I don't have enough good words to say about our 5 years at Creative Children's Center. It was our…read morefamily, it was the greatest experience with the school we could ever wish for. We found pretty fast that Reggio-approach is reflecting the values of our family. CCC provides it in the most accurate way, applying Reggio method to the modern american society. Our son started attending CCC as a 4 years old and last year he was graduating from Elementary. He is in PPS now and we can see all the results of going through CCC education. All those years builded the strong social skills, great self respect and respect to the others, natural curiosity, the desire to learn, to read, to explore, to work and play with others, to be in the group and to share creativity. During those years he was involved in several group projects that, without the exaggeration, were educational treasures. One of them - during the whole school year kids were building the Village out of carton boxes. It started like a play and grow in tho the whole learning, creating, exploring, finding your place and supporting others process. With a teacher support kids modeled the whole society life, opening own businesses, bank, airpot, electing a Mayor, reinventing the whole money system, opening charity organization and having a parade through the school! They created the Law and declared the values of their Village. The project was an excellent foundation of learning how to be a citizen and how to create a peaceful and creative relationships. On academic level, we were so pleased to see the development of our son's reading and writing skills. He had his brake through moments with reading, he started to carry the book everywhere with him enjoying reading so much! Our daughter made a huge progress with public speaking, started her writing and math at pre-K level. Teachers are supporting kids in the learning process a lot, trying to preserve and support kids natural interest to learn, removing the blocks, working with parents and families in a very close contact, support and sharing strategies and success. I can't even express my deep respect to the founder of CCC and all the teachers that we worked with. Our son is successful 3rd grader and our daughter is in Kindergarten in Public schools now. We are so happy so see what a wonderful foundation were all those years at CCC for them.

We were very interested in enrolling our twin boys at this school for the fall of 2020, so much so,…read morewe went ahead and signed them up in early 2020, pre-pandemic i.e., before the first COVID case had even arrived in the western world and before we knew there would be a shut down or any of the other crazy things that happened at that time. We also had a newborn baby who would later become medically fragile and require open heart surgery and multiple other procedures that year. As you can imagine, it was one of the hardest years of our life. Due to her health, we had to be especially careful about possible exposure. We checked in with CCC sporadically up until the summer. We were keen to know if the program would still go ahead despite the pandemic. They were guarded and at one point mentioned by phone that it was uncertain due to low enrolment. By the late summer, it became clear that we could no longer take the risks of enrolling our twins in preschool at that time. We explained the extenuating circumstances and withdrew the application in order to give the school as much notice as possible. By this point, we had already paid the fees for the first term. The school refused to take the pandemic or our unique situation into account and kept over $800. This is despite the fact that the CCC preschool program we had enrolled the twins did not proceed due to the pandemic. They refused to reimburse us and refused to let us put the fees toward future enrolment once it was safe to do so. They did not even get in touch with information of when the program would re-start even though we explained very clearly why we had to hold off but that we still hoped to enrol at a later date if possible, pending our daughter being more medically stable.

My son has attended The Gan Preschool for six months and we absolutely love it. The teachers are…read moreextremely caring, intelligent and experienced. The age range is from 2-5 and it is just one small class. My son is still not potty trained and they are completely fine with that, which you do not find at most preschools. It is affordable, which is amazing considering how many supplies they have and how many projects the kids participate in. They have a blog with tons of pictures and videos of the kids and my son loves to see this as much as I do. The Gan is a Jewish school and the morahs (teachers) educate the children about the history and values of the Jewish people. However, the children do not have to be Jewish to attend. It is an open, easy going place where the goal is to foster confidence, the importance of giving, and appreciating the many blessings they have. I will have my son continue at The Gan until kindergarten!

The Gan is an amazing preschool. I am so happy we found it for our son. He began preschool at…read moreanother establishment, but joined the Gan after we moved to Vancouver, and I feel so fortunate that he ended up there. The environment and approach to the children at the Gan is so much more nurturing than what we experienced in the past and compared to other schools we toured. The design of the school is lovely, warm, and encourages a sense of play and exploration for the children. I also love that there is both an indoor and outdoor playground for the children so that inclement weather does not hinder their playground time. The general attitude and approach towards the children is what I appreciate the most though. The school director, classroom teacher, and teaching assistant (Tzivie, Katie, and Jillian) emphasize compassion, empathy and respect towards the children as well as encouraging them to employ those same traits upon one another. They really take the time to talk with the children and help them find learning experiences through their interactions with each other - both the positive and negative. Not to mention the incredible fun learning activities they do with the children, teaching them about advanced concepts in a way that is easy for the children to grasp and understand. And weekly photos and anecdotes are emailed to the parents, which I always look forward to. I really can't say enough positive things about this school.

We have always known a Montessori would be very beneficial to our children's learning experience…read morebut we were not prepared for how fast our child would be learning. She is always coming home with a new word or experience from school and we are always amazed with what her teacher has to say at the parent-teacher conferences. We are so grateful to have a great school with extraordinary teachers. Thank you MCH!

MCH is a wonderful school with caring, dedicated staff. We have sent three kids here, spanning…read morenearly seven years. The negative review from 2014 makes me crack up--anyone else had trouble getting their toddler to dress appropriately for weather?! :)

This is a fantastic preschool. Very small so the kids get lots of individualized attention. The…read moreteacher has many creative ideas and materials for engaging the kids' interest, and she puts a lot of effort into making sure they have a great learning experience. The language exposure is integrated into their normal activities and play time.

