TTM is a pedagogically-observant Montessori school, which will come as a relief to those parents…read morewho believe in the method and seek something more for their kids (and their expense) than a glorified day care. The classes are appropriately sized and more than adequately staffed with Montessori-trained guides & aides, and feature a full complement of beautiful wood, metal, and fabric Montessori-specific works arranged to allow curious minds instant access to meaningful, self-directed learning. The administrative staff is exceptional, led by a 20+ year veteran of both Pacific Crest Montessori & Northwest Montessori School. While transparently placing the student experience first (as they should), this administration takes great pains to accommodate the needs of parents by being respectful of the scant spare time available to most parents, and by reaching out to parents with lots of pertinent information & updates. The building itself is a high-security cruciform arrangement where toddler, primary, and elementary classes are housed in their own wings. It appears to be a former hospice or nursing home, the practical upshot of which is wide hallways and doors, bright sunny rooms, and lots of 'safety' hardware in common areas. The outside play areas are securely fenced (with locking, key-coded gates) and include play structures, gardening, and opportunities to get messy in real dirt in the time-honored tradition. The location is a quarter mile off WA-509 in Burien at 160th Street, just down the street from Highline Medical Center. We make the drive from Capitol Hill every day in 20 minutes. The location is also served by several bus lines from downtown Seattle (#131 & #121 pass 1/8 mi. to the east @ 160th & 1st; #123 1/8 mi. to the west @ 160th & 4th).

I have worked at Three Tree Montessori for twelve years and can only say wonderful, positive things…read moreabout it. The staff are incredible and the families, along with the children are amazing. Each day I go to school, I am amazed by the love and ability of the teaching staff, class assistants and the support staff. Each one cares deeply for the children and it shows in all they do. I am also incredibly proud of our administration and board of directors. They have weathered many storms through the years well and led us through difficulties with wisdom, always putting the children and their care first.

This school has been a game changer for my kids. Public school wasn't working for us, and private…read moreschool tuition was out of reach. Neurodivergent and gender fluid kids and their families can find a welcoming and loving community here. My oldest transferred here to finish out their 5th grade year, as they were being beaten down by a public school setting that could not accommodate her needs. On day one at Bridge School I saw her relax and become themself again. Now our kindergartener goes to school at Bridge and loves it! The outdoor education component is especially important to us, as we spent their pre-K years at an outdoor preschool, and I wanted to continue fostering that love and connection with nature. All the teachers and staff care so deeply for each child, and do their best to meet them where they are at. Then there is the community of families here. I can't imagine facing the world and raising my children with a better, more open, and loving group of people. It's the chosen family of our dreams. If you are looking for a fresh start for your kid(s), and want to be part of a great community that loves and supports each other, join The Bridge School!

The Bridge School - Seattle, WA…read more Our family joined The Bridge School with a deep belief in its mission: a cooperative learning environment grounded in restorative justice, clear communication, and community involvement. Sadly, our actual experience was far from what was advertised. From the beginning, we faced repeated challenges with understaffing, unclear expectations, and inconsistent communication. As caregiver volunteers, we often found ourselves performing janitorial work and covering critical supervision gaps with little support. These staffing issues culminated in a deeply troubling incident where our child was denied access to the bathroom during recess due to a lack of available adults -- resulting in a completely avoidable and traumatic accident. When we tried to address this respectfully with the teacher, we were shut out. Despite multiple attempts to reconcile, we were denied a conversation and told we could no longer volunteer in the classroom -- a painful blow, especially for a school that claims to value cooperative engagement. Even more disappointing was the school's failure to follow the very standards and principles it promotes. The leadership later acknowledged, in writing, that they lacked clear policies around volunteering, communication, and accountability. While they publicly promised relationship repair and structural improvements, none of those efforts were ever extended to our family. Out of concern for our children's well-being, we made the difficult decision to withdraw them from the classroom on most days and pay out of pocket for private tutoring to ensure continuity in their education. We sincerely hope The Bridge School takes its own commitments seriously moving forward -- but families deserve a school that operates with transparency, safety, and follow-through. Ours simply did not get that. -- A Bridge School Parent Family

I have 3 daughters enrolled at this school and we couldn't be happier! Warm and caring staff,…read moregreat organization and fun learning environments for all 3. We've never been more excited about school!

I have nothing but great things to say about this school where my children attended…read morekindergarten-8th grade. I was able to observe the foundation of inquiry, compassion and community the k-5th grade experience provided for the further growth opportunities presented in middle school. These kids are smart, grounded, actively participate in their own learning and are 100% ready for high school academically and socially. Don't let the small middle school fool you! Students thrive socially in school and out. Furthermore, WSMS offers field trips, experiences and out of state travel for all, (not just a select few that have means) teachers and staff that care about all students and their educational path (not just those with parents that are able to volunteer) and a strong educational, service and community foundation that carries into adulthood. I want to be a Montessori kid

I just checked their website - thank God most staff are gone. The previous principal, Eve, was a…read moredonkey. She had no idea how to do her job. There were a few teachers who were GREAT, but are no longer there. All in all, let me put it this way: just because it's a private school does NOT mean it's good. When my kiddo went to public school, she was much much happier and really grew as a person.

