Both of our children attended Chestnut Hill Academy, and our youngest just graduated from 5th grade…read morelast week. Throughout their K-5 journey, every teacher was exceptional, supportive, and genuinely caring. Communication between teachers, staff, and parents has always been outstanding. We love CHA's focus on community building, leadership, strong academics, and the emotional well-being of its students. Both of our children loved their time at the school and formed wonderful friendships that will last a lifetime. As parents, we have had the privilege of watching our children grow into confident, resilient, and well-prepared middle school students with strong leadership skills and perseverance. We are incredibly grateful to the entire CHA community for the positive impact it has had on our family.

Our daughter attended CHA from kindergarten and will be completing 4th grade this year. The school…read morehas been incredibly supportive from the beginning. Each of her teachers from K-4 were engaged and provided regular feedback on matters related to academics, social, and well-being. We really enjoyed the school programs from performing arts, field trips, winter activities, and leadership opportunities. CHA also did a great job connecting parents and building a strong community with the school.

My daughter was treated kindly and as though she was highly valued as an incoming 6th grader during…read moreour school tours. We felt that our daughter would have been given small classes, individual attention, and a unique all girls perspective at Forest Ridge. The administration and teachers were teaching innovative things that my husband recently had emphasized in the corporate world. Each time my daughter had an experience with one of the FR students, she felt very happy and excited to attend this school. We ultimately are not able to send her to the school because of potentially moving closer to family due to health reasons but feel this would have been the perfect school had it not been for these circumstances.

Forest Ridge is a school where people look at the ground as they pass by someone in the hall…read more Students are throwing up, CRYING or having panic attacks in the bathroom. Teachers don't last more than a few years, max. Administration doesn't care if a students are so stressed that they end up causing HARM to themselves. The thing to be happy about? Graduation. The academics are AMAZING, I can't deny that. And most teachers are pretty incredible, some of the best in the country. But mental health care is non existent, and without healthy students things such as academics and teachers cannot be enjoyed or be helpful to students in the way they should. Being a recent student at Forest Ridge in Bellevue WA, I cannot emphasize enough how much I REGRET my decision going here for High School. When I entered as a freshman, I was a happy, cheerful, friendly, hardworking girl. When I left as a senior I was still a hardworking girl but I was also sad, depressed, reserved, anxious, distrustful and tired. For many people, everywhere, the high school experience is less than ideal. However, my experience as well as my classmates experiences were horrendous. The amount of emotional damage we sustained was simply unacceptable, and even now the school denies there is a problem. So many students were so miserable and mentally challenged that I would have to worry about my peers' physical safety and lives. This is NOT a normal thing. Forest Ridge administration consistently responded/responds to mental health concerns with dismissal. The safety and lives of students are NEVER a priority. What is a priority? GRADES, GRADES, GRADES and academic achievement, success and competition. Forest Ridge makes success out as being smarter than everyone else and getting the best grades, with no regard for emotional well-being or mental health. There are a few ways you can have an okay to good experience at Forest Ridge: A) Be a favorite. There are a few special students favored and adored by the school who are used as the public face of the school wether it be for admissions pro-forest ridge speeches (which are, by the way, completely ingenuine) or college acceptance advertising. (FUN FACT: you probably have a much better chance of getting into a prestigious college at a public school anyway). Pretend to love the school and never object to anything, be the top of your class, don't tell anyone how you feel or use your voice, and you might have a shot at this special status. You'll get rewarded with good grades and a full-time teacher's pet status. B) You have the pushy parents. If your parents yell enough at teachers, or perhaps threaten administration that they will pull you out and therefore your $$ might not be going to FR next year, watch your C's magically turn to A's. Or you can go the route of hiring an outside specialist and paying them to have Forest Ridge make your workload and academics easier without the situation on record. Another interesting note-- the campus "counselor" doubles as a college counselor and does not divide or separate the two programs properly. She is not qualified to be helping teens with psychological issues, and she does not appear to care about helping them either. The administration is no better, and is likely the root of the problem. In general, the teachers care about the well being of students but are so scared of loosing their jobs or being PUNISHED that they will not speak out about the situation. Honestly, I feel bad for the teachers. The majority of the teachers are GOOD people who could run the school a whole lot better than the recent administration ever did. I think it is also important to note that Forest Ridge was not always like this. My middle school experience was FABULOUS. But, today, the environment and atmosphere is truly toxic. Until there is a significant amount of change at Forest Ridge, I would highly advise parents and potential students to think hard before choosing to attend Forest Ridge. A place for youth that doesn't care if students are SAFE or HAPPY is not a place anyone should have to endure spending 40 hours a week at. Someday, the school will HAVE to make a change, or the place will simply FALL APART. At the rate teachers, administration and students are leaving, it won't be long. And the way mental health is handled, there will be a lawsuit any day. I hope parents take this warning seriously and continue to search for the TRUTH. Current students, life DOES get better after, and the rest of the world does NOT operate like Forest Ridge--don't worry. What you are told is normal...is not normal outside of that campus and community. And teachers- thank you for sticking with us. We know its not easy at FR for you either and we appreciate your willingness to stay and try to make things better. However, we don't blame you at all if you leave. We get it.

