The “white school on the hill” housed grades 1-8 until the opening of Bothell Junior High in 1931 (under principal Wilbur A. Anderson) and Ricketts Elementary in 1949. Then it became an overflow facility until its demolition in 1957. Hillcrest Primary School later occupied the site, and those buildings became the district's instructional materials center until being razed when developers bought the property. Since 2007, the long-time school site has been the Village Walk development.
In 1953, a new high school went up on West Hill, its location to the present day.
The district grew quickly in mid-century. In 1959 the Northshore School District was formed by the consolidation of the Bothell and Woodinville School Districts. In 1965, Inglemoor opened as the second high school and graduated its first class in 1966. Woodinville became the third high school in 1983, graduating its first class in 1985.
In the first decade of the 21st Century, extensive remodeling made many changes in the building that we knew as Bothell High School. From 2002-2008 old buildings were renovated in phases and an entirely new high school is now in place. The main entrance is now on NE 180th Street, not on 92nd Avenue N.E. as it was when we were students.
Bothell High School principals include Henry Simonds, W.D. Bay, E.J. McNamara, Martin Baker, Nelson Lloyd, Drayton Marsh, S. Lyman “Buck” Hilby, Arne Strand, Larry Peterson, Al Cohen, Dick Sorenson, Jim Bagby, Al Haynes, and Heather Miller, co-principal for a time with the current principal, Bob Stewart.
The class of 2011 was the 100th graduating class at Bothell High School, 99 years after 1912's first group and 50 years after the 50th graduation of our Golden Class of 1961.
Northshore is the tenth-largest school district in Washington State. It has over 21,000 students and approximately 2,300 full and part-time employees. The district covers 60 square miles (two-thirds in King County, one-third in Snohomish County). The Northshore district population is approximately 117,500 people.
The district has 20 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 4 comprehensive high schools, an alternative high school, an independent contract learning program and early childhood education program.
The district employs more than 2,100 teaching and support staff and has an annual operating budget of over $224 million.