Highline Public Schools formally celebrated the opening of the new Puget Sound Skills Center Health Sciences building in an open house event on Sept. 22. The building was built at a cost of just over $15 million and was built to serve as a high quality facility launching juniors and seniors into careers in dentistry and medicine and related health and sciences fields.

The two-story building has nearly 27,000 square feet of space that includes: 

• 250-seat lecture hall
• Adjacent multipurpose room with sliding glass wall, that can seat an additional 200 people
• High-tech dental lab with four operatories, panoramic camera room, sterilization room and stone lab with funding from Washington Dental Service
• Working dental clinic operated by Sea Mar Community Health Center, where PSSC students will have opportunities for internships in a real-life setting
• State-of-the-art nursing lab with eight practice beds
• Biomedical lab with professional lab equipment
• Classrooms and open space for each program

Student Samantha Johnson, a senior is aiming at a career in nursing planning to enroll at Northwest University. She got a Certified Nursing Assistant certificate last year. "My gramma passed away when I was five, and so I want to be there for people who can't really be there for themselves and serve for their families. It's something I grew up on. I grew up wanting to help people." She explained what the new PSSC means. "I think it represents community. We all are here for a reason and we all want to be the best we can possibly be. I feel like PSSC can do that for everybody as long as you really want it you'll get it. You just have to work hard for it."

The speakers included:

• Todd Moorhead, Principal, PSSC
• Sen. Karen Keiser, Washington State Legislature
• Dr. Susan Enfield, Superintendent, Highline Public Schools
• Dr. Thomas Mosby, Executive Director of Career Pathways and Partnerships, Highline Public Schools
• Bill Chaput, Principal Architect, Hutteball & Oremus Architecture

Dr. Enfield said, "This is about community, and our economy. These are professionals that are going to come out of here serving our community. That's huge. As the Superintendent my job is bigger than just educating children and standing on the shoulders of visionaries like Dr. Yormark (PSSC founder) who came before me but it's also about being committed to strengthening our economy and our community. That's truly what public schools are, the heart and soul of the community."

About PSSC
PSSC is one of 20 skills centers in Washington state offering high-quality, tuition-free, technical and professional training. Operated by Highline Public Schools, PSSC serves students from 22 partner high schools in Highline, Federal Way, Tukwila and Tahoma school districts.

In 2016, students taking classes at PSSC earned more than 2,000 college credits and almost 1,700 industry certifications in 18 different programs including aerospace manufacturing, animation, automotive technology, information technology, culinary arts and more.

Funded by State, Not Local Bond
The Highline capital facilities team managed the construction of the new PSSC health sciences building. The $19.4 million project was fully funded by the state with no impact on the school district’s capital fund.

Apprentices Build More Than 17%
Industry apprentices built more than 17 percent of the new building. Apprentices worked with glass, sheet metal, electronic technology, carpentry, acoustics, taping and electrical systems. One of PSSC’s own carpentry students, 2015 graduate Pedro Montoya, helped build the new facility.

The health sciences building stands south of the existing facility at PSSC on property that was already owned by Highline Public Schools.