Linking Leaders PodCASt
Linking Leaders PodCASt features candid conversations with top educational leaders who come together to share experiences and explore pathways to success. In each episode, we engage with dynamic leaders to uncover real-life stories, practical strategies and bold insights on timely and relevant topics. Listen up to link up and let us help you expand your network of innovation and support!
Linking Leaders PodCASt
From Teaching to Transforming a School: Emma Balter’s Journey at Six to Six Magnet School
What does it take to lead a school to award-winning excellence? For Emma Balter, Principal of Six to Six Magnet School, the journey began after 29 years in the classroom when she unexpectedly stepped into administration. Now, as leader of Connecticut's 2025 Middle School of the Year, she shares the leadership strategies that transformed her school community.
Six to Six Magnet School embodies a unique educational model - an inter-district school serving 450 students from Bridgeport and 17 surrounding communities, creating remarkable diversity both ethnically and socioeconomically. True to its name, the school operates from 6am to 6pm, supporting working families with extended hours while delivering exceptional STEM-focused education through powerful community partnerships.
Balter's leadership mantra of "growing and changing" reflects her commitment to continuous improvement. She candidly discusses her growth in having difficult conversations, sharing how Glenn Singleton's "Courageous Conversations" helped ground her approach to equity and inclusion.
Join us for this inspiring conversation about brave leadership, building administrative alignment, and why maintaining classroom connections matters. Whether you're an experienced administrator or aspiring leader, Balter's journey offers valuable lessons for creating award-winning school communities where both students and educators thrive.
Hi and welcome to the Linking Leaders Podcast. Linking Leaders Podcast features candid conversations with top educational leaders who come together to share experiences and explore pathways to success. In each episode, we engage with dynamic leaders to uncover real-life stories, practical strategies and bold insights on timely and relevant topics. Listen up to Link Up and let us help you expand your network of innovation and support.
Alicia Bowman:Welcome to the Linking Leaders Podcast. I am your host, Dr Alicia Bowman, and today I'll be talking with Emma Balter, Principal of 6 to 6 Magnet School, Connecticut Association of Schools 2025 Middle School of the Year. Emma, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Linking Leaders podcast.
Emma Balter:Thank you so much. I'm really really excited to be here.
Alicia Bowman:So let's get started today by sharing with our listeners some context about your school and your school community.
Emma Balter:Okay, I would love to do that. So 6 to 6 is an inter-district magnet school located in Bridgeport, connecticut. We are an urban school, but what makes us kind of unique is that we are inter-district, meaning we service multiple districts at the same time. So we are currently serving about 17 other districts, which is kind of cool.
Emma Balter:When we were originally founded, we were founded under something called the COSY model, which was Comer Ziegler two big time educational researchers who believed that there was such great wealth in using your community as much as you possibly can. So the idea behind our magnet school is 50% of our population comes from Bridgeport, from an urban community, then the other 50% comes from our surrounding districts. So we have this really unique population, really diverse both ethnically but also socioeconomically, which is cool. And last little fun fact we are called 6 to 6 because we're open from 6 am to 6 pm. So another part of that community-minded approach is that if you have a family that needs to work, then they can drop their littles off for our before school program as early as 6. And then we have some families who have their little stay with us until not so little. Stay with us until, you know, 6 pm.
Alicia Bowman:That is neat. Yeah, that's a first for the Linking Leaders podcast About how many students are in your school. We have about 450.
Emma Balter:We are actually just sort of to explain our school is actually a pre-K through eighth grade, but our middle school is fifth through eighth grade and it was that program that we really kind of focused on when we were being considered for the Cass School of the Year, which is such a huge honor. But I do want to kind of recognize that there's a whole like vertical passageway that gets us to where we are. Just wanted to clarify that, thank you.
Alicia Bowman:I appreciate that. So, when you reflect on this past year, emma, what leadership are you most proud of and what has been its impact on the 6 to 6 school community?
Emma Balter:I would have to say it's the administrative team that I think we built together here at 6 to 6. This is my third year in this position and I am lucky enough to have a full-time assistant principal, who was hired last year, and I have a full-time assistant principal who was hired last year, and I have a part-time assistant principal, which is pretty unusual. And also a member of that team is our special education coordinator, and I think the shift that we made within the last year has really been solidifying that team, really connecting sort of on a personal level and a professional level and really aligning ourselves. That I think that has made such a significant impact because the population in school, be it staff or student or parents, they know that we are one united front and I think they appreciate that.
