Ms. Balana serves as a Kindergarten Lead at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, where she brings a passion for early childhood education and a nurturing, student-centered approach to the classroom. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development in Preparation for Teaching from San Jose State University and is dedicated to creating a supportive and engaging learning environment for young learners.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‌​‍​‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌‌​‌‌‍​‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍​‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌‍​‌‍‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Ms. Balana chose BASIS Independent Schools for its collaborative community and shared commitment to supporting both educators and students. She values the opportunity to grow alongside like-minded colleagues while deepening her understanding of social-emotional learning and early childhood development.

Her educational philosophy centers on creating a fun, safe, and supportive space where Kindergarten students feel comfortable taking risks and learning from their mistakes. She believes in connecting lessons to real-life experiences so students can make meaningful connections and apply their knowledge in practical ways. Ms. Balana also values the relationship between teacher and student as a partnership, where learning is mutual and every child’s voice and experience contributes to the classroom community.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Balana enjoys hula dancing, an art she has practiced since the age of six and one that connects her to her family’s roots in Hawai‘i. She also enjoys visiting Starbucks and has a special fondness for sloths, her favorite animal.