We sent our daughter here for 2 years before she started Kindergarten and I can't say enough about…read morewhat a wonderful experience it was for all of us. Nina, Bryan and Megan have created a magical, safe, and lyrical space for young children to explore and enjoy. While I'm sure our daughter was developing some important social and cognitive skills, the thing that most struck me was the simple sense of wonder that she would come home with every day. Throughout the year Song Garden hosts seasonal festivals, rituals, and gatherings that include the entire family. These have become such beloved traditions in our family that we plan to keep attending even though we are past preschool age. Nina and Bryan also have periodic parental meeting where we could learn more about classroom activities, individual development, and allow us to ask any questions or air other concerns. These were great opportunities to trade parenting tips with other new parents, and we picked up a number of great techniques. The greater Song Garden community became an excellent support network for us, and provided us with an increased sense of parental confidence. In the end we were sad to see our daughter "graduate" out of pre-school; but we are so pleased with her growth during this period and we are confident she has the skills to thrive in her future environments.

My son recently graduated from Song Garden after going to the school since he was 2.5 years old -…read more I can't say enough good things about this school! The teachers Nina and Bryan are the most gentle, loving people who have nurtured my son and helped mold him into a sweet, well mannered boy with a love of the gardening, pretend play, music and nature in general. Occasionally my son will have a behavioral issue at school or have something come up - Nina and Bryan go out of their way to talk through it after hours and suggest reading material as well as clip out articles to assist me. This has been priceless to me and so well appreciated as they have years of teaching under their belt and they have very insightful feedback. I know they do this for other parents as well and we often talk about what a help it is to have such valuable feedback. Not too long ago, the kids found a moth with a broken wing in the back play area. Nina had instructed them not to move it, so they brought it food and water and sat around it and took care of it. This is a perfect example of how kind this school and these teachers are and the love of nature they are instilling in their students. We are very sorry to leave Song Garden - we would send our son here through high-school if it were at all possible! I very highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a wonderful, nurturing environment for their precious child and encourage you to schedule a visit - you'll be won over as soon as you meet the teachers and see the magical space that is the classroom.

This is based off of employment. I had someone in my family to apply for a job here, that being…read moresaid I'm not here to bash anyone BUT after what our family member saw inside, they refused an offered position at airport learning tree. This was specifically because a teacher showed blatant bias towards one student and even went as far as to mock others. Personally As a parent, it's troubling. This was brought to the attention of the employer. Otherwise the faculty and building seem great.

I am a new Mom and had to go back to work. When I called to…read moresee about a tour Penny was so warm and kind. She told me to swing by anytime. I stopped in unannounced. The building was completely secure and was buzzed in once she saw us outside. This was the only place that did not require an appointment. I did not want to see people on their best behavior, I wanted to walk into the day to day grind and see the real interaction. I am so happy I did! My lil guy goes to this daycare now and he thrives. Heis in the infant room and his teachers are wonderful the staff is fantastic. They communicate everything with you, offer great ideas and are so flexible! I love them all and so does my son! Definately check them out they are wonderful!

Both of our children went to Runabouts, and that awesome school was a powerful force in our lives…read morefor about six years. Melissa has such amazing respect, rapport, and admiration for the children that this becomes a school of best friends. Very creative play, an amazing space for exploration, and a safe, loving, respectful, and inspirational environment. I said often that I wanted to enroll. I was only half kidding. Maybe less than half.

We've had such a great experience with the preschool at St. Ignatius! We get daily updates through…read moreSeesaw, as well as reminders. The teachers, Matt and Ash, have been fantastic - so kind, patient, and clearly love what they do. Our child feels safe, supported, and excited to go to school every day, which says a lot! They have gone above and beyond to make sure she thrives both socially and academically. Also, because it's a PreK-8, they get access to library, PE and Music class! She comes home every other day with a story about something she learned in PE, a new song that is stuck in her head or wonderful book that she wants to tell us about. We also love that the preschoolers get chances to interact with the older kids during their family group time - This is going to help make the transition to Kindergarten a lot easier! Since our daughter is just about to turn 4, she will be completing a second year of Pre-K in the 2025-2026 school year and we are all very excited she gets another year with Matt, Ash and many of the friends she has made this year!

Our child is only in pre school at St. Ignatius, but we have been very happy with their pre school!…read moreWhen looking for a pre school in the neighborhood, I Googled things like "Portland preschools near by" and St. Ignatius did not pop up. Many of the pre schools that did pop up were small mom and pops with little or no availability. With no previous experience with St. Ignatius, I finally specifically searched this local school after getting waitlisted elsewhere and we signed up for it. The teachers and staff are amazing. Very loving towards the children and communicate excellent with families. They even provide multiple pictures every day via the Seesaw app so we know exactly what she is doing every day! Highly recommend St. Ignatius!