Evergreen Academy Montessori has been such a gift for our family. From the start, we felt welcomed…read moreinto a warm, thoughtful environment where children are encouraged to be confident, independent, and kind. My son's teacher, Leslie West, has been truly extraordinary. She listens to the kids with real interest, respects them as individuals, and creates a classroom culture that is both joyful and caring. With her guidance, my son has grown in so many ways; he takes pride in caring for himself, loves to help others, and feels capable of learning and doing things on his own. The school clearly values educators who nurture the whole child, and that shines through in everything they do. We're so grateful for Evergreen Academy and can't recommend it highly enough.

Evergreen is an excellent school, my daughter has learned so much here. They provide wonderful…read moreenrichment programs and the teachers are very talented. My daughter was on a 504 plan and it was very well executed and handled.

Brighton School is wonderful and we love it!!!!!…read more I've had my kids at Brighton for at least eleven years? I've lose count. My son attended Brighton from first through eighth grade and my daughter started in preschool and is now in sixth grade. My kids are completely different and they have both absolutely thrived at Brighton. Brighton does an awesome job of providing an excellent well-rounded education for many different types of learners and kids. Brighton offers an excellent academic program, but also offers an amazing drama program with Mr. DC, some great sports programs, after school extracurriculars, yearly overnight field trips that get longer with each grade level and culminate in a 10 day East Coast trip for the 8th graders, etc. The greatest asset to Brighton is its staff. Brighton attracts some truly talented, caring and highly invested staff and teachers. There are teachers at Brighton who have truly changed the course of my childrens' lives. Ms. (formerly Gabriel) Savage is my daughter's idol. Ms. Savage is the perfect role model for my child, as she is strong, confident, smart, kind and encouraging. My daughter is a gymnast and she has talked to my daughter about mental blocks. She is a great teacher but she clearly cares about her students in a way that goes beyond what her job requires. Her assistant Ms. Carrie is also so caring, patient and kind. Ms. Durbin is another teacher that made a real difference in my daughter's life. Ms. Durbin was like a second mother to my daughter, or my daughter's stand-in mother at school. My daughter has always had a ton of anxiety about overnight field trips, but knowing that Ms. Durbin would be on the field trip always made her feel better. Ms. Durbin knew when to be serious and get the class under control but could also be so silly and have fun with the class. Mr. DiLorenzo is another incredible asset to the Brighton community. Mr. D. was my child's third grade teacher, and he was an incredibly gifted educator then, and now he is the head of the middle school. Mr. D. can be so fun and silly with the kids, but he also knows when to be serious and address serious issues. My son had an awesome middle school experience at Brighton and during his years there built up a community of friends who carried over into the same high school. Ms. Livingston has been serving the Brighton middle school for years in various capacities and she is AMAZING!!!! She is currently teaching math and she is an awesome math teacher, but she also handles a lot of the administrative stuff for the middle school. She's very friendly, great with the kids, great with the parents, and easy to get along with. Ms. Bodnar, according to my 17 year old son, is "the GOAT" (greatest of all time). Ms. Bodnar teachers study skills and math (I think) but she connects with the kids in a way that few others do. My son emphatically thinks that she is the best teacher at Brighton. Ms. Thaler is also a great language arts teacher. She definitely knows what she is doing and I appreciate that she actually challenges the kids. This is Ms. Parks Lobbs' first year as Head of School, but she has been involved with other parts of the school for years and she appears to be 100% in charge of what is happening and in control of things. As a very long-time parent of Brighton who has observed three separate Heads of School, I think Ms. Parks Lobb is doing a great job. There are a lot of other amazing staff members at Brighton who I am going to forget to mention. We love Coach Matt, who is the kindest, funniest guy to have around. He always greets my daughter in the morning with the biggest smile and it makes me feel so good about dropping her off. He also love Coach Brandon, who has been there for years and is super well loved by all the kids. He made the summer camp a blast for my daughter. We really loved Ms. Becca, who is a former aide who is no longer there. We wish the school brought her back. My son had Ms. Schippers for both hers and his first year at Brighton (first grade) and she made him feel super welcome and safe. I don't remember the full names of my daughter's pre-K teacher and aide (the aide was Sarah) but they were both so amazing! Oh yeah, the parents, kids and community at Brighton are also awesome. Both my kids have made amazing friends and we have done all the playdates, the sleepovers, the skate nights (thanks, PTO!), all of it. My son has friends he literally made in FIRST GRADE and now are JUNIORS in high school and they are part of the same friend group and in some of the same advanced classes. My daughter and her best friends met years ago, some as far back as preschool. I've known those parents just as long. The parents are great and the PTO is currently thriving. I've never been involved in the PTO, but I am very, very grateful for the amazing parents who run it and all that they do. Best money we ever spent!

