Ballard Elementary Global Studies Magnet School
Administration

Wendy Mungillo, Principal

On behalf of our students and staff, I’d like to thank you for visiting our website and learning more about our school. Ballard Global Studies Magnet School is a Title I school.

Ballard was originally built in 1922. It was all rebuilt in 2002 except for the  auditorium which remains and is a beautiful feature of our school. If you visit our school, you will notice that we have created a physical environment that is very calm and brain-friendly. You will hear classical music in the hallways, see that walls are painted with calming colors, and see very little clutter on the walls of the classrooms and hallways.  

Because of our global studies emphasis, you will see that the entrances to our four main hallways have architectural replicas of the columns of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, the Coliseum in Rome, Italy,  the Pazzi Chapel in Florence, Italy, and the Itsukushima Shrine in Japan.  The main lobby of the school has sound panels shaped in silhouettes of important landmarks that represent different time zones. The time zones are indicated by four clocks showing the time in New York, London, Moscow, and Tokyo.  In the Media Center, there are many panels which depict several landmarks including a New York skyline, and the Eiffel Tower. The elevator shaft is designed to replicate Big Ben in London and the walkway from the loft is the Golden Gate Bridge. The story house is designed as a half-timber house much like one you would see in Germany or Switzerland.  Behind the Media Center are panels representing the Jefferson, Washington, and Lincoln Memorials in Washington, D.C.   The walls of our cafeteria—which we call the Bistro—are painted with scenes of a French street.

Our teachers are currently participating in training in the Learning Focused Model. This is bringing us up-to-date on the most effective, research-based teaching strategies.   Prior to this training, the school’s focus was the Integrated Thematic Instruction Model.  We are a Professional Development School which means that we work closely with the University of South Florida to provide all levels of internship experiences for their education majors.

We welcome your interest and involvement with our school. If you are interested in volunteering or participating in our School Advisory Council, please give us a call.