CHARLOTTE — After Channel 9′s reporting on parents’ concerns at Charlotte Catholic High School, the school announced a leadership change this week.
Principal Lori Phillips will be resigning from the school on Friday, according to a letter obtained by Channel 9 on Tuesday.
Channel 9′s Evan Donovan has been speaking with parents of students at the school for months, and they’ve brought up issues ranging from bullying to questioning the school’s proposal to change accreditation. On Monday, Channel 9 reported on the “culture problem” that reached a head at a recent meeting between Phillips and parents.
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On Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Gregory P. Monroe said in a letter that Phillips is resigning “to allow Charlotte Catholic High School to move forward with a renewed focus on teaching and learning.”
President Kurt Telford will step into the position for the 2025-2026 school year, Monroe wrote. The school will look for a new principal to start before the 2026 school year.
Phillips, who was hired with the school in 2023, said in a statement that she has “come to love and appreciate this community” but said she believes it’s best for her to step down.
The most recent issue among parents involved the school’s plan to change its accreditation to a lesser-known system called Lumen. Channel 9 shared a video of Phillips addressing parents’ concerns during a meeting. One parent asked her to comment on a “culture problem” at the school, and Phillips told the group that they were the problem.
“For the sake of the school, I believe it is best for me to step down from Charlotte Catholic so that everyone can refocus on what matters most -- our students,” Phillips wrote in her statement.
“I thought that it was a good first step,” said a parent who also mentioned the move was long overdue.
“I would classify it as improper or misleading business practices,” said the parent, who didn’t want to be identified.
Many parents contacted Channel 9 about the issues.
“She definitely had a significant issue with communication with parents, as evidenced by the video from last Thursday,” the parent said about the meeting with parents.
The ongoing issues led to a petition signed by thousands of people calling for change.
The parent Channel 9 spoke with Tuesday said there needs to be more change at the top.
“I would like to see the superintendent replaced,” he said. “I don’t see a way forward, trust-wise, without new leadership, beginning at the top, with the superintendent, at the very least.”
Monroe said school administrators would be meeting with the School Leadership Council of Parent Representatives to get feedback.
(VIDEO: Petition demands changes at Charlotte Catholic High School)
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