# Seattle Country Day School

Seattle Country Day School (SCDS) is a private/independent kindergarten–grade 8 school in Seattle, Washington. Created for gifted children, the school was founded in 1962 by a small group of parents dedicated to seeking a unique educational program for their children. In 1964 the school was officially incorporated as Seattle Country Day School under the directorship of Lucile G. Beckman. SCDS's curriculum is inquiry-based and integrates social emotional learning components into the core curriculum and advisory blocks. The school's campus is on the north side of the Queen Anne Hill neighborhood, near the Washington State Route 99 Aurora Bridge.

## Mission statement

Inspiring gifted children to reach their potential through inquiry, curiosity, and wonder.

## Membership and Accreditation

Seattle Country Day School is a member of the following organizations:
* National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
* Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS)
* Educational Records Bureau (ERB)
* Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted (WAETAG)
* Washington Federation of Independent Schools (WFIS)
* Washington Green Schools

## History

Originally housed in St. Elizabeth's church basement in Burien and conceived as an educational alternative during the Sputnik era of the late 1950s, SCDS developed through two interim organizations, Adastra ("to the stars") and Phoenix ("rising from the ashes"), before becoming incorporated as Seattle Country Day School in 1964. For over 20 years, the leadership of its founding director, Lucile Beckman, guided the school. Following Heads of School include: Dr. Jayasri Ghosh 1986-2001, Chris Massi 2001-2003, Michael Murphy 2004–2018, and Kimberly Zaidberg 2018–present. In 1972, the school moved from its founding location to the old Forest Ridge Academy on north Capitol Hill, followed by a second move in 1974 to the Temple De Hirsch school building at 15th and Madison. In 1975 the present facilities on Queen Anne Hill were purchased.

## Academics

Seattle Country Day School's 356 students span kindergarten through eighth grade. Of the 64 faculty and administrative members, 10 have served the school for 20 years or more. All Seattle Country Day School students study a core of subjects, including reading and writing, math, science, art, music, technology, and Spanish. Class sizes are 16 students on average. With an inquiry-based approach as a foundation, teachers draw ideas from varied sources, including texts, current research in their field, popular art and media, and more.

## Athletics

Athletics are an integral part of the SCDS school program, with the purpose of providing educational experiences beyond the classroom curriculum. During the winter all student participate in Winterim, a 30-year tradition that spans six consecutive Fridays in January and February where students, faculty, and often parents hit the slopes or the ice rink. Students engage in Nordic instruction at Snoqualmie Pass, alpine skiing at Crystal Mountain, and a hybrid skating and service learning program in Seattle.
The Seattle Country Day School Athletic Department offers a variety of after-school athletic opportunities throughout the school year. Soccer, cross country, tennis and basketball take place in the fall while volleyball, track & field and Ultimate take place in the spring. Students in grades K-5 participate in the Catholic Youth Organization CYO. Middle School students compete in the Cascade Middle School League (CMSL), and Disc NW Youth Ultimate League.

## Extracurricular Activities

Seattle Country Day School students participate in a variety of after school and extracurricular activities including: chess club, computer programming, Destination Imagination, sewing, yoga, and drama. Of note, SCDS students were 2014 National K-3 U800 Chess Champions. Other notable mentions include a first-place team finish in the 2014 PAC-NW Debate League, and a 3rd place student individual finish at the U.S.A. Archery Indoor National Championships in 2014.

## Notable alumni

* Sally Jewell '66, 51st United States Secretary of the Interior
* Alexis Denisof '79, Actor
* Ben Collins '83, professional triathlete
* Rudy Gadre '83, venture capitalist and early employee of Amazon.com (VP, legal) and Facebook (general counsel)
* Ethan Sandler '86, producer, actor, writer
* K. Thor Jensen '90, artist, writer, cartoonist
* Lauren Selig '90, producer
* Lindsay Meyer '03, Olympic rower
* Ben Kadie '09, filmmaker
* Nathan Cummings '10, National Student Poet
* Corbin Carroll '15, Major League Baseball player for the Arizona Diamondbacks