CLEVELAND’S FIRST CO-ED, INDEPENDENT HIGH SCHOOL ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE
Discover City River
City River opens in fall 2027. Come see what a school day looks like, and meet the founder and the board of trustees who are building it.
Who we are
City River is an independent, secular, co-ed college-preparatory high school in Cleveland committed to educating the whole student. Our model brings together academic excellence, artistic expression, healthy bodies, and sense of self and community. We are building a school where students can take on challenging work, create, move daily, and grow through reflection and relationships with people from different backgrounds and life experiences.
The City River School Day
Our day starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 5:00 PM.
Sports, arts, tutoring, and advisory each have their own time in the schedule. Structured work time and support are designed to help students finish most work at school. Students may still have homework, but we want home to leave room for family, interests, and the other experiences that help young people grow.
What Is Built Into the Day
Morning movement begins at 8:00 AM, with team sports, fitness, and informal play-to-learn options.
Longer periods in math, science, English, history, and world language.
Weekly meetings with the same advisor for all four years.
Students explore art forms for two years, then choose a pathway, sharing work in annual showcases and building a graduation portfolio.
Small-group academic support during the school day.
About the Founder
Meet Jake Taylor
Jake has spent fifteen years teaching and leading in Cleveland and New York City and now leads City River High School as its founder and Head of School.
Jake began his career on Wall Street at Morgan Stanley in 2008. From 2010 to 2013, he taught math at the East Harlem School at Exodus House. He joined Teach For America in 2013. Those experiences shaped the values he carries into every school he has worked in since.
After returning to Cleveland, Jake taught at Breakthrough Schools and served as Middle School Director at Urban Community School from 2019 to 2025, where he oversaw a 40% increase in academic outcomes and meaningful gains in student engagement and school culture.
In 2025, Jake was selected for two national fellowships supporting his work to launch City River High School: a UnifiED Fellowship with the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition and a spot in the Drexel Fund's Founders Program.
Jake holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Penn State University and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Interested in working at City River?
Email Jake Taylor, Head of School, at jtaylor@cityriverhs.org.
Board of Trustees
Our Board of Trustees meets monthly to oversee City River's strategy, finances, and the quality of the school.
All board members are volunteers and receive no compensation.
Full documentary
The full City River story.
For families who want more context, this documentary follows the ideas and early work behind City River High School.