Staff and Faculty

UCDS was born as a lab school on the campus of the University of Washington in 1911. Since the inception of this school, our teachers have assumed the role of educational researchers as they designed, implemented and evaluated our programs. Today, as a professional practice school, UCDS is engaged in ongoing educational reform. Our school is a dynamic learning environment for teachers as we work together to understand and inspire each child that we serve. Like our students, teachers at UCDS collaborate with colleagues and support each other professionally. No one works in isolation. Everyone is called upon at one time or another to coach, to present, to consult, to conduct action research, and to network. Each faculty member brings different expertise and experience, enriching the learning environment for others.

Our teachers express confidence in children, sharing a conviction that all children are naturally curious and want to learn. We organize our classrooms, curricula, and programs with the expectation that children learn differently. We believe that each child has unique talents, ways of thinking and levels of understanding. Our teachers look for every opportunity to work with individual students, to coach and assess a child's level of thinking. Our teachers share insights with one another. At UCDS, there is a constant flow of conversation about children between faculty and between faculty and administration.

Teaching at UCDS demands the highest level of professional commitment. It is an expectation at UCDS that teachers set high expectations for every student, inspire students to go beyond self-imposed limits, ask probing questions, and support students with specific and constructive feedback. Every teacher, administrator and staff member at UCDS is an important role model and takes responsibility for the character development of our students.