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 18

Infant-Toddler 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

Six Highlights of an Innovative School • Being Brave

Design-led Learning, Education Hub

Six Highlights of an Innovative School • Being Brave

UCDS is having a birthday! As we celebrate our 110th year, we are rolling back the clock and re-sharing six highlights of an innovative school: Culture of Inquiry, Sticky Curriculum,…

Six Highlights of an Innovative School • Coaching Independence

Design-led Learning, Education Hub

Six Highlights of an Innovative School • Coaching Independence

UCDS is having a birthday! As we celebrate our 110th year, we are rolling back the clock and re-sharing six highlights of an innovative school: Culture of Inquiry, Sticky Curriculum,…

Design-led Learning, Education Hub

Six Highlights of an Innovative School • Mentorship Through Collaboration

Design-led Learning, Education Hub

Six Highlights of an Innovative School • Authentic Assessment

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Last night, we hosted the 8th-grade reunion for th

Last night, we hosted the 8th-grade reunion for the UCDS Class of 2020. It's the first time this group has gotten together since June of 2020 when we had what we have lovingly dubbed "The Drive-In Moving On Ceremony" on account of the pandemic. This cohort's time in middle school has been different than probably any of us experienced, first beginning remotely and then over the course of two+ years, adjusting to where we are now. During the reflection portion of the evening, all of our alums had an opportunity to share about parts of their UCDS experiences and how they've carried that into their lives now. From the resiliency and grit that came from navigating so many unknowns during their final spring at UCDS to diving deep into math, science, the arts, and more in their current schools because of their foundations here, it was so fun and rewarding as teachers and parents to hear and see these remarkable individuals.

We love bringing together our alum community, which we do several times after each class moves on from UCDS. They return in the fall of their 6th-grade year to share with our 5th-graders what they've learned so far about middle school, and they reunite again in 8th grade and 12th grade. Most years, we also host a college-age-and-up reunion, and we hope to bring back our all-alum summer BBQ next year as well! We feel fortunate that we can stay connected with all the students and families we grow to know so well.
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #reunion #familiesofcolorseattle #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool #alum #community

Join us tomorrow for "Zoom to India" Tuesday, Dece

Join us tomorrow for "Zoom to India"
Tuesday, December 7th from 9:00-9:30am
(Zoom link available in the family portal)

Join the UCDS Institute for a conversation with Ascend International School (AIS) about how our years of collaboration have supported both schools to grow, innovate, and DIG into education across the globe. Located in Mumbai, India, AIS employs familiar aspects of UCDS from Math Vitamin to a yearly Theme, in conjunction with the rigor of International Baccalaureate standards and distinctly Indian culture. We hope to see you there!
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@ascendspeaks
#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #AlwaysAscending #mumbai
#nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids
#northseattle #seattle #familiesofcolorseattle
#seattledad #seattlemom #seattleparents
#seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids
#seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

Last week, this awesome group of colleagues attend

Last week, this awesome group of colleagues attended the 2022 @naisnetwork People of Color Conference (PoCC) in San Antonio. We can't wait to catch up with them this week! Left to right: Patrick, Tia, Nelly, and Cinthya (plus Megumi, who we sadly missed in this photo op)

From NAIS: "PoCC is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools’ commitment to equity and justice in teaching, learning, and sustainability for independent schools. It provides space for people of color in independent schools to connect, commune, and build new skills and capacities that support and advance their work. This year’s theme—Reunited in Purpose: Elevating Our Worth, Our Agency, and Our Excellence—calls people of color together after the pandemic’s two-year disruption to connect with one another and the source of our highest personal and professional attributes and aspirations."
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #naispocc #bipoc #educators #diversity #equity #inclusion #familiesofcolorseattle #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool

We are very excited to meet new folks at the Indep

We are very excited to meet new folks at the Independent School Fair for Families of Color! This event is on Wed., Dec. 14th from 5:30-7pm at the Filipino Community Center of Seattle and is organized by Puget Sound Independent School, a collaboration of over 40 schools in the region. Families will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from many independent schools to explore school options—their programs, admission processes, tuition assistance, and more! Are you or someone you know interested in learning more about UCDS and other independent schools? We'd love to see you there!
Please share this with anyone you think might be interested in attending! Thank you!
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@filipinocommunityofseattle
@familiesofcolorseattle
@ayaedcoop
@pugetsoundindependentschools
#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #HispanicHeritageMonth #latinxheritagemonth #diversity #inclusion #equity #dei #abar #antiracism #antiracisteducatiom #blackmoms #antibias #antibiaseducation #diversityintheclassroom #education #representationmatters #inclusionmatters #familiesofcolorseattle #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #northseattle #seattle #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleindependentschool

We have so many amazing after-school clubs here at

We have so many amazing after-school clubs here at UCDS, including Calligraphy Workshop with Diane Chickadel, which just wrapped up yesterday. Over the course of their fall sessions, these 1st-5th graders learned and practiced so many new writing techniques and styles. Diane wove calligraphy-stroke mastery into letter and numeral formation with lots of artistic flourish along the way! We look forward to the next round of clubs starting up in January!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #ucdsinstitute #calligraphy #penmanship #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #familiesofcolorseattle #seattledad #seattlemom #seattleparents #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

Hi, UCDS Community! Do you know any educators who

Hi, UCDS Community! Do you know any educators who are looking to change their future? Invite them to come learn with us! The @ucds.institute College for School Culture M.Ed. program can help educators achieve their goals—we invite you to watch and share this informational video about our program to learn more. Our graduate students form a cohort of engaged educators who work to understand how school culture impacts student success and graduate ready to activate positive change in education.

