News

This week's Highline Headlines include information about the family engagement survey, the upcoming 4-day weekend, preparing for students on Microsoft, graduation and more. 

As inclusive classrooms expand into more secondary schools next year, we continue strengthening belonging, access and meaningful participation for learners of all abilities. Across our schools, staff show a daily commitment to ensuring every student is seen, supported and included.

Highline is the first school district in Washington state to partner with the DAISY Foundation to recognize school nurses through the DAISY Award program. Highline is also one of ten school districts in the country to launch the program.

Highline is preparing students for the future they choose. One way we do this is by helping students build the digital skills and habits they may use in college, training programs and future careers. Highline is continuing a districtwide transition to Microsoft. Staff have been learning and using Microsoft tools since fall 2024. Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, students will use Microsoft 365 tools more regularly for classwork. 

This week's Highline Headlines include information about student sharing wellness through film, access issues on Canvas, the Promise podcast, a reminder about Kindergarten Welcome event and more. 

We want to hear from Highline families! Please take 10 to 20 minutes to complete our Family Engagement Survey, open now through June 1.

More than 200 local students and families explored college, career and training opportunities during CollegeCon, an annual Highline Public Schools event designed to help students plan for life after high school. 

At Highline High School, students are learning more than content. They are learning who they are. In this episode, teacher Jesus Torres Munoz sits down with Superintendent Dr. Ivan Duran and shares how he connects culture, identity and rigorous learning, and what he hopes students carry with them after they leave Highline. 

Six schools in Highline Public Schools are earning state recognition for student growth or academic achievement in the 2024-25 school year.  
 

As part of May Student Wellness Month, students at Innovation Heights Academy (IHA) are using film and storytelling to explore mental health, coping skills, and substance use prevention—then share their messages with peers across the district.

This week's Highline Headlines include information about Teacher Appreciation week, May attendance, ParentVUE vs ParentSquare and more. 

Every classroom has the power to shape how students see themselves and their place in the world. Across Highline, teachers are creating spaces where students feel seen, supported and that they truly belong. This week, we celebrate Highline educators who make the promise of public education real: helping every student feel they belong, recognize their strengths and see a future full of possibility.   

Ms. Haas and Ms. Robertson will depart McMicken Heights at the end of the school year. Alex Haas has been selected as Highline’s new Director of Inclusion and Jodi Robertson has been selected as the new principal at Gregory Heights Elementary School. We want to know what characteristics and strengths you believe are most important for your school leader to possess. 

Bonds and levies provide local funding for our schools and support the Highline Promise. As the Highline School Board considers future measures, we’re sharing information as it becomes available. Visit our website to explore bond projects recommended by CFAC and what we know so far about a potential technology levy. 

This week's Highline Headlines includes a reminder about CollegeCon happening tomorrow, Schools of Choice reopening, Kindergarten enrollment, the String Stravaganza concert and more. 

ParentVUE and ParentSquare are two important tools families can use to support their student’s success in school. Each one has a different purpose—and both are helpful

This week's Highline Headlines includes information about our technology transition, CollegeCon, Schools of Choice applications reopening, Kindergarten enrollment and more. 

Mr. Vaswig talks about building community at the start of the year, helping students take pride in their names and identities, and creating a space where learning and laughter go together. He also shares how he approaches teaching history with honesty.

Math can feel intimidating. In Ryan Smith’s classroom at Mount Rainier High School, something is shifting. Lessons often begin with the class learning together. Students work through problems step by step, using notes that combine numbers and written explanations. 

At Evergreen High School, students are building skills beyond the classroom. They’re learning how to manage their time, ask for help and take ownership of their learning. A new structure called WIN Time, short for What I Need, helps make that possible. 

Across Highline, Culture & Climate Teams help schools create welcoming environments, reinforce positive behavior and respond early when students need support. Nearly all schools now hold regular team meetings, using attendance and behavior data to guide decisions and strengthen consistent support systems for students. 

Applications are now reopened for schools & programs not at capacity. From marine science and welding to health care, aviation, culinary arts, virtual learning, and college-prep academics, Schools of Choice give students opportunities to find the environment that fits their interests, strengths, and goals — and prepares them for what comes next.

CollegeCon brings students and families together to explore college, career training and other paths after high school. This free event is open to students in grades 7–12 and their families.

In Jorge Velasquez’s classroom at Bow Lake Elementary, inclusion means more than simply sharing space. It means every student learns together, supports one another, and belongs. 

We are celebrating Language Access Month in Highline Public Schools by recognizing the many languages our families speak and our commitment to clear, inclusive communication. In 2024–25, we supported more than 2,400 interpretation requests, 5,000 on-demand calls, and translations that help families stay connected and engaged.