We've been at Brighton for five years after coming from public school, and our experience has been…read morewonderful. With 3 kids who have spanned the range if preschool, elementary, and middle school, I can say the middle school especially has exceeded expectations. Initially, I was nervous because of its smaller size, but it's been fabulous, the teachers embrace the middle school years while preparing students for real-world situations. We've had the honor of having both Ms. Shippers and Ms. Savage twice. Ms. Shippers has years of experience yet brings fresh enthusiasm every day, and Ms. Savage's connection with the kids is remarkable. Brighton truly offers a nurturing, dynamic environment we're so grateful for!

Wow I was so turned off from this school. Glad I got someone very dismissive because it helped us…read moremake the decision not even to consider this place as a potential school for our kid. I called to inquire information. The person said the school was full and that there was a waiting list already. She asked where my child attended school and I told her where. She was like, "public school?! Then we have a problem because she will be severely behind and wouldn't be able to catch up." I was really astonished how arrogant she was about her school's curriculum. First of all, she knows nothing about my child aside from the fact that she attends public school. She doesn't know what kind of extracurricular programs my child is involved in. She has no idea what level my child is performing at. I was astonished. She also assumed I was exploring their school bc of their curriculum. I told her that I was perfectly satisfied w the public school that we were attending but was interested in the child bilingual component. This part, I found the funniest. They are called a bilingual school yet their program isn't a dual language program. It's just one hour of language lessons a day. Why do you call yourself a bilingual school if you only dedicated one hour a day? At this point, she told me that I would have to test my child in if we made it on their list. She briskly ended the phone call. Lol. She wasn't interested in spending the time to share about their program at all and dismissed me as a potential client. I guess they have so many students that they can afford to be slightly presumptive, rude, and curt. Glad I didn't invest more time into this school.