Ren is a wonderful school that emphasizes individualized learning, social emotional learning, and a…read morehands on experience.

My updated review reflects our family's experience at Ren from grades 1-8. Our child is now a…read moreFreshman at St Mary's Academy and is on the honor roll despite having some learning differences. Ren prepared our daughter for a rigorous college prep program. Although she had some nervousness about final exams and needed a primer on letter grades and GPA, she was academically well-prepared. The girls who attend St Mary's after Ren School seem to excel. Most importantly, Ren was instrumental in helping my daughter develop a strong sense of herself. Ren's holistic approach to education, with a focus on social and emotional development, is stellar. It mattered to me that our daughter's education encompassed far more than just book learning. Over the years, she was nurtured and went from a timid and anxious child to a confident and creative young woman. As a college professor, I recognize the importance of academic preparedness. I also know that social and emotional stressors can make it challenging to learn. Being in a safe community where she was known and cared for by all the teachers meant the world to our family. Thank you, Ren!

My son has been at Pine Village for 2 years now and has thrived. He talks about what he does in…read moreschool all the time and his teachers! When I was laid off of my job in April and we had to reduce hours, he asked when he could go longer again. Mia is a natural with children and also with the school space. The outdoor area is beautiful and she is constantly improving it. You can tell this is her passion! Mia also is great with communicating with the parents and will post pictures and info all the time! My son has learned so much from all the teachers Mia, Casey, Nicole, Meg, and Myra. We are so lucky to have found such a warm and beautiful school.

Cathedral School has been an exceptional experience for our family. We've lived in 12 different…read moreplaces over the past 15 years, and our kids have attended a variety of schools -- so we have quite a bit to compare it to. When we moved to Portland, our children were already preteens and teenagers, and we knew we couldn't afford to get this decision wrong. Cathedral has been exactly what we were hoping for (and my high schooler is a bit upset he was never able to attend). The environment is both energetic and welcoming. The teachers are professional, genuinely caring, and excellent at what they do. The elementary and middle school years are all about building a strong foundation, and that's exactly what students receive from day one. Every child is truly seen, known, and supported, due to the small class sizes. Teachers understand their students not just academically, but personally -- and that kind of attention makes a lasting difference. Academically, the program is both thoughtful and rigorous. While it may not specifically market itself as STEM-focused, there's a strong and consistent emphasis on critical thinking, problem-solving, and preparing students for high school -- it honestly feels more STEM-driven than it claims. At the same time, the arts and music programs are fantastic and add so much depth to the overall experience. The teachers are true professionals in their respective fields, bringing both expertise and passion to the classroom. Graduates leave confident and exceptionally well-prepared, going on to outstanding Catholic and independent high schools, as well as advanced programs within public schools. Just as important is the culture. The school community is safe, respectful, and grounded in kindness and accountability. There is very little tolerance for bullying -- something we've unfortunately experienced elsewhere -- and issues are handled appropriately and proactively. Character development isn't just talked about; it's part of daily life. Although rooted in Catholic values, Cathedral is welcoming and inclusive of families from a wide range of faith backgrounds. The location truly can't be beat. Yes, it's downtown, and like many urban areas there have been a few challenging years -- but the school prioritizes safety at every level. Security is strong, and any concerns (which, thankfully, have been minimal to none) have always been addressed quickly and appropriately. We've consistently felt that student safety is taken seriously and handled with care. Lastly, my high schooler is now in advanced classes (high school), and I've noticed that many of his classmates also came from Cathedral. That says a lot. The foundation they're building there clearly sets students up for long-term success -- the school must be doing something very right. If you're looking for a PK-8 school where your child will be challenged academically, supported emotionally, and truly known by dedicated teachers, Cathedral School is an outstanding choice.

As a parent of a new 6th grader, we're having a really positive experience at Cathedral school…read more Starting somewhere new can be a big adjustment, but my daughter has felt supported both academically and socially. The academics are challenging and students are held to high standards. Behavior issues are addressed directly and thoughtfully, and while middle school naturally comes with some social ups and downs, concerns like bullying are taken seriously and handled appropriately from what I've seen. Communication from teachers and staff has been great; I appreciate being kept in the loop, even about small things like when a student isn't paying attention, because it shows how engaged and attentive the teachers are. The teachers! Absolutely top notch and very hard working. No one is checked out. I also love that 6th-8th graders have the chance to be part of a leadership program and are encouraged to serve their school and the wider community. It's been wonderful to see students given real responsibilities at school events. Overall, it feels like a supportive, structured environment where priorities revolve around academics and student success.

As a student I was punched in the face by another student and Patrick Mordhorst the Assistant…read morePrincipal of Curriculum Design at Central Catholic told me that I deserved it. This was widely unprofessional and extremely immature for an adult to say this to a minor. The school has a notorious lack for holding it's staff members accountable whether it be things like this or staff members saying derogatory or racist remarks. As someone who likes the school this is majorly disappointing and I hope things can change and that Patrick Mordhorst and other staff members who have manipulated the power of their position will be held accountable.

My little Timmy was having such a good time here. He always tells me on what he learned and all the…read morelittle friends he has here. it's such a great school un til we had to move but still a great school. Even for a single dad like me.