Emma Balter:For consistency's sake, for fairness sake, you know, I know that I've worked in districts where there's a real disconnect between depending on who you speak to, like I'm going to speak to this administrator and I'm going to get this response, or I'm going to speak to this one, but we have really worked on building that sort of an alignment and I think it's been hugely, hugely helpful to the whole climate and culture of our school. I really do.
Alicia Bowman:Excellent.
Emma Balter:Thank you.
Alicia Bowman:So six to six is a STEM focused school that has cultivated meaningful community partnerships. Can you share an example of a successful community partnership? How did you establish it and what has been its impact on both the educators and the students?
Emma Balter:Well, I will say I want to give kudos where they're due. I'm really lucky to work with a pretty impressive science specialist in our school, eva Kibbe, and she has done a ton of work on forming these partnerships for us. Most recently, she's added partnerships with. It used to be called the Discovery Museum, but now it's called something else that I can't quite remember the name of, but it is a hands-on learning museum that she really kind of worked to build that relationship with, and that's been great, because our kids not only do they get to go to the museum and do the hands-on they have a rope climbing course, they have lessons and classes but we also have the museum come and do presentations here for us as well. So that's sort of one example, but I will say that it's instead of just one example. I think it's sort of the model that we try to follow right Like where it's not just about going to see. We also are lucky enough to have people come and present to our kids, which is really cool.
Alicia Bowman:That's great. Those enriching experiences matter for sure.
Emma Balter:Absolutely.
Alicia Bowman:So, as you think back on your journey, can you give one leadership lesson that you wish you had learned sooner in your career?
Emma Balter:I can, and I think anyone who knows me, if they choose to listen to this, will not be surprised that I think I wish I had learned that it is really OK to sometimes make those really tough decisions or have those those tough conversations you all the time.
Emma Balter:And I think that's the lesson, and I think that as a teacher, I worked really, really hard on building relationships with my kids, and I was a teacher for 29 years before I became an administrator, so I spent a lot of time in the classroom and I would like to say that for the most part, kids liked me you know what I mean.
Emma Balter:I felt like I was able to do that. And then when I came here into this field which is this is my first school where I've been an administrator assistant principal, now principal that was definitely difficult to sometimes be like wow, I'm saying something and I know it's true and I know it's the right thing, and I also know that you, you and you are really not pleased with me right now and you are letting me know that, and so I think I wish I had learned that that's OK. And then we move on, we have it and we move on, we have it and we move on. We have friction and we move on and we rebuild and we reconnect. But I definitely wish I had learned that a little bit earlier.
Alicia Bowman:That's absolutely a hard shift, and often, when I'm working with new leaders, we talk about those tough moments of brave leadership, and if you are ensuring that you're leading from your core, those values, it makes it easier. It doesn't mean that everyone else is going to like your answer, but for you to be able to sleep at night, you have to ensure that you are making decisions based on those core values, and so, yes, that is tough.
Emma Balter:Yeah, absolutely, and it's funny that you should say values, because that's actually one of the lenses I've used in these difficult conversations. It's just sort of saying this is something that I value for us as a school, and I'm hoping that you then can understand that, because I value this, this is the decision we have to go with, you know.
Alicia Bowman:Yep, yep, well said. So talk to us about how you maintain your own professional growth and wellbeing as a leader.
Emma Balter:I would say that that also is something that I think I'm growing into. I think my first couple of years here we had a pretty significant shift. My very first year I started as assistant principal and then, due to a shift in staffing, I became principal, sort of like eight months in and everything just happened and here I was in this, in this new role. So I think honestly that first year and a half it was survival mode and learning sort of as I building the plane, as I fly it, so to speak. But I think one way that I was able to grow of me and helping me learn what I needed to learn right Like the entire agency is, but he specifically really really helped support me and, as far as well-being goes, I finally gave myself permission this year to prioritize things like attending workshops that will improve my leadership overall.
Emma Balter:So we were lucky enough to partner with Silver Hill, which focuses on mental health, and we had some resiliency workshops and normally I would be like I can't leave for two hours and go to a resiliency workshop, but what I've learned is I would come back from those just like refreshed and ready to go. So I think that's what I've done, is I've kind of put that I don't want to say it's only self-care, but I think self-care through the lens of being an effective leader, like if I don't take care of myself, I'm not going to be able to do my job effectively.
