversation encourages you, I invite you to subscribe, share this episode with a colleague or friend, and become part of our growing community as we continue celebrating the people, ideas, and everyday moments that inspire hope, belonging, and the joy of the work.

Practice for the Week

Walk through your school before anyone else arrives one morning.

Slowly. Without a checklist. Simply observe.

If you were a new student, teacher, or parent entering this building for the first time, what would your environment teach you about what your school values?

What one small change could strengthen your culture this week?

Until we gather again, may we continue to share the good.

About Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball

Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball is a community of educators, leaders, authors, ministry partners, and friends who believe that hope grows when we intentionally celebrate the good around us.

Hosted by Dr. Denise Ball, each episode features meaningful conversations exploring leadership, belonging, school culture, faith, professional learning, teacher retention, innovation, and the everyday moments that remind us that joy is found in serving others.

Together, we are building a community where encouragement, wisdom, and authentic relationships help us all flourish.

Where Belonging Begins: Building School Cultures Where Everyone Thrives

Reflection Question: Think about a time when you truly felt you belonged. What did someone do, or what did the environment communicate, that made you feel seen, valued, and welcomed? As you listen today, consider how you might create that same experience for someone else.

Summer Series – Episode 1

What does it truly mean to create a school where every student, educator, and family feels they belong?

Welcome to the first episode of our Summer Series on Belonging, School Culture, and the Joy of the Work.

One of the joys of hosting this community is introducing you to remarkable people whose work is making a difference, and I am delighted to welcome Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling, Associate Superintendent for the Archdiocese of Omaha.

Throughout this conversation, we explore one of the most important questions facing education today:

How do we intentionally build cultures where people feel seen, valued, connected, and inspired to flourish?

Belonging is much more than making people feel welcome. It is cultivated through relationships, trust, shared purpose, and everyday leadership decisions that shape a school's culture.

Together, we discuss:

• What belonging truly means in today's schools

• Why school culture begins with intentional leadership

• The role relationships play in creating thriving communities

• Practical ways educators can cultivate belonging every day

• How belonging lays the foundation for joy, engagement, and meaningful learning

Whether you serve as a teacher, principal, diocesan leader, parent, or ministry leader, this conversation offers practical encouragement and thoughtful reflection for anyone committed to strengthening school communities.

As we prepare for a new school year, I hope this discussion inspires each of us to ask not only how we welcome others, but how we create environments where every person genuinely knows they belong.

Thank you, Dr. Anita Harkins-Mehsling, for sharing your wisdom, your leadership, and your heart for Catholic education.

Thank you for joining us for Episode One of our Summer Series.

If this conversation encourages you, I invite you to subscribe, share this episode with a colleague or friend, and become part of our growing community as we continue celebrating the people, ideas, and everyday moments that inspire hope, belonging, and the joy of the work.

Until we gather again, may we continue to share the good.

About Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball

Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball is a community of educators, leaders, authors, ministry partners, and friends who believe that hope grows when we intentionally celebrate the good around us.

Hosted by Dr. Denise Ball, each episode features meaningful conversations exploring leadership, belonging, school culture, faith, professional learning, teacher retention, innovation, and the everyday moments that remind us that joy is found in serving others.

Together, we are building a community where encouragement, wisdom, and authentic relationships help us all flourish.

The Gift of Community: How Fellowship Helps Us Flourish

What makes a school, parish, or organization feel like home?

In this episode of Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball, I am delighted to welcome you, as your host, to a heartfelt conversation with Karina Lepkowski, Principal of Most Holy Trinity Academy in the Archdiocese of Detroit, about the power of fellowship and the importance of authentic community. We discussed when a shared mission becomes a shared walk.

One of the joys of hosting this community is introducing you to remarkable people whose work is making a difference, and Karina is one of those leaders.

Together, we explore how meaningful relationships create environments where people feel known, valued, and encouraged to become the very best version of themselves. Fellowship is more than spending time together. It is choosing to walk alongside one another with compassion, trust, encouragement, and shared purpose.

Throughout our conversation, we discussed:

• What authentic fellowship looks like in today's schools

• Why community is essential for both educators and students

• Practical ways leaders can intentionally cultivate belonging

• The connection between relationships, trust, and joyful school cultures

• How small acts of encouragement create lasting impact

Whether you are a teacher, principal, parish leader, parent, or someone seeking to build stronger relationships within your own community, I hope this conversation encourages you to invest in the people around you and reminds you that we were never meant to journey alone.

Karina's thoughtful leadership reminds us that thriving schools are built one relationship at a time.

Thank you, Karina, for sharing your wisdom, your heart for Catholic education, and your commitment to building communities where everyone has the opportunity to flourish.

Thank you for joining us for another episode of Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball.

If this conversation encouraged you, I invite you to subscribe, share it with a colleague or friend, and become part of our growing community as we continue celebrating the people, ideas, and everyday moments that inspire hope, belonging, and the joy of the work.

Until we gather again, may we continue to share the good.

About Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball

Sharing the Good is a community of educators, leaders, authors, ministry partners, and friends who believe that hope grows when we intentionally celebrate the good around us.

Hosted by Dr. Denise Ball, each episode features meaningful conversations exploring leadership, belonging, school culture, faith, professional learning, innovation, teacher retention, and the everyday moments that remind us that joy is found in serving others.

Together, we are building a community where encouragement, wisdom, and authentic relationships help us all flourish.

What transforms a group of people into a true community?

In this episode of Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball, I welcome Dr. Nicci Dowd, Assistant Professor at Marymount University, researcher, educator, and co-author, for a thoughtful conversation on the transformative power of fellowship.

Together, we explore how authentic relationships create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and encouraged to flourish. Fellowship is far more than simply gathering together. It is an intentional way of living that cultivates trust, strengthens belonging, and reminds us that we were never meant to lead or serve alone.

Throughout our conversation, we discuss:

• The meaning of fellowship and why it matters today

• How authentic relationships strengthen schools and communities

• The connection between belonging, trust, and joyful leadership

• Practical ways leaders can cultivate meaningful relationships within their organizations

• Why creating cultures of encouragement benefits educators, students, and families alike

Whether you are a teacher, school leader, ministry leader, parent, or someone seeking deeper connection, this conversation offers thoughtful insights and practical encouragement for building communities where people truly thrive.

Thank you, Dr. Dowd, for sharing your wisdom, research, and heart for serving others.

If this conversation encourages you, please subscribe, share this episode with a colleague or friend, and join us as we continue celebrating the people and stories that inspire hope, belonging, and the joy of the work.

Until next time...

May we continue to share the good!

About Sharing the Good with Dr. Denise Ball

Sharing the Good is a podcast celebrating the people, ideas, and practices that inspire hope, cultivate belonging, strengthen leadership, and encourage joyful service.

Through meaningful conversations with educators, researchers, authors, ministry leaders, and friends, Dr. Denise Ball explores leadership, school culture, faith, professional learning, teacher retention, innovation, and the everyday moments that remind us of the good all around us.