Cleveland High School Historic Resources Record Submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office

Yesterday, I advanced a Historic Resources Record (HRR) on Cleveland High School in SE Portland to the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) as the first step towards attaining National Register of Historic Places listing for this architecturally significant building now under threat of demolition by Portland Public Schools (PPS). You may view the HRR and a collection of pictures illustrating the historic significance of the school here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1whclIcuVZYY0OS8HvU1WJrw8lwKS7nYZ/view?usp=drive_link

Since December of last year, I have been working to engage PPS in a dialog to consider revisiting the planned demolition and began a Change.org petition towards that end which now has over 1500 signatures https://www.change.org/p/help-save-cleveland-high-school-in-portland-from-demolition

Earlier this year, I provided testimony to the Board of Education and submitted directly to them exhaustive evidence that the public design process they conducted that led to the Comprehensive Planning Committee (a group of well-intentioned citizens) to recommend demolition of Cleveland High School was biased, and lacked critical information that was never released to the public.

This information included previous reports indicating that Cleveland High School was in the category of highest level of intact historic architecture and that PPS was told in no uncertain terms that Cleveland High School should be restored, renovated, and if desired-expanded to accommodate needs of the school and community. That information was never shared with the Comprehensive Planning Committee or the general public.

In addition, a 2024 report from PPS' own historic preservation consultant, Architectural Resources Group, indicated that Cleveland High School was largely intact, the historic school building envelope well-intact and a good candidate for renovation and restoration. That report was also never shared with the public or the Comprehensive Planning Committee, except for three PowerPoint slides during a presentation about the historic condition of the building.

Cleveland High School is a National Register of Historic Places and Portland City Landmark-eligible building that is among some of the most remarkable architecture in the district. It was designed by Portland Public Schools architect George Jones, and it is arguably his most significant work.
It is important that the public be aware that to this day, PPS has refused to publicly answer any questions about this process failure, and despite multiple attempts to engage them in dialog, they have refused to say even one word about it. This silence speaks volumes as to the integrity of the process and the leadership of PPS.

PPS appears to be in a near-weekly state of existential crisis, with challenges including needing to close perhaps 10-12 schools in the next year, cutting instructional hours, laying off of hundreds of employees and a budget deficit that may reach 60 million dollars. These are among the most daunting challenges arguably that PPS has ever faced.

The District continues to make questionable decisions about over a 60 million dollar contract with Procedeo, as well as ethical issues over a job with Procedeo being provided to the daughter of Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, as well as former members of the Board of Education who are now working for Procedeo "as needed" with very high monthly salaries. While PPS may think that this conduct is reasonable, it is anything but the norm and should not be tolerated. Those involved in public service must be held to a high standard with regard to conflict of interest and the perception thereof.
And yet PPS continues on the perilous path of planning to demolish a very good candidate for restoration, renovation and expansion, while concurrently having no idea which schools they may need to close in the year ahead-including schools that feed students to Cleveland. That is public policy malpractice.
In no reality should the community be asked to pony up nearly 500 million dollars to demolish a historically significant school, replace it with a questionable (at best) design when they have no idea how big a school they will need in the future or the facilities that should be part of that design.

There is no question that Cleveland High School needs to be modernized. The community has been waiting patiently for an updated facility that will serve our children and the community well for decades ahead. But the public, by means of their vote in support of the school bond, did not provide permission for PPS to conduct a failed design process and to without disclosure of critical relevant information, lead a group of well-meaning citizens to make a very uninformed decision to demolish a remarkably intact significant architectural resource.

There is much to find in terms of fault with the decisions of PPS and the path that they have chosen. But more disturbing is the message they are sending our children and our community including:

1. Your architectural and cultural history doesn't matter, and we will destroy it at will, especially if it is more convenient for us.

2. When it is identified that you have made a significant mistake or error in judgement, that it is okay to remain silent about it, and instead run headlong into the error, no matter what the cost to the public or our community at large. That is a chilling and very misdirected message for a school district to send to its students.

Advancing an HRR (Historic Resource Record) to the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is the first step in a process that will affirm the value of this remarkable historic school and ensure that no matter the outcome, the historical record will reflect that Cleveland High School is worthy of preservation and an excellent candidate towards that end. It is a step towards truth, transparency, accountability and affording this school the due process denied to it by Portland Public Schools. Equally important though, is this campaign sets a standard that PPS will be called out for the failure that this project has been since nearly day one, and that in a district of many historically significant schools, that PPS will not be permitted to fail the public in this myriad of ways again.

I'd be happy to speak with anyone interested in the continued plight of Cleveland High School and will provide copies of all of the evidence collected supporting my claims. Feel free to reach out to me at ackrach@gmail.com and I will provide them to you.

In the meantime, please continue to reach out to your friends and neighbors, as well as PPS Superintendent Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong at karmstrong@pps.net or the Board of Education at schoolboard@pps.net and ask them to pause the demolition of Cleveland High School until such time as they get their fiscal house in order, determine which schools they will need to close, and allow the design process to be revisited-this time with FULL DISCLOSURE of all the relevant facts and information. Thank you!