Tyee alum John Taitano stands in front of the west entrance to the new Tyee High School. Students riding the bus will use this entrance. It faces the Chinook Middle School site.
Profiles of Construction Workers & Progress at Tyee
Tyee High School graduate John Taitano says he’s worked on many construction projects from start to finish, but this one is different.
“This is home for me. I graduated from Tyee. It’s good to show my kids and my nephews and nieces that I am part of this.”
“It’s big and amazing compared to what we had before,” John added. “September is right around the corner, and it’s going to be a privilege for the incoming students to have this new Tyee High School.”
John works for Absher Construction on the Tyee project and is represented by Laborers’ Local 242. He qualified as a priority hire through our grant-funded King County community workforce agreement (CWA). These agreements aim to increase opportunities for workers from economically distressed ZIP codes and for minority- and women-owned businesses.
At the Tyee site, John drives a forklift, manages logistics, and helps with many phases of the project, from delivering materials to operating the machine that compacted the concrete slabs.
Read more about John’s journey, from graduating in 2003, to helping rebuild his alma mater, in our February 2024 story “Tyee Alum Helps Build New School.”
Community Workforce Agreement & Priority Hire Results
Union carpenters, laborers, electricians and drywallers make up 50% of the workforce at the site.
The priority hire program is exceeding its goals of hiring at least 3% apprentices and 7% journeymen from priority ZIP codes — achieving 5.8% and 22%, respectively.
To date, more than $4 million of the $15 million in total wages have gone to construction workers who live in priority hire ZIP codes, including in the SeaTac and Highline areas.
While construction continues to be a male-dominated field, women currently make up 3% of the workforce on this project. Two women at the Tyee site are helping lead the way.
Curtistine Billups, a journeyman pipefitter for Betchart Mechanical, shared:
“I’ve wanted to be in construction since I was young — playing with dump trucks instead of dolls. But in the 70s, women weren’t encouraged to enter the trades, so I was steered toward healthcare, where I worked for 24 years. With my mom’s encouragement, I pursued welding at 40 and joined an apprenticeship at 44. Now, I love building things that last. Walking into a building and knowing I contributed to it is an amazing feeling.”
Melinda Ezell, a heavy equipment operator for Pivetta Brothers, said:
“I was drawn to construction because of my fascination with heavy equipment and how things are built. I love working outdoors, staying active, and constantly learning new skills.
Working with heavy equipment allows Melinda to work smarter, not harder. “My company has been great about letting me operate different machines and learn various aspects of the trade, which keeps things exciting. Helping with the footings of a building [at Tyee] was a standout moment. I learned how to prepare the ground and install footings.”
Melinda encourages young women to get involved early. “If this is your passion, begin an apprenticeship right out of high school. You can build a solid career and a great future.”
Construction Progress & Next Steps: March 2025
Looking across the central courtyard toward classroom wing to the south and east.
We are on budget and on schedule to open the new Tyee High School in September.
Roofing
Metal panel roofing and detail work are nearly complete. Window and skylight testing is scheduled.
Interior
- Finish work continues for the ceilings, along with drywall installation and paint on the walls.
- Cabinet and casework installation is ongoing in classrooms and offices.
- Flooring is nearly complete in the flexible performance space.
- Doors and hardware are being delivered and installed.
- HVAC system pipes are being installed.
Site Work
Power and hydronic systems that support geothermal heating and cooling are complete. Work on the main water line and some campus walkways is ongoing.
Looking northwest, (from left to right) are the flexible performance space, career & technical education and arts space, main entrance and office, with the commons in the background (center), and the library roof in the background on the far right.
A science classroom gets a shiny floor finish and cabinets.
Pipes being installed below the surface.
The library is getting large HVAC ducts installed near the ceiling.
Looking southwest, across the central courtyard, from the third floor of the classroom wing toward the commons/cafeteria/gym space (center). The library and main entrance are on the far left.
Framing is installed to get ready for concrete pours around the end of the classroom wing at the northeast corner of the new building.
See More
Check out more photos in our March 27, 2025 Facebook post.
Watch a short video Reel on Instagram.