Please share and learn more at the link in bio at @ucds.institute. There, explore what makes our graduate program unique, sign up for our mailing list, and follow the link to RSVP for an upcoming virtual information session. We hope to meet you soon!

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#ucdsinstitute #ucdsseattle #education #mastersdegree #masters #gradschool #teaching #teachereducation #seattle #seattleteachers #graduateschool #graduateschoollife #gradstudent #gradlife #academiclife #graduatestudent #nationaleducationassociation #nais #nwais #psis #centralwashingtonuniversity #easternwashingtonuniversity #WWU #seattlepacificuniversity #evergreenstatecollege #piercecollege #seattleuniversity #universityofwashington #seattlecolleges #bellevuecollege

Think your eyes are playing tricks on you as you w

Think your eyes are playing tricks on you as you walk down the first-floor hallway? Nope! It's our 1-2s' amazing self-portraits and identity collages put together in a lenticular form that changes view depending on your perspective. One side is a thoughtfully created watercolor self-portrait; the other side is a collage of visual representations of each student's identity. Aren't they stunning? If you haven't had a chance to see them hanging up in the Tower, make sure to swing by soon!

This project highlights our commitment to social-justice values of identity, justice, diversity, and action. By creating a two-part visual representation of themselves—a self-portrait and an identity collage—it is helping students develop an understanding of their own identity and to recognize and appreciate how others are the same as and different from them. To create the collage portion of this project, students worked over many sessions to think about different aspects of their identity. Teachers used the metaphor of the "Tree of You" in which the roots represent the parts of one's identity connected to family and history, the trunk represents parts that people don't always see like values and beliefs, and the leaves represent parts of one's identity that can change over time like interests, passions, and hobbies. So many great conversations and connections happened along the way, from a shared love of puppies, roller coasters, and sushi to a new interest in researching ancestral national flags, and too much more to list here!

The cold temps at recess today didn’t stop us fr

The cold temps at recess today didn’t stop us from having a good time reconnecting with friends after Fall Break! Thanks for sending all those layers—who knows what tomorrow will bring?! Dare we say ❄️?
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #ucdsinstitute #snow #seattlesnow #recess #play #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #familiesofcolorseattle #seattledad #seattlemom #seattleparents #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! We hope y

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate! We hope you take time today to give thanks for everything you are grateful for and embrace those near and far who enrich your life!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #happythanksgiving2022 #seattlethanksgiving #thanksgiving #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #familiesofcolorseattle #seattledad #seattlemom #seattleparents #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

Our 2022 Stone Soup celebration was full of friend

Our 2022 Stone Soup celebration was full of friendship, traditions, and lots of good food! As you and your family set off on Fall Break, we wish the same for you all—see you back at school the week after next!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #tradition #stonesoup #community #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #familiesofcolorseattle #seattledad #seattlemom #seattleparents #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

Stone Soup is less than 24 hours away, and everyon

Stone Soup is less than 24 hours away, and everyone at school has been busy, busy, busy getting ready for our big community celebration! Here's an inside look at our preparations this week, grouped by activity. Scroll through the videos for a look at:

COOKING
1 - Making cookies in the EE
2 - Shaking some homemade butter in the 1-2s
3 - Following a yeast-dough recipe in the 1-2s
4 - Celebrating the Soup Stone in the 3-4s
5 - Assembling fruit kabobs in the 5s

PLACEMATS FOR BUDDIES
6 & 7 - Pattern placemats in the EE
8 - Oil pastel placemats in the 3-4s

STONE SOUP SONG
9 - 3-4s rehearsing in Music with Skúli

STONE SOUP PLAY
10 - 5s' wishes for the community

We're looking forward to tomorrow!
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#ucdsseattle #ucdsalum #tradition #stonesoup #community #nwais #psis #parentmap #peps #pnwfamily #pnwkids #northseattle #seattle #familiesofcolorseattle #seattledad #seattlemom #seattleparents #seattlepreschool #seattlefamily #seattlekids #seattleschool #seattleindependentschool

We're overjoyed to bring back the full experience

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Chinese (Simplified)

Chinese (Traditional)

Kurdish (Kurmanji)

Myanmar (Burmese)

Scottish Gaelic