Mark Wren

“High school students are awesome, and they want to improve,” said Mark Wren, Cleveland’s assistant athletic director. After four years of working at Cleveland, Wren has decided to retire, and instead gear his time towards fishing and traveling. While Wren will be stepping back from his halftime position working at Cleveland, he will continue to coach the track and cross country teams.

“Kids come into the office to hang out and chat. I’ll miss that, but I’m still going to see them at practice because I’m not giving up coaching,” said Wren.

Wren said that his decision to retire had nothing to do with Cleveland’s move to Marshall, and he’s still looking forward to coaching students out at the new campus. However, he’ll miss the warm community at Cleveland, and the people he met while working there.

“The relationships that I’ve had with the other teachers that I’ve gotten to know, they’ve become good friends. That’s been a fun part of the social group,” said Wren.

In addition to his work with the track and cross country team, Wren was the assistant swim coach for the past 11 years. He will not continue this in the coming years.

After 34 years as a software engineer before four dedicated years at Cleveland, Wren is ready to spend some quality time on his own.

Charles Hunter

Working as the Student Success Advocate for the past 14 years, Charles Hunter Sr. left an impact on many students’ lives. He’s worked in Portland Public Schools for 52 years, and started at Jefferson in 1974, where he attended high school. After years of hard work, and 10 years worth of promises to his wife that he would retire, Hunter is finally ready to step down.

“The main thing is the students, because that’s why I’m here. Confucius says, when you find something you enjoy doing, you never work a day in your life. Well, I haven’t really worked, because I certainly have been enjoying myself here and working with the kids,” said Hunter.

In addition to the various jobs Hunter worked throughout PPS, he worked as a gang specialist with the Portland Police Department for the past 40 years. Just this past year he retired from that position. 

“I have probably worked in every building in the district over the years,” said
Hunter. “Out of all the buildings I’ve worked in, Cleveland has some of the best students.”

Hunter said he will miss almost every aspect of Cleveland. Specifically, he gave shout-outs to Laura Fisher and Julie Young in the office, Amy Papasadero and the rest of the security team, the faculty, staff, administrators, and Issac Camacho, the attendance coach. Most important though, he said he’d miss the counseling department.

“They are supreme, and you guys are fortunate to have that quality of people,” said Hunter.

For Hunter, one of his main highlights from working at Cleveland was the time he spent as the advisor for the Black Student Union. The assemblies put on every year are some of his favorite memories, as well as the opportunities this created to work with other classes. 

“The whole school is working on the Black history, and then we end it with the assembly, and that’s one of my great memories, is all of us working as a team making Black History Month a success,” said Hunter.

Art Viloria

After working for about four years at Cleveland as the therapeutic intervention coach, Art Viloria is looking to pursue his music career, and in turn, will be turning away from his work at PPS. He’s worked for the district for almost 10 years, and moved from Benson to Lincoln and finally Cleveland.

For Viloria, the decision to retire had nothing to do with the move to Marshall. “I think it was just time. I mean, I’m 68 years old, so it’s time to enjoy what I did. I’m looking forward to it.”

One of the students Viloria worked with will be graduating this year, and he’s excited to have been able to support this student with their journey. Viloria shared that he often reads to this student, and how rewarding it’s been to provide encouragement throughout the high school process.

“I’ve come from a different background, and I learned that for me it has always been raising the bar, regardless of whatever is in the way, and trying to push kids to excel, because if we don’t do it, who’s gonna do it?” said Viloria.

At Cleveland, Viloria has worked with PE teacher Sam Glasgow to incorporate Tai Chi into the curriculum. He will miss the class when he leaves.

“It is something that kids can take along with them after they graduate or after they complete the program, and it’s an active thing. It’s cerebral in a way that you learn it, but you can also put it to use. You can practice it now, or when you’re 68 years old,” said Viloria.

In addition to expanding his music, which consists of Spanish guitar at restaurants four nights a week, he’s looking to spend time with his family. He has a three year old grandson and an 18 month old granddaughter. Viloria will also be volunteering with the Asian Pacific Islander Samoan family community, as well as visiting family and friends in Los Angeles and Maui. 

“I know that in the past I’ve always missed seeing students grow after they complete a program, and one of the things that I’ve come to realize is, you know, we can only plant seeds, you know, and it’s up to other people to help germinate that seed and encourage them to move on, or you know, bring out their gifts, bring out their specialties,” said Viloria.