The new Highland Middle School is coming closer to reality.

As part of the 2014 bond, Highland Middle School was selected for a complete rebuild.

The main school building, originally known as Highland Junior High, opened in 1957. According to the Bellevue School District, (BSD), the brick building on campus, formerly known as Highland School, opened in 1935. It was determined that the brick building would be demolished due to the age and condition of the building as well as prohibitive costs to bring the building up to modern code standards.

Designed by McGranahan Architects along with about a dozen staff members, the new school will be about 170,000 square feet.

Demolition and construction began in the summer of 2018.

The school’s layout is similar to other recent district projects with the public spaces like the commons, library, gyms and administrations at the front of the building and the classroom wings further back in the building.

Other highlights of the new building include an office for Jubilee Reach near the commons, integration of the Pacific Program into the main school building, and a student health clinic that will be run through a partnership with King County and International Community Health Services.

As of this month, the track has been graded in preparation for the rubberized surface. The interior work has progressed, as the makings of the locker bays, classrooms and the gym are coming into form.

The expected completion date for Highlands Middle School is this August.

To learn more about the Highlands Middle School construction project, go online to the BSD website (https://bit.ly/32Bohm4).