Cleveland High School principal Leo Lawyer has resigned from his post after less than a year on the job.
In a letter to families, Lawyer said he presented his letter of resignation earlier this week.
“I realize that this news must be surprising to hear; what I can say today is that this decision is the right one for my family and me at this time,” Lawyer said in the letter.
The school's student-run newspaper first reported the announcement Wednesday morning on Twitter.
Before Cleveland, Lawyer was principal of Neah-Kah-Nie middle school, a 200-student school on the Oregon coast. Lawyer also served as athletic director for the district and was a vice principal at Neah-Kah-Nie High School.
Lawyer was announced to the Cleveland High School community in June. He replaced principal Ayesha Freeman, who served at Cleveland for two years before her current role as vice principal at Wilson High School.
In a district letter, PPS regional superintendent Joe LaFountaine said the district’s current focus is to “minimize disruption and keep positive momentum going for Cleveland during this transition period.”
Former Cleveland Principal Paul Cook will serve as interim principal through the end of the year. Cook was Cleveland High principal for 12 years.
LaFountaine said the district is planning the process to find Cleveland’s next principal and that the process will include “multiple opportunities for engagement and feedback.”
Cook returns to Cleveland Thursday.