Seattle Country Day School

Last night, 44 lovely young people graduated from Seattle Country Day School with just the right amount of pomp, circumstance, and puns. Their classmate Garrett B. recalled memorable moments in the class’s history; there were several fantastic student performances; and faculty speaker Chase F. reminded graduates and audience members alike that collaboration and integrity can change the world. Class of 2026, we’re very proud of you. And with that, SCDS wishes all our readers a great summer…we’ll see you in September!

In Ms. A-Squared’s after-school Destination Imagination class at SCDS this year, students in grades 3–5 broke into three teams: Unforgettable took on a science challenge and presentation on neuroscience and memory; Creative 6 took on a fine arts/theatrical challenge with a supervillain and a hero; and Team Absent took on a theatre improv challenge involving opposition and resolution. All the teams placed well in the regionals in Bremerton; Team Absent eventually made it all the way to the globals, held in Kansas City, Missouri, where they garnered 22nd place this May. Congratulations to all the participants…and to their excellent teacher and coach, Ms. A-Squared!

Go, ultimate-loving Wildcats! Eighth-graders Petra F., Alex L., Mari S., and Vera S. have been invited to compete in the 2026 U.S. Open Youth Club Championships (Youth Club U-17), organized by USA Ultimate and taking place in Colorado this August. SCDS is rooting for you!

Memorization, rehearsals, prop-making: It all came to fruition last week as SCDS’s third grade put on productions of “Finding Nemo KIDS.” One of the greatest things about our annual third-grade musical is that every student takes part in the creation of the show; in fact, each third-grade homeroom had its own day to perform it. Many congratulations to all our excellent third-graders, and the many teachers, staff members, and parents who helped them bring the show to fruition!

Let’s tip our hats to the SCDS Parent & Guardian Council for putting on another great carnival on Saturday! There were classic bounce-type activities, plus a ring toss, Skee-Ball, karaoke, ice cream, and even a magician. It was a grand afternoon, thanks to some awesome volunteers. Thanks so much, PGC! And thanks to our facilities and IT teams, too!

Yesterday, SCDS held the Intermediate School Tech Expo, an opportunity for students to display their work from their technology and maker classes. We also had two very special speakers on hand who helped us explore community and connection, including alumnus Avi F. ’24. Avi spoke on one of his projects: using his programming skills to benefit medical students learning to treat cervical cancer via brachytherapy (a type of targeted radiation treatment). SCDS was also pleased to welcome Jake G., the chief development officer at Mary’s Place, in attendance to accept a very special in-kind donation: footwear. Tech faculty Preston H. offers an elective to middle-schoolers called “Custom Sneaker Design,” and his students decided to give their stylish, hand-painted work (each pair representing a cause or a nonprofit the students admired) to our neighbors at Mary’s Place. Very nicely done, everyone. (Pictured: Preston, Avi, and Jake).

“The cool thing about science is that you can always find new things and explore.” So says fifth-grader Nathan J., who participated in the elementary division of the U.S. National Science Bee, held in Orlando, Florida, in May. Nathan advanced to the semifinals, tying for the highest semifinal score among Washington state participants, and he received a gold medal in the grades 5/6 national biology exam. How does a young person get to the national level of the science bee? Well, first they take a qualifying exam. Then, if they pass that hurdle, they move on to the regionals, a buzzer-based competition. And then, if they do well at the regionals, they attend the national championships. Nathan says that the national level IS difficult, but that his science class at SCDS stood him in good stead. “One of the biggest things I learned was geology…because before that, I didn’t know anything about geology. And so were the biology classes about the heart and the digestive system,” Nathan says. His parents, Chenda J. and Yanfei G., can corroborate. “Nathan loves to share what he learned from Mr. J’s class every week, and those classes really helped him in this competition,” says Chenda. Nathan, SCDS is so proud of your accomplishments! Photo courtesy of the family.

The kindergarteners in Profe Erick’s Spanish class at SCDS were reviewing when to say “el” or “la,” the Spanish words for “the.” The context? Fruit. Take, for instance, fruits that end in an “a,” like manzana and pera (apple and pear). “Do we say ‘el’ or do we say ‘la’?” asked Profe Erick. “La!,” chorused the kindergarteners. Then, after practicing fruit pronunciation, the students had the jolliest of times singing along with an animated video about…you guessed it…fruit! (It was a great way to solidify language learning AND remind students of the benefits of eating healthy food.)

Today, we offer a delightfully birdy message and two photos from SCDS science teacher Christian H. “A few days ago, the Middle School Ornithology Club took a quick bird walk to David Rodgers Park, where we found a roosting barred owl! For many students, this was a ‘life bird’ and the first owl they had seen. High-fives for all! The owl kept sleeping as we shared good looks at it through a shared pair of binoculars. We also saw robins and hummingbirds, and we heard a Wilson’s warbler. Bird on!”

Welcome home to our fourth-graders, who just visited Camp Burton on Vashon Island for their traditional class trip. Were there cabins to stay in? Yes. Did SCDS students go hiking and practice their archery skills? Absolutely. And did they have a great time bonding over games and collaborative exercises? Indeed, they did! Photo: SCDS faculty.