May 23, 2018
Page 11
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
Students fill the halls at De La Salle North Catholic High School. The faith-based, college prep school is losing its lease for a building that it has called home for 11 years,
the former Kenton Elementary school in north Portland, and has launched a search for a new home.
School Needs a New Home
Lease running
out for De La
Salle North
De La Salle North Catholic
High School is inviting communi-
ty members to help in the search
for a new school building.
The faith-based, college prep
school, one of the most diverse
in all of Oregon with 31 percent
of the students being black and
41 percent Hispanic, will not be
able to renew its lease for a build-
ing that it has called home for 11
years, the former Kenton Elemen-
tary school at 7528 N. Fenwick
Ave.
Built in 1913, the school is
owned by Portland Public Schools
and its current $440,000 annual
lease to De La Salle is set to expire
in June 2021.
School District officials told the
Portland Observer on Friday they
have no specific plan for how the
school site would be used in the
future, but say recent events have
demonstrated a need for addition-
al facilities to house school district
programs in a way that serves stu-
dents best.
“We are disappointed that we
cannot stay in our current build-
ing; however, the expiration of the
lease provides us the opportunity
to find a new location to continue
to offer our transformative educa-
tion model,” said Patti O’Mara,
chair of the De La Salle North
Catholic Board of Trustees. “The
highly competitive Portland real
estate market makes this a chal-
lenge, but with the help of the
community, we are confident we
will find a new home.”
De La Salle North Catholic is
sponsored by the Christian Broth-
ers and is a part of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of Portland/
Western Oregon. The school is
known for its rigorous academ-
ics coupled with exposure to re-
al-world work opportunities. On
average, 98 percent of the school’s
graduating seniors earn accep-
tance to college. Most recently,
100 percent of the 51 students in
the class of 2017 were accepted
to college and were awarded $3.8
million in scholarship funding.
Students at the school attend
class four days per week and work
for a local company one day each
week as part of the Corporate
Work Study Program that pro-
vides work experience, business
contacts and helps offset the cost
to educate students.
Donations from individuals
and foundations cover more than
40 percent of the school’s opera-
tional budget. Tuition and support
from the Christian Brothers make
up the rest. Family contributions
range from $120 to $2,995 per
year based on financial need.
“We don’t turn away any capa-
ble or interested student because
they cannot afford our modest tui-
tion,” O’Mara said.
C ontinueD on p age 19