UCDS Institute

We were delighted for our Dean of the UCDS Graduate School of Education Katie Morrison, Ph.D., to take part in a thoughtful conversation this week about the future of education and the changes shaping schools right now. Moderated by Dr. Vin Gupta, Senior Medical Analyst with MS NOW, the conversation brought together leaders with perspectives from across education: Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers AFT; Ben Shuldiner, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools; Gretchen Warner, Head of The Overlake School; and Sam Uzwack, Head of Eastside Preparatory School. Together, they explored how schools can respond to emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence (A.I.), while protecting the deeply human connections at the heart of learning.

As Dean of the UCDS Graduate School of Education, Katie brought a perspective grounded in preparing the next generation of teachers for a world that will look very different from the one we know today. She spoke about the need for A.I. fluency, including understanding both its capabilities and limitations, while holding onto the critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication that remain essential to teaching and learning. She also encouraged us to take a beat and reground ourselves in what we believe, what children deserve, and how they learn best. The conversation touched on data privacy, technology’s addictive qualities, screen time, and the ways technology can both enhance and inhibit learning. Across the panel, there was a shared recognition that while technology will continue to evolve, schools must continue to make room for meaningful relationships, hands-on learning, civic engagement, curiosity, and community. For Katie and the Graduate School, preparing teachers for this future means giving them the tools to navigate change while keeping students and the human work of teaching at the center.

Due to space limitations, this event is intended for the UCDS community.

We’re excited for our Dean, Katie Morrison, Ph.D., take the stage next week alongside a remarkable group of national and regional education leaders for a conversation about the future of education, hosted by our founding school, UCDS. The discussion will explore how schools can respond to rapid changes in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), while preserving the human relationships, intellectual curiosity, hands-on learning, and great teachers at the heart of education.

Katie will be joined by Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers; Ben Shuldiner, Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools; Sam Uzwack, Head of School Eastside Preparatory School; and Gretchen Warner, Head of School The Overlake School. The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Vin Gupta, Senior Medical Analyst for MS NOW.

As Dean of the UCDS Graduate School of Education, Katie brings more than two decades of experience teaching science to Preschool through 5th-grade students at UCDS, where she loved conducting investigations and collecting data alongside her students. A scientist turned educator with a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology, she now leads our innovative master’s degree program, designed to grow the next generation of teacher-leaders. Her perspective on the future of education is grounded in the belief that strong teacher preparation comes from immersive experiences, reflective practice, and a deep understanding of how school culture shapes student success.

We’re especially excited to hear Katie and her fellow panelists dig into some big questions: How do we embrace technological change without losing the human side of education? What should schools hold onto, and what might they need to rethink? And how can we prepare children and teachers for a future we can’t fully predict? These are questions that are central to our work at the UCDS Graduate School of Education, and we’re looking forward to being part of the conversation.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all who are celebrating! Across Asia and around the world, the autumn moon brings celebrations that honor family, gratitude, harvest, and connection. While traditions and names differ, they share an appreciation for the season and the people who make us feel at home.

In Vietnam, Tết Trung Thu, or the Autumn Festival, is especially meaningful for children. Colorful lanterns, lion dances, and mooncakes are part of the celebration, with children often carrying lanterns in festive processions.

In China, the Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, takes place on the 15th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, usually in September or early October. Families gather to enjoy mooncakes, admire the full moon, and spend time together. The round moon and mooncakes symbolize reunion and togetherness.

In Japan, Tsukimi, or “moon viewing,” celebrates the autumn moon. People gather to admire the moon and offer tsukimi dango, round rice dumplings.

In Korea, Chuseok is a major harvest holiday around the autumn full moon. Families gather for special meals and honor their ancestors. Songpyeon, small rice cakes filled with ingredients such as sesame or beans, is a traditional food.

Other countries and communities across Asia also have their own autumn moon and harvest traditions, with unique foods, customs, and stories. For people around the world with connections to these cultures, these celebrations offer a way to honor heritage, share traditions, and bring family and community together.
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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

To everyone celebrating Chuseok, we wish you a joyful and meaningful holiday! Chuseok, which is also called "Korean Thanksgiving" and is one of Korea’s most important traditional holidays, is a three-day celebration of the autumn harvest and a time to give thanks for the year’s blessings. Its history reaches back centuries, with roots in ancient harvest festivals and traditions of honoring ancestors.

Families traditionally gather during Chuseok to share special foods, honor family members who came before them, and spend time together. Many families visit ancestral graves to clean and care for them, a practice known as seongmyo. Some also hold charye, a memorial ceremony featuring carefully prepared foods offered to ancestors. Songpyeon, half-moon-shaped rice cakes, is one of the holiday’s best-known foods, often made together with family. Other traditions include wearing hanbok, playing folk games, enjoying music and dancing, and traveling to be with relatives.
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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

To all who observe Yom Kippur, blessings to you and your family on this High Holy Day. May you all be sealed in goodness and love.

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It comes at the end of the Ten Days of Repentance, which begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. While Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect on the year ahead and consider the ways we want to grow, Yom Kippur is a day set aside for reflection, repentance, forgiveness, and renewal.

