This is our first year at Lewis and this has been the most pleasantly positive and easy…read moreexperiences. Our kiddo is coming from a Montessori preschool setting, which ended up being very difficult for us. The school has offered us all the support, welcoming staff and families, lots of wonderful programs, that are all wonderful. Lewis promotes diversity-love-support to students & families from all backgrounds (they stand t true to the their word about being inclusive, unlike other schools that just throw the word around, but do not hold true to). All of the kids are so friendly to one another. It definitely has more of an arts feel to it. The facility is very secure, and the classrooms are very clean & full of natural daylight. Our student is also blessed with a 16 student classroom vs 25 students for the school we were slated to go to that us east of here.

an amazing school with great teachers I was a student there and had a great time. Music program has…read morelots of marimba and singing wide range of books in the library and really fun and enjoyable games in PE

ISP creates joy…read more Happy and educated children is what I see at ISP whenever I'm on campus. The combination of language immersion and IB education (inquiry-based) is amazing. These children come out with a global mindset treating others with respect snd care. We looked at a number of schools in Portland and ISP is the best. Seeing 5th graders graduate fully fluent in Spanish, Japanese or Mandarin is amazing. And hearing stories of ISP graduates in college and beyond who use the skills and language they learned at ISP daily, reaffirms why we believe this is the best school in Portland. Additionally, the location makes school accessible to families living all over Portland. Being centrally located (near public transit, bike paths, highways, etc.) means the students learn about city and have easy access to museums, theater, and more for field trips. An ISP education builds a strong foundation to help the next generations follow their dreams.

Where else in Portland can a monolingual household, like ours, send a child to school at age 3 and,…read morewithin a few years, watch her become fluent in another language? Not only does our daughter speak Spanish fluently like a native speaker, she can write proficiently in both English and Spanish. Our now seven-year-old child has achieved something neither of her parents have managed, which has been a huge confidence booster. Before enrolling her, we were concerned about whether she could succeed in learning a foreign language at such a young age and whether she might fall behind in other subjects. However, our fears were unfounded. She, along with her classmates, quickly picked up Spanish. Additionally, attending a diverse school where Spanish, Mandarin, and Japanese are predominantly used has allowed her to appreciate and celebrate different traditions and cultures. If you are looking for true diversity, you will have trouble finding more of it at any other school in the area. Remarkably, she and many of her classmates significantly outperform state averages in reading in English and math as evidenced by standardized test scores, demonstrating that language immersion has not hindered her overall academic progress. The inquiry-based learning process of the school's International Baccalaureate program has fostered her curiosity, creativity, and independent critical thinking. In one of her classes students can volunteer to present "mini-lessons" on topics of interest. Recently, she presented a lesson on DNA, displaying an impressive understanding of a complex subject that I didn't learn about until high school or college. I've also been impressed with the quality of her art classes. Unlike the simple arts and crafts of my childhood, she has learned about art history and various artists. When we visited a Frida Kahlo exhibit, she provided insightful commentary on Kahlo's background and influences. Similarly, she recognized the influence of Vincent Van Gogh in a painting by Edvard Munch, showcasing her knowledge and keen eye for art. The small class sizes not only provides more personalized attention from the teachers, it also fosters a culture of kindness (her class this year had a 12:1 student-teacher ratio, about half of what it is at area public schools). While the school is located in downtown Portland, it's a bit hidden. It's a safe oasis on a quiet dead-end street, easily accessible by bike, streetcar, MAX, bus, and car due to its central location. When we lived in The Pearl District, I could bike my daughter to school on dedicated bike paths for most of the route. If you are looking for a truly differentiated education for your child that will lay a foundation for them to thrive in a shrinking global community & economy I'd encourage you to check out the International School of Portland.

My daughter has been at Cottonwood this school year as a kindergartener, and overall our experience…read morehas been really positive. Cottonwood is a great fit for families who value community, outdoor learning, and a smaller, more relational school environment. Her K-1 blended class has helped her grow academically and socially, and she's developed a real love for math, reading, and hands-on learning. Field trips and outdoor enrichment, like exploring Oaks Bottom, have been a big highlight. What stands out most is the culture of care. From day one, staff across the school made a point to welcome her by name, which helped a big transition feel safe and personal. That kind of consistency and attention really matters with young kids. I also appreciate being able to volunteer and stay connected to the classroom/fieldwork. Seeing the environment firsthand has reinforced why it works well for our family. Cottonwood offers something special for families looking for thoughtful teaching, strong relationships, and real community.