Terrible experience, do not recommend. 强力不推荐的一所学校, 校长歧视讲中文的家长，小孩有任何问题都推给家长…read more We are a Chinese-American family who've spent a number of years living in Shanghai. In 2022, after experiencing a rather traumatic 3 month-long lockdown in Shanghai where my 5 year old daughter was not only kept out of school, but locked in our apartment for over 3 weeks, we decided to come to Seattle for the summer so she could regain some normalcy in her life. So this is a 5 year old who not only had been out of the school routine for almost 4 months, but also in a new country and in a new classroom environment with a non-native language. I think any reasonable person would agree that she'd have some problems settling in, and that a close collaborative approach with the parents might be required. However what we experienced at Bel-red was the complete opposite. The school simply sent our daughter home early every time they encountered a problem. They also changed the teacher every week so there was no easy way for my daughter to even settle in. Yes, she did have problems, and the behaviors needed improvement, but on the occasions she had problems previously at her school in Shanghai, never once did our teacher simply shrug her shoulders and send the child home. She had strategies and actions to deal with the child, and talked to us (in private) at pickup so we could understand. Being sent home happened 3 times in 7 days, including one time when she didn't want to go outside to play because she was tired. This is absolutely absurd, sending a kid home because she don't want to go outside and play? Isn't a simple solution just to have her sit with another teacher for 20 minutes to do some reading? We tried to be respectful initially, but the last time she was sent home, the principal talked to us about her issue directly in front of the school entrance, where multiple parents were doing drop off and could hear everything. She then turned our child around and said she couldn't come in today, this is also visible to other parents. I could not imagine a more unprofessional and inappropriate manner to handle the situation. The final straw was the principal Sue and her terrible attitude. Never once did she offer any helpful advice on how we could help our child at home after our 3 month long traumatic experience. Every time I mentioned that my daughter might be having trouble adjusting due to all the changes, she displayed zero interest. But the most offensive thing was that from the first time she sent my daughter home early because she didn't want to play outside, Sue said things to us like : "Take your child home and just keep her at home. Here in America there are rules", or "Where will you send her next school year? Because we're full. Be careful of the public schools in the US, she'll just spiral". "You know, here in America things are different, we don't tolerate this". So just because I spoke to her in Chinese and we mentioned we had come from Shanghai, she assumed that we don't understand there are rules and she can bully us????? Would she have spoken like this if I spoke English to her? Are there no rules for children in Shanghai??? It horrifies me to think that a school principal would discriminately talk to parents who they believe have newly arrived at a country and treat their child in such an irresponsible way by throwing all the problems back in the parents faces. What sort of educational institution could this sort of principal lead? I see many Chinese speaking grandparents doing pick up/drop off, and who probably don't know they can go onto Google or Yelp to write reviews describing episodes like these, who don't know they can complain to the education board. Does this principal also speak in such an offensive and disrespectful manner to them? All in all, unless you have a perfectly behaved child and enjoys having a principal who will likely be rude to any family members who speak Chinese, I DO NOT RECOMMEND this school.

I had such a great experience here. They were willing to work with me through a bunch of hurdles,…read moreand I really appreciated how supportive and patient they were the entire time. No matter what came up, they helped me every step of the way and made sure things worked out. Truly above and beyond service I couldn't recommend them more.

They are so kind and patient with my kiddo who was woefully behind in his reading skills. Their…read moreeducators are skilled and joyful and my kid is now interested in something he used to think was a huge challenge.

my kids have been going here for almost 10 years. there is no education better than one that makes…read morechildren independent thinkers and this school achieves that in a happy and wholesome way.

Eastside Community School has been such a gift to our family. The teachers are not only deeply…read moreknowledgeable and grounded, but they bring a calm, centered presence that creates a truly nurturing environment for the children. The setting itself is peaceful and never overwhelming--exactly what we hoped for in a learning space. What has surprised and delighted us the most is the sense of community. The other families have become more than just school connections--they've become chosen family. The level of support, care, and shared values among the parents is rare and beautiful. If you're looking for a school where your child can truly thrive--emotionally, socially, and intellectually--while being part of a heart-centered, thoughtful community, Eastside Community School is it. We couldn't be happier.

