Mitch Weathers on Breaking the Bottleneck Leadership Trap The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most principals think they're the chief problem solver—but that mindset is actually what's breaking their schools. When you're the go-to for every fire, you're not leading, you're enabling dependence. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Mitch became a gifted teacher because he was a mediocre student. Mitch rarely felt comfortable in the classroom. In fact, it took him 7 years to graduate from college. Choosing to become a teacher, Mitch was fortunate enough to experience school as if it was happening all around him. He was unsure how to jump into his learning with confidence. There is a loneliness to experiencing your education as a passive object as opposed to an active subject. From the moment he entered the classroom, Mitch relied on his personal experiences as a learner. He recognized that what we teach—the content or curriculum—is secondary. We must first lay the foundation for learning before we can get to teaching. Mitch designed Organized Binder to empower teachers with a simple but research-backed strategy to teach students executive functioning skills while protecting the time needed for content instruction. The secret is found in establishing a predictable learning routine that serves to foster safer learning spaces. When students get practice with executive functions by virtue, we set them up for success. Learn more in his recent book Executive Functions for Every Classroom: Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Mitch Weathers challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: The Problem-Solver Trap What's broken: Principals positioning themselves as the chief problem solver for every issue, fire, complaint, and question The shift: Moving from being the bottleneck to building capacity in your staff so the school runs without you in every room Impact: Sustainable leadership that doesn't burn out the principal and creates independent, empowered teams Key Insight #2: Preparing Students for Unknown Jobs What's broken: Teaching rigid, content-heavy curricula when we don't even know what jobs will exist in 10 years The shift: Focusing on transferable knowledge, transferable skills, and executive functioning competencies that adapt across any future role Impact: Students equipped with the dexterity to thrive in an evolving job market where AI skills and human connection become differentiators Key Insight #3: The Boundaries Crisis in Education What's broken: An unhealthy culture that treats being "completely out of balance" as a badge of honor—first one in, last one out mentality The shift: Deliberate boundary setting that prioritizes sustainability and recognizes that self-care isn't district care Impact: Educators who can sustain their passion long-term without sacrificing family, health, or effectiveness Quotable Ruckus "When you're the go-to for every issue, every fire, every complaint, every question you're not leading, you're enabling dependence." – Mitch Weathers Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify one problem you consistently solve for your staff. Instead of solving it, ask them what they think the solution should be. This Month: Audit your daily schedule. What percentage of your time is spent firefighting vs. capacity building? Set a goal to flip that ratio. This Semester: Implement one systematic change that reduces dependency on you as the decision-maker. Create protocols that empower others to act without your approval. Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: [Link] 🔗 Follow Mitch Weathers: LinkedIn 📖 Get his book: Executive Functions for Every Classroom: https://bit.ly/42pCMbq 📌 Ruckus Makers Don't Just Listen — They Act If education ain't a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning? This show isn't about doing school better. It's about Doing School Different — and joining a growing movement of bold, creative school leaders who reject legacy models and reimagine what's possible. 🧠 Here are four ways we can help you on your Do School Different journey 📬 Subscribe to the Free Newsletter — An opportunity to Do School Different 3x a week. Tools, mindset shifts, and strategies that actually work: ruckusmakers.news 🗞️ Read Ruckus Makers — Exclusive content on Substack. Premium leadership insights, AI prompts and custom GPTs, new books before the bookshelf: ruckusmakers.media 💥 Join The Ruckus Maker Club — Our private network + workshops, The Automatic School tools, AI Prompt Library, and more: https://ruckusmakers.club/join 🧨 Apply to the Mastermind — Weekly coaching, peer mentorship, and our proven leadership system (The Ruckus Maker Flywheel) to help you transform your campus: Apply Now Every tool, community, and coaching program we offer is built to help visionary school leaders play the new game — one where leadership is creative, tech-enabled, and unapologetically student-centered. 🎙️ The podcast is your starting point. The movement is just getting started. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: ixl.com/leaders Expressability K12 Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12, Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time-sucking tasks. 🔍 Learn more: expressability.com/ruckus ODP Business Solutions "Our STEAM program is too complicated" = Code for "We're doing it wrong." Stop letting fear kill innovation. Some leaders are transforming STEAM with a three-part framework that’s not what you think. 🔍 Get the playbook: here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: The "lone wolf" leader is a toxic myth that's burning out school administrators and failing students. Veronica Holyoke proves that transformational leadership happens in community, not isolation — and one hour a week can change everything. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Veronica Holyoke is a 25-year education veteran and Utah's 2024 Assistant Principal of the Year. A former 5th grade teacher with master's degrees in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership, she's spent her fourth year as an elementary Assistant Principal in Jordan School District. Beyond her accolades, Veronica has navigated supporting her husband through serious disability while excelling in her leadership role — proving that community support transforms both professional and personal resilience. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Veronica Holyoke challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Imposter Syndrome Isn't Permanent What's broken: Leaders believing they must have all the answers and can't show vulnerability or uncertainty The shift: Embrace community support where every voice matters, regardless of title or experience level Impact: Confidence grows, authentic leadership emerges, and the toxic cycle of isolation breaks Key Insight #2: Weekly Support Beats Yearly Burnout What's broken: The expectation that school leaders should figure everything out alone while pouring into everyone else The shift: Prioritize one hour per week for consistent community support and professional growth Impact: Leaders go to bed happier every Tuesday, face challenges with renewed energy, and sustain their passion for the work Key Insight #3: Personal Growth Drives Professional Excellence What's broken: Separating personal wellness from professional performance, leading to unsustainable leadership practices The shift: Invest in whole-person support that addresses both home and work challenges Impact: When leaders are cared for, they can better care for staff and students — creating award-winning school cultures Quotable Ruckus "I could only take care of my staff and students because I was being taken care of because of the mastermind group." – Veronica Holyoke Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Make a list of things you do weekly to "fill your bucket" — where does community support rank? This Month: Find one hour per week to connect with other leaders outside your system for growth and support This Semester: Build or join a community where you can be 100% authentic about your challenges and victories Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript:here 🔗 Follow Veronica Holyoke: [email protected] 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. ✉ Join for FREE: here Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: here Expressability K12 Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12, Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time-sucking tasks. 🔍 Learn more: here ODP Business Solutions "Our STEAM program is too complicated" = Code for "We're doing it wrong." Stop letting fear kill innovation. Some leaders are transforming STEAM with a three-part framework that's not what you think. 🔍 Get the playbook:here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most districts are dumping water into leaky buckets while wondering why they can't fill them. Nate Eklund shows us why we've been solving the wrong problem — and how "punching the shark" creates the workplace conditions that make educators want to stay. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Nate Eklund is the founder and CEO of Vital Network, a national organization focused on improving educator retention and well-being through workplace improvements. A former classroom teacher and author of How Was Your Day at School? Improving Dialogue about Teacher Job Satisfaction, Nate brings deep experience and research-backed insight to the conversation on creating sustainable, joyful workplaces for educators everywhere. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Nate Eklund challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: We Don't Have a Recruitment Problem — We Have a Retention Problem What's broken: Districts frantically recruiting new teachers while ignoring why good ones leave The shift: Focus on the "leaky bucket" — in Minnesota, there are more licensed teachers NOT teaching than teaching (enough to fill the Vikings stadium) Impact: When you fix workplace conditions instead of just hiring more people, you solve the math problem at its source Key Insight #2: Burnout Isn't a Personal Failing — It's Environmental What's broken: Treating burnout as individual weakness ("eat more kale, get more sleep") The shift: Recognize burnout as systemic depletion that no amount of self-care can overcome — you can't "kale your way out of your fifth reading curriculum in two years" Impact: Leaders stop blaming teachers and start designing better workplace conditions that prevent burnout Key Insight #3: There Are Two Versions of Every Educator What's broken: Accepting that some educators are just "difficult" or "burned out" The shift: Understanding that everyone has a "fired up" version and a "deflated" version — external factors determine which one shows up Impact: Instead of writing people off, leaders create conditions where the best version of every educator can thrive Quotable Ruckus "You can dump a lot of water into it and invest a lot of energy getting the water into the bucket, but if the bucket's leaking, you've got a fundamental math problem." – Nate Eklund Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask yourself: "What external factors are keeping my best educators from showing up as their best selves?" This Month: Survey your staff about workplace conditions — not just morale, but actual day-to-day systems and decision-making processes This Semester: Implement one "Punch the Shark" moment — tackle an uncomfortable workplace issue head-on with your team Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript:here 🔗 Follow Nate Eklund: Twitter 🔗 Vital Network: www.vitalnetwork.com 🔗 Follow Vital on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/vitalnetwork 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here:here Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more:here Expressability Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability, Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time-sucking tasks. 🔍 Learn more:here ODP Business Solutions Stop letting compliance kill innovation. Some leaders are transforming their campuses with flexible solutions that actually work for modern learning environments. 🔍 Learn more:here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: If your school has beautiful values painted on the walls but nobody's living them, you're running a theater, not a school. Jimmy Casas exposes the brutal difference between what we say and what we do. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Jimmy Casas has been an educator for over 30 years, serving twenty-two years as a school leader. Under his leadership, his school was named one of the Best High Schools in the country three times by Newsweek and US News & World Report. Jimmy was named the 2012 Iowa Secondary Principal of the Year and was selected as runner-up NASSP 2013 National Secondary Principal of the Year. In 2014, Jimmy was invited to the White House to speak on the Future Ready Schools pledge. Jimmy is also the author of ten books, including the Washington Post's best-selling book CULTURIZE: Every Student. Every Day. Whatever It Takes, which has sold over 350,000 copies to date. Jimmy is the owner and CEO of J Casas & Associates, where he and his team serve as professional leadership coaches for school and district leaders across the country. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Jimmy Casas challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Systems Beat Inspiration Every Time What's broken: Unorganized leaders who scramble and make their teams scramble, destroying credibility and culture The shift: Create systematic approaches like the "summer list" and culturized journal to capture what needs attention without losing momentum Impact: Leaders stay organized, teams trust the process, and nothing falls through the cracks Key Insight #2: Culture Is Behavior, Not Posters What's broken: Schools with beautiful mission statements on walls but no observable evidence of those values in action The shift: Ask "When I walk into your classroom, what will I see that tells me you're building relationships with kids?" Impact: Intentional observation leads to measurable culture change and real student achievement Key Insight #3: Excellence Is Your Responsibility What's broken: Settling for average because it's easier and letting others pull you down to status quo The shift: Walk in every day believing you can make an impact and help others find their way back when they lose direction Impact: Leaders create environments where children look forward to class and adults look forward to work Quotable Ruckus "Don't let anybody take away your excellence because the world is full of average." – Jimmy Casas Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Start a "summer list" with your team - every time something comes up that needs deeper attention, add it to the list instead of letting it consume your mental energy This Month: Pick one core value and define what you'll actually observe when you walk into classrooms - what will kids be doing? What will teachers be doing? This Semester: Create your own reflection system (journal, digital tool, or team process) to track meaningful experiences and undercurrents you're creating Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript:here 🔗 Follow Jimmy Casas: Jimmy Casas 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement:here Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: here Expressability K12 Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12, Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time-sucking tasks. 🔍 Learn more: here ODP Business Solutions "Our STEAM program is too complicated" = Code for "We're doing it wrong." Stop letting fear kill innovation. Some leaders are transforming STEAM with a three-part framework that's not what you think. 🔍 Get the playbook: here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: Most principals manage buildings instead of transforming lives. Dr. Chris Jones flips the script by putting teachers at the center of every decision, creating scheduling magic that serves everyone — and proves that embracing resistance makes you stronger. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Chris Jones has been an educator in Massachusetts for 24 years. He is finishing his 16th year as a building administrator. He is a teacher centered Principal and passionate about continuous improvement and the idea that success is not a destination, but a process. Chris is the President of the Massachusetts State Administrators Association (MSAA) and was the Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA) 2022 State Administrator of the Year. Chris is active on social media, vlogs about continuous improvement on a weekly basis, and hosts his own podcast called SEEing to Lead as a way to amplify teacher's voices in an effort to improve education as a whole promoting his "just cause": improving the educational experience for as many people as possible by being purposeful, acting with integrity, and building character. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Dr. Chris Jones challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Schedules Should Serve People, Not Systems What's broken: Cookie-cutter schedules that ignore what teachers and students actually need The shift: Build schedules from scratch based on your values and vision — give teachers two preps, create rotating blocks that feel fresh, and add "WIN" time for individualized support Impact: Teachers report feeling more connected, less burned out, and students are more engaged because the day feels "slower" and more purposeful Key Insight #2: Resistance Is Your Design Partner What's broken: Seeing pushback as something to overcome or defeat The shift: Practice "kintsugi leadership" — break the old system completely, then rebuild it stronger using resistance as beautiful constraints that guide better solutions Impact: Dr. Jones' assistant principal solved complex scheduling problems in one day by "breaking it" first, and senior tardiness plummeted when they redesigned privileges around what students actually valued Key Insight #3: Schools Prepare Kids for the Past, Not the Future What's broken: Standardized practices that keep the past alive in the present for a future that no longer exists The shift: Individualize learning experiences, eliminate meaningless assessments like midterms/finals, and focus on what students need to be amazing Impact: Schools become places where learning matters more than grades, and students develop skills for jobs that don't even exist yet Quotable Ruckus "You can't just throw something