I have had both of my kids here since kindergarten. It is an incredible community and child…read morecentered and with deeply enriching curriculum. It's focus on field work has my kids connected and knowledgeable about Portland--its ecology, history, and its civics. With a strong focus on social emotional learning, my kiddos are developing skills in emotional regulation, communication and restorative justice.

My kids both went to school here. Their teachers were nice and the office was great at…read morecommunicating with families about the current happenings within the school, by email and with the parent apps.

This is also a playground review…read more.... We take our toddler here, to "rocketship playground" as he calls is, and he loves climbing up on everything. There are swings, slides, a merry go round, a seesaw, tunnels, monkey bars, a running track, basketball hoops... Also a covered/shaded area and benches to sit on. The only downside is there are NO drinking fountains, so come prepared with your own water on those hot days. Note: everything is labelled as intended for kids age 5 and up; please be careful with youngsters

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!

Ren is still a really magical place, as per my previous review. Like at most smaller schools,…read morespecific experiences and accommodations will vary by grade and teacher, which means it can be a bit of a roll of the dice year to year. My experiences thus far are still all with the lower school, which has a noticeably different feel than the upper, though there's abundant mingling in all the good ways. Reading through a bunch of other more recent reviews I'm updating mine to reflect reality on some points that others have found frustrating in theirs: * The school does not have specific services, expertise or accommodations for neurodiverse kids. There is no counselor or administrator with specific training or credentials for helping ND scholars, and the overall body of staff lacks up-to-date pedagogy and training on the most current and effective ways to help these students, though there are *plenty* of well-meaning, helpful adults on the team, who do their very best. That said, the open, creative and varied nature of the environment *can* make it a much better fit for some ND kids than a standard classroom, and as such there are many ND kids in the student body who are thriving. But it's important to make sure that your kiddo will fit within the (not super explicit) boundaries when deciding if Ren is a good fit. Be open and clear about any special needs/quirks/features of your child to make sure it'll be a good fit, and if your visit day leaves you with open questions, ask for another one! Everyone wants everyone to succeed and no one is helped by accepting a student who won't flourish. * The school is not well organized, in terms of paperwork, documentation, administrivia, follow-up, etc. If you're looking for the well-oiled accountable machine of larger or more established environments, you may find this very frustrating. Everything takes a while, and you generally have to bring things up a bunch of times before things start moving. It's a worthwhile trade for a space where your kid can feel safe and happy, but one you need to decide to make so it doesn't irk you along the way. * While the kids form solid and important relationships in school, that does not extend out to the parent-body, which can leave some families feeling isolated. No PTA or parent interest groups, and minimal volunteer participation, though there is a core of very willing and available parents who show up if an effort can be organized for a specific issue or by a specific class. I remain an enthusiastic parent of multiple scholars, and am grateful that a welcoming and creative space like Ren exists, even if it does have rough edges to keep working on. If you find me in a local parent group or some such thing, I'm always happy to talk about Ren and answer questions. Good luck!

This is a wonderful school and community with incredible teachers. If you are looking for an…read moreeducation that is deeply invested in children's imagination, embodiment, nervous system regulation, compassion, care, and creativity, I highly recommend checking this school out. Our family has been part of the school since my children began in the outdoor kindergarten, and over the years I've found it to be such a grounded, nourishing way for them to learn. They've developed strong social skills, a deep relationship with nature, and the ability to co-create with others through joy and play. The school beautifully nurtures their way of seeing and being in community, service, and connection. Not only do they cultivate curiosity, but children also learn musical instruments, work with their hands, dance and move, study Japanese language and culture, and engage in rich practices of storytelling and listening. We've participated in amazing field trips to places like Ekone Ranch, the Salmon Ceremony at Oxbow, service trips to the food bank, and more. The kids also participate in Nature Immersion Fridays, where they build and explore in creeks, rivers, and forests--co-creating with friends while learning practical outdoor skills and environmental identification. This is truly a beloved school, and one I highly recommend visiting to see if it's the right fit for your family.

Our family has had children at Shining Star for the last 10 years. Our oldest attended from 1st…read morethrough 8th grade and is now a thriving sophomore at a local public high school. We also have a 5th grader and a 7th grader currently at the school. We love the small size of the school--every teacher knows every student--and the way that the children interact across grade levels. Our children have experienced kind, caring teachers, engaging, hands-on learning, and have maintained their love and excitement for learning across the grades. They have experienced a wide-array of classes including strings, band, handwork, folk dance, Japanese and many different art classes. They love how much time they spend outside every day and how deeply they know and are known by their main lesson teachers. We also appreciate that Shining Star provides quality Waldorf education at an affordable price.

