About

Mission & History

Our Mission is to inspire and develop courageous leaders who think independently, work collaboratively, learn joyfully, and champion change.

Meaningful, Deep, and Joyful Learning.

Students at SGS engage in interdisciplinary learning through collaborative projects that prepare them for high school and life. SGS classes respond to current events and evolve with a changing world. Learning at SGS is joyful and inspiring, connects the personal with the academic, and culminates in transformative presentations where students share their knowledge and respond to issues in front of authentic, real-world audiences.

Leaders Who Champion Change.

SGS empowers every student with multiple opportunities to practice their leadership, advocate for themselves and others, and take action to create the world they want. They do these things in a community that is intentionally diverse and committed to justice, which challenges them to apply their skills in a way that considers and respects both the beauty and the complexity of varying needs, perspectives, and life experiences. The combination of these factors is part of our secret sauce, developing courageous leaders who champion change well beyond their time at our school.  

Intentional Culture of Challenge and Support

At SGS, students can be who they are, learn how to solve their own problems, and have room to grow. They feel safe to take risks, be messy, collaborate together, and evolve because they see it modeled by others and know the SGS community will support and challenge them. We intentionally build a community of students and educators with growth mindsets, fortified by families and other partners who also uplift the students. This combination of bravery and safety allows students to find and use their own voices. 

Identity Development Rooted In An Anti-Bias and Anti-Racist Approach.

At SGS, every student is pushed to become and believe in who they are. We guide them through a broad exploration of identity that includes societal concepts such as understanding privilege and oppression, and personal concepts such as learning preferences and passions. We understand how critical this work is during the middle school years when students are primed to reflect on themselves and how they fit in the larger world. Students at SGS develop a positive sense of self which includes the ability to understand and value the identities of others. They leave confident in their own identity and able to give voice to who they are in the world.  

History

In 2000, a small group of concerned south Seattle parents read about the disturbing trend of girls dropping out of the study of math, science, and technology in their adolescent years. Not wanting to see their daughters lose their confidence before finding their competence, these parents formed the beginnings of Seattle Girls’ School.

Now a 501(c)(3), SGS provides innovative curriculum designed to empower students to think critically and creatively within a stimulating educational environment. SGS continues to carry out its original mission of inspiring and developing courageous leaders who think independently, work collaboratively, learn joyfully, and champion change. Over the years, Seattle Girls’ School has played a unique role in the Seattle community, working to ensure all students, regardless of their family’s economic status, have an opportunity for an exceptional education.

SGS has always admitted students across the gender spectrum. In 2021, we formalized the language of our policy to reflect the reality that was already happening here at SGS and to explicitly state that we serve students who identify as female, regardless of gender assigned at birth, and non-binary students who were assigned female at birth.
Located in the Central District, Seattle Girls' School is an independent school for girls and gender nonconforming students in grades 5-8. Our mission is to inspire and develop courageous leaders who think independently, work collaboratively, learn joyfully, and champion change.