UCDS Schools - UCDS

Developing Expansive Thinkers
Encouraging Unique Strengths
Igniting Positive Change

Where Learning Has No Limits

Welcome to UCDS. We encourage students to stretch, reflect, collaborate, and think expansively—enriching their educational growth and ensuring they thrive in school and beyond.

UCDS Schools 5

Early Education

UCDS Schools 4

Early Elementary

UCDS Schools 2

Elementary

We’re driven by the idea that learning is as varied as each individual. So we’ve designed innovative educational programs that activate personal learning styles and set students up for the rewards of life-long learning. Become part of the UCDS community.

UCDS Schools 13

Our Mission

We cultivate reflective, collaborative, skillful thinkers who ignite positive change in their communities.

UCDS Schools Blog

Zooming with Renee Watson!

Design-led Learning, Education Hub

Zooming with Renée Watson!

Jenni Walker, 3-4 Teacher This past March the UCDS community had the opportunity to attend a webinar-style zoom call with author Renée Watson. The 3rd and 4th graders read her…

The Magic of The 7 Sentence Story

The Magic of the 7 Sentence Story

Taya Beattie, Early Elementary Float Teacher This blog post will guide you through becoming your very own storyteller! Whether you are an adult wanting to have some creative fun with…

Coronavirus What Ifs

DEI, Design-led Learning

Teaching to Change the World

All Blog Articles

ucds_seattle

UCDS is proud to announce that we are once again j

UCDS is proud to announce that we are once again joining area independent schools in bringing the Equity and Inclusion Virtual Speaker Series to our community. The series offers our communities and beyond the opportunity to connect, learn, and engage in topics around equity, inclusion, and antiracist education and action. The purpose is to raise awareness, challenge ourselves, deepen understanding, and empower our communities to advance their efforts to actively recreate systems into equitable, inclusive, and antiracist institutions.

SAVE THE DATE for the first speaker: Thursday, Oct. 14th, 6-7pm—author and speaker Gyasi Ross will talk about "Indigenous People, Race, and Education."

You can RSVP for one or all Speaker Series Zoom Webinars at the LINK IN OUR BIO. We hope you are able to attend!
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@bigindiangyasi
#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #diversity #inclusion #equity #dei #blmseattle #abar #antiracism #antiracisteducation #antibias #antibiaseducation #diversityintheclassroom #blacklivesmatter #education #representationmatters #inclusionmatters #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

During the first days of school, our 3-4 students

During the first days of school, our 3-4 students worked in teams to imagine and SHAPE the school of their dreams! From full-scale carnival rides to petting zoos and everything in between, this multi-day project got students' creative juices flowing, excitement and energy ignited, and groupwork skills engaged. Importantly, it also sparked many new connections and friendships throughout the level. Plus, who doesn't love a chance to imagine a world with #vendingmachines and #arcades in every classroom!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #ifIbuiltaschool #projectbasedlearning #elemschool #thirdgrade #fourthgrade #ClassroomDesign #LearnerExperience #Makerspace #SchoolCulture #StudentCentered #StudentChoice #StudentEngagement #StudentLed #StudentVoice #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #PNWkids #PNWfamilies #PNWfamily #PNWgrown #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

To all who will observe Yom Kippur at sundown, ble

To all who will observe Yom Kippur at sundown, blessings to you and your family on this High Holy Day. May you all be sealed in goodness and love.
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #yomkippur #highholydays #jewishinseattle #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

Specialists started meeting with classes today, an

Specialists started meeting with classes today, and they came ready with SHAPE-activities aplenty! They're excited to meet with everyone over the course of each school week.

🎵 In Music, 3-4 students interpreted "Shape Scores" by using various instruments to play notes and rhythms represented by squares, triangles, rectangles, and circles.

🔬 During Science, 5s students used the shape and texture of hidden objects to collect and extrapolate data.

📎 EE students worked with Ben in Design & Tech to figure out how to change the shape of a piece of paper to make it travel.

👟 3-4 students worked in teams during P.E. to turn a straight rope into shapes like hexagons, triangles, and more. One challenge: anytime they needed to connect and disconnect their rope, they each could only use one hand!

🔴 In Spanish, 1-2 students started with a name game with Martha and Cinthya and played a shape-guessing game based on hearing the description in Español.

📚 In Library, EE students took a tour of the library and listened to a few books, including one about shapes.

🎨 During Art, 3-4 students played a shape game in which they felt an object inside of a bag and drew a detailed drawing of its shape in their new sketchbooks.
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #shape #theme #musiceducation #scienceeducation #designandtechnology #makerspace #PE #physicaleducation #espanol #spanisheducation #library #arteducation #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

We love reading, and it shows! Here are some shots

We love reading, and it shows! Here are some shots around school of some independent reading selections. 1-2 students went “shopping” for some “just-right” books and interest books, 3-4-5 students settled into some new titles, and our EE students have started Rest & Read during which they practice reading and telling stories using words and pictures.
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #reading #school #books #kidlit #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

It’s been a wonderful first day of school! New f

It’s been a wonderful first day of school! New friendships, new routines, and new activities, all packed into an exhilarating six and a half hours! We can’t wait to do it again tomorrow!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #backtoschool #firstdayofschool #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

The first day of school is hours away, and we’d

The first day of school is hours away, and we’d love to see your back-to-school photos! Please tag us 📸 @ucds_seattle and #ucdsbacktoschool
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #backtoschool #firstdayofschool #firstdayofschoolpic #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

Who doesn’t love a good #beforeandafter transfor

Who doesn’t love a good #beforeandafter transformation? Setting up a classroom takes a lot of time, energy, and thoughtful considerations, which you can see in these photos from two weeks ago and from today. We can’t wait to share these spaces with everyone today at our New Family Orientations and Returning Student Pop-In Visits!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #transformation #school #classroomsetup #classroomdecor #beforeafter #backtoschool #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

Shana Tova to all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah! On

Shana Tova to all who celebrate Rosh Hashanah! On this New Year, we wish you good health, happiness, peace, and prosperity.
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #roshhashanah #shanatova #jewishnewyear #jewishinseattle #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

Faculty and staff gathered this week for their tea

Faculty and staff gathered this week for their team photos, though you’ll have to imagine all our smiling faces under the masks! Did we smile with our eyes 😁 enough to make it obvious? We just can’t wait to see everyone next week after Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #backtoschool #readyforschool #inpersonlearning #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

As you walk around school this year, we hope you n

As you walk around school this year, we hope you notice the care and attention that our Art Specialist, Jessica, put into this year's ink-printed name plates that highlight the ways 2D shapes can be arranged to look three dimensional. Each year, Jessica handcrafts new theme-inspired art that hangs outside each classroom and office to help people find their way around the school. Thank you, Jessica!
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#ucdseattle #ucdsalum #littletouches #2D #3D #shape #seattle #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

Places and spaces around school are really “shap

Places and spaces around school are really “shaping” up! Everyone’s working on ways to weave our theme of SHAPE into the environment. These visual displays serve as reminders, provocations, and connections of all the ways our theme permeates life and learning.
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #curriculum #theme #education #learning #emergentcurriculum #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #seattleschool

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