"The call started polite. It didn’t stay that way."

Chapter 27 + 28 of The Ruckus Maker Flywheel

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Chapter 27: Name the Gap

The hallway was thinning out. Afternoon bells always brought a quiet lull — the kind of silence Jordan had come to love. But this time, it was broken by a voice behind her.

“Principal Jordan?”

She turned.

Maria.

Backpack slung, earbuds dangling. Her face held no urgency — just a quiet intention.

“I wanted to say something,” she said. “About that Sticky Core Value — ‘Name the Gap.’”

Jordan smiled, curious. “Okay. I’m listening.”

Maria exhaled. “The pod is … different. It’s like we start the day with a spark. People check in. We laugh. Mr. Holloway remembers what I said last week about my art project.”

Jordan nodded. That was the kind of culture they were trying to build.

“But then …” Maria looked down, then back up. “It never lasts. The rest of the day feels like the air gets sucked out. Some classes are okay, but most just … flatten you. People get quiet. No one smiles. It’s like the hope runs out by lunch.”

Jordan didn’t interrupt.

She just listened.

Maria shrugged. “I thought maybe it was just me. But I asked a few friends. They feel it too.”