[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
The Highline Capital Facilities Advisory Committee (CFAC), the community-led facilities planning committee, has spent the past two years developing a proposal to replace aging schools and make critical capital improvements to ensure that Highline students have the schools they need to succeed.
Some neighbors have raised concerns about the proposal to rebuild Cascade Middle School on the Salmon Creek School property. As a member of CFAC, I want to share why the committee is recommending this plan to the school board. There are two main reasons:
1. Fiscal responsibility
Relocating Cascade is the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars and reflects the district’s responsibility to be a good steward of public funds. The Salmon Creek property provides more buildable area than the current Cascade site and offers greater flexibility to create a better functioning layout for students and staff. Due to constraints on the existing Cascade property, including wetlands and a large sewer line, rebuilding on the current site would cost taxpayers approximately $44 million more than rebuilding at Salmon Creek. Relocating the school makes more effective use of public funds while also delivering a stronger educational environment for students and teachers.
2. Providing equally modern middle schools for all Highline neighborhoods
The bond recommendation includes replacement of the district’s three aging middle schools. This means students in every part of Highline will have access to a middle school that meets today’s safety, accessibility, and educational standards. Leaving one middle school out of the bond would likely mean rebuilding it years later, when construction costs will be substantially higher.
It is understandable that nearby residents have concerns about construction and increased activity in their neighborhood. The district has completed an initial site analysis, and the bond would fund a more comprehensive review and planning process. The district is committed to engaging neighbors throughout design and development and has a long history of working collaboratively with communities during school projects.
One example was the district’s engagement process after Salmon Creek Elementary closed and New Start High School moved into the building. Through that process, the district provided land for a community garden, which became the beloved Shark Garden.
The future relocation of the garden due to construction of a new school has understandably prompted concern. However, I understand the group managing the garden has already identified a new location where the garden can continue to grow and thrive for years to come.
Highline has a decades-long record of thoughtful facility planning, community engagement, and delivering schools on time and within budget. These projects have consistently become long-term assets for the neighborhoods they serve.
I strongly believe CFAC’s recommendation represents the most fiscally responsible path forward while meeting the safety and educational needs of middle school students across every corner of the district. I encourage all Highline voters to learn more through the district’s Bonds & Levies webpage here.
– Mika Sundberg
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I guess I’m confused… if it saves 44 million dollars, why did CFAC increase the proposed bond amount by nearly 100 million dollars at the last CFAC meeting?
https://www.highlineschools.org/about/news/news-details/~board/district-news/post/cfac-ready-to-recommend-next-bond
I have concerns that a Co-Chair of the “Yes for Highline” campaign and a CFAC member published an opinion piece responding to community members who have not felt their voices were heard, while presenting a one-sided perspective on the Salmon Creek site. This writer failed to admit they are a member of CFAC building the bond proposal. Key feasibility, traffic, parking, and impact studies have not yet been completed or made publicly available.
The piece feels retaliatory toward community members raising legitimate questions, which adds to the broader trust issues many neighbors have expressed throughout this process—particularly given concerns that meaningful public input opportunities were limited in earlier phases.
When individuals serve in advisory or governance-related roles, it is important to clearly separate advocacy from analysis. The community deserves full transparency before conclusions are presented as final.
Correction: The Garden is not being relocated. This will be the Shark Garden’s last year. It will be dismantled – and various plants & items will go to various other gardens. With the exception of some of the larger trees, which will be left behind due to financial limitations of removing and relocating. Those will likely be bulldozed by the school district.
Keep Cascade Middle School Where It Belongs!
As a community member, I continue to object to the use of the Salmon Creek location for the Cascade Middle School rebuild. This proposal raises serious concerns—not only about the process, but about its impact on students, families, and the broader community.
The argument that not building at the Salmon Creek location would somehow leave one of the middle schools “out of the bond” is difficult to understand. The current Cascade Middle School site can be upgraded and rebuilt within the bond as proposed. In fact, its existing location offers key advantages: it is adjacent to the brand-new Evergreen High School, and students already benefit from access to its fields and track facilities. These are meaningful, practical resources that would continue to support Cascade students without requiring relocation.
Equally concerning is the statement that “the bond would fund a more comprehensive review and planning process.” If additional funding is needed for review and planning, then it raises an important question: why was a thorough planning process not completed before advancing a proposal to relocate the school? Decisions of this magnitude should be based on careful, inclusive, and transparent planning—not drafted and refined after the fact.
The lack of community involvement is another major issue. To date, the Salmon Creek community has not been meaningfully included in the planning process. Information has largely been shared informally by community members themselves rather than through a structured, transparent outreach effort. For a project that will directly affect families, neighborhoods, and students, this absence of engagement is unacceptable.
There are also significant unanswered questions about how the relocation would affect existing community assets. For example, where exactly is the new location for the Community Shark Garden so it can “continue to grow and thrive for years to come”? Without a clear plan, commitments like these feel uncertain at best. Similarly, how will this project truly function as an “asset” to the Salmon Creek community? These claims require clear, detailed explanations—not general assurances.
Supporters of the relocation may argue that moving Cascade Middle School could improve efficiency or align with long-term planning goals. However, efficiency should never come at the expense of students’ stability, community cohesion, and transparency in decision-making. Any proposal must demonstrate real, measurable benefits that outweigh its disruption—and that case has not been made.
Cascade Middle School is more than a building; it is an integral part of its community. Its current location provides continuity, accessibility, and valuable connections to nearby resources. A relocation to Salmon Creek risks undermining these strengths while introducing uncertainty and unanswered questions.
Before moving forward, decision-makers must pause, meaningfully engage the community, and fully evaluate the viability of rebuilding at the current site. The community deserves transparency, thoughtful planning, and a solution that truly serves students—not one that leaves families asking more questions than answers.
For these reasons, we must stand together and oppose the relocation of Cascade Middle School to the Salmon Creek property.