Districts reward sameness. You were born to disrupt.

OFF CAMPUS

• 🤖 Robotic Leadership won’t be because of AI. It’s already here. It’s because of emotionless leaders who hide their humanity. Watch or Listen to this week’s RUCKUScast episode — Ruckus Maker Reject the Premise Part 3.

• 🤡 Clowning around: This post took off on Threads. I struck a nerve. I guess people have opinions on student engagement. But who has ownership? Add a comment here.

• 🤦‍♂️ Are you bad at your job? Over 20K leaders have landed on this page asking that question about their own leadership.

• 📆 This weekend only: Last week I did an hour long deep dive into 5 mindset shifts that will help you Do School Different. Want the training? Leave a comment on this post.

DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT

I Love My School. I Just Hate the System.

Last week, I got this message from a principal I've never met:

Let's pause.

This principal isn't burned out. They're not bitter. They love their school.

But they feel trapped in a system that confuses standardization with success.

Sound familiar?

If you're reading this, you probably feel it too.

The System Wants Sameness (And You're Not Having It)

School districts are built to minimize risk, not maximize innovation.

Which is why, when you try to do something different, you're met with:

• Blank stares.

• Bureaucratic roadblocks.

• Forced compliance.

"This is how we've always done it."

"Please make sure your campus aligns with the other schools."

"We need you to follow the district framework."

Translation: Please stop being creative, unique, and interesting.

But here's what Play-It-Safe-Principals don't get: Your students deserve better than carbon-copy campuses.

Here's the Truth No One Wants to Say

You're not broken. The system is.

And you don't need permission to lead differently.

You just need a playbook, a pulse, and a little bit of audacity.

The dirty little secret? Innovation happens in the margins. While everyone else is coloring inside the lines, Ruckus Makers are redrawing the whole picture.

5 Ways to Do School Different (Even When You're "Trapped" in a Traditional System)

1. Spot the Disconnect

Start calling out where what's "expected" no longer serves your students or staff.

Most leaders feel the tension. Ruckus Makers name it.

Try this: At your next staff meeting, ask: "What's one thing we do because 'that's how it's always been done' that doesn't actually help kids?"

2. Own Your Identity

You are not a compliance officer. You are a builder of futures.

Step fully into the kind of leader your students actually need — not the one the central office hopes you become.

The mindset shift: Stop asking "What will the district think?" Start asking "What will my students need to thrive in 2035?"

3. Run Safe-to-Fail Experiments

Want to disrupt without setting off alarms? Start small. Pilot a project. Reroute a process.

You don't need district-wide permission to run a 30-day challenge or reimagine lunch duty.

Remember: It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. Especially when you've got results to back you up.

4. Build Your Circle

Innovation is lonely. You're not crazy — but you will feel that way if you stay isolated.

The fastest way to scale bold leadership is by surrounding yourself with other Ruckus Makers.

Truth bomb: You can't make a ruckus alone. Revolution requires community.

5. Publicize Your Wins

Tell the story. Loudly.

When you do something that works, shout it from the rooftop (or at least the staff newsletter). Momentum loves a spotlight.

Pro tip: Document everything. Success stories are your best defense against "that's not how we do things here."

The Real Reason This Matters

Look, we could talk about "student engagement" and "21st-century skills" until we're blue in the face.

But here's the real deal: Your students are inheriting a world that doesn't exist yet.

Every day you spend playing by yesterday's rules is another day they spend in a system designed for a world that's already gone.

Final Thought

If you feel like you're leading in a system that wants you to be quiet, compliant, and invisible...

That's a sign you're doing it right.

Because Ruckus Makers aren't here to play by the old rules.

They're here to write new ones.

And maybe — just maybe — you are too.

ALBA