We have now been at this school for three years and we could not be happier. We left our…read moreneighborhood school mid-year because our son was being bullied and despite numerous conversations with his teacher, the counselor, and the principal little to nothing was done. When I picked our son up from his shadow day at FMES, he said it was the best day of his life. Within a week he was more joyful than he'd ever been at our neighborhood school. Three years later, he has some of the sweetest friends and is the happiest I've ever seen him. This past weekend (end of spring break) he said he was missing school because he is really enjoying math. Our younger son has ADHD and is also thriving. The options and flexibility really work well for him. FMES feels different from the moment you walk through the door. It's a very warm and welcoming community. Having taught special education in public schools for twelves years it was tough for us to make the decision to switch but we could not be happier. The love and care our children receive at FMES protects their innocence and joy, giving them a wonderful childhood.

I love FMES for so many reasons…read more When our needs were not being met by the public school system, the amazing teachers at FMES helped identify what our kids needed almost instantly. I'm not a fan of all Montessori pedagogy, but they have such a wonderful blend of taking the best parts, and being flexible where it's not working. The leadership was incredibly thoughtful, patient, and communicative in dealing with the pandemic. I felt respected, heard, and most importantly, that our kid's safety AND education were being put at the forefront. Lastly, the environment is open to all sorts of people. The religious components are opt-in. We were literally in tears of joy after the tour, feeling that we had found a match for our family. Four years later, we couldn't be happier, and now have FOUR kids enrolled. That shows how happy we are!

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?! :)

Our son has been attending kids campus for 2.5 years now, and really enjoys it. He finds the…read moreteachers to be kind and engaging, and my wife and I agree. He has met many friends here, and the teachers really seem to care about him! We will be taking my newest son here, as well, in just a couple of months! They helped so much when it came to potty training, getting him on a schedule each day, learning to be a better listener and with his alphabet and numbers! They play fun games that he really enjoys.

This was not a good match for our family. I enrolled my infant son in care here, after giving it…read moretime and hoping it would get better, we changed daycare and are now MUCH happier (see my other review for more details on that). The staff starts cleaning up for the evening while children are still being cared for. This means that the bottles of bleach, windex, etc are being sprayed all over the center beginning at 4:00. Every time I came to pick up my son the smell of cleaning supplies was very strong. The babies sleep where ever they were strapped down. The infant room is full of bouncer chairs, swings etc. The babies are strapped down and turned to vibrate. This is their napping position. My son had a hard time napping this way, each day he napped for 20 minutes. He was 6-9 months old while attending this childcare center. When I picked him up each day, I was told that I needed to send more food because he cries too much. After I spoke with the staff that he actually needs a nap, not more food, it didn't get better. I then spoke with the associate director - still didn't get better. I then spoke with the director - still not better. They do a great job of changing diapers. He was changed once an hour. I got off work early one day, came to pick him up early only to find him laying on the floor crying. Red face, sore voice kids of crying. One staff member was filling out the daily take-home log, and another was changing a diaper. No one found it important to pick up the screaming baby to try and comfort him. When they saw me approach the door, they quickly shot each other glances and started making excuses. That was his last week. When looking at the over all atmosphere of the center, none of the staff members seem to be happy or having fun. I rarely saw staff engaged with the children (in any of the rooms), other than to give direction, "line up", "stop that", etc. I did see cell phones used by some staff members. I am very much against cell phone use at work. Finally, they are on the high end of pricing. We were paying just under $1,000 monthly for full time care. Wouldn't mind the price if I felt we were getting quality care, but we weren't.

I have two children attending Little Village and couldn't be more thrilled with their experience…read morethere. My kids started attending this fall when they first opened after attending another Montessori school last year (which unfortunately closed). Of the many things I appreciate about the school, my favorite aspect is the quality of teachers. My 4 year old daughter is quite strong willed and I love how the teachers provide her with clear boundaries while also celebrating her desire to be constantly on the go. My daughter responds so well to the respectful way she is treated and we've noticed at home how her behavior has changed positively because of the language and social skills they provide her with at school. My son started when he was 2 1/2 and I was worried he'd be overwhelmed by the multi-aged class but the teachers create an inclusive environment in which they encourage the older children to help the younger. He's doing so well there. On top of the loving environment, which is most important to me at their ages, the educational aspect is blowing my mind. When I tell my mom, who was an elementary teacher for over 40 years, what the kids have been working on she is impressed with the wide variety of subjects as well as the kids excitement for their work. I could go on and on with all the ways we appreciate this school, but here are just a few bullet points that might be helpful for other parents looking for a preschool. -Lunch is provided and it's healthful, mostly organic and made on site. -They learn so much through music and have a special music class a week on top of the daily song/calendar/circle time. -The space is very clean, calm and inviting. -Children get quality one on one time with the teachers as the student to teacher ratio is low. -There have been 3 holiday programs/parties so far on the weekends or evenings that are so special and fun. While we lived in Sellwood when the kids started school, we've recently move 20 minutes away and considered changing schools to something closer. We've realized that a school experience as quality as this is worth the drive time and we will happily be staying through Kindergarten. I'm not sure if it's listed on their website, but they do offer tours and observation times for prospective parents.

