Leo Lawyer has resigned as Cleveland High School’s principal, less than one year after he was hired to lead the school.

The Cleveland Clarion, the school’s student newspaper, first reported the news.

Lawyer came to Portland Public Schools from the coastal Neah-Kah-Nie district, where he led a middle school of about 220 students. He replaced Ayesha Freeman, who requested a transfer to Wilson High.

School staff submitted a vote of no confidence in her leadership following a series of racist incidents on campus.

In a note to parents, Lawyer said he submitted his resignation earlier this week.

“I realize that this news must be surprising to hear,” he said. “What I can say today is that this decision is the right one for my family and me at this time.”

Lawyer was Cleveland’s third top administrator in four years. He was one of two dozen new principals installed across Portland Public Schools this year and one of three new high school administrators.

In a note to parents, Regional Superintendent Joe LaFountaine said Paul Cook, who retired from the position in 2015, will serve out the rest of the year. Cook spent 14 years at Cleveland. He was principal for 12 of them.

“Our focus now is to minimize disruption and keep positive momentum going for Cleveland during this transition period," LaFountaine wrote. "I know our educators and staff will work hard to ensure that the last months of school are positive and successful for our students.”

Cook will start work at Cleveland Thursday.

Lawyer’s resignation comes as district officials and board members are preparing to pitch a $1.4 billion construction bond to voters that would include extensive renovations to Cleveland High.

Cleveland was also one of three Portland high schools to post a drop in graduation rates from 2018 to 2019. Both it and Southwest Portland’s Wilson High have seen a high level of churn in their administrative ranks over the years.