Highland is being rebuilt, and it is going to be better than ever – in three to six business years.
After the Salt Lake City School District’s bond to rebuild Highland and West, among others, was passed in the November election, plans are being finalized with the goal of breaking ground in the spring of 2026.
This bond included $730 million to rebuild Highland and West, build a fieldhouse at East, and add sustainable features to new and existing facilities. The new building is set to be completed by 2030, which means current fourth graders will be the first class to enjoy the new building.
“Initial goal of plans that I am seeing is that the new building will be done by 2030,” Highland principal Jeremy Chatterton said. “Seems like a long way away but it’s not in terms of having a whole brand new building.”
When the talk of this rebuild was first brought to the table, points such as the outdatedness and hope of attracting new students were brought up.
When the school was first built in 1956, the use of technology and advanced energy efficient systems was limited. The current building was not built to accommodate the use of technology. Few outlets in classrooms and communal areas pose an issue when it comes to computer use. Also, outdated heating and cooling systems have high gas outputs and lack efficiency. These current systems rely on electricity and gas to operate, which is expensive and inefficient.
On top of that, the district’s declining number of students suggested that there was something missing in the school. Highland neighbors other schools such as Olympus and Skyline which are much newer. Many students are diverting to these schools because they are newer and nicer. The district hopes to promote numbers by building the new school.
District employees are in the process of hiring an architecture and construction company in order to carry out the plans. Features in the new and improved building will include a large turf room, expanded parking, and a more compact building to promote efficient energy usage.
Increased student capacity provides the space to grow the student body and promote students from across the valley to attend Highland with its new facility.
A large sum of the bond, $82 million, was budgeted to help the district reach its goal of 100% carbon neutrality by 2040 by adding sustainable upgrades to existing buildings and fund them on new buildings as well as fund sustainable projects and initiatives. Features that will comply with this goal include ground source heat pumping, solar panels, advanced lighting controls, daylight harvesting and water conservative landscaping.
Although the building will be a significant upgrade once it is finished, the impact on students and staff during the building process will be a drastic change. Parking and relocation of classes along with construction staff and equipment moving on and off of the campus constantly may pose an inconvenience to many students and staff. Not only could this put some students in make-shift classrooms, but parking lots will be radically impacted by construction.
“I know it’s going to be inconvenient, but it’s what we got,” Chatterton said.
Suggestions for alternative parking include parking in surrounding neighborhoods or at former Rosslyn Heights elementary school, which is being renovated in order to accommodate sports such as tennis, soccer, and lacrosse. The facility is about a 15 minute walk to Highland, but could present a vital solution to the parking during construction.
As the construction begins, so does an exciting transformation for the school and community. While students and staff may be temporarily affected by the construction, the district hopes the end result will bring the community a state-of-the-art facility to enhance learning, creativity, and school spirit.
