Mrs. Natasha Lee Ballard began teaching in St. Bernard Parish at W. Smith Elementary. She taught at Smith from August 2010 to May 2017. At that point she transitioned to the school counselor of Andrew Jackson Middle School. She graduated from the University of New Orleans with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education in December 2009 and from Xavier University with a Masters in School Counseling in May 2015. She loves to spend time with her family and friends, as well as working with children; which is why her favorite professional quote is "teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions." She also loves to talk; which comes in handy as a counselor!

Mrs. Ballard is from the New Orleans area; where she was born and raised. She currently resides in the New Orleans East area with her husband, William, and her two sons; Raheen and Nathanael. Although she lives in New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish has become a second home. She has worked within the community so long that she has expanded her pool of friends; who have become more like family members.

The ultimate goal at Andrew Jackson is to work together as a community of learners by establishing high expectations for students in every content area and to cultivate a spirit of learning where students understand that they are expected to reach their highest potential. With this, Mrs. Ballard's ultimate vision is to support teachers, students, and parents through collaboration in order to provide a quality learning experience for all of the students she interacts with!