The main Ainsworth School was built in 1913. It added wings, colonies and adjacent classrooms. It…read moreis Portland's oldest continuously operating elementary school. Our group has meetings in the band room of the oldest part of the main school. Staff is great. Super cool, they have adult-size chairs and tables for meetings! My discovery was that an over 110 year old school building is perfectly excellent! I have had arguments with parent friends over the primacy of green schools and fancy new construction. My primacy is involved parents over everything, by a mile. The cleanliness, spirit of student work posted everywhere, the humbleness and economy of instruments, sheet music and more, demonstrates concretely what is really important for kids. Parents. Ainsworth School and any Portland school is a perfect venue to engage for meetings and to draw together all neighbors to do something in the neighborhood.

The transportation issue with this school is dangerous. No place to drop off kids. The buses pickup…read moreon dangerous streets. Seems like a good school but they have no place for student drop off so you are forced to drop kids off on busy streets.

We are so grateful that we found Osoberry School! After feeling like a large Kindergarten classroom…read morewouldn't be the right fit for our son we decided to enroll him at Osoberry and are so happy with our choice. He is happy and thriving at school. It is clear that Emily intentionally works to establish a supportive learning community that not only enables our son to learn effectively, but also has fostered his social and emotional growth.

We're so happy that we found Osoberry! Our kid tried Osoberry camp for a week during the summer and…read moreliked it so much that he came home and said "can I go there for school?" And after talking with Emily, we were sold. He has loved his experience there - having a smaller setting has been really great for him as a kid who's on the quieter side. He came out of his shell very quickly and talks a ton about the other kids and teachers. They do so many creative projects and activities, and the approach to reading and math is much more hands on and intuitive than the worksheets he experienced in his kindergarten. He says he really loves the art they do there.

I would strongly recommend that families consider other options until there is new leadership at…read morethis school. During our experience, school administration provided inaccurate or misleading information during the enrollment process. This included representations about the gender composition of incoming classes and the grade levels typically offered. Although the school is listed as serving K-8, enrollment has not historically supported consistent offerings across the upper grades. The school also lacks adequate training, policies, and structural support for a diversity of learners. Families whose children require accommodations or flexibility--including those supported by physician documentation--may find that exceptions to stated policies are not respected, even when based on medical need. Overall, the gap between how the school presents itself and the day-to-day reality was significant. In our experience, this environment was far less supportive and far more rigid than local public school options, including Portland Public Schools.

When I first drove by this odd little building across from Montgomery Park, I never would have…read moreguessed that one day it would become like a second home for our family. I can't say enough good things about the teachers, staff and families that make up the CLASS community. The small, age-blended classes allow the teachers and staff to truly understand and cater to the needs of each student. More importantly, the teachers and staff truly care about each student and are highly dedicated to their success. I'm truly amazed at the job they have done fostering our son's emotional and academic development. They've helped instill a sense of confidence in him that I never thought would be possible. Most parents are also very involved in the school (and several of the teachers/staff have kids at the school) which helps create a true sense of community. As the saying goes, "it takes a village to raise a child" and our family is extremely grateful that our village is the CLASS Academy community.

If you are looking for a private school that is top notch and focuses on each individual child,…read moreplease explore The Catlin Gabel School. In a world where education puts kids in a box, The Catlin Gabel School is a refreshing tangent. I am so impressed with the students who have attended this school. They are the most mature kids who have been educated in a way that brings out the best of their gifts and abilities. Last year I had a student intern from Catlin at my place of business and I was so impressed. She was able to produce a professional video that reached the heart of my acupuncture practice and business. The first thought for most is that they cannot afford the school, but they have a complete system for financial grants and scholarships based on what you can realistically afford. According to the website: "More than one-quarter of the student body receives financial assistance through need-based grants and special scholarships. Grant and scholarship awards are not loans and do not have to be paid back. In 2013-14, we allocated over $3.4 million in financial aid to families with annual household incomes primarily in the range of $15,650 to $170,000. Award grants ranged from $1,830 to $25,750 and averaged $16,235." We hope our boys can attend this school next year or in the future and we applying for the 2014-15 school year. Fingers crossed and wish us luck!

I attended the upper school many years ago. Looking back on it now, I'm so grateful that my parents…read moremade me attend Catlin Gabel. The school really prepared me to be on my own once I graduated and also I was ahead of so many when I got to my college classes. I loved the small school environment once I was there! I can't say anything bad about Catlin! Go Eagles!