Traditionally, Yom Kippur is observed with a 25-hour fast, extended time in prayer and synagogue services, and refraining from everyday activities so there is space for spiritual reflection. Many people also seek forgiveness from others and make amends for harm they may have caused.

At its heart, Yom Kippur is an opportunity to look inward, acknowledge mistakes, repair relationships, and begin the new year with renewed intention. It closes the High Holy Days with a focus on accountability, forgiveness, and a fresh start.

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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

We wish everyone celebrating a joyful Fiestas Patrias today! Every September, Chileans around the world celebrate Fiestas Patrias, also known as Chilean Independence Day. September 18th commemorates the formation of Chile’s First National Government Junta in 1810, an important step in the country’s movement toward independence from Spain. Chile formally declared independence in 1818.

This holiday is a time for gathering with family and friends, enjoying traditional foods, listening to music, and celebrating Chilean culture. Cueca, Chile’s national dance, is a beloved part of the festivities, along with fondas and ramadas, where people gather together for dancing, food, games, and community celebrations. For people with Chilean heritage, Fiestas Patrias can be a meaningful way to stay connected to family traditions, memories, food, music, history, and a sense of cultural identity, whether they live in Chile or far from home.

For folks in the Seattle area who would like to learn more about Latin American countries and celebrate their independence, Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias is an annual, free two-day festival that takes place at Seattle Center this weekend, September 19th–20th. The free, family-friendly festival celebrates Latin American independence, heritages, and cultures with live music, folk dancing, food, crafts, children’s activities, and more.
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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

Wishing a happy Mexican Independence Day to everyone celebrating today! Observed each year on September 16th, Mexican Independence Day marks the beginning of Mexico’s fight for independence from Spanish rule. The movement began in 1810 when Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called on the people of Dolores to rise up against colonial rule in what became known as the Grito de Dolores, or “Cry of Dolores.” After more than a decade of conflict, Mexico achieved independence in 1821.

Today, celebrations include music, dancing, parades, traditional foods, fireworks, and the display of Mexico’s red, white, and green flag. On the evening of September 15th, people gather for the Grito, with a leader calling out “¡Viva México!” and crowds responding in celebration. For people in the U.S. who have Mexican heritage or have moved here from Mexico, the holiday can be a meaningful way to celebrate culture, family, history, and connection to home while sharing these traditions with younger generations and their communities.

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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi to all who celebrate! Celebrated by Hindus around the world, Ganesh Chaturthi honors Ganesha, the elephant-headed deity associated with wisdom, prosperity, good fortune, and new beginnings. The festival begins today and runs through tomorrow, September 14.

Ganesh Chaturthi has ancient roots in Hindu traditions and has grown into a vibrant celebration centered on devotion, community, and family. During the festival, families and communities bring home or create colorful clay images of Ganesha, decorate them with flowers, and offer prayers, fruits, sweets, and other foods. Modak, a sweet dumpling traditionally associated with Ganesha, is a favorite festive treat. Celebrations may include music, dancing, storytelling, and elaborate processions. At the end of the festival, many communities carry Ganesha images in joyful processions before immersing them in water. This ritual represents Ganesha’s return and reminds celebrants of the cycles of creation, transformation, and renewal.
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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

Happy Rosh Hashanah to all who celebrate! Rosh Hashanah, meaning “head of the year,” is the Jewish New Year and marks the beginning of the High Holy Days, a period of reflection, renewal, and celebration. This year, it begins today at nightfall and continues through sundown on Sunday, September 13th. Its roots reach back thousands of years to ancient Jewish traditions. The holiday is connected to the biblical festival of Yom Teruah, described in the Torah as a sacred day marked by the sounding of the shofar, or ram’s horn. Over time, Rosh Hashanah became associated not only with the beginning of a new year but also with themes of creation, judgment, and spiritual renewal.

Rosh Hashanah is a time to reflect on the year that has passed, consider how we can grow, and look ahead with hope for the year to come. Many traditions center around food, family, and gathering together. Apples dipped in honey symbolize hopes for a sweet new year, while round challah represents the cycle of the year. The shofar is sounded during services as a call to reflection and renewal. The holiday is also a time to wish others “Shanah Tovah,” meaning “Good Year.”
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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.

Happy Brazilian Independence Day to all who celebrate! Observed each year on September 7th, Brazilian Independence Day, or Dia da Independência do Brasil, commemorates Brazil’s declaration of independence from Portugal in 1822. On that day, Prince Pedro proclaimed Brazil’s independence along the banks of the Ipiranga River, marking the beginning of Brazil as an independent nation.

Today, the holiday is celebrated throughout Brazil with parades, concerts, festivals, music, dancing, and gatherings with family and friends. The colors green and yellow, featured on Brazil’s flag, are especially prominent.

For many Brazilians and people of Brazilian heritage, Independence Day is a time to celebrate their country’s history, culture, and identity, while reflecting on the many people and traditions that have shaped Brazil. It is a day of national pride, connection, and celebration.

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At UCDS, we believe in spotlighting cultural, religious, and identity-based celebrations that are of personal importance to members of our community. By learning about the celebrations that hold meaning for people in our own community and beyond, we strengthen our curiosity, understanding, and appreciation for the diverse identities, stories, and traditions that make our community vibrant.