I've been reflecting on my experiences at Nancy Ryles and wanted to share some serious concerns…read morethat I think are important to discuss, especially considering what I've heard from my brother and friends who also attended. First and foremost, let's talk about bullying. Both my brother and I experienced bullying from staff members, which is absolutely unacceptable. Adults should not make children feel unsafe. When I tried to bring this issue up with Arbow. Her response indicated a lack of awareness or acknowledgment of the problem. This is really concerning to me, especially for parents who are considering Arbow for their children. Another incident that stands out to me is when I broke my arm. It astonished me that neither her or the office staff contacted my parents after checking on me. They had no idea what had happened, and that's simply unacceptable. There's a reason school policies exist, and not following them can lead to much worse outcomes. It raises questions about how seriously the administration takes students' safety and well-being. Additionally, I've observed that some staff members are not as kind to students with disabilities. This creates an environment where these children may feel excluded and unsafe. It seems that complaints are often overlooked in favor of maintaining a certain image, which is frustrating. It makes me doubt whether anyone is being held accountable for their actions. The overall atmosphere at Nancy Ryles feels off to me. Upon entering, it seems students are not the primary focus. The cheerful tone presented by the staff sometimes comes off as insincere; especially with Arbow. Making it feel like students are viewed more as subjects to be managed rather than individuals with genuine emotions. I worry about the potential negative impact of such an environment on children's learning. While the administration might claim students are excelling academically, I recall a time in third grade when my struggles were downplayed. If parents are kept in the dark about their child's actual progress and rights, then it becomes too easy for the administration to manipulate the truth. Parents should be empowered to advocate for their kids' safety and well-being. Let's also mention the issue of diversity and racism. When I was at Nancy Ryles I n oticed a lack of diversity among students. Discussions regarding racism were often handled superficially, failing to address its historical context or present-day implications. This lack of understanding can severely limit students' awareness and empathy. It feels as if Monica Arbow cares more about the school's image over honesty and the well-being of its students. There needs to be a greater awareness of what's happening within the school environment, alongside a commitment to listening to students' experiences. Every child deserves a supportive, nurturing place to learn. My dad makes regular visits to Arbow, and both of us expect higher standards than what we've observed, especially compared to when a more compassionate leadership was in place. I've lost respect for Monica Arbow's title and just her as a person because she thinks being a principal is a power. Maia LaLonde · Former Student at Nancy Ryles and going into High School.

Had a blast here, loved the field days! bonus points because it gave me amazing wall ball skillsread more

Every year the Principal takes AWAY from these kids. There used to be amazing things done for the…read morekids but now she shuts down so many ideas because she doesn't want to stay at the school later than 3:30 or 4pm. Well dude it's kind of YOUR job. Events are all run by PTO and volunteers except for choir concerts, science fair, art fair etc. and they do a decent job. I want to volunteer IN my kids class. But there aren't many opportunities for that as they reach higher grades. The principal is aloof and doesn't have a level of investment at the school. The staff (aside from her,) are wonderful. So caring and so supportive. She lacks follow up, initiative and just general CARE. She can't even pronounce the names of long term teachers. What garbage. That staff cares SO much for the students. And the Vice Principal SHOULD be running the show. She is everything a leader should be. I cannot even grasp how the Principal makes the salary she does with the true lack of care and investment in the school. My son has a year left and then we are moving on. Aside from her it's been wonderful but she has truly made the school LESS in every way.

As an fyi, this school does not have a standard set of curriculum for use across grade levels, nor…read moreis it run by anyone with significant experience in education. This leads to tremendous gaps in achievement among students, across grade levels, despite hiding behind the veil of "accreditation". This also leads to a noticeable under-valuation of teachers, as they are the ones to jump through hoops in an attempt to meet every child where they are at. The administration remains blissfully ignorant in how they can make improvements to the quality of education at this school, but makes a good show of it in interactions with parents. Don't fall for the banter, and put your money towards a real, superior education elsewhere.

