District News

Highline Team Read is currently recruiting high school students to tutor IN PERSON beginning in Fall 2023, and we provide all the training you’ll need to be a successful reading coach.

No school on Monday, May 29 and Tuesday, May 30. Read more headlines about the class of 2023, a free immunization clinic, opportunities to give your feedback and more.

Choice Schools offer a variety of alternative program options, each with its own specialized focus. Schools of Choice require an application. Select schools of choice have space available in the 2023-24 school year. They have reopened their application windows.

Free immunization clinic on Friday, June 2 at Des Moines Elementary School, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. 

Voices cracked with emotion and jubilance during a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction for a new Evergreen High School on May 19! Read more to see photos, final designs and construction information.

If you are looking for real-life superstars, look no further than Highline. All of our educators are stars! Throughout May, we shined a spotlight on some of our incredible teachers. Read on to learn more about the stories of some our dedicated educators and statements of appreciation.

We are committed to ongoing, two-way communication. We want to know if you are getting the information you want and need. Help us meet your expectations for strong communication by taking a brief survey to give us your feedback.

Many Highline Public Schools families will receive summer Pandemic-EBT benefits, thanks to a federal funding option for which our school district is eligible. All students enrolled in in-person classes will receive a one-time P-EBT benefit of $120.00.

This week’s Highline Headlines includes information about registering for next year sports, a virtual welcome to kindergarten event, a budget hearing and more. 

Remember the new Evergreen High School Groundbreaking Ceremony, with construction information is today, May 19, beginning at 3:15 p.m. Here are some updates to the event details!

Superintendent Ivan Duran has been selected as the newest member of Transcend’s Learner-Centered Leadership Lab (LCLL), a program designed for forward-thinking and visionary school superintendents.

Tam Nguyen's journey to becoming an educator is rooted in the advice and guidance he received from his father, a Vietnamese immigrant. 

The Highline School Board will hold a public hearing to review the budget for the 2023-2024 academic year. Attend to learn about next year’s budget and give your feedback in a public hearing.

Calling Future Kindergarteners! Get information and resources for the coming school year at a districtwide “Welcome to Kindergarten” Zoom event on June 8 at 6:00 p.m.

Maritime High School Principal Tremain Holloway has been named the Seattle Propeller Club Public Official of the Year for his exceptional leadership in the field of maritime education. The award is presented annually to a local, state or federal policymaker who has demonstrated leadership, understanding and appreciation of the maritime industry.

Are you interested in playing a sport next year? Don’t be left in the grandstands. Register through Final Forms beginning May 15, 2023.

After months of conversations with students, families and staff, we are thrilled to unveil a new name for New Start High School: Innovation Heights Academy. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about our new communication tool, a budget update, teacher month celebrations and more.

Highline Schools Foundation is thrilled to announce scholarships totaling $233,000 have been awarded to 34 graduating seniors from across Highline Public Schools, including students from Evergreen High School, Highline Big Picture, Highline High School, Mount Rainier High School, Puget Sound Skills Center, Raisbeck Aviation High School, and Tyee High School.

Effective and clear communication is critical for the success of our students and schools. We are excited to announce that we are adopting a new form of school-to-home communication in Highline called ParentSquare. 

Similar to school districts across our region, we are facing a significant budget shortfall in the coming years due to declining enrollment, rising costs and the end of ESSER funds. Although we are grateful to our state legislators for some funding increases, the additional funding passed this session is far less than our expected expenditures. See a breakdown of the numbers. 

Puget Sound Skills Center is proud to announce the launch of a new class in our high school curriculum – Cloud Computing and Hardware! This exciting course is perfect for 11th and 12th grade students who are interested in exploring the world of computing. 

See how Glacier Middle School teacher Edissa Jaramillo fosters academic and social growth to ensure her students graduate prepared for the future they choose. 

Raisbeck Aviation High School students recently attended an event at ZeroAvia’s Paine Field research and development site, where Alaska Airlines presented a Bombardier Q400 regional turboprop to ZeroAvia for retrofitting with a hydrogen-electric propulsion system

Congratulations Class of 2023! As you prepare to embark on the next chapter of your lives, we want to celebrate your achievements and showcase your unique talents and goals. We invite you to complete our Social Media Senior Spotlight Nomination Form.  This is your chance to share your story and inspire others in our community. 

Our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee concluded its 2022-23 work session this spring by forwarding a living priority list of schools needing replacement to Superintendent Ivan Duran and the school board. The lottery for open seats on CFAC is now open!

This week’s Highline Headlines includes a reminder about giving input on our printed school calendar. Plus, read about two of our awesome teachers!

The National School Public Relations Association selected Chief Communications Officer Catherine Carbone Rogers as its 2023 Barry Gaskins Mentor Legacy Award winner. This national award recognizes an individual for their deep commitment to supporting and mentoring school communication colleagues. 

Math is often perceived as challenging or intimidating. Evergreen High School teacher Mohamad Shibly is out to change that narrative. Watch how Mohamad guides his students toward a future where math is no longer a hurdle but a tool for success.

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about how we communicate during emergencies, next year’s calendar design, new medication authorization form requirements and Highline Teacher Appreciation Month.

