Living in a diverse world presents challenges and joys for our children. We believe it is our responsibility to foster an equitable and safe environment, which promotes belonging and appreciation of ourselves as well as others. Our school is a community that strives to lead by example in respecting and affirming the unique combination of identities and qualities of each person. We actively seek students, families, faculty, and staff from a wide spectrum of backgrounds.
UCDS believes that the different experiences of the intersection of our identities and perspectives can stimulate growth and new possibilities when encouraged through courageous conversations to challenge assumptions and foster greater understanding within ourselves and others. We value what each of us contributes to the whole and envision our school as a mosaic that reflects the broader community.
60%
STUDENTS OF COLOR
65%
INCOMING STUDENTS OF COLOR
51%
OF STUDENTS ARE MULTILINGUAL
51%
OF INCOMING STUDENTS ARE MULTILINGUAL
Equity & Inclusion Virtual Speaker Series
UCDS is a member of POCIS Northwest, an organization that funds and organizes the Equity & Inclusion Virtual Speakers Series. This series is a free-and-open public initiative created to foster dialogue, education, and action around important issues such as diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-bias, and antiracism.
For Our Students
Social Justice Standards
To help guide our planning and collaboration our teaching teams work closely with our DEIB Department. As we develop curriculum we utilize Learning for Justice’s Social Justice Standards, to ensure that students have learning opportunities within all four domains: identity, diversity, justice, and action. Click the arrow below to view the Social Justice Standards.
Curriculum
Our teaching teams create curriculum centered around specific Social Justice Standards. Throughout the year, teachers take opportunities from our annual theme, holidays, and field trips to offer learning experiences that are meaningful and developmentally relevant for students. Click the arrow below to view a curricular example for each of the four domains.
For Our Families
As students deepen their understanding of themselves and others, we recognize and celebrate the vital role their families play in this journey. By bringing together faculty, staff, parents, and guardians for shared learning opportunities, we believe we can better support our students in developing their sense of self and others, as well as fostering their commitment to justice.
Throughout the year, we offer formal learning opportunities for families—including workshops featuring UCDS curriculum on cultural appropriation and appreciation, author talks, and sessions led by speakers from the greater community through our membership with Pollyanna and POCIS NW. Each year, we host multiple Families of Color Socials, inviting families to come together, share experiences, and build connections.
Building on this spirit of community, our parent and guardian affinity and alliance group program—facilitated by families for families in partnership with the DEIB department—offers additional opportunities for connection, uplifting underrepresented voices, sharing valuable resources, and organizing community-wide celebrations, such as crafts to celebrate Children’s Day, with more to come.
For Our Faculty & Staff
Professional Development
At UCDS, we strive to create an environment of continued education for all. This value holds particularly true in terms of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging work. We believe that to do this work well, we need to reflect on our own identities and also create opportunities to learn about current best anti-bias practices to support students and families. New employees engage in year-long DEIB Cohorts where they engage in reflection and conversation about aspects of identity guided by Liza Talusan’s Identity Conscious Educator. Our entire faculty and staff also engage in professional development facilitated both internally and externally on a wide range of topics. Additionally, faculty and staff have the opportunity to attend professional development opportunities such as:
- POCIS NW’s BIPOC Voices
- Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference
- Seattle Girls’ School’s Cultural Competency Lab for Teachers
Affinity Groups
UCDS faculty and staff affinity groups create spaces for people to be in community with others who share an aspect of their identity. The purpose of these voluntary groups is to further a sense of belonging amongst all UCDS employees. Regardless of where one is in their journey of identity development, affinity groups foster a crucial place where folks can come together to celebrate their common identities and express any challenges they are facing. See below for information about each of our affinity groups.
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People of Color (POC) Affinity Group
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This affinity group is for faculty and staff who identify as a Person of Color. Meetings for this group will be socially focused and offer opportunities for connection, conversation, and community. While the primary focus of this group is social, the hope is that the relationships built in this group can offer support and processing when needed.
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LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group
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This affinity group is for faculty and staff who identify as LGBTQIA+. Meetings for this group will be socially focused and offer a variety of opportunities for connection, conversation, and community. While the primary focus of this group is social, the hope is that relationships in this group will offer support and processing when needed.
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White Anti-Racist Educators (WARE) Affinity Group
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WARE is an affinity group for faculty and staff who identify as white. The group’s mission is grounded in the work of Ali Michael and Mary C Conger who describe the goal of the group as: “to examine what it means to be white, to critically reflect on themselves and their actions and to work to identify and confront racism in schools”. Although this group is for faculty and staff who identify as white, they will aim to work in solidarity with, and accountability to, People of Color in creating anti-racist communities.
As a member of POCIS Northwest, UCDS is part of a regional network of independent schools dedicated to connecting, empowering, and strengthening BIPOC members. Through this partnership, we foster opportunities for education, growth, engagement, and belonging that strengthen our school community.
Through its Pollyanna Circle Membership, UCDS joins a national network of schools committed to Building Stronger and Kinder Communities. Together, we foster a school community where kindness, connection, belonging, and continuous learning are part of everyday life.