Design works is moving forward for the future home of CHOICE Academy at the Southern Heights site.
A design committee of CHOICE Academy staff, families and students is shaping plans for the campus. Architects and district staff are using that input to refine the design, while early project work is also underway.
Current plans would connect the two classroom buildings that remain at Southern Heights with new central structure. The design would create a unified campus with a single point of entry, improved safety and accessibility, and learning spaces designed around the needs of CHOICE Academy students and staff
Why Southern Heights?
The Southern Heights campus was significantly damaged by an arson fire in 2024, resulting in the demolition of the main building that housed the school office and gym. Two classroom buildings remain on the site.
Rebuilding at Southern Heights allows Highline to reuse those existing buildings and apply insurance funding from the fire toward the project. Insurance proceeds will cover only a portion of the cost of rebuilding and modernizing the campus. Additional funding is needed to complete the project as currently planned.
Project Funding and Timeline
The CHOICE Academy project is included in Highline’s school construction bond. If approved by voters, the bond would provide the additional funding needed, along with insurance proceeds and other available capital funds, to complete the project as currently planned.
Highline is using available insurance proceeds and other capital funds now for planning, design and early project work. This allows work to move forward before the election and positions the project to move into construction sooner if voters approve the bond.
Construction is expected to begin in late spring 2027, with CHOICE Academy expected to open in its new building in fall 2028.
If the bond is not approved, the timeline and scope of the project would be affected because insurance proceeds and other available capital funds are not sufficient to complete the project as currently planned.