Bond Planning Group Looks at Concept & Cost
Highline’s community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) reviewed and discussed conceptual site layouts and preliminary costs estimates for seven aging school sites at its October meeting.
These early concepts are for discussion purposes only—not final or proposed designs. They give CFAC members a visual starting point to better understand each school site’s challenges, opportunities and relative cost considerations.
CFAC will need to narrow down a list to identify what schools should be prioritized in the next bond package. CFAC’s goal is to develop a recommendation for a November 2026 bond package, which will be presented to the Highline School Board next spring.
School Sites Under Review
CFAC is reviewing the following school sites as part of this process:
- Cascade Middle School — Aging facility with limited modernization options. Concepts explore a full replacement on the existing site or potentially rebuilding Cascade at the nearby former Salmon Creek Elementary campus, estimated to be less expensive. The Salmon Creek location would provide a larger site, with fewer site constraints, and allow Cascade students to use their existing site during construction.
- Sylvester Middle School — Significant existing facility challenges and tight site constraints. Options reviewed include replacement on the existing site. This option would require students and staff to relocate to an interim site during construction.
- Chinook Middle School — In better condition than other sites under review but in need of modernization. A partial replacement could extend the life of existing spaces and enclose outdoor hallways, creating a more cohesive campus for students.
- CHOICE Academy and Big Picture — Both schools currently operate in aging buildings on adjacent sites. A consolidated replacement could provide shared common spaces and flexible learning spaces while maintaining school identity via an upper and a lower building level.
- Hilltop Elementary School — Generally in good condition but nearing system end-of-life. Additional modernization and site improvements could enhance safety and energy efficiency while maintaining on-site operations.
- Valley View Early Learning Center — Dated building systems, open design, and limited space for early learning. A full replacement could improve safety, accessibility and outdoor play areas.
Committee Discussion
In small-group discussions, CFAC members considered factors such as:
- Cost per student served
- Balancing replacement and modernization projects
- Availability and location for schools during replacement projects (on site versus interim site)
- Grade levels impacted, alternative versus comprehensive schools, and districtwide balance
- Opportunities for grants to offset athletic field costs
- Flexibility for future enrollment changes
- Timing and staggering of future bonds
- Transportation and access to choice program sites
- Construction costs
Next Steps
This fall and winter, CFAC will continue reviewing cost information, potential site options and impacts, as well as tax rate and enrollment projections, before narrowing recommendations in March for a 2026 bond proposal to the Highline School Board.
As in recent school construction bonds, CFAC's mission is to prioritize two or three schools for replacement or modernization, and to consider funding critical needs, such as ongoing system replacement costs — like boilers in our other schools.
Elections
Cheryl Forbes was elected to refill CFAC co-chair position 2 and serve the remainder of the 2025-26 school year. Omaha Sternberg was elected to co-chair position 1 for a two-year term. Rob Rovig was elected to serve as one of two CFAC representatives on the Capital Projects Oversight Committee, which meets quarterly to review bond progress and spending.
Meeting Materials
- CFAC Meeting Slide Deck
- Building Conditions Analyses & Cost Information
- Handout includes existing site maps, existing building conditions, conceptual site plans and cost estimates
- Video Recording of October 6 CFAC Meeting
- Welcome
- CFAC Leadership Elected & Capital Projects Oversight Committee Representative Elected
- Capital Project Updates
- Recap of September Meeting & CFAC Goal
- Building Conditions Analyses & Cost Information
- Small-group Discussion (mostly no audio)
- Groups Report Out
Next Meeting
The next CFAC meeting is Monday, November 17, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the boardroom at Highline Public Schools' central office, 15675 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien. The public is welcome to attend in person or to view the livestream.
