Residents spend several months planning boundaries & feeder patterns

A group of hard-working Highline community members are ready to share their proposed districtwide boundary plan. The group volunteered many hours over several months to craft a boundary map based on data and guiding principles, with the interests of the whole district in mind.

Boundary changes are necessary because the district is opening a fifth middle school and a new, larger elementary school in fall 2019.

Kick-Off Community Meeting for Boundary Review

Families, staff and community members are invited to learn about the proposed boundary plan and give feedback at a kick-off community meeting on March 14:

Wednesday, March 14
6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Highline Public Schools Central Office

15675 Ambaum Blvd SW, Burien, WA

More Information & Feedback (March 15-April 15)

Following the community meeting, information will be provided and feedback requested in these ways:

• Schools & community groups: Highline staff and members of the Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) will fan out to schools and community groups to provide information and ask for feedback on how these draft boundary changes will affect the community. Interpretation will be available. Here are three additional meetings you are welcome to attend:
   
  • March 15, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Sylvester Middle School Cafeteria

16222 Sylvester Road SW, Burien

• • March 22, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
    Chinook Middle School Cafeteria
    18650 42nd Avenue South, SeaTac

• • March 29, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
    Cascade Middle School Cafeteria
    11212 10th Avenue SW, Seattle

• Online feedback: Let Highline know your thoughts during a month-long online survey from March 15 to April 15.
   
• Website information & FAQs: Visit our website to view maps online on or before March 14 and find answers to the most common questions our families and community are asking. More information will be at highlineschools.org/boundaries.
   
• Maps in schools and on school websites: Draft boundary maps will be posted in all schools from March 15 to April 15 and linked on school websites.

Boundary Process

The Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC) is the group tasked with proposing these draft boundaries. Members were selected by community organizations and by lottery from each high school service area. Each signed a charge to consider the good of the whole district ahead of personal or local benefits. The group decided on the following guiding principles for their work:

1. Ensure equity
2. Forecast for future needs
3. Value cohorts & community connections
4. Plan for safety

CFAC members defined the meaning of each guiding principle.

CFAC is co-chaired by community members Rose Clark and Aaron Garcia.

“CFAC members crafted a data-driven plan that serves the greater good of our Highline families,” Clark said. “We hope community members will participate in the various ways we have offered and give feedback to facilitate the best possible boundary decision the school board will make later in the year.”

CFAC started planning for changes in spring 2017, so changes could be finalized by June 2018. This allows families a year of advance notice before new boundaries go into effect in fall 2019.

“I’m grateful for the heavy lifting by our community members on CFAC. We plan to work with families and schools to make 2019 as smooth a transition year as possible,” Scott Logan, chief operations officer, said.

Highlights of the Proposal
 

1. Keeps elementary cohorts together from kindergarten through high school—once new boundaries are in effect.
    
2. With the exception of Hilltop Elementary, all elementary schools will feed into the same high school as before the boundary change. Hilltop would feed into Highline High School in this proposed plan.
    
3. The plan accounts for future growth, with the rebuilding and expansion of aging schools, requiring future bonds.
    
4. The addition of a fifth middle school means school feeder patterns change, with a benefit that more students will get to know each other throughout our district, while staying with their elementary cohort all the way through.

 

Stay up to date on bond construction projects and boundary review athighlineschools.org/KeepingOurPromise.

Sign up for the monthly enewsletters about construction and boundary progress and district news at: highlineschools.org/eNewsletter.