About Us

Giddens School is a preschool-grade 5 progressive education community. Giddens celebrates a long history as a school rooted in joyful, engaged learning and an unbroken commitment to social and emotional development and justice.

At Giddens, children engage in academics and learning from a place of curiosity, compassion, and imagination, Since 1972, Giddens has fostered young people who are secure in themselves, value difference and embrace diversity, think critically about the world around them, and possess both the knowledge and passion to work for progress.

Our Mission

Through joy and discovery, Giddens School nurtures and develops academically and emotionally confident children who advocate for themselves and others.

Vision

Giddens School, grounded in equity and justice, inspires children to actively engage in bettering their world.

Values

The following Values support our Mission and Vision:

Student Centered

Giddens students are the center of a dynamic and engaging inquiry and experiential learning environment where their ideas, interests, voice, creativity, sense of wonder, experiences and identities are honored and nurtured.

History

Huda Giddens, a young mother and educator, founded the school in 1972 as a half-day preschool. She named it The Happy Medium School in an effort to capture the spirit of the unique combination of educational philosophies and environment dedicated to educating the whole child. The original site for the school was in Seattle ’s University District neighborhood.

1970's

1972 Huda Giddens founded The Happy Medium School, a half-day preschool sited near Laurelhurst, so named to capture the spirit of a unique combination of educational philosophies dedicated to educating the whole child.

1975 Happy Medium sponsored its first annual Arts Festival, starting a tradition of celebrating community and the arts at the school.

1976 A scholarship fund was started to broaden the socio-economic basis of the school.

Late 1970s Home visits were established, with teachers visiting each child’s home prior to the start of the school year in order to become acquainted with the child and family.

1980's

1982 The Happy Medium School relocated to 20^th and Spruce Street in the heart of the Central District, to offer access to a more diverse community and socio-economic environment and to accommodate newly-added kindergarten classes.

Early 1980s Happy Medium grew from a part-time preschool to a full time preschool, gradually building a primary program.

1984-85 Huda Giddens stepped down as founding director and Susan Kerr became the second Director of The Happy Medium School.

1985 The first annual Auction was held as a fundraiser to provide financial aid for families.

Late 1980s An extended-day program was added to make attendance at Happy Medium possible for many working families. A focus on creating a welcoming, supportive school climate encouraged a significant population of single parent, adoptive, and gay and lesbian families.

1990's

Early 1990s The Happy Medium School served more than 120 children in grades preschool – 3^rd. Increased enrollment necessitated the primary program moving to a building shared with other schools and social service agencies.

1994 The first annual Harvest Festival brought families together to share food and dance to the band, Bakra Bata.

1995 The school moved to the Central District at 20^th Avenue South and South Lane Street.

Mid 1990s All-School Sing led by Kent Stevenson began on Wednesday mornings, now a well-established community tradition.

1997 The Southern Poverty Law Center recognized The Happy Medium School as a model of multicultural education for its anti-bias curriculum, featuring the school in its “Starting Small” video and book, published as a training tool for early-grades educators through the Center’s Teaching Tolerance program.

1997-98 Susan Kerr stepped down as Head of School; Patty Cogan became Interim Head for four months while the Board conducted a search.

1998 David Katz was named Head of School.

2000's

2000-03 The Summer Program expanded to include specialty camps and access for families outside the school community. Music Festivals were held in which local musicians offered an array of classes to the school community. The Parent/Staff Alliance, begun in 1998, changed its name to the Family/Staff Alliance to more accurately represent the school’s inclusiveness.

2004 On February 9, the school received Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools (PNAIS) accreditation.

2004-05 The Board initiated a school-wide process to select a new name for the school. Suggestions were solicited, discussed and voted on within the school community. A consulting firm facilitated the final selection, Giddens School, honoring founding director Huda Giddens. The first annual Alumni Reunion was held.

2005-06 Giddens School became the official name of the school at the start of the school year. Joan Beauregard was hired as Acting Head of School for a year as David Katz took a sabbatical to travel with his family in Mexico.

2006-07 Following David’s decision not to return as Head of School, the Board asked Joan to stay on for the school year while they conducted a search for a permanent Head of School. The teaching faculty completed a Scope and Sequence for assessing students’ academic development. Enrollment of 200 students was achieved for the first time in the school’s history.

2007-08 The Board invited Joan to continue as Interim Head of School for another year while they continued the Head search, a position she remains in through June 30, 2008. In March, following a two-year national search, Alvin Gilmore, Jr. was appointed the next Head of Giddens School, effective July 1, 2008.