If your child in grades 6-12 needs over-the-counter or nonprescription medications, Washington State now requires a licensed healthcare provider to sign a Medication Authorization Form.

The safety and well-being of our students and staff is our top priority. In light of recent events and an increased social climate of concern for safety, we want to share how we as a district communicate during and after safety incidents.

You're invited to attend the historic groundbreaking ceremony for a new Evergreen High School on Friday, May 19, at 3:15 p.m. Following the groundbreaking, learn more about the school design, finish materials and the phased construction plan.

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about the 2023 Tribal Language Summit and a reminder to review and submit feedback on curriculum materials. 

Let's celebrate our teachers all month long in May! 

You are invited to the Tribal Language Summit on Thursday, April 27. Students, cultural and language practitioners and leaders will have an opportunity to share and learn about resources and innovative tribal language learning practices in school districts, tribal communities and higher education spaces.

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about our Curriculum Adoption Showcase next week, the Native Student Success Summit in May and free vaccination clinics.

Learn more about the curricula being considered for elementary and middle school science, secondary music, and math (pre-calculus and higher).  You’re invited to review curriculum materials and share your thoughts! 

Join us for the 2023 Highline Native Student Success Summit on Thursday, May 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Highline College. 

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the opening of a new school-based health center at Highline High School in Burien. He helped school staff, students and health center partners celebrate the opening with a ribbon cutting event after school on March 30. 

There will be no school April 3-7 for spring break. See more information about online safety over break, masks in school health clinics and comprehensive sexual health curriculum in Highline Headlines.

Last spring, Highline joined a class action lawsuit against two major vaping companies, Juule and Altria. Now the suit against Juule has reached a settlement. We expect to net approximately $350,000, which we will use to educate our students about the harm caused by vaping.

In Highline, we teach comprehensive sexual health education in alignment with state law and district policy.  FLASH (Family Life and Sexual Health) is our curriculum that meets state requirements for sexual health education, which is taught in grades 4-12. Families may opt out of any or all sexual health lessons. Read on for more details.

The Washington Department of Health continues to update COVID safety requirements and recommendations based on new research and data trends. Effective Monday, April 3, masks will no longer be required in Washington healthcare settings, including school health clinics within our schools. 

Next fall, Faiza Shire’s son will start kindergarten at White Center Heights Elementary. She is particularly excited that he will be part of the inaugural class to participate in the school’s new Somali Language Enrichment program. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about Curriculum Adoption Showcase, Project PROMise shopping appointments, spring break reminder and more. 

This week staff advisory workgroups met to dig into our emerging strategic plan goals. Staff discussed what we are currently doing to meet our goals and what we could be doing. We anticipate the final goals will be brought to the Board for adoption later this spring. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about immunization clinics, student learning and grades survey, child tax reminder and more. 

From the bus garage to the lunchroom and everywhere  in between, our school support staff members are often Highline's unsung heroes, ensuring our schools run smoothly and students have what they need to graduate prepared for the future they choose. In honor of Education Support Professionals Week, we turn our spotlight on two of our dedicated support staff and learn what drives them to serve our students. 

There will be no school tomorrow, March 10. Read more headlines including student learning and grades survey, special education information session and free immunization clinics.

The Highline Schools Foundation announced the winners of its 2023 Gold Star Awards, highlighting the outstanding efforts of Highline educators, staff, volunteers and alumni. These eight individuals live the Highline promise to know every student by name, strength and need so that our students graduate prepared for the future they choose. 

Highline Public Schools in partnership with Stepping Stone Pediatrics and Medical Center Pharmacy are offering free routine immunizations and COVID vaccine clinics at some of our school sites. Get your student up to date on their immunizations. No pre-registration is required. Please bring vaccination records. 

Do you have what you need to understand your student's grades and learning? We are seeking feedback from families of middle and high school students. Take 60 seconds to answer seven questions about your student's learning.

Families, students and staff are invited to attend an information session to learn about what types of community and disability resources are available in our area and how to navigate and access them.

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about the thoughts shared about our proposed strategic plan goals and an invitation to learn about our sexual health education curriculum. 

A lottery was held on March 1 to select students for our schools and programs that require an application. This includes CHOICE Academy, Big Picture Schools, Highline Virtual Academy, Highline Virtual Elementary, Maritime High School, Raisbeck Aviation High School (RAHS), the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and the Waskowitz Environmental Leadership Service program.

March 5-11 is National School Social Work Week. We checked in with Janet Ceballos, bilingual social worker who serves students at Hazel Valley Elementary and several of our other elementary schools, to find out what drives her and what she likes about social work.

What values does our community share? We asked you to provide feedback on the proposed goals for our new strategic plan. Now, we want to share the thoughts that rose to the top. To help us develop our new strategic plan, we created a series of ThoughtExchange conversations about each proposed goal. Across the four conversations, there were nearly 1,200 participants who shared 943 thoughts and gave nearly 28,500 ratings.

FLASH (Family Life and Sexual Health) is our adopted curriculum that meets state requirements for sexual health education. You are invited to an education night to review the curriculum materials and learn more about state requirements. 

Join the third informational session to learn more on special education on Tuesday, March 28, at Central Office.

