The Ruckus Report
Too many campuses confuse laminated values with real culture. In this episode, Jimmy Casas breaks down why leadership isn’t performance — it’s behavior. If your walls scream integrity, but your staff meetings whisper indifference, you’ll want to press play.
Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker
Jimmy Casas is the author of the wildly popular book Culturize and a leading voice in educational leadership. A former principal, Jimmy now works with schools across the country to move beyond surface-level culture and into courageous, consistent action.
Breaking Down the Old Rules 🔨
Key Insight #1
What’s broken: Principals rely on posters, slogans, and scripts to define culture
The shift: Real culture is lived through daily behavior, not branding
Impact: Leaders who focus on behavior over optics create schools people want to stay in
Key Insight #2
What’s broken: Summer planning is reactive and rushed
The shift: Use Jimmy’s “Cultureized Journal” system to frontload summer planning
Impact: Principals start the year focused, aligned, and energized — not scrambling by August
Key Insight #3
What’s broken: Leaders often give up on staff who’ve lost their way
The shift: Help people find their way back instead of writing them off
Impact: Stronger staff retention and a reputation for courageous, compassionate leadership
Quotable Ruckus
“If your school has great values written on the wall, but no one’s living them, that’s not culture — that’s theater.”
– Jimmy Casas
Your Do School Different Challenge
Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:
Tomorrow: Audit your school’s values — where are they visible in behavior, not just signage?
This Month: Try Jimmy’s journal prompts to clarify your summer leadership strategy
This Semester: Build a re-engagement plan for one staff member who’s lost their way
Connect & Continue
Buy the books:
📌 Ruckus Makers Don’t Just Listen — They Act
If education ain’t a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning?
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