So thankful this school exists. Put two kids through Gardner - the older one is thriving both…read moresocially and academically as he enters high school, and the younger one has one year left here. The small class sizes create incredible opportunity to be seen and heard by all of the staff. My kids love school, and love learning. My kids have learned what it means to be part of a close knit caring community that roots for you, and how to show up and be there for their friends. At the end of the day, my family believes this is the most important gift to give our kids as they grow up - and so we are so eternally grateful to call ourselves Gardnerinos. If you're reading these reviews trying to determine if Gardner is the best option for your child, don't trust me. Or any other review here or elsewhere. Please pick up the phone, come for a tour, ask to talk to actual parent references. This is a community that's passionate about it's kids and the world we're raising them into.

Our child attended Gardner for four years, preschool through first grade. We loved this school for…read morea long time and still think highly of many teachers, families and kids. Unfortunately, we completely lost confidence in its leadership. First grade was a disaster. An inexperienced teacher was put in charge with inadequate oversight. Parents raised concerns about classroom management, kids not having enough time to eat, cleanliness, bullying, an angry and intimidating environment, physical handling/restraint of students and academics. There wasn't even a clearly established curriculum until parents began demanding answers about what our kids were being taught and how progress was being measured. Our child went from loving school to having sleep problems, anxiety and major behavioral changes. At one point our child was hiding behind a classroom door and under desks crying during an activity involving sewing and hot irons because they were afraid of being poked or burned. We raised serious concerns directly with Head of School Courtney Tomlinson and told her in writing that the problems were affecting our child at home and were "increasing intensity quickly." Other parents were raising concerns too. It took parents organizing, demanding answers, discussing withholding tuition and pulling our kids before the teacher was finally placed on leave and removed. What happened afterward destroyed our remaining confidence. Getting straight answers was difficult. Communications were long on words and short on information. Parents asked for an open community discussion that never happened, while the Board publicly backed Courtney. Less than half of the students are returning next year. Families leave for different reasons, but that level of turnover speaks volumes. Gardner has wonderful teachers and families. They aren't why we left. We told the Board we would not return with Courtney as Head of School and would reconsider if leadership changed. If you're considering Gardner, talk privately to current AND former parents. We wish we had.

Kiddie Academy is top notch when it comes to educational child care services. We've had one child…read moregraduate and she was well prepared for kindergarten. Now our second daughter is flourishing and it is wonderful to see. We feel comfortable knowing she is in good hands and receiving an early educational foundation.

We've had the best experience at Kiddie Academy! It's a wonderful community of caregivers and we…read morecouldn't be happier to be part of the community there. Our toddler is thriving, and she is so excited to go to school each day.

Two years ago we enrolled our twin boys in kindergarten and they are now heading into 2nd grade,…read moreand we could not be happier with our experience with 8th Street. The boys have loved every part of school--from the caring teachers to the engaging learning to the friendships they've made. We've watched them grow so much academically and in character, and we especially appreciate the strong Christian values that are woven into everyday life here. As parents, we feel truly grateful and confident recommending this school to other families.

Parents, please be aware. This school appears to be driven by money and popularity rather than what…read moreis best for the children. They charge for nearly everything and seem more concerned with image than student growth. Despite using "Christian" in the name, it is absolutely not God-centered. The title feels misleading and used to attract Christian families, but Christian values are not reflected in practice. Students who do not maintain a 4.0 are discouraged rather than supported. The school also claimed it would become accredited, which never happened.

Little Olive Tree came into the neighborhood in 2014 and we're so glad they did! It was so hard…read morefor us to find a quality daycare that truly educates toddlers, rather than babysitting them, and we've been so happy with our experience. Our toddler has been enrolled there shortly after turning 1 and we feel that it's really preparing her to be more than ready for school. Two of the teachers own the school and prioritize learning. And all of the teachers are phenomenal. Circle time, singing, dancing, yoga, art, class musical productions, and Spanish instruction - we wish WE could enroll ourselves! If you live in Multnomah Village and are looking for a truly exceptional daycare for your kiddo, we can't recommend this place enough!

Little Olive Tree is amazing. Kate and Zoe and all the teachers are kind and loving and so…read morewonderful with all the classes. The ratios are low, they are play based, but they still teach so much. Songs, units of learning, yoga, dance, Spanish. So robust. Our 3 year old is at home here. We couldn't be happier.