“A school where every kid knows their voice matters — and every adult listens like it’s true.”

Chapter 39 + 40 of The Ruckus Maker Flywheel

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Chapter 39 —The Launch

There’s a kind of tired only educators know.

Not just body-tired — soul-tired.

The kind that comes from ten months of giving, adjusting, lifting others up, holding the pieces together.

Jordan expected to see that kind of exhaustion as she stepped into the media center for the post–spring break staff meeting. She even built in extra margin — shorter agenda, more celebration, less initiative talk.

But the moment she walked in, she froze.

Laughter.

Actual laughter.

Groups of teachers leaned over tables, animated. Not slumped in chairs, not checking watches. Talking. Smiling. Energized.

“This is … different,” Jordan whispered, almost without meaning to.

Andre caught it. “You feel that too?”

She nodded slowly. “Usually this time of year feels like dragging a piano uphill. This year… it’s like someone opened the windows.”

They started the meeting with student stories. Maria’s advisory team had just hosted a student-led planning day — gathering feedback for what next year’s pods could look like.

They called it: The Launch.

And they wanted to share their pitch.

The team stood confidently at the front — Maria, Jamal, Mia, and three others Jordan had watched come out of their shells this year. One slide showed a vision statement the students had co-written:

“A school where every kid knows their voice matters — and every adult listens like it’s true.”

Applause broke out. Some teachers even stood.

Jordan scanned the room, the faces of people who had once rolled their eyes at change now leaning forward, scribbling notes, inspired.

She hadn’t planned for this. She didn’t organize it. She didn’t approve it.

She just got out of the way.