More than three years after a fire disrupted classrooms in Pocatello-Chubbuck, students and staff are closer to returning to rebuilt facilities.
The first phase of Highland High School’s rebuild is coming to fruition, and new spaces are scheduled to open after winter break on Jan. 4, 2027.
The multi-year project follows an electrical fire in April 2023 that damaged approximately 75,000 square feet of the school.
As part of the rebuild, crews are constructing a six-court tennis complex and parking lot across from Highland High on Bench Road.
The new tennis complex will serve Highland student athletes and the broader Pocatello community, thanks to a partnership with the City of Pocatello.
District leaders and city officials have worked to restore and revitalize the campus since the fire.
“The project reflects a long-standing collaboration between the city and school district to invest in shared recreational resources that benefit learners, families and the community,” district spokeswoman Courtney Fisher said.
The second phase is expected to be completed by July 2027. Below is a closer look at each phase.
What will be added by Jan. 4, 2027:
- Six new classrooms
- Cafeteria
- Kitchen
- Commons area
- Multi-level gym
- Weight room
- Indoor track
- Wrestling room
- Locker rooms
- Athletic training offices
What will be added by July 2027:
- Choir classroom
- Band classroom
- Orchestra classroom
- Drama classroom
- Other performing arts facilities
“This project has always been about restoring more than a building,” Superintendent Douglas Howell said. “Highland is a place where generations of learners have built friendships, discovered their passions and created lifelong memories.”
Pocatello residents can follow the rebuild through the district’s project website here.
Bill Osborn joins the board of trustees
In other news, Bill Osborn will join the district’s board of trustees. The district appointed him on June 25, filling the Zone 3 vacancy left by the resignation of longtime trustee Jim Facer.
Osborn will be sworn in at the board’s regular meeting on July 21 at 3:30 p.m.
Osborn earned a bachelor’s degree in business economics with a minor in music education from Central Washington University. The western Washington native spent decades working in insurance and estate planning. He ran a fire safety education company for 20 years and retired to Pocatello.
Osborn advocates for excellence in music, the arts and educational technology.
“I’m here to do my part in making sure all parties are represented fairly and treated equitably,” Osborn said. “I believe an open-door policy is the best policy.”
