Burien, Wash. –  Highline Public Schools leaders made the difficult decision to postpone the Highline High School Community Grand Opening and Alumni Reception events planned for October 21 and 22. 

Reasons for Decision

Highline’s Chief of Operations Scott Logan explained the reasons behind the decision. “While we are eager to celebrate the opening of the new HHS with our community and alumni, we do not feel it is wise to host a large indoor gathering given the current rate of COVID infections.” 

“We know that community spread affects our ability to keep schools open, and we do not want to contribute to increasing the infection rate in our community. Our priority must be to stay focused on students and keep our schools open and running as smoothly and safely as possible.”

“We are also sensitive to the extra load on our school staff, from principals to teachers to custodians, at this time,” he said.

Celebration Postponed

A community- and alumni-oriented event to celebrate the new school building will be held in 2022 when it is feasible.

Limited-capacity Self-guided Tours & Virtual Tour Available

Limited capacity, self-guided school tours will be offered on Friday, October 22, and on Saturday, October 23, to community members who show proof of vaccination or a negative test, wear masks and stay socially distanced indoors.

This is in accordance with the spirit of the King County vaccine verification requirement for indoor recreational events that goes into effect October 25.

Tours will arrive and depart from the southeast courtyard entrance (adjacent to Memorial Stadium and the Moshier Field parking lot). Capacity will be limited to 200 people at a time:

Friday, October 22

Drop-in tour windows:

• 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
• 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, October 23

Drop-in tour windows:

• 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
• 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
• 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
• 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Please do not call the school office about tours or the postponed event. Please contact keepingourpromise@highlineschools.org to request more information or call Rosie Eades in Communications at 206-631-3094.

We ask for your understanding as we continue to adapt to changing circumstances and guidelines.

Homecoming Football Game

Community members and alumni are invited to attend the HHS football game on Friday, October 22 to cheer on the Pirates. Masks are required at football games.

Why Can’t We Host An Indoor Community Event Since We Have Students Back In Person and Indoors?

• While Highline High School and other district schools have students in the building every day, a large community gathering falls under a different set of considerations.
•  
• Highline students have a need for and a right to education, as reinforced by the state mandate that schools provide in-person instruction. As much as we would like to host a celebration, a large indoor gathering is not mandatory and may be irresponsible in the current circumstances.

• We have established safety measures that our students are following every day. It is more difficult to regulate the behavior of a large crowd in a social setting.
•  
• We have to focus our energy, from teachers to custodial staff, on making sure we can provide in-person instruction as safely as possible every day.
•  

We are deeply grateful for the new school building funded by local voters. We are disappointed to have to postpone the large-group celebration. Our plan is to reschedule next spring or fall, depending on the pandemic.

We will keep you informed. Contact keepingourpromise@highlineschools.org for more information or to request a small-group tour at a different time when possible. Please check for new updates at highlineschools.org/keepingourpromise.