at people and say, okay, what do you think? You have to help them along and guide them as to what part of what you think, what they think you want to hear about so that you can make adjustments to it." – Dr. Chris Jones Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Ask your teachers one question: "What do you need to be amazing?" Then actually listen and take notes This Month: Identify one "sacred cow" practice (like midterms) that doesn't serve learning and plan to eliminate it This Semester: Practice kintsugi leadership on your biggest scheduling or systems challenge — break it completely and rebuild from your values Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: link 🔗 Follow Dr. Chris Jones: Podcast | Website | Newsletter 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more:here Expressability K12 Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12, Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time-sucking tasks. 🔍 Learn more: here ODP Business Solutions Stop letting compliance kill innovation. Some leaders are transforming their campuses with flexible solutions that actually work for modern learning environments. 🔍 Learn more: here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: Award-winning Superintendent Dr. Nick Polyak reveals why the most innovative school leaders aren't just adding new programs—they're actively tearing down outdated practices to make room for transformational student experiences. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Nick Polyak is the proud superintendent of the award-winning Leyden Community High School District 212. He earned his undergraduate degree from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, his Masters from Governors State University, and his Ed.D. from Loyola University Chicago. Nick has been a classroom teacher and coach, a building and district level administrator, a School Board member, and a superintendent in both central Illinois and suburban Chicago. Nick earned an IASA School of Advanced Leadership Fellowship and he also graduated from the AASA National Superintendent Certification Program. He teaches for both the Illinois and National Aspiring Superintendent Academies and has co-authored four books on school leadership. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Dr. Nick Polyak challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Unlearning Debunked Educational Practices What's broken: Clinging to disproven theories like multiple learning styles while adding endless new initiatives The shift: Actively identifying and discarding outdated knowledge to make room for evidence-based practices Impact: Teachers empowered with current, relevant pedagogical approaches instead of layering old myths with new methods Key Insight #2: Reimagining School Structure Through Innovation Incubators What's broken: Traditional 45-minute siloed classes with bell schedules that fragment learning The shift: Creating teacher-led innovation teams who design interdisciplinary, problem-based learning experiences like CoLab Impact: Freshmen spending four periods daily in meaningful, community-connected learning that earns honors credit Key Insight #3: Transforming Exclusion into Belonging Through Bilingual Programming What's broken: Theater programs that don't reflect the school's 70% Latinx population The shift: Creating Teatro Leyden with dual English/Spanish casts, treating language as an asset Impact: Doubled theater participation and families who previously couldn't access school arts now fill auditoriums Quotable Ruckus "We as human beings are really good at learning new things. We're really bad at unlearning things that are no longer true or no longer relevant to make room for new things." – Dr. Nick Polyak Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Identify one "sacred cow" practice in your school and research whether it's still educationally sound This Month: Create an innovation incubator team of teachers from different disciplines to dream big about student experience This Semester: Audit your programs to see if they reflect your student demographics—then redesign what doesn't Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: here 🔗 Follow Dr. Nick Polyak: LinkedIn 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: The Ruckus Maker Club Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here.. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more:here Expressability K12: Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12 Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time sucking tasks. Visit Expressability K12 to learn how: here ODP Business Solutions: STEAM programs failing before they start?  Most schools botch STEAM implementation because they're missing 3 critical elements. Here's the wild part: it's not about fancy tech or massive budgets. ODP Business Solutions® has researched many successful programs to identify what actually works (and what's just burning cash). Learn the blueprint: here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: Visionary school leaders don’t follow dusty rulebooks. In this episode, Jethro Jones joins Danny Bauer to burn the old manual and co-create a new playbook for Ruckus Makers — one bold idea at a time. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Jethro Jones, 2017 NASSP Digital Principal of the Year, is a former principal from Fairbanks, Alaska, and the host of Transformative Principal, where he interviews leaders from around the world who are reimagining K-12 education. He’s the founder of the Transformative Leadership Summit and author of SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for students, teachers, parents – and themselves! Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Jethro Jones challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Learning Is Not Linear What’s broken: The assumption that learning progresses in a straight line, within four walls, at the same pace for all The shift: Honor that all learning is personal and non-linear; value what students learn outside of school, too Impact: Schools begin to partner with families and communities — not just invite them to partner with schools Key Insight #2: Change Something in Year One What’s broken: “Don’t change anything your first year” — the most paralyzing advice for new leaders The shift: Make small, strategic changes that align with your vision from day one Impact: Greater momentum, better clarity, and staff trust because you’re not waiting to lead Key Insight #3: First In, Last Out Is a Trap What’s broken: Hustle culture that measures effectiveness by time on campus The shift: Shift to value-based leadership — do the right work, not all the work Impact: Leaders reclaim time, model healthy boundaries, and lead more sustainably (without burning out) Quotable Ruckus “You can’t out-teach what’s happening in the home. We should be partnering with parents, not asking them to partner with us.” – Jethro Jones Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Stop collecting a meaningless report or form you never read — free up your staff and your schedule This Month: Draw your “Do School Different Scorecard” — list the top 8 areas of campus life and define where each needs to go This Semester: Redesign how your school values time — for yourself, your staff, and your students Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: here 🔗 Follow Jethro Jones: LinkedIn | Twitter/X 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. ✉️ Join for FREE: ruckusmakers.news/subscribe Today’s RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more: ixl.com/leaders Expressability K12 Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12, Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time-sucking tasks. 🔍 Learn more: expressability.com/ruckus ODP Business Solutions "Our STEAM program is too complicated" = Code for "We're doing it wrong." Stop letting fear kill innovation. Some leaders are transforming STEAM with a three-part framework that’s not what you think. 🔍 Get the playbook: here     Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain’t a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: Award-winning Principal Demetrius Ball reveals how intentional leadership, strategic decision-making, and being consistently present creates a school culture where students feel more connected than ever before. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Demetrius Ball was born and raised in Ohio. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy (West Point, NY) and served 5 years on active duty in the US Army as a Field Artillery Officer. His education career began in 2008 as a social studies teacher, spanning roles in California and Maryland before moving into administration. Currently in his third year as principal of California High School, Demetrius was recently named Administrator of the Year. He is a proud husband and father of four amazing children, committed to professional development that benefits his school and community. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Demetrius Ball challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Strategic Decision-Making as a Leadership Superpower What's broken: Rushed, reactive decision-making without challenging assumptions The shift: Slowing down to journal, identify assumptions, and strategically question each one before implementing changes Impact: More meaningful staff collaboration time and professional development aligned with actual teacher needs Key Insight #2: Intentional Presence Transforms School Culture What's broken: Administrators hidden in offices, disconnected from the daily pulse of school life The shift: Being consistently present—greeting students at drop-off, walking campus, attending after-school activities Impact: Students reporting they feel more connected to school than ever before, with meaningful learning experiences Key Insight #3: Building Administrative Teams Around Complementary Strengths What's broken: Hiring admin team members who mirror the principal's skills and style The shift: Intentionally seeking team members with diverse skills that fill identified gaps Impact: A more versatile, aligned administrative team that presents a united front while bringing different strengths to challenges Quotable Ruckus "One of the biggest secrets that I've found to being a successful leader and building trust in your community is being present. Not just physically being present, but showing up." – Demetrius Ball Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Start your day by walking a complete lap around your campus, popping into hallways and classrooms This Month: Survey your staff about what they need, then use AI to identify the main themes from their responses This Semester: Evaluate your admin team's collective strengths and weaknesses, then recruit specifically to fill the gaps Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: here 🔗 Follow Demetrius Ball: LinkedIn | Instagram 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement:here Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more  here Expressability K12: Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12 Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time sucking tasks. Visit Expressability K12 to learn how  here ODP Business Solutions: "Our STEAM program is too complicated" = Code for "We're doing it wrong"   Stop letting fear kill innovation. While some schools struggle with integrating STEAM, other leaders are using a 3-part framework to transform their programs. The secret? It's not what you think.  Get the playbook: here   Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

