Alaska Airlines CEO Brad Tilden, will serve as honorary chair for November bond calling for rebuilding and replacing two schools that are nearly 100 years old

BURIEN, WA. – On Tuesday, June 17, at 5:30 p.m. on the front steps of Highline High School, 225 South 152nd Street, Burien, the citizen organization comprised of parents, community members, business owners, neighbors and others who want strong schools in Highline will officially kick off its campaign to support the passage of a school construction bond.

The measure that will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot calls for rebuilding Highline High School, replacing Des
Moines Elementary, building two new middle schools and making critical renovations to Tyee and Evergreen High Schools.

“As the CEO of Alaska Airlines, headquartered in the Highline school district, and as a Highline alum, I care deeply about this school district, and my wife Danielle and I are pleased to serve as honorary chairs for this critical bond campaign, said Brad Tilden.

The district has deteriorating school buildings that are nearly 100 years old. They are not built to today’s fire and earthquake safety standards and are without the infrastructure to meet the technology needs required to adequately prepare students for their futures.

“We have hundreds of employees living in this community sending their kids to school here. Our schools are making significant academic progress but we need to ensure that our students have safe, modern learning environments. We’re happy to be a part of this campaign and look forward to working with the community to pass this bond measure,” added Tilden.

Projections show that increased enrollment will continue in the district, showing more than 2,000 additional students over the next eight to 10 years. Without additional classrooms, class sizes will only get larger, putting the district at risk of losing additional state funding of $2.2 million a year targeted for lowering class sizes.

Planning for the bond included community input, a professional analysis of building conditions, updates to enrollment projections, and multiple School Board work sessions.