Discover City River
A new high school opening in Cleveland, Fall 2027
City River High School Mission Statement
City River is an intentionally diverse, college-preparatory high school in Cleveland where students sharpen their minds, forge an unshakable moral compass, and build lifelong habits of movement and vitality.
The Vision of City River High School
City River offers Cleveland families a college-preparatory education that intentionally brings together students from different races, genders, incomes, and geographies. Our graduates leave academically strong, morally grounded, and physically healthy.
We believe developing the mind, the heart, and the body are not separate pursuits. At City River, they happen together, every day.
Core Values
We ask questions and pursue ideas beyond the surface. City River students develop the intellectual confidence to engage with complex ideas and keep reaching for deeper understanding.
Progress happens when we push past what feels familiar. We push students to take on hard things academically, creatively, and physically. Struggle is a sign that learning is happening.
City River students are honest, accountable, and intentional. They make choices that bring dignity to themselves and their community.
We grow by listening deeply and recognizing that our individual story is one part of something bigger. City River students build empathy to work toward shared goals.
Every student moves daily, eats well-balanced meals, and builds personal practices that strengthen their mental and emotional wellbeing.
City River’s extended school day is built so that students leave prepared, not depleted. When the day ends, time belongs to families and personal growth.
The City River School Day
We run from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. That longer day is not about adding more work — it’s about fitting more of what matters inside school hours so evenings belong to students and their families.
Sports, arts, tutoring, and advisory all have a dedicated place in the schedule. Most students leave without homework, making a rich education accessible to every family.
What Is Built Into the Day
Daily practices and fitness are part of the regular schedule.
Every student takes arts courses built into the regular day.
Longer periods in math, science, English, history, Spanish, and arts.
Small-group academic support during the school day.
Weekly meetings with a consistent advisor for all four years.
About the Founder
Meet Jake Taylor
Jake spent fifteen years teaching and leading in Cleveland and New York City before founding City River High School.
He began his career on Wall Street at Morgan Stanley. In 2010, he left finance to teach math at the East Harlem School at Exodus House. That experience shaped the values he carries into every school he has worked in since.
After returning to Cleveland, Jake taught at Breakthrough Schools and later became Middle School Director at Urban Community School. In 2026, he was selected as a UnifiED Fellow and was also awarded a Founders Fellowship by the Drexel Fund to support the launch of City River.
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.
Transparency • Accountability • Leadership
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is a dedicated group committed to the long-term success of our organization. They meet monthly to oversee strategy, finances, and excellence.
Amanda Cusick Kenny
David Boone Jr.
Fred Hilow
Phil Baptiste
