ATTLEBORO - Measures intended to improve discipline and reduce the number of fights, while opening new education options to students, are part of a school-wide improvement plan for Attleboro High School.

Principal Jeffrey Newman, who presented the plan to the school committee on Monday, said steps are already under way to reduce conflicts and head-off suspensions.

Changes include the addition of student mediators and the recent opening of an intervention center that provides an alternative to student suspensions.

A total of 20 fights, involving 45 students, were reported last year. Newman said he hopes to dramatically decrease the number this year. The principal said that while there are areas that need improvement, he does not want to give the impression that fights and student conflicts at the school are out of control.

"This is a very safe school," he said. "We do have some things we're unhappy with, and we're going to move on them." A key goal, Newman said, is to decrease the school's suspension rate, which had been 20 percent in 2006-2007 and fell to 12 percent last year. The target is to reduce the rate to 8 percent, he said.

Meanwhile, the principal said the school plans to dramatically increase the number of student mediators who volunteer to aid students in solving their problems. The school had only six student mediators last year.

In addition, the school is increasing the number of teachers and staff members trained in cooperative discipline and restraint training.

The high school is also moving to provide additional structure and direction to its Network alternative school program, which is centered at the former high school on County Street, and to increase attendance that was at 62 percent last year. An attendance target of 90 percent was set for the current year.

Newman said a "twilight school" alternative for students needing a different approach to high school is being studied and that the alternate diploma program could be recommended for implementation by summer, 2009.

The principal says the school also needs to increase efforts to increase performance under the state's adequate yearly progress criteria. Currently, the school's low income and special needs students are not meeting minimum requirements.

Newman's improvement plans also call for increasing participation in the honors and advanced placement programs, especially among minority students, and increase student MCAS scores in science.