News

There will be no school of Tuesday, November 11. Read more Headlines including food resources, the levy passing, high-tech visitor check-in, college-level coding and more. 

This school year, students in all grades are learning from updated health lessons that help them build healthy habits for body and mind. Check out an overview of what is being taught in elementary and secondary classrooms. Sexual health remains taught separately through FLASH. 

We are standardizing visitor check-in procedures across all Highline schools to support safety and belonging. All visitors are now consistently verified via intercom and must sign in and wear a badge. Families can help by not holding doors open. Read more about this update.

No school on Monday, November 3. Read more headlines including a reminder that the time changes on Sunday, reminder to vote by November 4, graduations dates and more. 

Highline High School students are getting a head start on their futures through an innovative partnership with Eastern Washington University. These skills are essential in today’s digital world. Along the way, students gain confidence and experiences that prepare them for college, careers and life after graduation. 

Starting November 1, SNAP benefits will pause, which may affect some families. We are sharing food assistance resources, including local food banks and support services. All enrolled Highline students can still receive free school meals daily. For more help, contact your child’s school directly.

Graduation dates for 2026 have been announced. 

We are redesigning secondary schools to make learning more relevant and rigorous. Guided by student, family, and educator input, high schools are launching career pathways, expanding dual credit, increasing IB access, and offering hands-on learning through new schedules and partnerships. This work continues in 2025–26 to support every student’s success.

The 2025 levy would continue funding for programs and services that are not fully funded by the state. These include college and career readiness staff, counselors, social workers, transportation, safety staff and day-to-day operations. 

The Highline Communications Team received 11 awards in the 2025 Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) awards program, including five Best in Category distinctions, two Perfect Score and seven Awards of Excellence. This reflects the hard work and dedication of the entire team.

This week's Highline Headlines include information about the $8 million budget reduction, ballots in your mailbox, when to keep your student home and more. 

Construction crews are making good progress at the site of the new Pacific Middle School.

Crews are putting the finishing touches on the new modular Transportation Building. Look inside to see the fresh, new space for our bus drivers, dispatchers and other Transportation staff.

We are beginning early planning for an estimated $8 million budget reduction in the 2026–27 school year. In a message to staff this week, Superintendent Duran shared that while enrollment is steady and the district remains financially stable today, state and federal funding continue to fall short of covering rising costs. 

Highline uses Standards-Based Grading (SBG) as part of our instructional approach. This grading system focuses on measuring each student's progress toward clearly defined learning goals, based on the state standards set by Washington State. Learn how SBG helps support meaningful learning for every student.

Future Ready Fest brought more than 400 students and families together to explore pathways, connect with community partners, and get real help planning for life after high school.

King County Elections mailed ballots to registered voters last week. Ballots can be returned by mail (no stamp needed) or placed in an official ballot drop box. 

Highline principals lead with care, purpose, and a deep belief in every student. In honor of National Principals Month, we’re highlighting a few of the many school leaders making an impact across our district.

Hundreds of community members, alumni, and neighbors celebrated the grand openings of the new Tyee and Evergreen high schools.

This week's Highline Headlines include information about the upcoming levy in the ballots, literacy in science classrooms, online safety, student benefits and more. 

From October 20 to 24, Highline schools will mark Digital Citizenship Week, guiding students in safe, responsible, and respectful technology use. Led by teacher librarians, the week highlights online safety, digital footprints, screen balance, and kindness. Families are encouraged to join in and support digital awareness at home.

At Parkside Elementary, staff are using a clear, data-informed approach to support every student. Focused reading interventions helped reduce phonics gaps in grades 2–5 by over 40% in one year. With ongoing teamwork and new tools, Parkside continues to build a model for student success across subjects.

This November, voters in Highline will see a school levy measure on their ballots. This is a replacement levy, which renews funding from our expiring levy. It is not a new tax.