This week’s Highline Headlines include a reminder about the Winter Job Fair on 2/25 and deadline extensions to give feedback on our proposed strategic plan goals and to apply for Highline Schools Foundation scholarships.

Juniors and Seniors: Sign up to attend the Career Showcase at ShoWare to learn about career opportunities with over 75 companies. Bring your resume! 

What draws someone to the field of education? For some, it’s a calling inspired by their earliest interactions with teachers and school. Meet one of our principals and hear the story behind her why.

It's time to celebrate the 2023 Gold Star Nominees! The Highline Schools Foundation announced this year's Gold Star Awards nominees. Winners will be revealed at the Gold Star BASH on Wednesday, March 8. 

No school tomorrow, Friday, February 17, for mid-winter break and on Monday, February 20, in observance of Presidents Day. See more headlines. 

Juniors, it’s time to start planning for life after high school. This March juniors will attend FutureU at Green River College on March 29. 

On Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The Highline Special Needs PTA meeting is for everyone. Guest presenter, Ellen McGuire, special education family liaison, will share resources for families. Resources will include school district, community and summer camps.

During school on Wednesday, March 1, all Highline Public Schools 11th-grade students will take the SAT. The test is free.

Due to weather and road conditions, all schools are on a two-hour delay on [DATE]. Buses will stop at regular stops–two hours later than normal. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include an opportunity to share feedback about our strategic plan goals, the annual report, Project PROMise, and more.

Your input is helping us develop a strategic plan that will guide our work in the coming years. Based on what we heard from you and with feedback from students and staff, Highline leaders developed four strategic plan goals.

Prom is a milestone no high school student wants to miss. But add up the cost of a dress or suit, shoes and accessories, and it can quickly become a financial burden. Enter Project PROMise. The Highline Schools Foundation program provides free dresses, suits, shoes and accessories to students across Highline. Find out the donation locations and volunteer.

It's report card time! Use our interactive annual report to track our progress toward our five strategic goals. The report is designed to show where we are finding success and where we need to do better. 

Do you know a child who will be 5 years old on or before August 31? Families can enroll their incoming kindergarten student for the 2023-24 school year now! 

At their January meeting, members of Highline’s community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) reviewed enrollment information, heard bond project updates and planned for building tours.

This week’s Highline Headlines includes important dates to note. See the updated 2023-24 school year calendar, enroll for Kindergarten starting Feb. 6, and don’t miss the IEP 101 information session. 

Please read this message from Superintendent Ivan Duran about his listening tour and next steps on the strategic plan development. 

There will be no school for grades 6-12 tomorrow, Friday, January 27. Students in grades K-5 will have early dismissal as regularly scheduled. There is no preschool. Read more headlines including Schools of Choice application deadline approaching.

Any 10th or 11th grade student across Highline Public Schools has an opportunity to join WELS starting next year. Learn more at an upcoming information night this week

The 2023-34 school year calendar is here! Take a look at the school break schedule and other days to note. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about the PSSC info night, Schools of Choice, special education info sessions and a reminder about the upcoming winter job fair.

As we begin developing our 2023-24 budget, we are taking a careful look at enrollment projections. This helps us estimate the number and types of staff positions we need. Our enrollment has been declining since 2016. Next year's enrollment is still projected to go down, but not as much as in previous years.

There is no school on Monday, January 16. Read more about Schools of Choice, Winter Job Fair and Highline Schools Foundation scholarship in this week’s Highline Headlines.

Deadline extended! Applications for Highline Schools Foundation Scholarships are now due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 3. Nineteen scholarships, with 32 total awards, are available for eligible students graduating from any of our high schools in June 2023.

Interested in working in your community, for your community? Learn about current and future job opportunities, district culture, schedules, employee benefits and more at our in-person job fair on February 25. 

Several schools will be relocated for September 2023. The moves support new construction and site upgrades.

You may have heard the federal government distributed millions of dollars to schools to address COVID-related expenses. These one-time funds are helping schools respond to the pandemic’s impact on student academic progress and social-emotional well-being. Thanks to these federal funds, we have expanded two partnerships in Highline that provide in-school and after-school learning and enrichment opportunities for students. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include graduation dates, School Board recognition, special education info sessions, COVID testing and more.

Do you know someone who has made a significant impact on our students and schools? Perhaps it’s a teacher, principal, counselor, bus driver, custodian or another staff member. Now is the time to nominate them for a 2023 Gold Star Award through the Highline Schools Foundation.

District 3 School Board Director Joe Van was elected president of the Highline School Board in December and step into his new role this week. Director Angelica Alvarez is the school board's new vice president.

January is School Board Recognition Month. Let's take this opportunity to thank our five school board directors for dedicating their time to leading our schools. Congratulations to newly elected board President Joe Van and Vice President Angelica Alvarez!

The new Highline High School design landed another award: Outstanding Project Award. The school design, by Bassetti Architects, is featured in the Fall 2022 Learning by Design magazine's Educational Facilities Design Awards. 

The 2022-23 Family Liaisons for Special Education are excited to host two information sessions for all Highline parents and families who are interested in learning more about special education.

Today’s Highline Headlines include information about COVID test sites, a new students survey about life skills and a request for feedback on Social Emotional Learning. 

