The secret weapon every visionary leader needs.

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OFF CAMPUS

• 🎧 Boundaries Aren’t Selfish: My friend Mitch joins me back on the pod and we get into a variety of subjects that will entertain and inspire you. Listen or watch here.

• 😩 Lost Teacher: What do you do when a teacher disappears from campus? Here’s how the mastermind helped this principal when his computer science teacher disappeared.

• 🧠 Brain dead: MIT’s Media Lab ****found that students who used AI during writing had less brain activity than those students who wrote without AI assistance.

• 👩‍⚖️ DEI not cancelled? Trump appointed judge says you can’t require schools to certify that they won’t use DEI. Read on Edweek.

DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT

The Secret Weapon 200 Ruckus Makers Use to Stop Leading Alone

Most principals are drowning in isolation while pretending everything's fine.

You know the drill: Smile in the hallway. Nod during district meetings where they tell you to "increase rigor" without explaining what that actually means. Sit through another PD session about differentiation taught by someone who hasn't been in a classroom since flip phones were cool.

Meanwhile, you're burning out trying to reimagine education in a system designed for conformity.

Here's what nobody tells you: The most innovative school leaders aren't going it alone.

They've found their tribe. And that tribe just happens to hang out in the Ruckus Maker Club Lounge.

The Secret Weapon 200 Ruckus Makers Use to Stop Leading Alone

Most principals are drowning in isolation — while pretending everything’s fine.

You know the drill:

• Smile in the hallway.

• Nod through another “increase rigor” district pep talk.

• Sit in a one-size-fits-all PD led by your Assistant Superintendent.

Meanwhile, you’re burning out trying to reimagine education in a system built for conformity.

Here’s what nobody tells you: The most innovative school leaders aren’t going it alone.

They’ve found their tribe.

And that tribe hangs out in the Ruckus Maker Club Lounge.

Why 200 Visionary Leaders Choose the Lounge Over Facebook Groups

1. Real Conversations Without the Noise

No spam. No “buy my program” posts. No ads. Just real talk between leaders who want to Do School Different.

2. The 24-Hour Brain Trust

Post a question and get perspectives from peers across the country — sometimes before you’ve even closed your laptop.

3. Permission to Think Differently

The Lounge is a safe space to share bold ideas without worrying about district politics or someone shooting them down before you’ve tried them.

4. Your Sanity Insurance Policy

When you’re the only one in your building pushing for change, it’s easy to feel isolated. The Lounge reminds you: You’re not crazy. You’re just ahead of the curve.

5. Relationships That Outlast the Conversation

The real magic? The connections you make here often turn into collaborations, opportunities, and friendships that go way beyond a single thread.

What You Won’t Find Here

• ❌ Teachers venting about “admin decisions” (why are teachers in the admin group?)

• ❌ Vendors pitching ed-tech miracles (they’re spreading like zombies)

• ❌ Board members side-eyeing your ideas (no “gotchas” here)

• ❌ Anyone telling you to “just follow the manual” (Play-It-Safe-Principals have Facebook)

• ❌ Endless rants with zero solutions (from educators who lost their WHY decades ago)

The Real Reason This Matters

Leadership without community is just expensive loneliness.

You became a principal to change lives — not to grind through the day with no one in your corner. The Lounge is where you find your people.

Ready to Join the Revolution?

If you’re tired of leading in isolation …

If you’re done pretending the system isn’t broken …

If you want to surround yourself with leaders actually fixing it …

Takes 90 seconds to join. Costs nothing. Might just change how you lead.

TIP OF THE WEEK

5 Ways to Defeat Leading in Isolation

1. Build Your Inner Circle Before You Need It

Don’t wait until the crisis hits to find your people. Start connecting now — because the middle of a fire is the worst time to meet your firefighters.

2. Stop Fishing in the Wrong Ponds

If you’re surrounded by Play-It-Safe-Principals, you’ll start thinking their small goals are normal. Find leaders who challenge you, not ones who just nod politely.

3. Share the Mess, Not Just the Wins

Your best breakthroughs come when you’re brave enough to say, “This isn’t working — what am I missing?” Vulnerability is rocket fuel for collaboration.

4. Trade Complaints for Collaboration

Talking about how bad the system is won’t fix it. Bring problems and ideas — and hang out with people who do the same.

5. Join Spaces Built for Your Kind of Leadership

Your tribe isn’t in the district break room. They’re in communities where bold ideas are the baseline — like the Ruckus Maker Club Lounge.

ALBA