Oversight Committee Reviews Construction Progress, Spending

Community Members Help Ensure Voter Funds Are Well Spent  

Highline’s Capital Projects Oversight Committee met in May to review school construction progress and bond spending. The district is preparing to open two new high schools in September and break ground on a new middle school this summer — thanks to the 2022 voter-approved bond. 

“Good job managing a complex program,” said committee member Elizabeth Leavitt. 

“You can tell what a community thinks of education by looking at its school buildings,” said committee member Rose Clark. “You are working so hard to create wonderful looking and operating facilities for education, and I just cannot compliment you enough.”  

“I don’t know of many, if any, school districts in the Pacific Northwest building two comprehensive high schools at the same time,” said Ellie Daneshnia, executive director of Capital Planning & Construction. “We worked with each school community to design modern buildings with shared standards — but with details that reflect each school’s identity.” 

The Oversight Committee, made up of local industry experts and community representatives, ensures transparency in using voter-approved funds to replace and upgrade school facilities.  

Meeting Summary  

The committee worked through a financial report tracking the bond spending and the construction projects listed below. All updates on the quarterly report were within the bond budget.  

Construction Projects  

Committee members were briefed on the status of each of these construction projects:  

• Evergreen High School — finishing construction, opening September 2025  
  • The insurance claim for repairs due to water vandalism at Evergreen has a separate line item to designate these costs for reimbursement by insurance. 
     
• Tyee High School — finishing construction, opening September 2025  
   
• Pacific Middle School — 100% construction documents issued to the general contractor, working on building permits, opening fall 2027  
   
• Transportation Building — under construction, opening fall 2025  
   
• Southern Heights Building 100 Demolition – completed January 2025  
  • Installing interim fire safety infrastructure in remaining buildings. 
  • Some work continues at the Original Beverly Park Site, including ADA access improvements. It serves as the temporary home of Highline Virtual Academy and Innovation Heights Academy, displaced by the fire at the Southern Heights Site.  
• Recent/upcoming critical needs and site improvement projects include: 
  • Districtwide intercom system upgrades. 
  • Cellular upgrades to replace copper lines in fire alarm systems. 
  • Steam line replacement at the CHOICE Academy/Woodside Site 

Completed Critical Needs/Site Improvement Projects, 2022 Bond, Include:  

• Sylvester Field/Track, Mini Pitch & Restroom — completed summer/fall 2024  
• Memorial Field Synthetic Turf Replacement — completed summer 2024  
• Summer Roofing Projects — completed 2024  
• Hilltop ADA Access Improvements — completed fall 2024  
• Hazel Valley Boiler, Emergency Replacement – completed winter 2024  
• Glacier Freezer, Repair/replacement – completed winter 2024-25  
   

Oversight Committee Members Include:  

• Rose Clark, former chair, Capital Facilities Advisory Committee; former Burien councilmember and more (pictured on the right, middle row)  

• Elizabeth Leavitt, principal for climate response, Jacobs; former senior director of engineering, environment and sustainability at the Port of Seattle. (top row, second from right)  

• Dave Hawthorne, president and owner of Hawthorne & Co. Certified Public Accountants and a Highline High School alum (top, second from left)  

• Stuart Mathews, assistant director of aviation project management, Port of Seattle; mechanical engineer with experience in mechanical systems. (top row, right)  

• Erik Ruffing, virtual design & construction manager, Swinerton Builders; elected by CFAC; attended Highline schools K-12 and is a Highline parent. (left, middle row)  

• Mika Sundberg, designer, SKL Architects; elected by CFAC; is a Highline parent. (top row, left)  

Highline School Board Director Joe Van serves as a liaison to the Oversight Committee.  

Next  

The next meeting of the Capital Projects Oversight Committee is August 12.