The Ruckus Report
Quick take: Want to sleep well at night as a school leader? Dr. Jon Bartelt shares how embracing joy, listening deeply to students, and staying true to core values helps him lead with confidence through 23 years as superintendent.
Meet Your Fellow Ruckus Maker
Dr. Jon Bartelt serves as Superintendent of Bloomingdale School District 13 in Illinois, leading a PreK-8 district of 1,400 students. With 34 years in education and 23 as superintendent, he’s guided by three core values: ensuring student learning, treating everyone with respect, and working collaboratively. A graduate of Valparaiso, Harvard, and Loyola University Chicago, Dr. Bartelt is active in educational leadership organizations while cherishing his role as husband, father of six, and grandfather of four.
In this episode, Dr. Bartelt challenges traditional education paradigms:
Key Insight #1: Leading with Joy Instead of Fear
- What’s broken: Schools driven by anxiety, control, and “that’s how we’ve always done it” mindsets
- The shift: Creating environments where students and staff find genuine joy in learning and teaching
- Impact: Students who cry on the last day of school because they don’t want to leave
Key Insight #2: Embracing Student Voice
- What’s broken: Adults making all decisions without student input
- The shift: Actively listening to students and implementing their ideas (like reviving competitive science programs)
- Impact: More engaged learners who feel ownership in their education
Key Insight #3: Making Bold Decisions
- What’s broken: Leaders paralyzed by fear of public criticism
- The shift: Focusing on core values and student safety over public opinion
- Impact: Confident decision-making even when facing social media backlash
Quotable Ruckus
“It’s not just a job, frankly, and it’s not a vocation. It’s life. It’s the life I’ve chosen to lead.”
Dr. Jon Bartelt
Your Do School Different Challenge
Ready to implement these ideas? Start here:
- Tomorrow: Take a walk through your school focusing only on moments of joy
- This Month: Create regular opportunities for students to share ideas directly with leadership
- This Semester: Evaluate major decisions through the lens of your core values
Get the full episode transcript: here
If education ain’t a bit disruptive, then what are your students really learning?
This show isn’t about doing school better.
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Today’s RUCKUScast in Partnership with:
Quest Food Management Services: Creating joyful learning environments starts in the cafeteria. Quest brings 40 years of expertise in crafting scratch-made meals that nurture both body and community spirit through innovative student engagement programs.
🔍 Learn more:www.questfms.com
IXL Meet your students where they are and take them where they need to go. Join over 1 million teachers who trust IXL to drive data-informed excellence in their classrooms.
🔍 Learn more: IXL.com/leaders
