Reimagining Learning: How Mitchell High School Moved Beyond Traditional Instruction to a Culture of Student Agency
Join Principal George Smith as he shares the story of transforming Mitchell High School into a campus centered on student agency. In this session, Principal Smith will walk participants through the school’s key successes and honest challenges, offering practical insights to help campus leaders understand the need for a clear and compelling Vision of Instruction to drive Student Agency. Participants will leave with actionable ideas and strategies they can implement immediately to deepen student learning, elevate student ownership, and empower learners across campus.
George Smith
George C. Smith is a transformational school leader with more than 23 years of experience in public education and is currently in his fifth year as Principal of Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs. He has led the district’s most complex turnaround effort, guiding Mitchell through reconstitution, post‑COVID stabilization, and the development of a state‑board‑approved Innovation Pathway Plan.
Under Principal Smith’s leadership, Mitchell High School has realized measurable academic and cultural shifts, including sustained year‑over‑year growth in reading and math, improved on‑track graduation rates, expanded postsecondary readiness programming, and increased staff retention. Central to this work has been the establishment of a unified instructional vision grounded in a supportive learning environment with consistent structures, the expectation of research‑supported practices, autonomy through distributive leadership, and intentional talent development driven by embedded coaching.
In partnership with Instructional Empowerment, Principal Smith is continuing to accelerate school improvement by strengthening campus-wide instructional systems and cultivating an academic culture that promotes rigor through student agency. A teacher and coach at heart, he is deeply committed to empowering educators to elevate instructionalpractice that changes student trajectories. He is honored to join the 15th Annual Building Expertise Educators’ Conference to share Mitchell High School’s journey and the practical lessons learned from leading change during a challenging time.
Kristi Kinney
As a School Leadership Coach, Kristi Kinney works with campus leadership teams to establish sustainable systems, develop an effective leadership team, empower teachers and students to achieve instructional autonomy, and create a culture driven by the team’s vision for success. Her passion has always been classroom instruction, and she assists campus administrators in becoming instructional leaders to ensure growth for all students.
Kristi retired after 24 years in Texas public education where she was a high school teacher and athletic coach, Instructional Specialist, Literacy Specialist, Test Coordinator/Data Analyst, Dean of Instruction, Assistant Principal, and Principal. She served in 5 districts including suburban, inner-city, and rural schools.
Kristi Kinney earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and English from Tarleton State University. Years of coaching and teaching led her to pursue a master’s degree in Education Administration from Lamar University.
Session Details
District Name: Colorado Springs D11
Mitchell High School
High School (9–12)
Audience: School Leaders
Difficulty Level: Intermediate