Highline High School
With passage of the 2016 bond, we are rebuilding Highline High School. The new building will open in fall 2021. We involved the school community of Highline High School in planning and design of their new school through the HHS Design Review Committee, community meetings and feedback opportunities. Staff helped the architects support the educational specifications in the design.
Stay Informed
We will continue to update you about construction progress on this HHS project page, Highline Public Schools social media and the Keeping Our Promise monthly enewsletter for community members. Sign up!
Progress Photos
Check out photos of our progress. You helped plan, review designs or were invited to community meetings in 2017 and 2018. On HHS Alumni Day in May 2019, we all said goodbye to the old building and took a group photo. Skanska took over the site in July 2019. Crews completed demolition by the first week of November. Construction is moving from the southeast corner to the northwest corner of the site. The new school is scheduled to open September 2021.
HHS Demolition (July - October 2019)
HHS Alumni Day 2019
Designs & Plans
Architects Share Final Design Details, February 2019.
Please call 206-631-3002 to request to see the HHS display boards in person or for accessibility assistance.
Timeline
HHS will be hosted at the Olympic Interim School for two years during construction of the new school, starting in fall 2019.
Planning & Design | February 2017 - February 2019
Bid & Award | February - July 2019
Construction | July 2019 - July 2021
Occupancy | July - August 2021
School Starts | Fall 2021
Background
Highline High School is over 90 years old and was identified as a top priority for capital improvements. The building has outdated, failing mechanical systems. Because it was built in and for an earlier era, it is not up to current fire or earthquake codes. The electrical infrastructure cannot support the technology we expect in today’s schools.
Highline has undergone several additions and partial renovations, which have extended its use well beyond its expected lifespan. The latest renovation, 25 years ago, remodeled classrooms in the main building but did not address major systems such as heating and plumbing. An independent building evaluation conducted in 2013 found plumbing in poor condition, mechanical systems failing, leaks in sprinkler systems and failing cornice joints, among other issues.
We recognize that the Highline High School building holds a special significance in the community. We have selected Bassetti Architects to design Highline High School. Bassetti has successfully rebuilt a number of historic schools, including Roosevelt High School, Franklin High School, and Stadium High School.
Here you can view before and after photos of school projects done by Bassetti Architecture.
HHS Construction Updates
![View of Highline High School project site after demolition, with drill, tall pine trees and stadium visible.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1574105513/highlineschoolsorg/cszi6y474em6u6mhllpo/HHS-Nov-2019-2.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1574105513/highlineschoolsorg/cszi6y474em6u6mhllpo/HHS-Nov-2019-2.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1574105513/highlineschoolsorg/cszi6y474em6u6mhllpo/HHS-Nov-2019-2.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1574105513/highlineschoolsorg/cszi6y474em6u6mhllpo/HHS-Nov-2019-2.png","width":1000}])
Project Update | Highline High School
Workers are drilling 25 feet in the earth 2,300 times to install deep aggregate piers for the new Highline High School. The first structural steel columns and beams are up. Find out more and see photos.
![Staff welcomed HHS students back to school at the Olympic Interim Site.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1567975437/highlineschoolsorg/ehu08tbmcmb7jiqxjjxi/HHS-First-Day-2019-20-10.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1567975437/highlineschoolsorg/ehu08tbmcmb7jiqxjjxi/HHS-First-Day-2019-20-10.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1567975437/highlineschoolsorg/ehu08tbmcmb7jiqxjjxi/HHS-First-Day-2019-20-10.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1567975437/highlineschoolsorg/ehu08tbmcmb7jiqxjjxi/HHS-First-Day-2019-20-10.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1567975437/highlineschoolsorg/ehu08tbmcmb7jiqxjjxi/HHS-First-Day-2019-20-10.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1567975437/highlineschoolsorg/ehu08tbmcmb7jiqxjjxi/HHS-First-Day-2019-20-10.jpg","width":2200}])
Highline High School students and staff started their two-year stint at the freshly renovated Olympic Interim Site in Des Moines this week. See photos from the first day of school, September 4, 2019.
![Crews removing terra-cotta details from HHS.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1567974257/highlineschoolsorg/e9gqpauphcuc7fhsa7zm/HHS-Terracotta-Demolition-August-2019-IMG_1824.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1567974257/highlineschoolsorg/e9gqpauphcuc7fhsa7zm/HHS-Terracotta-Demolition-August-2019-IMG_1824.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1567974257/highlineschoolsorg/e9gqpauphcuc7fhsa7zm/HHS-Terracotta-Demolition-August-2019-IMG_1824.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1567974257/highlineschoolsorg/e9gqpauphcuc7fhsa7zm/HHS-Terracotta-Demolition-August-2019-IMG_1824.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1567974257/highlineschoolsorg/e9gqpauphcuc7fhsa7zm/HHS-Terracotta-Demolition-August-2019-IMG_1824.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1567974257/highlineschoolsorg/e9gqpauphcuc7fhsa7zm/HHS-Terracotta-Demolition-August-2019-IMG_1824.jpg","width":2200}])
It’s happening, Highline Pirates, your new building is almost in the works! The terra-cotta details were salvaged, the library and cafeteria demolished and the front wall is coming down this week.
![Round-Up of Farewell Memories]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1561705617/highlineschoolsorg/z2ts26rudrupdhqvewrj/IMG_0686.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1561705617/highlineschoolsorg/z2ts26rudrupdhqvewrj/IMG_0686.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1561705617/highlineschoolsorg/z2ts26rudrupdhqvewrj/IMG_0686.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1561705617/highlineschoolsorg/z2ts26rudrupdhqvewrj/IMG_0686.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1561705617/highlineschoolsorg/z2ts26rudrupdhqvewrj/IMG_0686.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1561705617/highlineschoolsorg/z2ts26rudrupdhqvewrj/IMG_0686.jpg","width":1920}])
During May and June we said goodbye at our two oldest school buildings. Here is a round-up of links to videos, photos and more from the farewell events for alumni and community members and from the last day of school at Des Moines Elementary School and Highline High School.
![Oversight Committee members meet for a quarterly bond progress report.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1562180744/highlineschoolsorg/umnat8kckr0azmci2td8/Oversight-June-2019-extra-space-top-bottom.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1562180744/highlineschoolsorg/umnat8kckr0azmci2td8/Oversight-June-2019-extra-space-top-bottom.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1562180744/highlineschoolsorg/umnat8kckr0azmci2td8/Oversight-June-2019-extra-space-top-bottom.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1562180744/highlineschoolsorg/umnat8kckr0azmci2td8/Oversight-June-2019-extra-space-top-bottom.png","width":1000}])
Six community members and experts keep an eye on our 2016 school bond projects and finances. We provide quarterly reports to the Oversight Committee and the school board. Get the status on every bond project and other capital projects in this report summary. We're on target with the 2016 school bond.
![Icon to indicate project report for HHS]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1529965723/highlineschoolsorg/mdvpyue7e1jusa0se57i/KOP-HHS-Update-1000x667.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1529965723/highlineschoolsorg/mdvpyue7e1jusa0se57i/KOP-HHS-Update-1000x667.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1529965723/highlineschoolsorg/mdvpyue7e1jusa0se57i/KOP-HHS-Update-1000x667.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1529965723/highlineschoolsorg/mdvpyue7e1jusa0se57i/KOP-HHS-Update-1000x667.png","width":1000}])
Project Update | Highline High School
The design team is waiting for the building permit. The moving-out process is concluding near the end of June. Tennis courts have been designed to be located at the Sunnydale site. We expect Skanska at HHS as early as possible in July. The project remains on schedule to open in fall 2021.