We are grateful to our families for being valued partners as we work together to educate students in Highline. One of our priorities is to support students in developing life skills. Over the next several weeks, students in grades 3-12 will be asked to reflect on their own skills.

Grants totaling nearly $47,000 are going to teachers and staff across Highline. The Highline Schools Foundation awarded nine Impact Grants and 13 Excel Grants to Highline staff this year. 

Highline Headlines includes a reminder that winter break is December 19 through January 2, the Schools of Choice application deadline and information about staying healthy during the break. 

Superintendent Ivan Duran asked for a round of applause at the last meeting of our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) to celebrate the committee’s planning work and recommendations in previous years that laid the foundation for the approval of the 2022 bond in November. Read a summary of the November CFAC meeting.

New FDA regulations require food manufacturers and suppliers to list sesame as a food allergen on their products. Nutrition Services staff will begin adding this allergen to the online menus. Our bread supplier has also informed us that beginning in January, sesame will be a new ingredient in the hot dog and hamburger buns and hoagie and dinner rolls served in our school meals.

Highline Headlines include information about winter break, alternate bus routes, Schools of Choice information sessions, special needs PTA and an invite to a Social Emotional Learning community meeting. 

This year, our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) team is engaging with students, staff, families and our community in a Community Advisory Process (CAP) to learn from our community about their hopes for and experiences with Social Emotional Learning Instruction in Highline.

In January, we will begin our annual budget development process. We will experience a shrinking of our resources for 2023-24, as our one-time federal COVID-relief dollars will be spent by the end of this school year.

Learn more about our budget outlook for next year...

As we are nearing winter break, we want you to have tools to stay healthy. Learn more about upcoming vaccine clinics, test kit distribution and a new test that offers combination rapid testing for COVID & FluA+B. 

Did you hear…the federal government distributed millions of dollars to schools to address COVID-related expenses. These are one-time funds to help schools through the challenges of the pandemic. One way we are using these funds is to improve air quality in all of our schools and to purchase cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Inclusive Schools Education Week is December 5-9, and there is much to celebrate about the work being done in Highline. 

Stay updated on inclement weather and school closures. Highline Headlines also includes schools of choice information and an 8th-grade event for high school transition. 

Highline Virtual Elementary is an online option for students in kindergarten - 5th grade and provides engaging, innovating learning experiences. The school will be hosting an information session for interested families on January 12. 

Highline also offers Schools of Choice, a variety of school and program options, each with a specialized focus to meet student interest and need. The application window for secondary schools of choice is open now and runs through January 31. See information night details.

The 2022 bond is passing at an overwhelming 68.8 percent approval rate. Take a moment to savor this historic milestone by watching our "Thank You, Voters!" video featuring students saying "Thank you, Voters!" in three languages.

No school November 21-25 for PK-5. No school November 23-25 for all grades. See more headlines including information about report cards and conferences.

Our graduation rate is on the rise again, after a slight dip in 2021. The Highline Class of 2022 graduated at 83.5 percent.

Friday, November 18, is Substitute Educators Day. Here in Highline our guest teachers are critical to providing students with high quality learning experiences when school-based teachers are absent. Read the Highline story of one of our guest teachers, Lisa Peterson!

Report cards may look a little different this grading period. All elementary schools and some middle and high schools are using standards-based grading, and report cards will reflect this. 

For many of our principals in Highline, education is a calling. Some were always drawn to the profession. Others found it later in life. Meet one of our principals and hear the story behind his why. 

No school tomorrow, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day. See more headlines including a thank you note from Superintendent Duran and a reminder to update your student’s information.

Superintendent Duran has completed his fall listening tour, and now we move into Phase 2 of his entry plan. This includes analyzing the feedback from the community meetings, focus groups, and other feedback loops and identifying themes and next steps.

Initial election returns are in. Proposition 1: Highline Schools Bond is passing! Read the letter from Superintendent Duran.

This week’s Highline Headlines include a reminder to VOTE by November 8, updated COVID guidance from the DOH, schools of choice application, and a reminder that COLLEGECON is tomorrow.

November is Native American Heritage Month, a month to celebrate, appreciate and learn about Native American Heritage. Despite centuries of deliberate erasure, Native Heritage persists and is revitalizing through the dedication of Native activists, artists, teachers, and leaders.

The Washington Department of Health (DOH) has released updated COVID guidance. Highline will continue following the recommendations and best practices outlined by DOH to keep students and staff safe and healthy.

The estimated tax rate associated with Proposition 1, the Highline Schools Bond, was updated during the first week of October when King County updated its projections for property values. This does not affect the dollar amount homeowners will pay for the bond because voters approve a dollar amount, not a tax rate. 

4th-grade families are invited to attend a meeting to learn about Rainier Scholars. Rainier Scholars is a long-term program that provides students of color with academic enrichment and college preparation.

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about critical improvements funded in the bond, upcoming community meetings, media literacy resources and Highline in news media. 

One of Highline Public School’s electric school buses starred as backdrop to remarks about investments in clean school buses by the vice president of the United States at Lumen Field on October 26. Six seniors from the HHS Environmental Club rode another one of our electric buses in the motorcade and had a chance to meet Vice President Harris and others.

