Glenelg's New Assistant Principal is a Familiar Face

By: Sam Wilmeth

Inertia is a fundamental principle of physics allowing an object in motion to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an external force. Without it, any forward progress would be brought to a halt.

For science teacher John Ballentine, however, no force seems to be stopping him from moving forward.

Following Patrick Crouse’s retirement from Glenelg in January, Ballentine was hired as the new assistant principal.

​Ballentine is stepping up into administration after 11 years of teaching. He has worked at Glenelg his entire career, coming to teach shortly after receiving a degree in physics from Towson University. Ballentine’s time at Glenelg has given him the chance to lead countless students through the science department into different STEM opportunities in and beyond high school. His colleague, fellow science teacher Patricia Feinstein, has seen his effect on the school since his first day.

“As a brand new teacher, he definitely had a lot to contribute,” Feinstein said. “He reached out to kids more; he knows how to interact with other students, help solve student problems, and improve teacher-student relationships. I’ve learned a lot from him, and he is a very natural leader.”

As he begins his time in administration, he is looking forward to the prospect of school leadership in a different way.

“I love the job I’m doing. I could definitely see myself teaching my entire career, but different leadership positions is something I have been pursuing,” Ballentine said. “I also love leading adults and leading the school from a much larger perspective, so it is very exciting. It is bittersweet, in a way, leaving something I love doing, but I also am really excited to continue my work here with the students.”

In his new position, Ballentine will take over the majority of Crouse’s responsibilities. Students can expect to see him in the hallways, as well as greeting students before school. Behind the scenes, Ballentine will also be responsible for important administrative duties such as building maintenance and standardized testing. Despite the new workload, Ballentine seems to be set up for success.

“He’s natural when it comes to dealing with stressful situations,” Feinstein said. “He knows how to give good advice when someone stresses out, and that’s a strong point he has. I think he’ll be very successful wherever he goes.”

Bellentine’s new duties undoubtedly move him forward; moving out of the classroom and into the front office means that his influence and role in the school are expanded greatly. Despite his new title, however, he has made strides to be sure his students for this year won’t be left behind.

“I hope I have set students up to learn independently,” Ballentine said. “That is part of my educational philosophy; setting you up for college, giving you the skills and resources that you need, no matter who's in front of you. I hope to instill that confidence, and I’m excited that I get to be in the building to continue to support students directly and indirectly.”

As Ballentine continues to make this transition into administration, he is both leaving behind a legacy of strong connection in the classroom and beginning a chapter of school leadership outside of it. Without a doubt, his new position at Glenelg will leave just as much of a positive impact as ever before.