George consistently spends 12 hours per week observing instruction and supporting teachers, which has contributed to a 20-point increase in the school’s Teacher-Principal Trust Score. Additionally, staff retention rates have soared from 50 to 92% in just two years.

CHALLENGE: Poor Student Scores, Negative Publicity and Risk of Closure

George Smith faced the most significant leadership challenge of his career after accepting his first principalship at Mitchell High, a public high school of 800 students located in Colorado Springs, CO. In 2019, Mitchell High was already on Colorado’s watchlist for potential closure. Student results were extremely poor in evidence-based reading, writing and math. 

By 2022, Mitchell was named a ‘turnaround school’ due to its poor reputation, negative publicity and declining enrollment. To meet stakeholder expectations, George worked over 70 hours per week during his first summer (with no vacation), to develop the school’s improvement plan. In addition, it was also his sole responsibility to hire a staff of certified teachers.

SOLUTION: Delegate, Then Educate

After a grueling first year, George attended The Breakthrough Coach Program in June 2023 and had an epiphany! He realized that he would never be able to turn Mitchell High around by working alone, and simultaneously running himself into the ground. He made the decision to implement The Breakthrough Coach system immediately.

George let go of duties that were irrelevant to improving student performance. Calendar management, appointment scheduling, catering order placement, and PowerPoint presentation creation were no longer “George tasks.” Instead, he spent time training and developing his leadership team to run the school. He promoted his secretary to the role of executive assistant and started entrusting her with planning and managing his workload. They met daily, which enabled him to share his priorities, provide her with the necessary information to manage his schedule, and coach her on how to address office tasks and requests. This freed him up to further focus on crucial instructional leadership.

OUTCOME: Major Upgrades for Students, Teachers and Admin

The Breakthrough Coach’s impact on George’s leadership has been powerful. Mitchell High has seen significant improvements in several subjects with median growth percentile increases from 47% to 67% in reading, and 48% to 55% in math. The school’s status has gone from “Turnaround” to “Priority Improvement.” 

George consistently spends 12 hours per week observing instruction and supporting teachers, which has contributed to a 20-point increase in the school’s Teacher-Principal Trust Score. Additionally, staff retention rates have soared from 50 to 92% in just two years. George feels highly accomplished, but no longer logs more than 50 hours a week at work.

CONCLUSION

George is proud of his professional growth and his contribution to Mitchell’s results. He is also finally experiencing a healthy work-life balance, spending time with his wife and children, and taking care of himself – all of which he considers his most significant breakthroughs.