Most kids after school loved to play jump rope or tag, but not Tami Ballard. What she loved to play after a long day at school was school, meaning that she would set up a chalkboard and pull out books to read to her students while she played the role of the teacher.
“I would get all the neighborhood kids and my sister be my students,” Ballard said. “I would always set up [my own] school, so I always [knew] I wanted to teach.”
Shortly after starting high school, Ballard realized her love for teaching was real, and that she wanted to attend college to pursue it. Ballard told her father that he should start saving money for her to be able to attend college, which he agreed to, but not without a catch.
“He told me that’s fine, but I was not going to pay for you to go to Texas State or pay for you to be a teacher,” Ballard said. “I went to school and he paid, but it was for a different school, and I studied psychology [instead] because I wanted to work with kids, but it did not work out.”
A year later she would move to Austin to be closer to her friend because at Texas State she felt isolated without her close friends. This decision also inspired her to start studying at ACC.
“I did the nursing program for about a year and a half and at that point, I was able to pay my own way through school,” Ballard said.
At this point in Ballard’s career, however, she decided it was time to pursue her dream of being a teacher.
“I decided to go to Texas State, and I paid my own way through school,” Ballard said.
Ballard’s education, and career allowed her to have diverse opportunities in the education system. She has been an elementary school principal, and assistant principal and was even put in charge of the gifted and talented department at Dripping Springs Independent School District. Ballard’s first job opportunity in the elementary department allowed her to both teach and prioritize her family.
“Originally I was going to be a secondary teacher, then I met my husband, and we started dating and he was a coach,” Ballard said. “ And I knew I wanted to have a family, and I wanted to be there for my kids, and I knew it would be really hard for us to be there for our kids.”
Now that her husband is retired and her children have their own lives, and her youngest daughter got married, Ballard finally felt like it was time to prioritize her dream.
“Now it is time to do what I wanted to,” Ballard said. “I chose McCallum because I was starting to follow my dreams [too].”
After having taught elementary school kids for many years and now switching to high school, Ballard acknowledges that the biggest difference between the two is how much more freedom students have in high school.
“You guys have more autonomy because you’re getting close to leaving high school and going out in the world,” Ballard said. “The habits that you establish here will take you through life and help you be successful elsewhere.”
Ballard was interested in applying to McCallum because of all the opportunities that are offered to students here. From the sports to the band, and even the fine arts department. But most importantly she chose to be at this school because it also shares her belief in letting students be who they want to be. She realized that when the parents and students were standing up for what was right after the protest at McCallum happened.
“Everyone is very united, and it really spoke to me,” Ballard said. “I loved [the written messages] like ‘all means all’ and ‘we love all.’ I think that we should love and accept everyone and I think that is the belief here.”
After a month of being an assistant principal at McCallum, Principal Andy Baxa has become aware of what a great addition Ballard has been to McCallum for how she handles student situations.
“It’s all about demeanor with assistant principals, the way you approach a situation can affect the situation,” Baxa said. “So far I have been impressed with her ability to stay focused and calm to handle the situation properly.”
Though Baxa has also noticed what a great person she is on the inside and thinks she’s got a huge heart.
“I like her approach,” Baxa said. “She is calm and patient and works through her process very organized and diligently.”
Ballard has also made a great first impression on Fine Arts Academy director, Dr. Sam Parrott, who believes that from day one she wanted to be as involved as she can in McCallum.
“She is someone who asks a lot of questions and wants to know the situation and know a lot about people, and I have never seen her without a smile on her face,” Parrott said.
Parrott has also come to admire Ballard for how selfless she is as an assistant principal.
“I really admire her positive energy and her thoughtfulness of solutions,” Parrott said. “She is always working with kids in mind, and it’s never all about her, It’s all about trying to help others”.
Despite already making an impact at McCallum, Ballard doesn’t have any plans to change McCallum. Her only goal is to present herself as a person to talk to if anyone ever has an issue.
“I just want to be available to help and at my core, I love to serve and be accepting and helpful,” Ballard said. “So I just want people to know that they can talk to me and that I am a safe space and that I am helping and supporting everyone.”
One thing that Ballard has come to learn and love about McCallum is how open and accepting the philosophy is and embracing what each student learns throughout their high school experience.
“Letting kids be kids I think it’s important because we all mistakes, but it’s not the end of everything,” Ballard said. “We are all learning, and even I make mistakes as an adult and I feel like people show me grace here.”
