Highline Public Schools
Encyclopedia
Highline Public Schools is a public school system in Washington, headquartered in Burien
. As of October 2007, it serves 17,331 students and has 997 teachers. Highline serves the cities of Burien, Des Moines
, and SeaTac
as well as areas of unincorporated King County
such as White Center and Boulevard Park.
The district's current superintendent is John Welch, the former deputy superintendent. The school board consists of five members: Bernie Dorsey, Susan Goding, Sili Savusa, Julie Burr Spani, and Michael Spear.
, opened in 1924. Evergreen High School
, Mount Rainier High School
, and Tyee High School
were added at later times to compensate for the district's growing population.
During the 1970s, enrollment in the district declined due to the impacts of the Boeing Bust, The Port of Seattle acquiring neighborhoods due to increases in jet noise from Sea-Tac Airport, and levy failures. Between 1975 and 1980, one high school, 5 junior high schools, and 14 elementary schools were closed. In 1980, the remaining junior high schools were converted into middle schools.
In the mid-2000s, Highline commenced a major effort to reverse its schools' declining performance. The most significant aspect of this effort was the conversion of Evergreen and Tyee into three small schools
each. Highline and Mount Rainier underwent similar programs, however each remains a single comprehensive high school. In the same time frame, Aviation High School
and Highline Big Picture
, two specialized schools, opened.
Zoned
Unzoned
Burien, Washington
Burien is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located south of Seattle. As of the 2010 Census, Burien's population is 33,313, which is a 2.9% increase since incorporation. Annexation in 2011 has increased the cities population to about 45,000....
. As of October 2007, it serves 17,331 students and has 997 teachers. Highline serves the cities of Burien, Des Moines
Des Moines, Washington
Des Moines is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 29,673 at the 2010 census. Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport two miles to the north of...
, and SeaTac
SeaTac, Washington
SeaTac is an American city in southern King County, Washington, and an outlying suburb of Seattle, Washington. Incorporated in February 1990, the City of SeaTac is ten square miles in area and has a population of 26,909 according to the 2010 census...
as well as areas of unincorporated King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
such as White Center and Boulevard Park.
Structure
Highline consists of four main "service areas", Evergreen, Highline, Mount Rainier, and Tyee, which once represented the district's four high schools. Students in the Highline and Mount Rainier service areas generally attend the area's high school; students in the Evergreen and Tyee service areas attend one of the service area's three small schools. Each service area also contains one middle school which acts as a feeder to the area's high school(s). The four service areas are further divided into separate areas corresponding to the district's elementary schools, which also act as feeders to the area's middle school.The district's current superintendent is John Welch, the former deputy superintendent. The school board consists of five members: Bernie Dorsey, Susan Goding, Sili Savusa, Julie Burr Spani, and Michael Spear.
History
The district's first school, Highline High SchoolHighline High School
Highline High School is a high school in Burien, Washington, United States, located about 3.5 highway miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Highline High School, the flagship high school of the Highline School District, opened its doors in 1924 and served the cities of Burien, Des...
, opened in 1924. Evergreen High School
Evergreen High School (Seattle, Washington)
Evergreen High School was a secondary institution in the Highline School District located in unincorporated King County, Washington, United States. The school served unincorporated areas, including White Center. The school's mascot was the wolverine...
, Mount Rainier High School
Mount Rainier High School
Mount Rainier High School is a secondary school in Des Moines, Washington, United States; named for Mount Rainier which can be seen quite well from the school on a clear day, Mount Rainier serves approximately 1572 students and has been active since 1957. It was created to handle the overflow from...
, and Tyee High School
Tyee Educational Complex
Tyee Educational Complex is a public high school campus located in SeaTac, Washington, USA. It was founded originally as Tyee High School, a single public high school, in 1962. It is operated by the Highline School District....
were added at later times to compensate for the district's growing population.
During the 1970s, enrollment in the district declined due to the impacts of the Boeing Bust, The Port of Seattle acquiring neighborhoods due to increases in jet noise from Sea-Tac Airport, and levy failures. Between 1975 and 1980, one high school, 5 junior high schools, and 14 elementary schools were closed. In 1980, the remaining junior high schools were converted into middle schools.
In the mid-2000s, Highline commenced a major effort to reverse its schools' declining performance. The most significant aspect of this effort was the conversion of Evergreen and Tyee into three small schools
Small schools movement
The small schools movement, also known as the Small Schools Initiative, in the United States of America holds that many high schools are too large and should be reorganized into smaller, autonomous schools of no more than 400 students, and optimally under 200. Many private schools of under 200...
each. Highline and Mount Rainier underwent similar programs, however each remains a single comprehensive high school. In the same time frame, Aviation High School
Aviation High School (Seattle, Washington)
Aviation High School, part of the Highline School District and currently located in Des Moines, Washington, is an aviation- and aerospace-themed school and one of the Highline School District's small schools. It is focused on preparing students for college, careers and citizenship. The school...
and Highline Big Picture
Highline Big Picture
- Overview :Highline Big Picture is a small school in the Highline School District in SeaTac, Washington, that is part of a network of Big Picture schools all over the United States. The school opened 2005 with 2009 being the first year with a graduating class. At Highline Big Picture the 9th...
