We chose to take our four-year-old son to SunGarden after relocating. It's a lovely small community…read moreof staff, teachers and parents, but unfortunately it didn't turn out to be what we thought it would be when we enrolled. Keep in mind, we have high expectations since we're talking about our children. We're within walking distance and we prefer Montessori methods, and SunGarden is AMI vs AMS (please research the difference if you're looking into Montessori schools)... so SunGarden seemed like a great choice. Everyone is warm and welcoming, and our son grew leaps and bounds academically (which is great if you're looking to raise an Einstein), but I was disheartened by a few things listed below: 1) Time outside: We were told when enrolling our son would be able to work outside when he wanted to (with provided lanyards) and they would often be outside anyway. However, he would come home and say he was not allowed to run outside (a four-year-old not be able to run?!). And although the outside area is beautifully cared for, it's extremely small for how large the community of children is, which is why they were worried about safety if the children ran into each other or any of the garden equipment. At this age, we feel kids need to run off their energy, especially after doing serious academic "work" in a classroom all day - see below. So the outside area and the rules that go with it ended up being a downfall and we were a bit displeased. 2) Turnover: We were only at SunGarden for one year and it was the director's first year in this position, as well as our teacher's first year (her name was Amy - but she was the best part about the school experience for our son). Their "outside guide" left the school mid-year making it even more difficult to allow children outside to do their work (something we were told would happen daily, but ended up not happening much at all). 3) The environment: I have to commend the school on its materials - it complies with AMI rules and materials have to be up to a certain standard, and they are beautiful Montessori materials, kept clean and orderly. However, as much as I love a calm, organized, quite environment for learning, the rooms were unusually quite (these are children ranging from 2.5-6 years). There should be noise and laughter and giggles. Anyone who needed to "move" - which was more often than not - was told to walk briskly along a circular line tape placed on the floor. It almost felt like caged animals when I observed this. 4) Academics: AMI Montessori schools want your children to thrive academically. I want my child to thrive in this area as well but he was still 4... not heading to college yet... and the reports I would receive from my teachers were how long my child would sit, focus and work on math or other subjects. And although he learned quite a bit for a four-year-old, I felt bad the days he didn't want to enter the classroom, crying and sitting outside, because I knew in my heart it was because he was entering what he felt, was a place he couldn't essentially just "be a kid." 5) Play & Art: In our son's previous years at another Montessori school (which we all loved but was AMS), he would come home exhausted, often-times dirty from playing outside (this is a good thing, parents...), or covered in paint and/or in a change of clothes after getting wet on hot days. Unfortunately, he always returned home from SunGarden as well groomed as he had been when he went in the classroom door that morning, so it seemed that very little art exploration, imagination, creativity or getting dirty was encouraged (at least that we saw). Again, it felt exceedingly academic for little minds. I do know they have some make-believe areas (such as a small doll house), sing songs (he came home reciting the same 50 states song I too memorized in 2nd grade), and read stories, but the teachers are there mainly to observe the children do their focused work quietly. 5) Flexibility: I want to be fair, the director did allow our family some flexibility, but again, complying with AMI methods, SunGarden requires your children to attend five days a week. So if you're looking for part-time care (because we wanted our child to be able to move and explore non-academic areas on those days off), then unless they've changed their rules, you don't have that option. Overall, again, everyone was warm and kind and I do know they care about the children. Unfortunately, I left with the impression they care even more so about complying with their AMI Montessori beliefs and methods than what the children inherently desire and need to be a kid at heart. It is a great school for those looking to ensure their children simply grow in academics and social responsibility. Again, these are the areas in which we saw our child grow the most with his time there and we are grateful for this.

