Head of School

“Mr. G” began his tenure as Head of Tilden School in August of 2024. This marks a return for him as he graduated from Tilden in 2002. Andrew previously taught middle school English and History before being asked to join the administrative leadership team at Timberline Middle School in Redmond. As Dean of Students, Andrew was responsible for creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment for the school’s 800 students. Timberline, a relatively new Middle School in Lake Washington School District, was founded on the principles of social-emotional learning and student-centric education.

Andrew’s role as Dean included close partnership with staff, students, and families to foster a vibrant learning environment. He partnered with local agencies and district leadership to assess, adapt, and implement initiatives around inclusivity, equity, and school safety at his school. He was involved in events welcoming new families and students as well as building school culture. His contributions and dedication were acknowledged in June 2024, when he received the Timberline PTSA Outstanding Educator Award.

Prior to becoming a Dean, Andrew served as an English and History teacher with Lake Washington School district for over seven years. He completed his K-12 Administrative Internship while Dean, where he served as a substitute administrator at multiple elementary schools. He took on additional administrative responsibilities to support an outgoing Principal, a new Associate Principal, and a new Principal. Andrew earned a Master’s of Teacher Leadership from Seattle Pacific University, as well as a B.S. in Education with a focus in History from the University of Portland.

“I am excited to be a part of the Tilden community, this time on the other side of the classroom. My experience at Tilden was such a positive one; I can still recall the names of all my classmates and am still in touch with many of them! I remember how engaging and caring my teachers were and can personally attest to the value of the skills I learned at Tilden. The strong academics and culture of kindness helped me succeed in my life, in my education, and in my profession.

Returning to Tilden has been a dream. I hope to uphold and expand upon the legacy of Whitney and the good works of her staff. The core tenets of kindness, community, compassion, and communication continue to this day. Despite the ways in which the world has changed, especially since COVID, these tenets remain true.

Our commitment to the education of West Seattle’s students now expands to include new techniques and technologies. Teachers seek to keep us on the cutting edge of education, with expanded social-emotional learning, integrated math curriculum, computer skills and science, and a robust literacy program drawing on the techniques Whitney pioneered and the development and updating of our Thursday Story Writing program.

Between the efforts of our teachers and the support of our families, students are set up for more success than ever, attending public, independent, and parochial schools throughout the region. I entered education with the hope of guiding our children to be better humans. The foundation I received at Tilden, now reflected in the leadership I hope to bring, will guide this generation and many to come to new heights.”