Practical | Immersive | Proven
A world-class keynote for the people who carry a school: principals, assistant principals, teachers, staff, and school leadership teams. A structured session on grit, change, and leading people through a hard year.
Two world records and a former Deloitte management consultant, James “Cas” Castrission turns what the Tasman Sea and the South Pole taught him into practical tools for teachers and education staff who keep the school day running, look after each other, and hold it all together for the whole school year.
EDUCATION CLIENTS:
THREE WAYS TO BRING JAMES TO YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY
IMMERSIVE & CONFERENCE KEYNOTE
For association conferences & system-wide events
Start with Immersive: Uncharted Ice or Uncharted Waters, MAG’s signature expedition simulation, where your people make high-stakes calls together. Or book James’ keynote, tailored to your conference theme, where the Tasman crossing and the South Pole become a practical way into resilience, change, and high-performing teams. Both work for a full room of principals and teachers, or a whole-of-system gathering.
LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
For school executive & leadership teams
A hands-on workshop for your leadership team, drawn from Cas’ workshop program and shaped around your school. Your team works through real challenges, from leading through change to keeping staff together when the pressure builds, and walks out with tools and an action plan they can use from Monday. Built for leadership PD, pupil-free days, and executive team planning days.
VIRTUAL KEYNOTE
For regional schools & dispersed networks
The keynote delivered live to screen. Ideal for regional and remote schools, diocese-wide staff briefings, or when the travel budget is tight. Three production levels, starting with a complimentary Home Delivery session.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOUR EVENT?
These are recommendations only. Every school and event is different, so book your free 20-minute call and we’ll shape it with you.
★ MAG SIGNATURE EXPERIENCEIMMERSIVE
The experienceLive it. Your people run a real expedition simulation (Uncharted Ice or Uncharted Waters) and make high-stakes calls together
Works forAssociation conferences, leadership teams and staff groups
Staff leave withA shared expedition experience, plus the tools to use it
Time with JamesHalf or whole day
Pair it withAn opening keynote for the whole conference
KEYNOTE
The experienceHear it. The expedition stories, tied to your conference theme
Works forAssociation conferences, staff and pupil-free days
Staff leave withA shared language for resilience
Time with James30 minutes or more
Pair it withImmersive for your leaders
WORKSHOP
The experiencePractise it. Hands-on tools, worked through with your team
Works forLeadership teams and staff groups
Staff leave withPractical tools and a team action plan
Time with JamesHalf or whole day
Pair it withA keynote to kick off the day
THE CHALLENGES SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW
How Cas helps principals, assistant principals, teachers, and the associations that bring them together.
STAFF WELLBEING & BURNOUT
If your staff are feeling stretched, you’re not alone. Cas shares how his expedition teams kept going for months when the load never eased, and gives teachers and education staff a practical way to protect their energy.
LEADING THROUGH A HARD YEAR
When plans keep changing, morale is the first thing to go. Cas shows how to make the call, hold the team together and keep momentum when conditions turn, straight from the Tasman and the Pole.
GRIT STAFF CAN MODEL
Resilience starts with teachers and education staff. Cas gives them the Grit Scale, a simple way to measure and build their own grit, and show it to the people around them.
CASE STUDY · UNCHARTED ICE IMMERSIVE · 2026
WE DIDN’T JUST GIVE A KEYNOTE. WE RAN THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE.
Catholic Assistant Principals’ Association of Western Australia · Day Two, Friday 28 August 2026
Assistant principals from across Western Australia spent six hours with James on leading with purpose. Instead of a one-hour talk, the association got Uncharted Ice, MAG’s immersive expedition experience, plus a structured Grit Scale self-assessment. Every leader walked out with a measure of their own resilience and a way to use it back at school.
“He was able to link that back to school context, to assistant principals, and our roles at school… It was a Friday afternoon, but the level of engagement was still outstanding, and you could hear a pin drop in the room.”Geoff Clarke, Vice President, Catholic Assistant Principals’ Association of Western Australia
6 HOURS
Uncharted Ice immersive
130+
Assistant principals in the room
5 SESSIONS
Five sessions in three days across Western Australia
40+
Education engagements since 2023
HEAR FROM CLIENT EXPERIENCE
“Cas has led two amazing sessions for One Ventures over the last couple of years, using his real-world experiences to help show how a team can become a high-performing team.”
Michelle Deaker, Managing Partner, One Ventures
HOW IT WORKS
1
TALK IT THROUGH WITH JAMES
20 minutes. No pitch, no deck. Tell him about your staff, your year and the day you’re planning.
2
WE SHAPE IT TO YOUR DAY
Your conference theme, your term dates, your audience. We recommend the format and send a quote.
3
JAMES DELIVERS
In the room or on screen, built around the people who keep your school running.
FAQ
The keynote is for a large audience, such as a conference, staff day, or association event. It shares James’s expedition stories and turns them into lessons on grit, resilience, and leading under pressure. The Leadership Workshop is a hands-on session for a smaller group, usually an executive or leadership team. Your team works through real challenges and leaves with tools and an action plan. Many schools book the keynote for all staff and the workshop for their leadership team.
James draws on two world-record expeditions, crossing the Tasman Sea by kayak and walking to the South Pole and back. He uses them to show what keeps people going when the pressure builds. For school leaders, that means grit and resilience, decision-making under pressure, and how high-performing teams stay together through a demanding year. Each session includes practical tools, such as the Grit Scale self-assessment, so staff take away more than a story.
It’s built for the people who run schools day to day: principals, assistant principals, deputy principals, and school leadership teams. It also suits principals’ and assistant principals’ associations, Catholic and independent school networks, and whole-staff days. James has spoken to state associations such as the Catholic Assistant Principals’ Association of Western Australia, as well as individual schools across Australia.
Yes. Every session is shaped around your theme, your audience, and what you want people to do differently afterwards. Before the event, James talks with your organising team about the challenges your leaders and staff are facing, then builds his stories and tools around them.
Yes. Pupil-free days, staff PD days, and start-of-term planning days are some of the most popular times to book. Many schools pair a keynote for all staff with a Leadership Workshop for the executive team on the same day.
No. The expeditions are the way in, not the point. Sessions are built around practical tools that leaders can use the following week: the Grit Scale self-assessment, making decisions under pressure, and how teams stay together when things get hard.
Yes. James presents in person across Australia, and virtually for regional and remote schools, diocese-wide briefings, or dispersed networks. Virtual delivery comes in three production levels, starting with a complimentary Home Delivery option.
Associations usually confirm conference speakers 6–12 months ahead, so now is a good time to talk about 2027 conferences. For pupil-free days and workshops, a term’s notice is ideal, but get in touch even if your date is closer. James’ availability changes quickly.
PLANNING YOUR NEXT WORKSHOP OR CONFERENCE?
Talk it through with James. 20 minutes is all you need.