My wife and I are not Catholic, but we tried two other much more expensive private schools before…read morediscovering how wonderful St Bernadette is. When we began to bring our boys there two years ago, our family was one of several who had moved from another nearby Catholic school. Contrary to the other one, the teachers at St Bernadette are surprisingly motivated and serious about teaching; and students are there to learn. Teachers are constantly interacting with parents, and parents are involved. Students pick up on this attitude, so the atmosphere is calm and focused on instruction, rather than behavioral correction. One can feel this when entering the building. In the other two nearby private schools, (one of them also Catholic), the battle to correct disruptive students was hopeless. In other schools, teachers admitted to deleting large portions of the syllabus in order to make up for time wasted on kids shouting out in the classroom. At St Bernadette, classrooms are calm, and students are divided into smaller groups based on learning speed. One of our boys even receives advanced level work packets prepared specially for him by the mathematics teacher. Unlike other private schools, we're not constantly hounded to keep contributing money. Every few months there are terrific ethnic banquets prepared by parents to foster a loving spirit of community.

If you are looking for a school that equips children for the tools they need in an increasingly…read moreunstable world, this is it! And they do it , while providing a fun, caring and strong community for all. Westside school moved into a permanent home a few years ago and hired a new head of school a few years before the pandemic. These changes have supported the school into a solid place for a child to learn and be amongst others. The balance between academics and Social emotional skills is good and the school has a wealth of talented and dedicated teachers and staff who care about education, the world and making positive change. There is nothing better than seeing my child run to school every morning. We have been there 4 years and I was hesitant to go to an independent school at first. I didn't grow up rich and was concerned. This is truly a great community of people who want to make a difference in the world and value children being seen for who they are.

I feel grateful that my children have the opportunity to be part of the Westside community. Great…read moreteachers, great learning and the other parents are cool too. I'm truly impressed.

I was just telling some friends how great our school is. Then I saw a bummer of a review on here,…read morebased on a short transition period, so I'm writing this. The short story is - it's a very good school run by professionals. A wonderful environment for kids who are neurodivergent or similar and have struggled in a larger school setting. It is supportive and non-judgmental, and we've found it to be a great balance of a place to learn and grow and a place to be supported and accepted. We were worried that it wouldn't be academically rigorous but found that it exceeded our expectations when our child was ready to learn. They meet all children where they are at every step of the way. Also, they do so many fun educational field trips. Here's the long version if you're interested: Our family started at Academy in 2024. That year, the old school director retired. Yes, there were staff changes. Yes, there was an interim director. Yes, it was a time of change and changes is hard especially when you are emotionally invested. Some families were so attached to the old director they didn't come back. Two years later and we're still very happily there. We found gold. Is it fancy? No. Is it exactly like a larger school? No. In areas where a child needs more support, they have it. The policy of "walk to math/language arts/science" allows them to learn subjects at a level and in a group setting difficult to access in larger private or public schools in a supportive way, whether accelerated or at a slower pace. Curriculum is solid and classroom size is excellent. As to the information concern - no. Many kids are district placements. The oversight and regulation involved in that is significant. No public school would partner with them if they broke any laws about information handling and they have placements from many districts. In May of 2024 they had just interviewed candidates for a new permanent director. I hope people will consider that Spring 2024 was just one rare season in the school's administration and while the other review was from someone that felt upset by how that transition was going, the new school director who was hired at the end of that year is awesome. I think she will be there for years to come. I never post reviews, but I hate that that review might be pushing families away from a truly excellent option for kids. To whoever you were it sounds like you felt like your school family was being ripped apart and you were afraid the whole place would be ruined, which must have been awful. Maybe you lost your job, maybe you pulled your child from the school. Regardless, please know that it is still "the little school with a big heart" and from my perspective as a very aware parent, it's in responsible hands.

Academy Schools was a buoy for our family after several years of struggling to stay afloat. The…read morestaff are compassionate, patient, and deeply dedicated to providing an individualized education in an environment that allows many students to feel accepted and safe in school for the first time ever. I'll forever be grateful for the tools and community they provided for both my kid and myself.

I'm disappointed in their policies regarding special education. They seem to favor children from…read moredifferent countries more grant money maybe?? Their whole system is out of whack there's obviously a lack of teachers classrooms ect.. I could go on and on..

They have treated me horribly. I am married to one of their employees. I just sent an email to the…read moresuperintendent. My wife is out of control. She is off her meds. My wife tried to break into the place she has trapped me in. My bones are breaking. I am 61. Highline Public Schools used to call me when my wife threatened other people. Now, they believe everything my wife has to say. My wife is, in my opinion, is a danger to me and others. Oh well, since I am a man, I must be guilty of whatever my wife says about me. I was just trying to warn them, for the "Student's sake."

If I could give a negative, I would. The teachers are amazing, shout out to Ms. A, Ms. JJ, Precious…read moreand Taylor!! The teachers care but are not trained properly when it comes to reporting or being mandated reporters. When a sexual assault claim is made by a child, it should always be reported to the CPS mainline 1-800-833-6384. Upon the request of Directors' Cassie, Ms. GG and Ms. Jayden, this center did not call the CPS mainline or tell the teachers to. This daycare was just under investigation for non-reporting to CPS.

LET ME CLARIFY I DID LET THEM KNOW HE WAS Autistic when I enrolled him. mis Deana…read more It was a good place. The staff was great. It's just that the director Is singling out my Son. Because he has autism and his race . I did everything they wanted me to get him to stay. I got more money like they wanted to cause I get help from the state. She gave me 2 weeks to find a care for my son and there's nothing open there's a lot of waiting list that hes on. So now that my son was discriminated against because of his disability and race. Now I'm going to be out of work because she wants to get rid of my son because she doesn't like him. And I still don't have day care and they gave me 2 WEEK! What Kind of day care facility asked for more funding. And then just kicks a special needs get out.