“The Breakthrough Coach has instilled in me a deep sense of openness and receptivity to staff concerns, and I am now confident giving feedback and support, rather than immediately jumping in to solve problems. I have instead learned how to co-design action plans with staff that encourage them to solve their own issues.” – Xavier Lewis

CHALLENGE: High Staff Attrition, Declining Enrollment, and Numerous Complaints

Xavier Lewis, Principal at Collegiate Prep, a public, Pre-K-5th grade school in Cedar Hill, TX, faced significant staff retention challenges coming out of the pandemic. In 2021, Collegiate Prep was experiencing minimal scholar growth, high staff attrition and declining enrollment. As a result, Xavier dealt daily with a huge number of parent and employee complaints. The situation resulted in him working 17 hours daily just to hold the school together, and his well-being suffered. 

During The Breakthrough Coach Program, Xavier realized he was enabling the situation by not delivering at his personal level of leadership. He made the decision to implement The Breakthrough Coach’s Fundamental Practices™ and to tap into the creative potential of his staff and stakeholders, rather than trying to single-handedly address every issue.

SOLUTION: New Systems and Streamlined Communication

Xavier began to think differently about his leadership role – specifically about his role in establishing school-wide systems to increase staff productivity and satisfaction. He became increasingly more present by scheduling two days every week to walk hallways and visit classrooms, observing and supporting teachers. He used the other three days each week to coach staff about his observations, and to address any questions or concerns they had. 

He created a trackable system for managing staff requests from the front office that enabled his team to know exactly when they would receive the answers and materials needed to do their jobs. In addition, he designed a process for disseminating up-to-date information school-wide so that all staff were always on the same page.

OUTCOME: A Transformation on All Fronts

The Breakthrough Coach’s impact on Xavier’s leadership at Collegiate Prep was transformative. By June 2024, the school’s staff retention rate had skyrocketed to 94%, from a low of 47% in 2021.

Xavier proudly acknowledges that, “The Breakthrough Coach has instilled in me a deep sense of openness and receptivity to staff concerns, and I am now confident giving feedback and support, rather than immediately jumping in to solve problems. I have instead learned how to co-design action plans with staff that encourage them to solve their own issues.”  His lighter-touch approach also has him feeling calmer, well-rested and much healthier – he has lost 50 lbs. in two years!

CONCLUSION

Xavier’s journey showcases the transformative power of The Breakthrough Coach Program. By embracing The Breakthrough Coach’s philosophy of “working on the system, not in the system,” Xavier achieved remarkable staff retention outcomes, while also gaining confidence, personal satisfaction and peace of mind.