Insider News

It was the graduation celebration the Class of 2021 hoped for... in-person and with their classmates. After more than 15 months apart in remote or hybrid learning, the Class of 2021 was made whole again. Seniors came together in person for the first time since before the pandemic to celebrate the end of high school.  

On Friday, July 2, all EmpowerED T-Mobile student hotspots will be placed in permanent hibernation mode. All T-Mobile 10Million student hotspots will be reduced from unlimited data. Learn more and how students can exchange the phased-out EmpowerED hotspots for ones that will work.

The Fundamental Course of Study requirement for paraeducators is reaching its two-year deadline. This means all paras need to have completed the 28 hours of the FCS by June 30, 2021.

​The Skype application will no longer be available starting July 31. Skype will be replaced by Microsoft Teams Chat. We invite all staff to begin transitioning to Teams Chat. 

Friends and colleagues of Fran Stone (Pruett), who passed away in May, are raising funds through the Highline Schools Foundation for a memorial bench to honor Fran’s 20 years of service as a paraeducator at McMicken Heights Elementary School. You can contribute here.

We are at a transition time. We are ending this school year, taking a break over the summer, and preparing for a return to learning next fall, while still living through a global pandemic. What do you need to do in this moment, this transition, to love yourself and your work simultaneously? Learn more about setting up boundaries and signup for an ansynchronous learning session.

All of our 18 elementary schools and many of our middle and high schools are implementing the RULER approach to emotional awareness. Read an article by Superintendent Susan Enfield and Instructional Leadership Executive Director Laurie Morrison from AASA that showcases our approach to social-emotional learning and our three signature practices.

We are sad to share the passing of former Highline employee Jason Poe. Jason passed away on June 6. He worked at a custodian at several schools, including Evergreen, Mount Rainier, Midway, Chinook and New Start.

Students from six schools have walked and received their diplomas. We are overjoyed to see our students succeeding, celebrating and moving on to the future they choose. Read on for staff parking and transportation options for graduations at Highline Memorial Stadium. 

For over a decade, World Vision has operated a satellite Teacher Resource Center (TRC) at our Salmon Creek campus, where teachers could pick up school supplies at no cost. 

Due to the pandemic and staffing changes, World Vision will be closing its Salmon Creek location and shifting all services to its main TRC in Fife. Highline teachers are invited to "shop" at the Fife location.

McMicken Heights is one of 38 Washington schools cited in a just-released study of schools that have successfully removed barriers for Black, Latino/a, American Indian/Alaska Native, and students experiencing poverty. 

The study concluded that "these schools demonstrate that it is possible to illuminate the strengths of diverse students and dismantle unproductive systems put in place when the US public school system began."

The last meal kit distribution for the spring will be Wednesday, June 16. See a list of pickup times and locations on our meal page. There will be no meal kit distribution from June 17 to June 27. Our summer meal program will begin Monday, June 28.

"Critical Race Theory" has become a hot topic for some media outlets, and some school districts--including Highline--are getting the question, "Do you teach Critical Race Theory in school?"

Much of the buzz is based on misunderstandings and mischaracterizations of Critical Race Theory. So what is it?

Highline’s racial, ethnic and gender diversity is a strength in our community. In June, we commemorate Caribbean American Heritage Month, LGBTQ Pride Month, and Juneteenth on June 19. Learn more about each and find resources to help support you and your students.

Every summer, we partner with King County Metro to offer a free Youth Summer ORCA Pass to students in grades 8 through 12 who qualify for free or reduced meals. Students can sign up now online, and cards will be mailed to them.

Staff are encouraged to close out their classrooms and work spaces by Friday, June 18. Building access hours will be extended the last week of school to accommodate this. 

Congratulations to the 39 graduating seniors in the Dual Language program at Evergreen High School! They are the first class of Highline Dual Language students to graduate. Most of these graduates will receive diplomas with the Seal of Biliteracy—a gold seal granted by the state to graduates who have demonstrated proficiency in English and Spanish.

Inquiry by Design, our new English Language Arts curriculum for secondary students, is built on the belief that all students deserve, even crave, real, meaningful and relevant work. This is why we are excited to bring IBD to Highline. Learn more about IBD and it's principles.

Wondering how many students are returning to school in person? Almost 92% of families who responded to the selection process want their students back in school.

After gathering feedback from counselors, teachers, students and families about two possible secondary class schedules (6-period day and 3-period A/B schedule), we have decided to move forward with the 6-period day for 2021-22.

Community members who serve on our Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) met last week on Zoom to learn more about the 11 older school sites they will prioritize for future school bond recommendations.

All K-12 school employees are eligible to be vaccinated now. If you have not yet been vaccinated, you can find vaccinate locations through these websites

Our first graduation is Wednesday, June 9. See a complete list of recognition and graduation ceremonies on our website. All graduations will be live-streamed on our website. High school staff will support graduation as needed. Read for more staff expectations. 

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, we want to call attention to mental health and wellbeing in AAPI communities, provide resources and share an upcoming wellness space for BIPOC staff.

All Means All is one of the 10 Big Ideas at the foundation of American Reading Company (ARC) core curriculum. This is just one of the many reasons we are excited to implement ARC in our elementary literacy classrooms. Here are some more great reasons to be excited about ARC.