Over the past 4 years, we've had two kids attend Life. We've been very happy with the education…read morethat they have received there and so very thrilled at the care that the teachers put into their jobs. Small class sizes and a newer building make the environment ideal for learning. If you are considering private Christian education, we'd highly recommend Life. FYI: Our children have previously attended public elementary school, Tualatin Valley Academy and Heritage Christian School which is now closed.

So I can't really speak to the school itself, but only to the baseball field for little league…read more The filed is well maintained and quite nice. The bases and fencing are in good condition and seem to be properly maintained. The only downside is that there are no seats for spectators (aka parents). For the apparently very fair usage fees they charge I think is decent, but leavs room for improvement.

Our oldest daughter started pre-K GIS this September. She is a rather shy child, so we are so happy…read moreto see how within a couple of weeks the teachers worked their way into her heart. She actually felt comfortable enough to sit in a circle in her class and sing a song on her own- something she has never done before. I love the things she gets taught and tells us about at home. Highly recommend!

I go to Mini's Playgroup on Wednesdays and Fridays with my son. We started going when he was 6…read moreweeks old and will continue until he is ready for preschool. Mini's is amazing and I whole heartedly recommend parents/grandparents/etc. to bring their newborn to 3 year olds for this weekly playgroup even if you don't plan on having your children attend the school. It's very relaxed and you can come to as many or as few playgroups as you want. We sing songs in German, read books, have playtime that includes fun activities and gym time, and more. It's a wonderful way for new moms to get out of the house in a controlled and clean environment. And I'm sure once the kids get a bit older, a great place to get some fun activities in without the mess at home. I've found it so helpful to get myself speaking more German at home to my little one and he LOVES going every week.

Car line: if you have kids in school you KNOW it's Beast for elementary school kids. BUT our first…read moreyear (7 years ago...since my daughter is now in 7th grade AT BASE lol,) there was a STRICT adherence to rules and very good direction in the car line. Now it's do whatever you want. And F it. I do. I know that people don't pull forward and they sit and hold up the line so I zip in. Yup. The principal has 0 cares about keeping anything in order. She wants to keep the peace. Doesn't like confrontation. That's why she NEVER addresses anything. And now all I hear about the new VP is how she promised to have a monitor everyday for 5th grade Gaga ball and still NOT a single recess has that happened. That's standard from the lazy Principal and now apparently new VP standpoint. I'm so glad my son is in 5th grade. Thank GOD for the wonderful teachers and administration who stay despite the terrible leadership. They are phenomenal!!!

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 loves CCC! He has always struggled in other care centers with drop off and separation…read moreanxiety. At Creative Children's Center, he has been excited about school since day one. He is actually disappointed on the days he doesn't have school with his friends and teachers. CCC provides children with authentic learning experiences. In class, my son has made muffins and applesauce, created countless pieces of artwork, studied the sunflowers in the community garden, and collaborated to make a class terrarium. Teachers tactically support and provide learning experiences based on the children's interests. I am so excited to see what will spark their interests next.

Unlike all the ratings from parents, I am a student at SSA. This place is pure torture for me. I…read morethink the uniform could be improved because,on hot days absolutely NO one wants to wear dark colors during the sunny afternoons. The teachers are super strict and not the good kind of strict, the bad kind. The only reason why I like this place is seeing specific people here. The curriculum is HORRIBLE! No one wants to learn Latin. It's a dead language like what the heck! All the homework is very stressful and really drians out your energy whoch could affect your mental health. Parents, if you love your kid's mental health,don't take them here. They say bad things about public schools but not all public schools are bad. Read the public school reviews, most of them are saying good things about the school.

Sending our daughter to St. Stephen's Academy is the best decision we ever made. She is thriving…read moreand flourishing at SSA. The academics are challenging and I've seen her improve in all subjects, while at the same time, she is growing in The Lord and building Godly character. The only challenge with SSA is that the school is so small there are not as many extra-curricular choices and electives, such as band, football, ski team, etc.