Evergreen High School in White Center is poised to usher in a new era of education and community engagement, with its new campus set to open on September 3. A VIP tour on August 13 showcased a facility meticulously designed by Basetti Architects to serve as a comprehensive community asset for decades to come, reflecting an extraordinary attention to detail and intentionality.

The community grand opening and open house will take place on October 9 from 4:00 p.m. To 7:00 p.m. The Highline School District will have more information to share in the coming weeks. This will be an opportunity for the community to come see the new building and participate in a self-guided tour. 

School officials are still working to identify a homecoming date for the fall. Basketball is played during the winter but the Head Basketball Coach Justin Cox said the season would start "after Thanksgiving". To learn more see this link to the school's athletic information. Under "Fall Sports" you can select the athletic event and see a schedule of games. 

A Campus Built for the Future and Community: The new Evergreen High School, a project costing approximately $213.3 million (including demolition of the old school), is much more than just classrooms. Designers and Highline School District officials have prioritized flexibility, safety, and community integration, aiming for a structure that will adapt to evolving needs over the next 50 years.

Principal Joseph Boyer, who taught at Evergreen for nine years before becoming permanent principal on July 1st, expressed excitement for a space that "honors not just the students but the community".

Key intentional design elements that highlight this vision include:

• Flexible Learning Spaces: The campus was built with flexibility as a core theme to adapt to rapid technological advancements. The theater, for instance, "features folding and collapsible seating," explained Ellie Dineshnia Exec. Director of Capital Planning and Construction, allowing for numerous configurations and diverse programs, moving away from traditional fixed seating.

• Community Hub: The school is explicitly built to host and support community engagement. Principal Boyer noted partnerships with organizations like Seattle Opera, Seattle Symphony, Act Theater, and Encanto Arts to provide evening concerts and career fairs, including technical and dramatic arts, starting as early as October. The new "Future Center" is three times the size of its predecessor, designed to support robust programs where students can find community and develop their future.

• Sustainable Design: Attention to detail extends to environmental considerations, with runoff being routed to numerous swales and green areas for water management and solar panels atop the south wing of the building. Wood was used extensively throughout the building in part because during the design and pricing phase during the pandemic it was less expensive. The result is both visual warmth and a reflection of the natural world embodied in the school name.

• District-Wide Support: A Production Kitchen within the facility is designed to produce food not just for Evergreen, but for other Highline Public Schools, highlighting its role as a broader district asset. Evergreen will feature "one lunch" rather than shifts, something both students and staff said they preferred.

Unprecedented Safety and Security Measures: Recognizing the changed world, security has been a paramount concern in the new school's design. Superintendent Ivan Duran emphasized that the district has a comprehensive safety plan following national protocols for emergencies and incidents, which began last April. The physical design of the new Evergreen High School significantly enhances safety:

• Controlled Entryways: The main entrance features three different security aspects, ensuring that "every single person who comes into our building and every time they enter and every time they leave" is accounted for. This includes vestibules where visitors must check in at the office.

• Advanced Technology: The school incorporates security badges for staff, activated doors with access codes, and centralized security cameras to monitor the building.

• Secure Outdoor Spaces: Hardscaping combined with plantings creates secure barriers around courtyards, allowing students to be outdoors safely.

• Emergency Preparedness: The building includes access points on every floor for emergencies, as well as lift chairs and other features to support students with mobility issues.

Jerry Nelson, an alumnus whose daughter Madison is now a freshman, praised the safety enhancements, stating, "I think this is going to be a heck of an upgrade and... every student around and parents are going to feel safe with their kids here". He's an alum as are his two older children. Madison proudly said that "Now I have bragging rights."

The district itself has also beefed up security measures after an incident last year in which a hacker had affected certain school systems. They hardened access and moved all backups to the cloud.

• A launchpad for students: 

Students can earn tuition-free college credits through several programs, especially in Career and Technical Education (CTE) and dual enrollment pathways. Here's how it works:

 Tuition-Free College Credit Opportunities

1. CTE Dual Credit Programs

• Students can earn college credit for high school courses aligned with local community college programs.

• These credits are tuition-free and often come with industry-recognized certifications.

• Areas of learning include:

  • Architecture, Construction, & Engineering

  • Agricultural Sciences

  • Business & Marketing

  • Computer Science

  • Digital Arts

  • Family & Consumer Science

  • Medical Science

  • American Sign Language

2. Articulation Agreements

• Evergreen partners with colleges to offer advanced standing or reduced tuition in related college programs after graduation.

• These agreements ensure that high school coursework counts toward college degrees.

3. Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

• AP classes offer the chance to earn college credit based on exam scores.

• Subjects include English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and more.

4. Concurrent Enrollment

• Students may take actual college courses while still in high school, earning credit for both.

• These are often offered in partnership with local colleges and are free or low-cost.

Bridging Past and Future with a Time Capsule: In a nod to its rich history and future aspirations, the school plans to open an old time capsule from the 1960s this fall. Following this, a new time capsule will be established, symbolizing the continuum of Evergreen's legacy and its evolving role in the community. This event connects the school's past—originally opened in 1959, split into three small schools in 2007, and re-unified in 2017—with its promising future.

The Highline School District also demonstrates its commitment to connecting with its diverse community through its communication platform, Parent Square. Tove Tupper, Chief Communications Officer explained that this two-way communication tool, accessible via mobile app or web browser, features built-in translation services that can auto-translate messages into the preferred language of parents, supporting the approximately 90 languages spoken at home across the district.

This significant investment is part of Highline Public Schools' broader 20-year capital improvement plan, totaling around $1.4 billion. School officials mentioned that the next levy will help fund educational programs, services and staff — filling the gap between what the state provides and what is needed to fund basic educational programs, services and staff.  The levy accounts for about 15% of HPS operating budget.

This webpage has much more information about the levy, including what it funds and cost information:  highlineschools.org/levy

With its thoughtful design, advanced safety features, and commitment to community engagement, the new Evergreen High School stands as a testament to intentional planning for educational excellence and community strength for generations to come.