CISD Principal of the Year

John Fritts, Douglass Learning Academy Principal. Mr. Fritts has been with Cleveland ISD for five years, with two of them as principal.

Below is his statement/Bio:

“My name is John Fritts, and it is a privilege and an honor to be the principal at Douglass Learning Academy. I’m blessed to have my wife Jen and three kids Taylor, Anthony and Emily. This is my 5th year with Cleveland ISD and 2nd year as principal. I often comment that I have the best job in the district and it’s because I truly enjoy my job. Thanks to the staff and students of DLA it has become a campus of peace for students that need it to complete their high school journey. I’m looking forward to many more years with Cleveland ISD.

So, a little about me, I grew up on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I lived in a small country town spending most of my time on my grandparent’s farm. That experience taught me the value of waking up early and getting to work so my days can be filled with accomplishments. While growing up I also had a passion for baseball. This passion provided me with a full ride baseball scholarship to the University of Maryland where I finished my bachelor degree. Following my graduation, I spent manyyears in the banking industry. Then, fourteen years ago my wife and I decided to move to the great state of Texas. We love it here! Texas has blessed us in many areas of our lives and my family now has a great connection to this state. It includes my wife and I both being in education along with master degrees from Lamar University.

Moving forward I want to continue serving the community of Cleveland ISD. My anchor will always be my faith and family. I’ll continue to strive in developing positive relationships with everyone within the community, working with students as they grow, supporting teachers and staff so that they can reach their greatest potential, strengthening a connection between school and home, and fostering a positive school culture. Thank you for allowing me to work with the extraordinary students and staff of Cleveland ISD and I’m looking forward to many more years.”