As current parents of two children at SunGarden (one in each room), we couldn't be happier with our…read moreexperience. New to the area, we wanted a local Montessori provider where we could feel connected to the community. From the first day we dropped in (literally) to tour the school, the director, guides, and staff made us feel welcome. Since then, we've continued to have great experiences with the school, the parents, and the community. We love living in West Linn and often comment that SunGarden was the best decision we've made here. Specific to the school, we love the building and yard, the amount of outdoor time the kids get (rain or shine, they go out!), the pictures we get from the guides, and the ongoing parent/guide conferences. There are opportunities to connect with the guides, have drinks and coffee with other parents, learn about the curriculum, and interact with the whole community (annual events). SunGarden is the right place if you're looking to be a part of a Montessori community where your children will be cared for and given individual attention.

They will take your money for a waitlist, and never contact you again! You can try calling and…read moreemailing over and over, but they will never give you an update. This is a shady business that takes your money to be in the waitlist and never contacts you. You've been warned!

I wouldn't send my kid here if this place were free. We lasted 6 weeks & I regret not pulling him…read moreout after the first couple weeks! Learn from my mistake & don't send your kid here. It's chaotic, loud, has major behavioral issues that need to be addressed & felt like management didn't want to be inconvenienced to teach my son. I gave them many chances & tried to make it easier FOR THEM, but they gave up & blamed their failure on being short staffed. A preschool should strive to help kids get ready for a successful transition to kindergarten & Atlas misses the mark on many levels. They raised tuition 40% for the upcoming school year & it's not worth the tuition. We unenrolled after 1 month. - They provided little to no support at drop off & started calling me to pick him up instead. My son cried at drop off & at first, they told me the director would help by taking him out of the classroom until he settled, & then he would be ok once he was put back into his class. However, after a few weeks, the director told us this transition support shouldn't be the expectation because they were understaffed & when she was able to do so we were "lucky". One day I called 30 mins after drop off & I could hear my son crying for me in the background, without anyone trying to help him calm down. They fail to help kids learn coping techniques & expect them to figure it out themselves. He is 4! Within a 5-day period, they called me to pick him up 2 days & notified me on a 3rd, that I may have to pick him up if he didn't stop crying. I notified of unenrollment after the 3rd notification (1 month after starting Atlas), because I'd rather keep him home than be called within 15 mins after drop off to pick him up & urgently rearrange my work to go back to pick him up. I adjusted drop off times to when they said they'd be better staffed, I created transition aids, & I asked for their guidance on how to help him transition & make Atlas successful. But, according to them, it didn't work because they didn't have staff. We felt like an inconvenience to them instead. One day I was called to pick him up, because they told me he wanted to hold the teacher's hand & be with her all morning. When I arrived, the class was outside & my child was standing next to that teacher, visibly upset. However, the teacher wasn't interacting with him & was just standing watching the other kids playing. I would think holding his hand or playing with him would be an easy solution, especially as they were standing next to each other. - The school is chaotic & loud. One morning when I was called to pick him up, I walked into a chaotic scene with kids screaming in both main rooms, & kids in his class all over the place, without structure, when it should have been circle time. The teacher in the large class wears a microphone to be heard & that just adds to the noise. We continued to take him, while in our notification period, to try establishing a routine. But we could not establish one because of the chaos & lack of structure. In the end, we decided the best for him was to just pull him out ASAP. We originally toured the facility after-hours due to Covid & didn't see the chaos & high noise level. Ask to tour the facility during normal hours. - Children at the school have behavioral issues such as hitting, yelling, & general bad behavior. My son was hit by 2 kids on 3 separate occasions. While observing at lunch, I witnessed 2 other children hitting others, all within 5 mins. The teacher stepped in as soon as she saw, but it just seemed like hitting was too prevalent in this class, along with general bad behavior that was not being addressed. - Food was subpar, or there wasn't enough of it. 2 consecutive days my son came home hungry & I called to voice my concern that the food didn't have a valid protein. I asked the director to look at the protein options because they were lacking on those 2 days. Her reply to me was that they wouldn't change the food selection, but they were working on figuring out quantity so there was enough food. She told me that I should "give him a big breakfast & have a snack ready for him as soon as we got home" & that I couldn't supplement lunch with food from home due to their rules. Telling me to be ok with my son eating little to no food for 6 hours is unacceptable. - They lack proper safety gates. The first week a teacher told me my son had unlocked their gates & walked back to his class. If he unlocked the gates then I'm sure other children can as well. They need to keep an eye on all kids or update the locks to keep them safe & accounted for. Atlas lacks more than staff, but if staffing is what's stopping them from being good, then they should add staff to accommodate the children being served or adjust the number of children to better accommodate their needs. Please look for a different school.

