The Ruckus Report
Quick take: What happens when two rival schools — with decades of “us vs. them” history — are forced to become one? Derek Cantrell didn’t just merge Alleghany and Covington into a single high school. He built a “Better Together” culture while weaving in AI tools that are reshaping instruction and leadership. This episode is a blueprint for rethinking school culture in the age of disruption.
🤝 Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker
Derek Cantrell is the principal of Alleghany High School, where he led the merger of two rival schools into one unified community through a “Better Together” culture. Alongside culture-building, he integrates AI-driven tools like custom chatbots and Julius AI to streamline leadership tasks and improve instruction. Derek is redefining school leadership by honoring tradition while embracing innovation.
Breaking Down the Old Rules
🧠 Key Insight #1: Culture eats consolidation for breakfast.
- What’s broken:Forced mergers often leave communities divided, with morale and identity lost.
- The shift: Derek built a roadmap of intentional relationship-building — open houses, student forums, teacher mingles, and community events like cornhole nights and bonfires.
- Impact: Instead of resentment, Alleghany High became a place where rival traditions fused into a proud new identity.
🧠 Key Insight #2: Data disaggregation doesn’t have to take weeks.
- What’s broken: Teachers drowning in endless spreadsheets and meetings just to analyze test scores.
- The shift: Julius AI and custom chatbots cut through the noise, turning state test data into actionable two-page reports per strand.
- Impact: Teachers save time, get clarity, and can focus on engaging instruction — not manual number-crunching.
🧠 Key Insight #3: AI can make learning more relevant — and fun.
- What’s broken:Lesson plans that feel stuck in the past, disconnected from students’ real-world experiences.
- The shift: Teachers plug lessons into Derek’s bots to generate hooks, engagement strategies, and real-world applications.
- Impact: Students see math, science, and core subjects through a lens that matters to them, boosting both interest and outcomes.
Quotable Ruckus
Your Do School Different Challenge
Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:
- Tomorrow: Ask students and staff one simple question: What excites you, and what concerns you? Use the answers to guide your next decision.
- This Month: Build a small win — repaint lockers, host a community night, or launch a mini-podcast — and celebrate it loudly.
- This Semester: Experiment with AI tools (like Julius or a custom GPT) to cut down on data drudgery and make lessons more engaging.
Connect & Continue
Get the full episode transcript: here
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