Browns bring Ron Clark Academy “House System” to Riverside School to tackle chronic absenteeism

On Oct. 20, Cleveland Browns players and the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network teamed with Riverside School to introduce a schoolwide House System aimed at improving student attendance and engagement.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The Cleveland Browns used a community partnership event to introduce a Ron Clark Academy House System at Riverside School, as part of the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network’s work to reduce chronic absenteeism.

According to the Browns, Riverside is a member of the SITG! Network, which the Cleveland Browns Foundation launched in 2019 with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and which is now managed by Battelle. The Network says it works across Ohio districts and has a reach of more than 620,000 students.

On Oct. 20, C Parker Brailsford, CB Myles Harden and T Spencer Fano appeared at Riverside School for a Ron Clark Academy House System assembly. The event was hosted by Riverside Assistant Principal Kyle Cohen, and included music, large-game activities such as Connect Four, and student competitions alongside the players.

The House System, the Browns report, divides students into five “houses” at the start of the school year, with points earned for attendance and other positive behaviors. The Browns say engagement strategies like House Systems align with SITG!’s mission of keeping students connected to school.

Riverside shared an example of how it used the system this year, running a September five-day attendance challenge by house. The Browns report Riverside recorded 98 percent attendance during that week, the best week the school had seen in seven years, based on Cohen’s remarks in the release.

Why It Matters

Beyond game days, the Browns are using a league-affiliated platform to support attendance efforts in a local district.
House Systems are designed to build belonging and daily engagement, which can translate into steadier attendance as a school-year habit.
The event illustrates how SITG! uses on-the-ground school programming, educator learning and community participation rather than focusing on attendance alone.
For families and students, the assembly served as a visible reminder that community partners are invested in school connection and routine.

Sources

Key Facts

On Oct. 20, the Cleveland Browns and the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network hosted a Ron Clark Academy House System assembly at Riverside School.
C Parker Brailsford, CB Myles Harden and T Spencer Fano participated in the event.
The SITG! Network was launched in 2019 by the Cleveland Browns Foundation and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and is now managed by Battelle.
The Network’s stated impact includes 210 school districts and more than 620,000 students across Ohio.
Riverside adopted the House System, splitting students into five houses and using points tied to attendance and other behaviors.
The Browns report Riverside ran a five-day attendance challenge in September and recorded 98 percent attendance during that week.