What does it take to turn around a failing school without losing yourself in the process?

In this episode of Transformational Educators, host Dr. Matthew Flippen sits down with Dr. Karen Engle, Superintendent of Clear Creek ISD, whose leadership transformed Clearview, a struggling, at-risk alternative campus, into one of the district’s highest-performing schools. Recognized as a finalist for the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award, Dr. Engle shares how listening, learning, and responding became the foundation for deep cultural change and academic success.

Whether you’re a new leader stepping into a tough role or a veteran facing burnout, this conversation offers a blueprint for how to lead with trust, shift toxic culture, and build a thriving school community from the inside out.

If you’ve ever wondered how real, lasting school transformation actually happens, this is the episode for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS
• Every student at Clearview came in with a record of failure or risk factors
• Staff culture mirrored student struggle, mistrust, burnout, and hopelessness
• Dr. Engle began her leadership by listening deeply and building trust
• “Quick wins” like schedule changes helped create early momentum
• Removing harmful outside consultants restored staff dignity and morale
• Her leadership model: “Listen. Learn. Respond.”
• Campus went from nearly failing to one student away from exemplary status
• Staff shifted from doubt to ownership of the transformation
• The same leadership approach is now used district-wide
• Servant leadership works when paired with urgency and care

BEST MOMENTS
00:02:28. “They all came into that campus from a background of less than success in school.”
00:03:11. “You have to want to get better. That’s not just true for children. Adults need to want to get better as well.”
00:04:00. “The culture was almost like the kids… a malaise, a feeling of failure.”
00:05:24. “They didn’t give me a lot of credit for that high school background. It was discouraging.”
00:05:49. “I looked for low-hanging fruit, quick wins. One of the first things I did was change the master schedule.”
00:07:02. “The consultant was kind of degrading. It was not okay. So we ended the contract.”
00:09:47. “I said, okay, we can do this. You all are good enough.”
00:10:30. “Listen, learn, and respond. Don’t wait.”
00:12:36. “At the end of two years, we were one student away from exemplary.”

Transformational Educators | School Leadership Stories

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