West and Highland High Schools

We are Utah’s capital city district and, over time, we’ve adapted to meet the changing educational needs of our students. Now, our older high schools need modernizing to match present-day teaching practices and to support the technology used by our educators and students. 

West High School is the oldest high school in Utah. The main building was built in 1921, with numerous additions throughout the years to meet the needs of a growing student body. Highland High School was built in 1955 and opened to students in 1956.

Both schools have outdated infrastructure, including:

• outdated plumbing and electrical systems, 
• insufficient power outlets for student devices, 
• poor heating and cooling systems, and 
• challenges in expanding access to modern-day tech and system management tools.

These infrastructure challenges make even basic repairs more costly and mean that even the current Highland High School and West High School buildings cannot meet the demands of 21st century education.

Both Highland High School and West High School also have:

• problematic building layouts with multiple entry and exit points, which pose school safety and security concerns; and
• classrooms that are too small and lack flexibility. 

In rebuilding Highland and West, the designs will consider modern-day best practices related to school safety, security, and building layout. Rebuilding would also allow for flexible classroom spaces and increased student participation in certain tech-focused programs. You can view a report about the architects’ recommendations on our website.