Media Literacy Week is celebrated nationally October 24-28, 2022. In Highline, we celebrate and promote media and digital literacy year around as part of our Strategic Plan.

All high school students and families are invited to COLLEGECON—a free, one-day learning experience for students and families at Highline College on Saturday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

See the proposed new Tyee High School design renderings, read quotes from staff and students and see existing site conditions.

See Pacific Middle School site conditions and read quotes from staff and students to get information on the need for a new building. You can also follow a link to the proposed school design information.

Here are new visual renderings of the Evergreen High School design, provided by Bassetti Architects, as well as quotes from Principal Iñiguez and current Evergreen students about the hopes, dreams and need for a new school building.

Today’s Highline Headlines include information about the bond on ballots, the upcoming virtual community meeting, Choice schools application and Media Literacy Week. 

On Monday, families and staff joined a community meeting on Zoom to learn about the November bond measure and to participate in the superintendent's listening tour. If you missed it, you can still attend a virtual session on November 3 at 6:00 p.m.  

In previous school years, the Individual Student Reports (ISR) for SBA and WCAS were mailed to families in the fall. Starting in 2022-23, these ISRs will now be available to view electronically in ParentVUE starting Friday, October 21. This will allow families to access multiple years of SBA and WCAS results moving forward. 

We unveiled a new piece of public art featuring eight former Glacier Middle School students bigger than life in the library! Read the story of the art and the dedication ceremony.

Media Literacy Week 2022 is October 24-28. Take this opportunity to learn how to be a smarter consumer of media. CHeck out these two free virtual sessions. 

Our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) held its first meeting of the 2022-23 school year on Wednesday, September 28, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the district central office. Read a meeting summary and learn more about planning for future bonds to rebuild other aging schools.

No school tomorrow, October 14. See more information about Joining the Family Action Committee, the Superintendent’s virtual community meeting on Monday October 17, the upcoming Bond and more.

Frightening world events have an impact on us all, and may be particularly tough for children and teens to process. This is especially true when students have families experiencing war, natural disasters, or other adverse events far away. 

Here are some resources to help you support students who may be exhibiting anxiety, sadness or other signs that they are weighed down by what they are seeing in the news.

Good news: Our October student count is 190 students above projections. Bad news: Enrollment is still declining year over year. State funding is based on our student count, so fewer students means less funding.

We want to say thank you to all of our school leaders during National Principals Month and welcome to our new principals and assistant principals. Your hard work does not go unnoticed.

In November, the Highline community will be asked to vote on a bond measure that will continue our commitment to replace our aging school buildings with safe, modern learning facilities. Watch this video to learn more about the November bond and to see how a new school building can impact students and their learning. 
 

School meals today look a lot different than they did when many of us attended school. Our school kitchen staff prioritize local ingredients and scratch cooking when possible. And, they work hard to create recipes that reflect the many cultures our students represent. 

October 7 Highline Headlines include an opportunity for high school students to join the SSLT, Bond FAQs and an invitation to the Music From Latin America Family Concert. 

Superintendent Duran's listening tour got started Thursday evening with a session at Tyee High School. It was the first of five sessions across the district, each hosted by a school board member. 

Explaining the cost of the bond can be tricky. Here are two things you need to know about what homeowners will pay for Proposition 1: the Highline Schools Bond on November 8 ballots. 

This week’s Highline Headlines include an updated Community Meeting date, opportunities to join committees, routine vaccination information, bond facts and newsletters for secondary families.

The Secondary Success, College & Career Readiness Team has created newsletters for students, families, and staff to increase college and career knowledge and promote awareness of opportunities available for students for the future they choose. See the full list of newsletters available to you.

You are invited to join Superintendent Duran at an upcoming stop on his Listening Tour. Dr. Duran wants to know how our students are experiencing school and our Highline Promise to know every student by name, strength and need. 

We welcome nine new members to our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC). 

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about community meetings regarding the bond, a reminder about the Burien Brat Trot and an opportunity to see a NBA preseason game.

The Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena have partnered with Boeing to offer free tickets to see the LA Clippers VS Maccabi Ra’anana on Friday, September 30 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are free for students, their families, and staff from Highline Public Schools!

Join Dr. Duran and the Highline Schools Foundation for a family-friendly, fast and (mostly) flat 5k around the streets of Burien, plus a 1k for kids, on Saturday, October 1. The race finishes at Town Square Park in downtown Burien and the inaugural Burien Oktoberfest.The school with the most affiliated runners will receive a $500 grant from the foundation.

High school seniors and their families are invited to Senior Night on October 5. We are hosting workshops for students and families and a College and Career Resources fair with local college, universities, trade, apprenticeship, and military representation.

Ten quotes and photos from Highline High School 2022 graduates, and a senior at HHS, help explain the impact and value of learning in a safe, modern high school building.

This week's Highline Headlines include information about our staffing adjustments, upcoming bond information meetings, opportunities to join our committees and live high school athletics broadcasts. 

Every year, we must make adjustments to classes and staff based on the actual number of students enrolled in each school. We understand that moving teachers to another assignment and shifting students into new classes is difficult for everyone involved, so each decision is thoughtfully considered by a team representing teachers, family engagement staff and administrators. 

