Head of School Welcome

Dear Visitors,

Welcome to Seattle Country Day School (SCDS). Our K–8 program exists to serve the learning and emotional needs of gifted children in Seattle and its surrounding communities. Since 1964, we have guided and challenged students whose needs are not always met in the traditional classroom environment.

Our inquiry-based instructional program encourages creative problem-solving, requires the application of knowledge, and facilitates the generation of new ideas. Applying skills, intellect, and ideas in new and advanced ways differentiates us from most schools, where highly capable students are often given more or advanced assignments in an effort to address their learning needs. Our talented and highly knowledgeable faculty believe in depth over breadth, prioritize project-based learning, and provide our students with the time, tools, and attention they need to explore ideas, make mistakes, and try again. We feed our students’ curiosity, nurture their sense of wonder, and help them to develop the habits of mind necessary for academic and personal success.

We also understand how important it is to attend to students’ emotional needs as they grow from kindergarten into high school. SCDS fosters students’ sense of curiosity through a rigorous academic program and through the Synapse curriculum, which focuses on belonging, inclusion, and understanding the self. Synapse allows our students to learn about and relate to each other and to explore and appreciate cultures and ideas different from their own.

Warm and rigorous, focused on inquiry and the whole child: That is Seattle Country Day School. Graduates of our program are welcome additions to high-school communities, not only because of their extraordinary intellect and academic preparation, but because of their strength of character and variety of interests. Upon graduation, they are well-prepared for the next part of their journey at whichever high school they choose.

If you are the parent of a gifted child, or believe your child might be gifted, I encourage you to contact us. We would be happy to explore if SCDS would be a good school for your family.

Sincerely,

Kimberly A. Zaidberg
Head of School