School Board Members See Progress at Evergreen
On March 15 and 26, school board members toured the Evergreen High School construction site to get a first-hand view from the third floor. Rep. Tina Orwall, district and school leaders, and several alumni walked through also. They seemed delighted with 14 months of progress, new features and the warmth of the three-story, mass-timber section of the school.
In this photo, School Board Member Stephanie Tidholm (left) and her son walk down a hallway in the classroom building, along with former board member Aaron Garcia (right).
"It is so majestic already," said Board Member Stephanie Tidholm. "I can only imagine how beautiful the finished building will be. My mother graduated from Evergreen, so to see the new school go up and know my littlest will be going there is so exciting."
"Better than I could have imagined!"
"Better than I could have imagined!" was the happy verdict from Long Phan, Evergreen alum and a leader in the non-profit organizations Yes for Highline and Friends of Evergreen.
School board members Stephanie Tidholm and Joe Van walked the site March 15, along with Scott Logan, chief of operations; Teshon Christie, chief of digital transformation & innovation; and Catherine Carbone Rogers, chief of communications. In addition to Long Phan, alumni included former school board member Aaron Garcia who is now executive director of the White Center Community Development Association.
On March 26, school board members Angelica Alvarez, Azeb Hagos, Melissa Petrini and Stephanie Tidholm walked the site together with Highline's Chief Financial Officer Jackie Bryan and Executive Director of Capital Planning & Construction Ellie Daneshnia. Visitors included Evergreen Principal Simón Iñiguez and Assistant Principal Joe Boyer, as well as Khoa Nguyen (EHS '20), who will be returning for a second summer internship at the Evergreen project with our general contractor Cornerstone GCI.
The groups walked through what will be the library in the activities building, and toured the classroom building. They climbed stairs to the third floor for panoramic views of the existing school, the synthetic turf athletic field, Cascade Middle School, and the Dick Thurnau Memorial Park with its lake full of ducks.
View from future Evergreen High School library looking northwest toward the gym (left) and the academic building (right).
Looking west, the space between the two main buildings will feature one of three student courtyards, which are intended to reflect the many outdoor gathering spaces of the current Evergreen. This courtyard has a large "learning stairway" for outdoor learning and socializing.
The steel beams are in place for the skybridge that will connect the two-story activities building (left) to the three-story academic building (right). The skybridge will be enclosed in glass.
View of a stairway in the classroom building.
Here's a look at the massive vaulted ceilings in the three-story classroom building of the new Evergreen High School. This hallway will include classrooms on both sides, along with a digital arts & photography studio, green screen room and learning commons.
Representatives of Bassetti Architects, Cornerstone GCI, and Vanir Construction Management helped lead the tour, along with Ellie Daneshnia, executive director of Highline's Capital Planning & Construction team.
View from the classroom building looking towards the track and synthetic turf football/soccer practice field.
Looking north from the third floor of of new Evergreen High School.
A 10-foot by 118-foot truss weighing 30,000 pounds is hoisted into place with a crane. The final pieces of steel will be installed in April.
"It was especially cool to see the 'test' building and hear that it will be kept as a garden shed rather than torn down as is usually done." --Board Member Stephanie Tidholm
Schedule & Budget Status
The Evergreen High School replacement project is on schedule and within budget. We expect the approved building permit to be issued by King County in late March or early April.
We expect the new school to be ready for occupancy in August 2025. Following a move to the new building, the old buildings will be demolished, and new baseball and softball fields will be completed by August 2026.