Each year, families are required to verify student emergency information and submit updated health information. This ensures we have a current home address, phone number, emergency contact and health information on file. All of these items help us keep students safe while at school. 

This week's headlines include superintendent Duran's listening tour, high school senior night, and opportunities to join a curriculum adoption committee and the alumni network. 

Superintendent Duran is eager to meet the Highline community! Dr. Duran is launching his first year in Highline with a districtwide listening tour to hear from students, families, staff and community members.

We're back! Classrooms are buzzing with excitement as the 2022-23 school year officially kicks off. We have a lot to celebrate this year as we welcome our new superintendent, Dr. Ivan Duran. Watch this video to learn more about our new superintendent and why he chose to work in Highline. 

The 100-kilowatt solar panel system is nearly complete on Highline High School. See what it looks like on the roof.

School starts tomorrow, Thursday, September 1 for students in 1-12th grades. Friday, September 2 is a full day. See our COVID safety updates and the 3 upcoming community forums. 

Learn more about Prop. 1, the Highline Public Schools bond on November Election ballots. See the school designs for Evergreen High School, Tyee High School and Pacific Middle School.

The first day of school is September 1. Check out our bus route information and more on this week's Highline Headlines. 

“I attended the old Highline in 9th grade. I’ve been to Tyee. Our old schools are just barely getting by, when they could be great."

Are you a Highline Public Schools alum? Join our Alumni Network and help our students follow in your footsteps, introduce them to a career path, help them refine their professional skills and share your pathway. 

“This school makes us feel like somebody cares about us, so we want to come to school and we want to learn. I hope that Tyee and Evergreen have the same opportunity for a beautiful, modern school, so they can also thrive."

We celebrated our first three electric school buses with a ribbon cutting on Thursday. Superintendent Duran rode the bus to Seahurst Elementary School with guests and staff to watch some of our brilliant JumpStart kindergarten students hop on the shiny, new bus and wave goodbye after their second day of JumpStart.

All school buildings will be closed on August 23. Read this week's Highline Headlines with important back-to-school information.

Join a curriculum adoption committee for the 2022-23 school year. In addition to continuing the adoption process for 6-12 music, K-8 science and upper-level math, new committees are being formed for a biology and health curriculum adoption. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on September 16.

With the new school year around the corner, we couldn’t be more excited to welcome our new superintendent, Dr. Ivan Duran, to the Highline team. To help you get to know Dr. Duran, we invite you to watch this story. 

We want you to be ready for the start of the school year. Here are nine things to do as you get ready for the first day of school. 

Today's headlines: Get support with enrollment and ParentVUE, save the date for the first day of school 2022, learn about the Prop. 1 School Bond, and sign up for voluntary student accident insurance. 

"The design of the new school makes me feel special, like we earned the school."

“Safety-wise this school is a lot better than the old Highline High School. With automatically locking classroom doors, it was even hard to pull a senior prank."

Tyee alumni from across the decades gathered with staff, students and community partners to mark the transition from Totems to Titans.

Highline Headlines: Get support with online enrollment and ParentVUE set up. This is the last week of Free Summer Meals.  

"My favorite places at the new high school are the music practice rooms."

"I think school should be a fun, safe, clean place, because we spend a good chunk of our day here, from six to eight hours, and as an athlete, I spend up to 10 hours here some days. Kids should want to come to school and be proud of what their school looks like."

It is a great honor to begin my role as your new superintendent. The opportunity to serve Highline’s students, staff, families, and community is a source of great joy, excitement, and optimism. Thank you again to our school board for its confidence in my leadership. I am also extremely grateful for the tremendous legacy of excellence created by the school board, Dr. Enfield, and the district’s leadership, educators, staff, and community.

See headlines about school options for 2022-23, summer meals and ORCA pass. 

Help us retire the Tyee Totem mascot and introduce the Titan mascot in a ceremony. Tour the campus, see the design plans for constructing a new school and learn about the November school construction bond on local ballots.

Here is a look at the 2022-23 school calendar. These dates and breaks are reflected on our website calendar. 

High School Students: Join us for a day of workshops and summer fun to kick off your post-high school planning!

Our new Highline High School is an award winner. Bassetti Architects won the 2022 Polished Apple Award for educational design from the Washington chapter of the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) for its work on HHS.

"I think replacing the old building with a modern learning facility has definitely impacted students like myself in a positive way," --Anni Tadesse, Highline High School Class of 2022

Read about the HHS Opening Year Celebration & Ribbon Cutting on June 15. Get links to the livestream, more event photos, alumni recollections and the online HHS History Wall!

This week’s Highline Headlines include information about the final director district boundary map, free summer meals, a 2022 bond announcement and a 4th of July reminder. 

The Highline School Board voted unanimously to place the next school bond on November 2022 election ballots. If approved by 60 percent of voters, the bond would fund new schools for Evergreen, Tyee and Pacific.

We are hosting college campus visits for rising seniors on Wednesdays from July 13 to August 3. 

Check out this article on Maritime High School in the South Sound Magazine. 

Becca Chen has been selected as Highline’s new chief financial officer, starting July 1.

Check out this Seattle Times article featuring Maritime High School! 