Our experience thus far with Little Village has been nothing short of amazing! My daughter has…read morechanged quite drastically and I believe that much of her change is due in part to the Montessori learning method, but mostly because of the teachers and faculty of Little Village. Upon entering LVM, my daughter has been challenged by the curriculum and the work, but most importantly, accepted and loved by the teachers. The school itself is clean, organized, and a happy place to attend. We are greeted each morning with smiles and excitement. I will be enrolling my younger daughter next year and can't say enough good things about this school!

Tracie and Mrs. R. Are fantastic! They are so living and compassionate. My son has had very hard…read moredrop offs but they have handled it so well. They go out of the way to make sure he feels safe and loved--- and that I know he is ok too. They are a very small school - opposite of where we were before - but it has turned out to be just what we need. My son loves it there, except for the drop offs, and he loves Tracie and Mrs. R. I HIGHLY recommend this school. I know this is where my younger daughter will be going in a couple of years when she gets older.

My oldest started Kindergarten this year. The teacher told me she is well advance (academically)…read moreand prepared (socially) for school. I have to give credit to the teachers at Wonder World Preschool. They care about the well-being of their students growth and it really pays off at this school. Thank you!!

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!

From the moment we walked in here, we've had an amazing experience. The teachers are kind,…read moreorganized, warm, knowledgeable, skilled. They know how to encourage and how to support and how to motivate. The kids all enjoy each other's company, work out their problems on their own, know how and when to be polite. All the adults are creative, warm, nurturing. My kiddo is not yet six, is reading short sentences, asking for extra math for fun, and is a motivated, happy problem solver. We came here after a disastrous first year at a nearby Montessori chain (that has since closed), so the difference is especially visible to us. At the place we left, they had all the Montessori trinkets, but a revolving door of staff, most of whom were clearly not trained in the method or the materials. She did not learn much that year -- but has grown by leaps and bounds here. And the parental community is an awesome bonus, as well.

Without a doubt, this was the best decision for our daughter. We are so fortunate to have been…read moreassigned guides Lydia and Lindsey. They are truly a dream (come true) team and my daughter adores them. She comes home and shows off all the new skills she's learning. She is asking "who, what, where, when, and why" questions during our reading time. It's exactly what we wanted for her - a positive learning experience with two incredible instructors. Bonus: we adore the parents and other kids in her class. We are our own little community.

My son has been sending this school for about a month and it has been a very positive experience…read moreoverall. The staff is absolutely wonderful and the school itself is clean and well organized. Communication is beyond excellent! I feel very informed as a parent, and there are plenty of opportunities to get involved if you feel compelled. I've never felt pressured in any way. Huge shout out to Joelle and Camille, who are amazing and patient teachers! I am beyond grateful for all of the care and time they give to the kids I'm still waiting to determine the efficacy of the French immersion aspect of the education so I'll post more of an update later. Otherwise, the pedagogy for a preschooler seems more than adequate.

In general we were happy at L'Etoile, but we had very different experiences with each child. These…read moreexperiences were influenced by of course their unique dispositions, the different families in their classes, their teachers, and notably the school being sold to a private equity group (Spring Education). Being owned by a for-profit private equity group shifted some aspects of the school, some for the better, but other aspects declined. Things that felt reasonable before, such as after-care costs, sky-rocketed in price. A primary concern of ours after learning the school was sold to a private equity group (Primavera Capital Group Owns Spring Education) was the protection of our data and what data specifically the non-US based Primavera Group had access to which was not specifically disclosed to parents. We wished we had been given more notice regarding the sale - we had already signed up for the next school year and paid non-refundable deposits. In our experience, neurotypical children thrive at L'Etoile. Our friends with neurodivergent children had many difficulties and the school really struggled to adequately respond. As always, it greatly depends on the specific needs of the child. Children in both Kindergarten and 1st grade were sent to 'the principal's office' as a regular course of action when reoccurring issues arose. We didn't love being part of a community where this was the common response for 5 and 6 year olds. The school did bring in an outside expert and this outside expert helped train new incoming teachers on effective discipline and also worked with parents as needed. Another area that was of concern for us is that the school uses interns in each class from France, ages 19 to 23 for supplemental staffing. In the 2024/2025 school year, two of the classes had assistant teachers that were brought over as interns completing their Master's programs, one in the TPS class and one in the MS class. This should have been disclosed to parents in advance when signing up for the new year, but it was not. There were many playground issues which parents frequently brought up to administration and we felt strongly that the cultural differences/expectations and the intern's general lack of experience with behavior issues at this stage of life did not serve as a help in resolving playground dynamics which frequently involved unkind behavior between children and physical boundary issues from some of the children (hitting, shoving, hair pulling, etc). The interns also serve as the primary staff for the after-care program. Many of the teachers at L'Etoile are outstanding and truly have a love for teaching and working with children. The upper school uses the French curriculum which is fine, but has drawbacks for children ahead or behind. One of our children ahead in math was left bored/unchallenged. Parents at the school whose children are behind in reading often hire private tutors as the school's reading specialists can't help with issues of dyslexia or reading delays in English. The school has a strong parent community and as I said before, neurotypical children without academic challenges thrive here. Amazing field trips, teachers that care, a beautiful setting, and an environment where children between grades have the opportunity to collaborate and learn from each other. As with all schools there are both positives and negatives. Overall, we would choose L'Etoile again.