My children started learning abacus in January 2024. Thanks to Yuka-sensei's heartfelt guidance, my…read morechildren reached the dan level in less than two years. As they progressed through the levels, my daughters would sometimes "hit a wall", but were able to persist and meet the challenges because they enjoy abacus and love Yuka-sensei. Since they started learning abacus, my daughters' school performance has improved in math and other subjects as well. It is remarkable that abacus improves concentration and increases imagination. Yuka-sensei is truly a wonderful teacher. 子供達がそろばんを習い始めたのは2024年1月です。 優香先生の心のこもったご指導のおかげで、子供たちは2年足らずで段位に到達しました。 級や段が上がるにつれて、娘たちは壁にぶつかることもありましたが、そろばんが好きで、優香先生が大好きなので、ここまで頑張ることができたと思います。 そろばんを習い始めてから、娘たちの学校の成績は、算数だけでなく他の教科も上がりました。 そろばんが集中力を高め、想像力を高めるということは驚くべきことです。 優香先生は本当に素晴らしい先生です。

From the owner: Seattle Abacus School specializes in building strong math foundations through the traditional…read moreJapanese soroban (abacus). With over 10 years of teaching experience, our classes not only improve calculation speed and accuracy, but also develop focus, perseverance, and confidence. We welcome students from kindergarten to high school, offering both English and Japanese bilingual instruction in a warm, supportive environment. Our students have successfully passed national and international level exams, and many parents see remarkable improvements in their children’s school performance. Located in the heart of Bellevue, we provide flexible class schedules, small group learning, and a bright classroom atmosphere where every child feels encouraged to grow. Trial lessons are available for new families—we’d love to introduce your child to the world of abacus!

Our two sons both graduated from Sno Spring School, and we cannot recommend it highly enough. This…read moreschool is a true hidden gem in Issaquah. What sets Sno Spring apart from other schools is the incredible stability and dedication of the staff. Unlike schools with high turnover rates, most of the teachers here have been teaching for 10+ years. Every single teacher is loving, caring, and truly dedicated to their profession. Academically, the school is fantastic. They do a wonderful job accommodating math and reading levels to match each student's individual progress. My younger son started in preschool with very little English. After just one year, he was reading independently at an AR level of 1.4. Now in 1st grade, he is a confident reader at level 5.1! We are so impressed with his academic achievements, but that's only half the story. Beyond the academic, the teachers encourage the kids to behave properly, build confidence, and make friends. My son has developed into a caring, responsible kid. Today was his last day as he moves to a new private school. He cried the whole afternoon since he didn't want to leave. He told me that he feels loved every single day and that what he will miss most are the teachers who taught him not just knowledge, but how to be a confident person who cares for others. We are so grateful. Strongly recommend this school to all families!

Great school with small class rooms. Wonderful teachers, many of them have been there for years…read more Good after school programs.

We've had a wonderful experience with Eastgate Montessori Garden. Our daughter joined when she was…read morejust 2 years old, and even after only half a school year, we've already seen tremendous growth. She has become noticeably more confident, more social with other children, and her English skills have improved dramatically. What truly sets this school apart is Teacher Monica, a rare gem in the Greater Seattle area. With over 30 years of Montessori teaching experience, she brings a depth of understanding, patience, and guidance that's incredibly hard to find. She also had a knack for recruiting compassionate and loving assistant teachers such as Rebecca, Lori, and previously Gnana, whom we greatly appreciated. While only a very select number of schools in the area have teachers with comparable experience, those schools tend to be quite large, and it's not always guaranteed that your child will be placed with one of their most seasoned educators. At Eastgate, the environment is more personal and intentional, and we felt confident that our daughter was receiving direct support from someone who truly understands Montessori principles and how to nurture each child's growth. We're grateful for the warmth, consistency, and quality of education our daughter received here. Highly recommend!

We moved from the east coast and started with EMG from last November. I have to say we are very…read morelucky in finding this school. EMG is a true gem for the eastgate community. What I love most about EMG is their Montessori approach to education. My child has flourished under this method, which encourages hands-on learning and exploration. The teachers have created an environment that is both nurturing and stimulating, allowing my child to develop their unique interests and talents at their own pace. But what really sets this school apart is the teachers. Monika and Manisha are both wonderful educators who are passionate about their work and truly care about their students. They go above and beyond to ensure that each child in their class feels valued and supported. I have personally witnessed the impact that Monika and Manisha have had on my child. They both have a unique ability to bring out the best in each child and help them reach their full potential. I am so grateful to have them here. In conclusion, I highly recommend Eastgate Montessori Garden to any parent or guardian looking for a school with caring and loving teachers. The Montessori approach to education, combined with the school's warm and welcoming atmosphere, make for an exceptional learning experience.