We stand with the members of our LGBTQ community during this time of increased intolerance and hate.

The graduating class of 2022 is full of changemakers. They demonstrate a deep commitment to their communities. With big goals and the determination to make a positive impact, we wholeheartedly believe they will change the world for the better. 

Here are the stories of eight graduates who are examples of the outstanding young leaders graduating from Highline ready to choose their future. 

View the last Highline Headlines of the year with information about 2022-23 school options, the tentative 2022-23 calendar, Summer Your ORCA pass, changes in immunization recordkeeping and news during the summer break.

Today's headlines include information about the last day of school, Dr. Enfield's last message and more. 

On Wednesday evening, we honored our retiring staff and those who have served our students for 20, 25, 30 and 35 years. We are so grateful for the people who have dedicated themselves to our Highline children and families. Thank you to all staff who continue to serve, and best wishes to our retirees in their next chapter. 

In her final video message to the Highline community, Superintendent Susan Enfield shares her gratitude for students, staff, families and the community. Dr. Enfield will leave Highline at the end of June after serving as superintendent for the past decade. 

Maritime High School's recent canoe launch was featured on KING5 this week. Watch the story! 

With grateful hearts, it is time to say goodbye to our fearless leader Superintendent Susan Enfield. Her last day in Highline is June 30. To honor her, Sylvester Middle School teacher Joe Bourgeois wrote a song titled Pass the Mic. Watch the video to hear the song and see photos from the last decade under Dr. Enfield's leadership.

Today’s Highline Headlines include information about how to earn your master’s degree, immunization clinic on June 10 and the summer youth ORCA pass.

Azeb Hagos was sworn in and took her seat on the Highline School Board on Wednesday, June 1. Hagos represents District 5, which includes Des Moines and part of SeaTac. Hagos was appointed to replace Director Fa'izah Bradford, who stepped down in March. Hagos's extended family attended the school board meeting to celebrate her appointment. 

Kudos to our 2021-22 cohort of new and renewing National Board Certified Teachers!  Highline now has 200 teachers who have completed this rigorous professional development process. 

The School Board is considering a resolution to place a capital bond before Highline voters in November. The board is slated to vote June 22 on the resolution to place the bond on the ballot.

All schools have been directed to keep their front doors locked during the school day, starting Tuesday, May 31.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) allows school districts to require masking during clusters and/or outbreaks “to limit disease transmissions and ensure in-person instruction”.

Former students, teachers and principals gathered to connect and reminisce in the sunshine before the school closes it doors at the end of this school year. Enjoy this album of photos.

Hutteball + Oremus Architecture released the design images for a future new Pacific Middle School this month.

Integrus Architecture's Daniel Gero, senior associate and project architect for the new Tyee High School design, visited Tyee teacher Allison Thomas's Environmental Studies class in May.

Two community member co-chairs and a high school student, all representing Highline’s volunteer Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC), recommended the next school bond at the school board meeting this week. 

Time to start planning! Here is a look at the tentative 2022-23 school calendar. The calendar will be final after Highline Education Association (HEA) members vote on it in August. At this time, the first day of preschool is to be determined.

The 2020 Technology Levy is funding new interactive display panels for every classroom before the start of next school year, and the deliveries have begun!

You're invited on Wednesday, June 15, at 5:30 p.m. for our ribbon cutting--finally! The HHS Opening Year Celebration will include refreshments and tours of the beautiful new Highline High School designed by Bassetti Architects. The RSVP form includes an opportunity to suggest an alumni speaker and enter a drawing to help cut the ribbon.

As the 2016 school bond construction, design and critical needs projects wind down, district staff continue to meet with and provide quarterly reports to the Capital Projects Oversight Committee. Here is a summary of the April meeting.

In March, community members from Highline’s volunteer school bond advisory committee overwhelmingly voted to recommend an updated fall 2022 bond package to the school board on May 18.

We are excited to announce a 10-year lease agreement with Bezos Academy to open a tuition-free, Montessori-inspired preschool on the Madrona Elementary School campus. The Bezos Academy preschool will follow a full-day, year-round schedule. It is slated to open two classrooms in fall 2023.

The Enrollment Team is available to support you with enrolling a new student or activating your ParentVUE account for a current student. Support events are scheduled for a virtual event on March 29 and an in-person event on April 22 at Central Office.

Here's what a new Tyee High School will look like... after voters approve a future school bond to pay for construction. The images represent the 100% schematic design phase of Integrus Architecture's work.

Thirty-five committed Highline residents are continuing a legacy of community service and involvement in long-term school bond planning. And now they are back to meeting in person… mostly!

Members of our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) toured five of our older school buildings on Saturday, January 22.

The idea sparked in Nha Khuc’s brain back in the summer of 2020 during an environmental internship prior to her senior year. “What would it take to put solar panels on the roof of the new Highline High School?” 

Bassetti Architects met with the Evergreen Design Review Committee on January 20 for their eighth work session. The architects, staff and community members  looked at a slightly revised site plan that represents the nearly completed schematic design, as well as sketches of the exterior and interior of a proposed new building.

Students have a lot of options when it comes to secondary schools. We encourage students and families to find the best fit. The application window for secondary schools of choice is January 3 - 31, 2021. Applications close at 11:00 p.m. 