  The Ruckus Report Quick take: International school leader Jennifer Bertram reveals how trusting your intuition can lead to unexpected leadership opportunities, and how joining a supportive community of fellow leaders transforms professional growth. Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Originally from Canada, Jennifer's teaching journey began in Montevideo, Uruguay, followed by many years at Escola Americana de Campinas, Brazil. She transitioned to administrative roles including Secondary Dean of Students and Assistant Principal. Jennifer then served as Middle School Principal at the American International School of Dhaka for five years before moving to American International School Chennai with her family. Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨 In this episode, Jennifer Bertram challenges traditional education paradigms: Key Insight #1: Leadership Pathways Aren't Always Conventional What's broken: The belief that leadership journeys must follow a prescribed, traditional path The shift: Embracing unexpected opportunities, even when they seem imperfect or challenging Impact: Discovering authentic leadership styles while gaining valuable experience in roles others might avoid Key Insight #2: Community-Fueled Confidence What's broken: The isolation and loneliness of school leadership positions The shift: Joining supportive communities of like-minded leaders who face similar challenges Impact: Creating a professional network that offers accountability, resource sharing, and emotional support Key Insight #3: Sticky Core Values Drive School Culture What's broken: Abstract, forgettable school values that don't connect with daily practices The shift: Creating "sticky" core values that tell stories and create memorable mindsets Impact: Transforming school culture through principles like "Every day is a new day," "Together we," and "The gift of concentration" Quotable Ruckus "Leadership can be lonely. It can be one of those places where you would love to be able to talk about an issue with someone, and you just can't for various reasons. What I found in the Mastermind was a group that is very open." – Jennifer Bertram Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here: Tomorrow: Trust your intuition when an unexpected leadership opportunity presents itself This Month: Create one "sticky core value" that can be turned into a memorable, actionable school goal This Semester: Build a support network of leaders facing similar challenges to combat professional isolation Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript:here 🔗 Follow Jennifer Bertram: LinkedIn 💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: https://ruckusmakers.club/join Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more here Expressability K12: Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12 Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time sucking tasks. Visit Expressability K12 to learn how here ODP Business Solutions: Want to know why 67% of STEAM programs fail? Hint: It's not the budget. After researching many schools, ODP Business Solutions® uncovered three make-or-break factors that determine STEAM success. The best part? You probably already have what you need. See the research: here Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?

    The Ruckus Report   Quick take: When traditional approaches to school improvement aren't working, the answer may not be more control - but rather more connection. Dr. Mitchell reveals how transformative leadership starts with listening and building authentic relationships.   Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker Dr. Derek Mitchell serves as the CEO of Partners in School Innovation, working with schools that face long histories of chronic underperformance and serve predominantly high-poverty communities. His organization partners with schools to create lasting, meaningful change through innovative leadership approaches.   Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨   In this episode, Dr. Mitchell challenges traditional education paradigms:   Key Insight #1 ● What's broken: The assumption that out-of-control schools need stricter discipline and tighter control ● The shift: Building authentic connections with students by listening and understanding their perspectives ● Impact: One principal transformed his challenging middle school by first meeting with 30 struggling students to truly hear their needs, leading to innovative solutions like stealth support systems for students in distress   Key Insight #2 ● What's broken: Traditional professional development that's neither professional nor developmental ● The shift: Creating authentic learning communities that build relationships while focusing on growth ● Impact: Moving PLC meetings off-campus and sharing meals together led to vastly improved outcomes and stronger teacher collaboration   Key Insight #3 ● What's broken: The "skill solution" approach to addressing performance issues ● The shift: Using the skill-will-way matrix to properly diagnose and address teacher performance challenges ● Impact: More effective interventions by matching solutions to the real root cause - whether it's skill, will, or way   Quotable Ruckus "Working within the lines will only produce what's been produced in the past. If we're really talking about excellence for each and every child, mean every young person reaching their potential, we got to get beyond the lines." - Dr. Derek Mitchell   Your Do School Different Challenge Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:   1. Tomorrow: Color-code your calendar based on your top 3-4 strategic priorities to see how you're really spending your time 2. This Month: Move one regular meeting off-campus to build stronger relationships and more authentic dialogue 3. This Semester: Create a system to proactively schedule regular check-ins with your supervisor where you set the agenda and priorities   Connect & Continue 🎯 Get the full episode transcript: here 🔗 Follow Dr Derek Mitchell: Linkedin,  💪 Join the Ruckus Maker Movement: Link Do you Subscribe to the Ruckus Maker Newsletter? Do School Different 3x a Week. Join for FREE here. Today's RUCKUScast in Partnership with: IXL: Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms. 🔍 Learn more here Expressability K12: Your inbox isn't a task manager. Your mind isn't for storing mundane processes. It's time to break free. With Expressability K12 Ruckus Makers can prioritize student success by offloading time sucking tasks. Visit Expressability K12 to learn how here ODP Business Solutions: STEAM programs failing before they start?  Most schools botch STEAM implementation because they're missing 3 critical elements. Here's the wild part: it's not about fancy tech or massive budgets. ODP Business Solutions® has researched many successful programs to identify what actually works (and what's just burning cash).Learn the blueprint: here   Twelve Practices LLC © 2025 | If Education Ain't a Bit Disruptive, Then What Are Your Students Learning?