Alicia Bowman:Absolutely. We hear that a lot. You know that the opportunity to step away from the work and take a breath and develop yourself professionally or to network with colleagues. We all see the busyness of our schedule and feel like gosh, can I afford to step away? But then when you actually do it and you feel refreshed and renewed and get a little pep in your step, you recognize the value added.
Emma Balter:Absolutely and to your point, the networking part. I think there have been times where, within this agency, because we are a RESC, we're not a regular public school. We are an agency that services multiple different districts, so it also offers that opportunity to meet a ton of different people and connect with people who say I know exactly how you feel, or I did the exact same thing, or let me tell you my experience. So, absolutely, networking is key.
Alicia Bowman:So, continuing on this theme of learning as a lead learner, is there a book or resource that has deeply influenced your approach to leadership?
Emma Balter:There is. I was actually thinking about this before you and I started chatting. There is an author, his name is Glenn Singleton and he wrote a series of books called Courageous Conversations and he also he has created the Courageous Conversations Alliance and I was lucky enough to attend a four-day conference in Washington DC my first year where he was the keynote speaker. So I purchased his book and I read it and I attended it and I heard him speak and I think that has really grounded me in my relationship building approach, like what to be aware of, what to be able to be brave enough to talk about, because you know, in this world of really working hard to make sure that equity and inclusion is everywhere right, that's what he fights for.
Emma Balter:He talks about having the courageous conversation where we have to talk about something that is uncomfortable. It's uncomfortable, I can tell you. It's really sometimes uncomfortable to be a white principal in a school that is primarily people of color, and I'm aware of that, and it's uncomfortable sometimes to say that. But I think, as long as I'm willing to have that conversation, even if it's uncomfortable, I just think that people recognize that you're willing to do that and I think it makes a difference for sure.
Alicia Bowman:Absolutely. We certainly can't expect our students to move into brave spaces right or be uncomfortable if we're not modeling that or taking that risk and going first. So absolutely, but doesn't mean it's easy. It's not easy and it's not comfortable, but we're growing, we're learning, absolutely, and it's important. It's important work. So when you think about education and where we are in this moment, is there an emerging trend that excites you?
Emma Balter:So there is and I'm going to tell you that I just had a massive mindset shift with this trend because initially it did not excite me at all. I think I may guess what you're going to talk about. I think you know what it is, especially as a former English teacher. It is the use of AI in education. So when AI first came to be and people were like this is great and have it write things for me, and I thought absolutely not.
Emma Balter:I spent 28 years teaching kids how to write, how to write good essays, how to research, how to do all that stuff, and I really was kind of almost sort of angry about it, like what do you mean AI?
Emma Balter:So I went to an AI conference literally I think it was two weeks ago was a school safety and AI conference, sort of like how the two connect, like where do they intersect?
Emma Balter:And I have to say it really shifted my view because it was this coming together of all these different approaches. We had security, we had police, we had cybersecurity, we had people who you know manage cameras and manage school security and things like that talking about AI. And I think what we learned or at least what I learned at the end of that was it's not going anywhere, right? So I have to kind of embrace it. I really have to embrace it, and we talked about how can we use it instead of being afraid of it, because my fear was well, then kids are just going to say write an essay on Huck Finn that focuses on this theme and it would do it for you. So how do we mitigate that and how do we instead say listen, this is a great way for you to use AI, like if I think about our eighth graders writing their essays on you know, the outsiders.
Emma Balter:How can you use it to map out your outline, how can you use it to help you structure a particular part of it? And then how can you take that and own the rest of it, because you don't want someone to do it for you, but you can use it in a way that supports you. So I think that I'm actually now kind of excited about those conversations that we started to have with our kids, like okay, because they know more than we do, right.
Alicia Bowman:Oh, you know, for sure they really do. So how can we have that conversation with them? Absolutely, yep, it's one of those. We have to teach into it. We have to see you know what are the strengths and the weaknesses. Allow kids to think critically through AI and see its limitations and its power. But, yes, I would agree, you're not alone in that mindset shift, emma, that I can share. Sure, all right. So we're going to pick up the pace into our night round. So you're going to fill in the blank, all right?
Emma Balter:Right, yep, a great school leader listens with an open heart and an open mind.
Alicia Bowman:One of your best pieces of compression.
Emma Balter:Sleep on it, sleep on it.
Alicia Bowman:I like that one.
Emma Balter:Your favorite school tradition or event is it's the graduation walk because we have kids, as I said, who start with us when they're three and they leave when they're 14. And they walk through every hallway of the school and all their teachers come out, many of them crying, and they hug those kids that they saw grow over 12 years of school.