Staff from Bassetti Architects returned to their work on the schematic design of a new Evergreen High School. They met again with members of the Evergreen High School design review committee on December 2. Find out what is next in the design process and when the next school bond — to pay for construction — is expected to go before voters.

Integrus Architecture staff resumed meeting with community members, staff and students from Tyee High School in November. The Tyee design review committee provided input and feedback to the architects as they draft design plans for a new high school building.

Come work in the Highline community and make a difference in the lives of children–no specialized degree required!

Our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) added some new members, chosen by lottery, and met on Zoom in October.

"Impressive." "So much light and wood." "It's beautiful." "It feels like a college student union building." These are comments we heard during the self-guided tours of the new Highline High School, offered on October 22 and 23 after the grand opening events were postponed. Approximately 300 alumni and community members walked through the new school. See photos.

Middle and high school students have access to free live tutoring 24/7 in all academic subjects through Paper tutoring. Students connect with Paper's tutors online through live chat. Get help with homework questions or get feedback on a written assignment. Help is on-demand and unlimited.

Chief Academic Officer Susanne Jerde has announced that she will retire from Highline at the end of December 2021. Susanne has given more than 37 years in service to Highline students as a teacher, principal, director, ILED, and since 2014, as CAO. We are deeply grateful for her leadership and dedication to delivering on our Highline Promise.

We welcome seven new lottery members to our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC). 

From bow to stern, the new Highline High School is drawing Pirate praise. "It's gorgeous. And that's an understatement," says Scott Logan, district chief of operations. “We’ve been flooded with positive early reactions from staff, students, community and alumni to the beautiful rebuild of a school with nearly 100 years of history, delivered on time and within budget."

We have a few open seats on our community-led Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC). Add your name to the lottery by September 26 if you live in Highline and are serious about helping prioritize 11 older schools for future bonds.

This week, we experienced a delay in updating our COVID dashboard, which shows all reported positive COVID cases in our schools. Our practice is to update the dashboard every 24 hours. 

In the last week, our COVID response team has reported that posting new cases has taken longer than 24 hours for two reasons.

In this video message, Superintendent Susan Enfield looks ahead at her 10th and final year at Highline Public Schools. Dr. Enfield assures families, students and staff that together we can create a safe, happy, healthy school year. Let's go, Team Highline!

While the transition to hybrid in-person learning will start with our youngest learners, we want everyone to be prepared for when it's their turn to go back to school. What should students expect when going to school in-person? What do families need to know? Our safety expectations and plan are based on current information from local, state and federal public health agencies. Each layer of protection keeps us safer.

Free breakfast, free lunch, full bellies! During the 2021-22 school year, all enrolled students can participate in their school’s breakfast and lunch program at no cost.

Certain school funding is based on the percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-priced meals. See how you can help us qualify. 

Time to gear up! It is almost time for school to start. Here are 11 things to do as you get ready for the first day of school.

Student schedules have been posted in ParentVUE. Check your student's assignment there. We'll be sending individual confirmations by the end of the week. If you have questions, please call your school.

On the last day of Jump Start Kindergarten, families and staff at Hilltop Elementary School celebrated with a ribbon cutting for their new kindergarten building, rain garden, grass field and outdoor learning spaces.

Several 2021 Highline High School grads are leading the charge to install solar panels on the roof of the new building!

The King County Housing Authority along with other community partners will host a health fair to provide COVID-19 vaccines for anyone ages 12 and older. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson will be available. 

Your action is required. The online verification process is now open. All families are required annually to submit updated health information.

The Enrollment Team is available to support you with enrolling a new student, activating or setting up your ParentVUE account, or completing enrollment verification for a current student. Support events are scheduled for August 16 and August 30 with staff available in person at Central Office.

Save the dates and RSVP for the Community Grand Opening Ceremony or the Alumni Reception. Both events are during Homecoming week in October and will offer tours of the new Highline High School.

Six individuals have applied for the school board position vacated by Bernie Dorsey. Dorsey stepped down in June because he is moving out of state. 

The open position represents District 4, which geographically encompasses Marvista, North Hill, Madrona, and Bow Lake elementary schools, Chinook Middle School, and Tyee High School, as well as other educational sites. Applicants must live within the boundaries of District 4. 

The School Board will appoint one of the candidates to the open position at its August 4 meeting. The successful candidate will be sworn in on August 18. 

The public will have the opportunity to meet the applicants at a Meet and Greet on Thursday, July 29 at 5:00-6:30 via Zoom.  

Here is a look at the 2021-22 school calendar. These dates and breaks are reflected on our website calendar. The calendar will be final after HEA members vote on it in August. At this time, we do not anticipate changes. 

As an extra measure of safety, we are offering free COVID-19 tests to Highline students in our summer school programs who have one or more COVID-19 symptoms and/or have been exposed to someone with a positive COVID-19 test. 

To maintain the health and safety of our students, we are offering additional protocols beyond masking and social distancing which will allow safe participation in summer school and athletic programs. Starting July 12, we will offer weekly COVID-19 tests for students participating in summer school at Mount Rainier High School (MRHS) and students participating in summer athletics programming.