Giddens School

Late this fall I had the privilege of attending Grandparents and Special Friends Day at Giddens School. I live out of state and my trips to Seattle are primarily to stay with my grandson during school breaks. I knew the basic goals and method of teaching through my daughter and son-in-law. It was at this special visit this fall that I began to fully appreciate the teachers and staff at Giddens School. The principal spoke to us explaining the methods used to guide our children and prepare them for their future. We also spent time in the classroom with our special child and his teacher. Then our time in the classroom was enhanced by a visit from Huda Giddens, the founder of the school. She spoke of her inspiration that helped her to start a school of her own. Even though she is no longer at the school full time, she is there every week observing. The children all know her. I spoke with Ms. Giddens at length after the morning activities as did many of the grandparents and friends. She was so informative and willing to share. I cannot thank this woman enough for instilling her values in this school and our children. I could go on about my admiration for her only to say it extends to the teachers and staff. They are so committed and devote their attention to each and every child allowing them to develop their individuality. My grandson is so fortunate. My children are so insightful for choosing this school.
5 9 years ago (01-12-2016)

What attracted us to Giddens is their commitment to cultivating the love of learning and becoming a socially responsible part of the community. We started our daughter, Maya, here in preschool when I could no longer keep up with her growth and curiosity at age 3, she is now in second grade. Each year my husband and I say, "Wow, we are so lucky, we have the best teacher!" In actuality, Giddens has done an amazing job finding and keeping the best teachers. We have loved them all, and have been amazed how well they know our daughter and how skilled they are in helping her navigate the struggles of childhood. I am so thankful that social and emotional growth are a priority here, as well as academics and have learned a lot from them that has significantly impacted my parenting. We had an unfortunate experience when we transitioned to our public neighborhood school in kindergarten. After a long list of unfortunate events, our daughter started to pretend to be sick to get out of going to school. Thankfully Giddens had a spot for her and we were able to transition back, and lo and behold she couldn't wait to go to school again, each day. This school is stock full of wonderful staff who really are experts in learning and development of the whole child. From the amazing teachers, specialist and administrative staff to the principle, everyone is on the same page and intentionally reaches out to each child and teaches sense of self, love, and how to be an important part of a community.
5 9 years ago (20-04-2016)

We have 2 very happy children at Giddens. We have been impressed with how the school has catered to both their needs, both academic and social. Not only the teachers but the whole staff are involved in working with the kids, and with the strong focus on the school's mission around social justice, this produces a great community.
5 9 years ago (18-04-2016)

Our family has had a great experience at this school and we are excited to continue to be part of the community for a few more years. The quality of teaching is absolutely amazing. There is so much creativity and joy in the learning process in all subjects. As you walk through the hallways and see the different class projects displayed on the walls, the arc of learning from pre-school to 5th grade is evident and great to see. Teachers are approachable, available and responsive. Feedback on how your child is doing is thorough and comes very regularly throughout the school year. We are also very grateful to attend a school that values social justice and equality. Children are taught to respect themselves and others, to resolve conflict and to respect differences. This happens in large and small ways all day, every day. This is truly a school where every child can just be who they are and will be cherished. As parents, our child is absolutely filled with joy every single day she is at Giddens. We love the mission of the school, the teachers, the other parents and the staff, but there is nothing better as a parent than to see your child bubble over with happiness because of her day at school.
5 9 years ago (20-04-2016)

If I could select 0 stars for this school I would. They claim to focus a great deal on social and emotional growth and intelligence and it is all a farce. The school is now under a new administration and things took a sharp decline with the change. Several gifted faculty members either left or were asked to leave. Our family has been treated poorly by the school's new administration and things are so bad we are actually pulling our child out of school 3 months before the end of the school year. We did not get anything close to what we payed for. If you have options other than this school, do not send your child here!
1 9 years ago (14-04-2016)