construction projects
Community Committee on Capital Projects
A community committee has been formed to identify and prioritize capital construction plans for Highline Public Schools. The committee is made up of community members, parents, staff, PTSA and Highline Citizens for Schools representatives, and five expert members with experience in construction and city management.
The committee is tasked with reviewing the list of schools in need of attention as identified in the recently completed Study and Survey. The Study and Survey, required by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, details the physical condition of each school building owned by the district.
The committee has begun its work and will continue to meet over the next few months to consider the Study and Survey, conduct critical analysis of the needs, and prepare recommendations for a long-range plan for capital construction for Highline Public Schools. They will prioritize needs and identify which projects might be put before the voters for consideration in upcoming bonds. The committee is expected to present its recommendations to the superintendent in late May or early June.
Capital improvements are funded by bonds, which must be approved by voters. By law, these funds cannot be used for general fund expenditures such as teachers and programs.
McMicken Heights to Postpone Move until Summer
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Highline to gain $2 million in state capital funds
The school district will receive approximately $2 million in additional state matching funds from construction of McMicken Heights Elementary.
The state awards matching funds for all school construction projects. This fall, the district becomes eligible for a higher rate of state match.
Construction on a new McMicken Heights facility was scheduled to begin this spring. However, the school board voted to postpone the project until fall in order to secure the additional $2 million. Board members cited the responsibility to be good stewards of district resources in their decision.
The change means the new McMicken Heights building will open in winter 2011, rather than September 2010 as originally planned.
Demolition work will begin the first week of August and construction is planned to begin in November 2009. The McMicken Heights Elementary staff and students will begin the 2009-2010 school year at the Sunnydale interim site. They will continue use of Sunnydale through the fall of 2010 with occupancy anticipated for early 2011.
More to Come
The 14 projects now complete or underway represent great strides toward necessary updates in learning environments in our district.
A true quest for excellence means reviewing the entire district landscape. Highline recently contracted with an architectural firm to evaluate the physical condition of every facility. Using guidelines set by the state Superintendant of Public Instruction, a recent report stated other facilities clearly require attention.
Bonds passed in 2002 and 2006 funded the completion of 14 quality schools; now community input will be sought to prioritize the next projects. A new bond measure must pass to provide resources to continue the progress and replace or improve more aging facilities.