Alicia Bowman:Your superpower that aids you in your role as principal is.
Emma Balter:Building relationships being able to connect and build relationships. Your go-to morning routine before school includes Nothing educational but a great cup of tea and Wordle Love it One word to describe your leadership style. I would say growing and changing. It isn't ever going to just be one style. It's constantly going to be growing and changing, because I hope to always grow and change.
Alicia Bowman:Yes, yes. What's one thing, emma, that I should have asked you, but I didn't.
Emma Balter:Maybe what my favorite part about the job is.
Alicia Bowman:Okay.
Emma Balter:What is it? It is being in every classroom every single day. So every day I walk through the school and stop into the offices and again, speaking of things that were hard to do initially that was hard because these kids three years ago were thinking who is this lady coming in? But now they're so used to me that they allow me into that world, right, and I can. Sometimes I'll stop into a class and we'll have a conversation. They'll show me what they're doing with their experiment, or they'll let me read a chapter of the book with them, or we'll just talk about things that are going on. And I think that has led me to form these relationships so that I have some of these eighth graders who are going through so, so much that if I'm the one who happens to get them when they're having a really bad day, because they know me, because they see me, then we can talk about it and they know that I'm on their side.
Alicia Bowman:So that's my favorite part just being part of that classroom, probably because I missed it, because I did it for so long. Yeah, absolutely, that's where the magic happens. Yes, for sure. Is there something you'd like to ask me? Is there something you'd like to?
Emma Balter:ask me, in your hosting of this podcast, when you hear some of those little snippets like go big or go home or, like I said, sleep on it, is there something that has stuck with you that you've heard, that you've kind of incorporated into your own leadership style, that's?
Alicia Bowman:a great one. I do have a few. One of mine is go slow to go fast, so that idea of either literally the pace of change or starting small, like starting with a pilot and trying something out and then bringing it up to scale, so having patience. And another one is don't let the perfect get in the way of the good. So sometimes we have these big grand ideas and it's not going exactly the way that we wished, or not all students are achieving at the high levels we were hoping for. But sometimes just literally looking at individual progress or individual students and breaking it down and saying, well, this is really good, right, and not getting stuck that it's not perfect.
Alicia Bowman:Those are two of my favorites. The other one I always often refer to is that idea of like balcony and dance floor, which you may have heard it's not my words, it's Heifetz and Linsky but it's that idea that leaders have to shift between both, particularly school leaders, so spending time, like you said, in the classroom or on the dance floor where the work is happening, and then sometimes we have to go up to the balcony and take that bigger perspective and kind of see all the parts. So I guess those are three of mine, but thanks for asking.
Emma Balter:I think that's great and I think my version of that is sometimes, if I'm talking to people, I'll say like I'm giving you the drone view.
Alicia Bowman:Yes, exactly, and so, like you, like, I'm giving you the drone view.
Emma Balter:Yes, exactly, and so, like you know, often our best leaders are the ones that can navigate between both and recognize where they are in making decisions, so yeah, and sometimes I don't want to go on the balcony, sometimes it's hard to go on the balcony, but you have to go on the balcony.
Alicia Bowman:Exactly, and sometimes the balcony can be lonely, which goes back to your original leadership about building a team, Because leadership when you have a good team around you, you know you really build the capacity of the others and you collaborate and you can make decisions together and it makes that time on the balcony less lonely and scary For sure 100% yes, absolutely. So, Emma, where can people go to find out more about you and your work in 6 to 6?
Emma Balter:Well, we are part of the Cooperative Educational Services Agency. So if you just type in Cooperative Educational Services, it will bring you right to our website and you can click on 6 to 6 and you can see pictures and you can read quotes and you can see our program, all the things, all the things Great, thank you.
Alicia Bowman:Thank you so much, emma Balter, principal of 6 to 6 Magnet School and the Connecticut Association of Schools 2025 Middle School of the Year. Thank you for this honest and engaging conversation, giving us a window into your very unique and inspiring magnet school. The mission of the Linking Leaders podcast is to connect the amazing educational leaders across our small state, one conversation at a time, and I'm confident that your brave leadership approach will spark ideas, create conversation and inspire action from colleagues throughout. Connect and inspire action from colleagues throughout Connecticut.
:Thanks so much for joining us for this episode of the Linking Leaders podcast. This episode is brought to you by the Connecticut Association of Schools, serving schools and their leaders since 1935.