On Friday, March 18, officials and local dignitaries will break ground on a new state-of-the-art learning center at the Puget Sound Skills Center (PSSC), and all are invited. Following the groundbreaking, all are welcome to a reception at The Class Act Restaurant, a student-run, 72-seat restaurant on campus. The $19.4 million project is totally state-funded. Funding was approved by the state legislature in the 2015-2017 biennial budget. The facility will be constructed on property already owned by the school district. Skills center construction is funded differently from all other school construction. Voters must approve a bond to build local schools, while skills centers are fully funded directly by the state capital budget. The new Health and Science building will house educational programs in dental assisting, nursing certification, and biomedical research. The two-story building will be approximately 27,000 square feet. Here are some of the building highlights:

  • 250-seat lecture hall and adjacent multipurpose room capable of seating an additional 200
  • Dental assisting lab with four operatories, panoramic camera room, sterilization center, and stone lab
  • Dental clinic, operated by Sea Mar Dental in partnership with PSSC, with five operatories, labs, and classroom
  • Nursing assisting lab with four beds and classroom
  • Biomedical lab and classroom
Notable business leaders, community partners, and alumni will be present for the ceremony, including Highline Superintendent Susan Enfield; Sen. Karen Keiser; Rep. Tina Orwall; Reba Gilman, former director; Ben Yormark, PSSC founder; and representing the City of Burien will be City Manager Kamuron Gural, Deputy Mayor Bob Edgar, and Councilmember Steve Armstrong. “This is a great opportunity for students to get training in growing career fields,” said Dr. Thomas Mosby, Highline’s executive director of career pathways and partnerships. “We want to thank lawmakers for expanding opportunities for students to enter healthcare careers.” PSSC provides 18 different career and technical education (CTE) programs in five areas: Business/Marketing & Administration, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information Technology, Science & Health, and Trades & Industry.  It serves students from 22 high schools in five school districts:  Highline, Federal Way, Fife, Tukwila, and Tahoma. Event Details:
WHEN: Friday, March 18, 2 p.m. – Groundbreaking for PSSC’s new Health and Science Building, followed by reception at PSSC’s student-run The Class Act Restaurant on campus. WHERE: PSSC: 18010 8th Avenue South, Burien, WA 98148 WHO:  Highline Superintendent Susan Enfield; Sen. Karen Keiser; Rep. Tina Orwall; Reba Gilman, former director; Ben Yormark, PSSC founder; and representing the City of Burien will be City Manager Kamuron Gural, Deputy Mayor Bob Edgar, and Councilmember Steve Armstrong. CONTACT: For more information, contact Catherine Carbone Rogers: (206) 631-3002, catherine.carbone@highlineschools
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