Highline Schools

​If you are a parent or guardian of a Highline student, we want to hear from you. Please complete our parent survey. Your feedback will help us see what we are doing well and where we need to improve.

​If you are a parent or guardian of a Highline student, we want to hear from you. Please complete our parent survey. Your feedback will help us see what we are doing well and where we need to improve.

The results of our annual survey are tracked by school and for the district as a whole. We will compare this year’s responses to those from past years, and we will report our progress to you in this publication and on our website later this spring.

“We want and need feedback from the families we serve,” said Superintendent Susan Enfield. “Parents are the experts on their children. Students will be successful in school when we are true partners with their families. That starts when we really listen to what they have to say.”

You can access the survey here. The survey will be open until May 31.

The Tyee boys soccer team is breaking school records this year. The team beat Sedro Woolley Friday evening, earning them a spot in the championship game. This will be the team's first appearance at the state championship game.

Tyee won the semifinal game against Sedro Woolley in a shootout. The WIAA reports the final score was 1-0.

The team will either play Cheney or Ridgefield Saturday for the state title.

“It’s a big deal for a lot of people,” said Head Coach Allen Rider “We got here with a lot of hard work, a lot of sprints and a lot of passes. But this hard work hasn’t happened just this year. We’ve spent the last five years working up to this point.”

Tyee Soccer Team

The last time the team went to play-offs was back in 1982. They lost in the first found.

“It feels really good to be able to do something for the school,” said soccer player and senior Liam Maginniss. “We can all proudly say that we put in the hard work to get here and it feels really good.”

To get ready for the game, the entire student body of the Tyee Educational Complex rallied in a rare campus-wide assembly. The school’s athletic director said the last assembly like this one was seven years ago.

At the assembly, students waved hand-made signs and cheered for the player’s accomplishments. The cheerleaders and band performed. All of the soccer players were introduced one-by-one to their peers.

The championship game will be Saturday, May 25 at 4:00 p.m. The game is at Sunset Chevrolet Stadium in Sumner. Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for students.  

Watch Tyee Boys Soccer Team Heads to State Semi-finals video.

​Now is the right time to enroll your child for kindergarten in the fall. Highline will offer tuition-free full-day kindergarten at all schools next year.

Now is the right time to enroll your child for kindergarten in the fall. Highline will offer tuition-free full-day kindergarten at all schools next year.

“Enrolling early ensures your child will be fully prepared to start school in the fall,” said P-3 Director Anne Arnold. “Early registration gives parents and students the opportunity to take part in various activities leading up to the school year which help connect students with their elementary school community.”

Schools offer a week-long transition program in August for parents and students called Jump Start. Early registration gives families the opportunity to attend back-to-school nights and other community-building events. 

Students with medical conditions that requires medication at school or other accommodations must have a medical plan in place before the child can attend school. Registering early gives parents access to help with that process and time to get the necessary physician information so children can start school on time.

If your child will be five years old on or before August 31, he or she is eligible to register. 

To enroll your child, visit your neighborhood school. If you need help identifying your neighborhood school, please call 206-433-2424.

When you go, it is important to take:
• Your child’s birth certificate.
• Proof of your address. (This can be a rental agreement, purchase agreement, or utility bill.)
• Your child’s immunization records.
• Two emergency contacts, including addresses and phone numbers.

​Having a great teacher in every classroom, intently focused on instruction, is key to student achievement. Relevant lessons that engage students in critical thinking and problem solving provide the foundation for gaining confidence and competency.

Having a great teacher in every classroom, intently focused on instruction, is key to student achievement. Relevant lessons that engage students in critical thinking and problem solving provide the foundation for gaining confidence and competency.

Southern Heights Principal Deborah Holcomb and teachers Jennifer Matthews and Kaia Tomokiyo with Highline Deputy Superintendent Carla Jackson, State Superintendent Randy Dorn and state officials.

Southern Heights Elementary is one school producing significant results using these principles. The school received the Washington Achievement Award for High Progress, recognition for making big strides in student learning.

Principal Deborah Holcomb says the school is focused on a school-wide goal of increasing deep student discussion around math and literacy. Through a variety of methods, teachers encourage students to not only think critically about lessons, but discuss their rationale with peers.

To keep educators aiming for the same goal, Southern Heights teachers meet weekly and participate in several professional development exercises at the school throughout the year. This includes studying data, researching best practices, planning high quality lessons, and developing interventions to support students.

“We are already seeing our students feel empowered by the opportunities they have to share their thinking,” said Holcomb. “All kids can think and learn, we just need to give them the opportunity to shine.”

Five other Highline schools were honored with Washington Achievement Awards including Aviation High School, Global Connections High School, Health Science and Human Services High School (HS3), Marvista Elementary, and Gregory Heights Elementary.

​​Highline Public Schools will fund tuition-free full-day kindergarten at all schools starting this fall. Highline has committed to making full-day kindergarten a funding priority, regardless of the amount the state legislature allocates to full-day kindergarten.

​Highline Public Schools will fund tuition-free full-day kindergarten at all schools starting this fall. Highline has committed to making full-day kindergarten a funding priority, regardless of the amount the state legislature allocates to full-day kindergarten.

Highline will offer tuition-free full-day kindergarten in all schools starting in the fall.

The state currently funds full-day kindergarten in eight high-poverty schools in Highline, and lawmakers are wrangling over plans that would fund some additional schools.

“We cannot wait for the legislature to act. Full-day kindergarten is the right thing to do for all our children and families now,” said Superintendent Susan Enfield. “This is a game-changer for our students.”

Full-day kindergarten is a key strategy for meeting the district goal of 95 percent of next fall’s kindergartners performing at or above grade level in all core subjects by the end of Grade 3. Multiple studies show that children who participate in full-day kindergarten make significant gains in reading and math compared with students in half-day programs. Research also shows that mastering reading and math skills by third grade is critical for success throughout middle and high school.

“This is one of several critical investments Highline making toward the bold goals in our new strategic plan,” said Enfield. The district is also investing in high-priority goals for older students, such as ensuring that 19 out of 20 students pass Algebra by Grade 9, and that 19 out of 20 students in the freshman class of 2013 graduate successfully.