, two specialized schools, opened.
High schools
- Evergreen High School (White Center)
- Arts & Academics Academy
- Health Science & Human Services High School
- Technology, Engineering, & Communications School
- Glacier High School (SeaTac) (Defunct 1980)
- Highline High SchoolHighline High SchoolHighline High School is a high school in Burien, Washington, United States, located about 3.5 highway miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Highline High School, the flagship high school of the Highline School District, opened its doors in 1924 and served the cities of Burien, Des...
(BurienBurien, WashingtonBurien is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located south of Seattle. As of the 2010 Census, Burien's population is 33,313, which is a 2.9% increase since incorporation. Annexation in 2011 has increased the cities population to about 45,000....
) - Mount Rainier High SchoolMount Rainier High SchoolMount Rainier High School is a secondary school in Des Moines, Washington, United States; named for Mount Rainier which can be seen quite well from the school on a clear day, Mount Rainier serves approximately 1572 students and has been active since 1957. It was created to handle the overflow from...
(Des MoinesDes Moines, WashingtonDes Moines is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 29,673 at the 2010 census. Property within the city has been the subject of land buyouts because of noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport two miles to the north of...
) - Tyee Educational ComplexTyee Educational ComplexTyee Educational Complex is a public high school campus located in SeaTac, Washington, USA. It was founded originally as Tyee High School, a single public high school, in 1962. It is operated by the Highline School District....
(SeaTacSeaTac, WashingtonSeaTac is an American city in southern King County, Washington, and an outlying suburb of Seattle, Washington. Incorporated in February 1990, the City of SeaTac is ten square miles in area and has a population of 26,909 according to the 2010 census...
)- Academy of Citizenship and EmpowermentAcademy of Citizenship and EmpowermentThe Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment is a public high school in SeaTac, Washington. It is one of three small schools at the Tyee Educational Complex, along with Global Connections High School and Odyssey — The Essential School. It was founded in 2005 when Tyee High School converted into...
- Global Connections High SchoolGlobal Connections High SchoolGlobal Connections High School is a public high school in SeaTac, Washington. It is one of three small schools at the Tyee Educational Complex, along with the Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment and Odyssey — The Essential School. It was founded in 2005 when Tyee High School converted into these...
- Odyssey – The Essential School
- Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment
Unzoned
- Aviation High SchoolAviation High School (Seattle, Washington)Aviation High School, part of the Highline School District and currently located in Des Moines, Washington, is an aviation- and aerospace-themed school and one of the Highline School District's small schools. It is focused on preparing students for college, careers and citizenship. The school...
(Des Moines) - Highline Big PictureHighline Big Picture- Overview :Highline Big Picture is a small school in the Highline School District in SeaTac, Washington, that is part of a network of Big Picture schools all over the United States. The school opened 2005 with 2009 being the first year with a graduating class. At Highline Big Picture the 9th...
(SeaTac)
Middle schools
- Cascade Middle School (White Center)
- Chinook Middle School (SeaTac)
- Glendale Junior High (Unicorporated) (Defunct 1978)
- Olympic Junior High School (SeaTac) (Defunct 1979)
- Pacific Middle School (Des Moines)
- Puget Sound Junior High School (Unicorporated) (Defunct 1980)
- Seahurst Junior High School (Burien) (Defunct 1976)
- Sunset Junior High School (SeaTac) (Defunct 1975)
- Sylvester Middle School (Burien)
Elementary schools
- Angle Lake Elementary School (unicorporated area) (defunct 1928-1975)
- Beverly Park Elementary School (unincorporated area)
- Boulevard Park Elementary School (unincorporated area) (defunct)
- Bow Lake Elementary School (SeaTac)
- Burien Heights Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct)
- Cedarhurst Elementary School (Burien)
- Chelsea Park Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct 1976)
- Crestview Elementary School (Tukwila) (Defunct)
- Des Moines Elementary School (Des Moines)
- Gregory Heights Elementary (Burien)
- Hazel Valley Elementary (Burien)
- Hilltop Elementary School (Unincorporated area)
- Lake Burien Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct 1976)
- Lakeview Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct 1976)
- Madrona Elementary School (SeaTac)
- Manhattan Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct)
- Marvista Elementary School (Normandy ParkNormandy Park, WashingtonNormandy Park is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,335 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Normandy Park ranks 26th of 522 areas in the state of Washington.-History:...
) - Maywood Elementary School (SeaTac) (Defunct 1975)
- McMicken Heights Elementary School (SeaTac)
- Midway Elementary School (Des Moines)
- Mount View Elementary School (White Center)
- Normandy Park Elemantary School (Normandy Park) (Defunct)
- North Hill Elementary School (Des Moines)
- Parkside Elementary School (Des Moines)
- Riverton Heights Elementary School (Tukwila) (Defunct)
- Salmon Creek Elementary School (Unicorporated) (Defunct)
- Seahurst Elementary School (Burien)
- Shorewood Elementary School (Burien)
- Southern Heights Elementary School (Unincorporated area)
- Sunnydale Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct)
- Sunny Terrace Elementary School (Burien) (Defunct)
- White Center Heights Elementary School (White Center)
- Valley View Elementary School (Tukwila) (defunct)