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Cleveland High principal credits phone rule and partnerships for sharp drops in fights and suspensions
Summary
Cleveland High School principal told the board that a new phone policy, targeted professional development and community partnerships coincided with substantial reductions in fights and suspensions and improvements in academic indicators; the board heard teacher and student testimony in a short video.
Principal Mr. Pritchard presented a Cleveland High School spotlight to the board, outlining recent academic and extracurricular successes and describing how a school phone rule and targeted teacher professional development have affected school climate.
Pritchard said 10 of the school’s 19 AP courses perform above state and national averages, described performing‑arts and CTE partnerships (including ongoing work with Cleveland State and TCAT) and noted community donations such as two vehicles from Nissan. He highlighted the work of staff members including champion staff member Nicole Williams and cited student fundraising (Raider Evolve raised $4,000 for pediatric cancer).
On discipline and academic outcomes, Pritchard shared data he circulated to staff at the end of the quarter: fights were 23 in 2023, 20 last year and two in the first quarter of the current year; he said the school saw a "46% fewer suspensions, 90% fewer fights, 80% fewer violent incidences, and 723 fewer classes failed" since 2023. He and teachers attributed much of the improvement to the phone rule, which teachers and students in a short video said reduced classroom distractions and increased face‑to‑face interactions.
Teacher Jamie Withrow (CTE engineering and robotics) said removing phones from the classroom allowed students to be more hands‑on and better focused on tasks. Student speakers in the video said the phone rule made lunch and class time more social and less distracted. The board praised the school’s results and commended staff for partnerships and student engagement.
The numbers Pritchard presented were taken from an internal staff summary; the board did not independently verify the figures during the meeting. The presentation served as an informational spotlight rather than a board action item.