2010's

2010 After serving as interim Head of School for one year, Robert Kogane was named Head of School.

2014 A formalized Diversity Statement was created and approved.

2015 A major remodel of the library, art room, front hallway, and administrative offices bring expanded and fresh spaces for our staff and students.

2015 After a national search, Dr. Morva McDonald was unanimously selected to become Head of School.

2016 The Strategic Planning Committee is convened by the Board of Trustees to establish a long-range plan for Giddens School.

2018 A groundbreaking ceremony was held to celebrate our new campus on Beacon Hill.

2019 Following the mandate from the Strategic Plan, the Board of Trustees adopted an updated mission statement.

2019 On December 5, 2019, Giddens School held a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and began school in our forever home, located in North Beacon Hill.

2020's

2022 The Board of Trustees adopted a strategic plan, A "Beacon" of Excellence to guide the school for the next five years

2022 After seven years of leadership at Giddens, Dr. Morva McDonald resigned as Head of School to take a role at NAIS.

2022 Sue Maul joined Giddens in November 2022 and served as Interim Head of School during the Head of School Search process.

2023 Dr. Keith B. Wheeler II was announced as the incoming Head of School and began his tenure on July 1, 2023.

2024 After serving as Assistant Head of School for two years, Elizabeth Heard Hodgson was appointed permanent Head in July, 2024. Elizabeth launched her tenure by recommitting the school to a culture of care, collaboration, and community.

Whole Child

At Giddens we celebrate each child’s uniqueness. We attend to the whole child, focusing on intellectual growth as well as on social and emotional development, building healthy learning environments where children feel engaged, safe, and supported. We create teaching and learning spaces that inspire the joy of discovery and help students to appreciate their individual character and strengths as well as to be open to others’ ideas, perspectives, and unique approaches.

Active and Engaged Community

Our community is one of our greatest strengths. It is not simply a collection of families; it’s everyone – students, faculty, staff, families, and other community partners – working, playing, and learning together and from each other. Our community is a focal point of cultural and civic engagement and celebration where we also tend to the work of relationship building, dialogue, and understanding. It is the collective work and effort of everyone.

Equity and Access

Equity and access are core values, policies, and practices that guide our social justice work at Giddens. We have a strong commitment to creating a more inclusive and socio-economically diverse school community, which is reflected in the admissions and financial aid policies. Working towards a more accepting and just community is also a key part of our school’s mission and identity. This work is reflected in our everyday practices – in our curriculum, in our professional development, in how we treat one another, and in our community engagement – which help our students to care about the world and be the seeds of change

Diversity and Inclusion

Our diversity is an integral part of our curriculum and everyday experience at Giddens. We embrace diversity – such as racial, ethnic, gender identification, sexual orientation, religious, and socio-economic diversity – and continue to work towards creating a school that is reflective of the culturally rich and vibrant communities in which our school is located. We believe that the best learning happens in a diverse, inclusive, and caring school environment which provides ample opportunities for students to take risks, build understanding across boundaries, and be more open and caring members of the school, community, and our multicultural society.

Equity and Inclusion

Diversity is integral to the Giddens School's educational mission. Ideally, in the course of learning, our students will benefit from their exposure to different people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas and have a powerful, positive impact on social justice in our community.

Our philosophy around diversity has its roots in social justice. At Giddens, we affirm the importance of providing equitable and needed opportunities to all groups, including our greater community, to learn and be successful. We acknowledge that the educational opportunities of particular groups and individuals have been limited and too often denied. This has resulted in the loss of human potential and talent and, as a result, contributes to social injustice and economic inequality. At Giddens, we consistently work to recognize and eliminate these inequities to achieve our mission and contribute to a broader goal of equity.

We have a commitment to the personal, academic, and social development of the faculty, staff, and students. We extend this commitment to the larger community where we live and serve. Educational policies and practices that provide all individuals with access to quality education are indispensable for the achievement of social and economic justice.

Commitment to this philosophy of diversity and social justice requires acceptance and acknowledgment that issues touch each of us in a different manner. Excellence can only be achieved by honoring individuality while simultaneously working collaboratively to achieve our school's mission.

Giddens feels like a vibrant and dynamic learning environment that prioritizes a community of care and celebrates diversity.

Equity & Inclusion at Gidden

Diversity is central to how our students learn and grow. See how we foster belonging, celebrate difference, and pursue justice as part of everyday learning.
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