John Cline hired as Washington High School principal

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Cedar Rapids Community School District Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved hiring John Cline as the new principal at Washington High School.

He is to begin his duties on July 1 and earn a salary of $147,608, according to district records.

Since 2013, Cline, 42, has worked as an assistant principal at South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 3,000-student school is part of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district. Both Kennedy High Principal Jason Kline and Washington High's interim principal Carlos Grant also previously worked for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district.

The search for a new principal began in January and, ultimately, Cline was named the sole finalist.

'Through the interview process it became clear that Mr. Cline recognizes Washington is a premier Iowa High School and that he is eager to learn more about the notable traditions at the school,” Superintendent Brad Buck said in a news release. 'At the same time, he has an eye toward collaborating with students, staff and the school community to support Washington in becoming even more successful at serving our students.”

Deputy Superintendent Mary Ellen Maske said the selection process included interviews with students, staff, administration, parents and community members.

'Mr. Cline stood out based on his experience with diverse school communities, laserlike focus on improving student learning outcomes, and high regard by the staff at South Mecklenburg High School,” she said in the release. 'The most recent survey of staff members impressively identified his strengths as instructional leadership, integrity, trust and belief in children.”

During his tenure at South Mecklenburg High School, the school achieved the third-highest student growth scores of all high schools in the state, it saw a 27 percent increase in Advanced Placement course enrollment and introduced a credit-recovery program that is making it possible for more students to graduate, according to the release.

Cline earned his bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his master's degree from Queens University of Charlotte.

Last week, during a meet-and-greet with members of the public at Washington High School, 2205 Forest Drive SE, Cline said he is looking forward to his move to Cedar Rapids and said the high school has a clear 'tradition of pride” in academics, athletics and extracurriculars.

'When I think about schools, I think about - what do I want to hear my kids talk about when they come home from school?” Cline told a group of about 50 people in attendance. 'It's a school where they want to go every day. It's a school where they're excited to go there every day. They feel loved at the school that they're at, they feel supported, and they feel pushed to be the best that they can be.

'That is what I want for my kids, and that is the type of school I want for the kids that I serve.”

The search for a new principal began after Ralph Plagman, who was principal at Washington High for 35 years, was asked to resign after a substitute teacher at his school was arrested for sexually exploiting a student.