This is an incredible preschool. Wonderful teachers. Great, safe location. We feel like we truly…read morefound a gem in Harmony!

Our family has known teacher Rebecca for the past 5 years, as she had been a preschool teacher for…read moremy 2 older daughters. They both LOVED her, and so we didn't hesitate to enroll our youngest daughter at Harmony preschool. I can't say enough positive things about this school! Firstly, Rebecca and Linda are absolutely warm, creative and nurturing human beings. They are full of creative ideas that go way beyond a typical preschool experience. The art projects, tactile exploration, regular yoga classes,  spanish exposure, "crockpot club" meals, (the kids cook for their families once/month) are so wonderful. Almost every day upon driving home after school, my daughter will spontaneously remark "I love my school"... which is all you want to hear as a parent. You will not regret sending your child to this school!

Little Nestings ,a nonprofit preschool in West Linn, provides great education, a healthy…read moreenvironment, loving and nurturing atmosphere and dedication. The Reggio Emilio curriculum is extraordinary. This approach is a student-centered educational philosophy based on the idea that children are capable, creative, and intelligent, and that they learn best through self-directed, experiential learning in relationship-driven environments. Little Nestlings is a true asset to the West Linn preschool community.

From the owner: At Little Nestlings Preschool, we offer a nurturing and innovative environment using the Reggio…read moreEmilia style of education. We believe in fostering the 4 Cs: Curiosity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Creativity. These essential skills not only prepare children for kindergarten but also equip them to become our future leaders and innovators. Choose Little Nestlings to give your child a head start in a community-focused, supportive setting where they can thrive and grow.

My son has attended Snickerdoodle Preschool in West Linn for two years. His older sister also…read moreattended for two years before going on to elementary school. The best part of this preschool for me as a parent is zero volunteering or fundraising commitments. I pay a reasonable monthly tuition and I know I'm leaving my kids in good hands. The teachers care and do a great job teaching social skills, fine motor skills, reading, counting... my kids bring home crafts and can't wait to share with their class on show and tell day. Highly recommended.

We've had an amazingly positive experience at Oswego. Our daughter loves both of the teachers…read more(Lindsey and Vicki) and had grown so much just in her first year of preschool. The teachers plan fun activities for the kids that vary based on the seasons and time of year, she always comes home saying she had a great day at school. The school requires quite a bit of parent involvement which has been something to get used to but it's also nice to be around other families who care as much about their kids' school environments. Would definitely recommend this as a great place to send your kids!

Oswego Playschool is truly a special place, I've never met teachers more excited, nurturing, and…read morecaring for the development and wellbeing of preschool aged kids. The parent involvement is paramount to the community at this school, and the relationships we've built in our two years here are lifelong friendships (parents, teachers and children alike)! It is a bittersweet feeling to be moving on next year to kindergarten, but I also feel our daughter is so well prepared for what's next thanks to teacher Vicki, and Lindsey, along with all of the other lovely parent teacher helpers that we've met along the way.

This school is the best for any child who wants to make new friends and learn lots from a bunch of…read morethe most supportive and kind teacher I have every had. ignore all reviews that say otherwise but as a student that was so proud to go to this school I made so many new friends including the teachers and have made so many remarkable memories. during COVID it was hard for this school to adapt to all the new changes but because off the amazing staff and principle Minor managed to turn back to its regular fun and joy. The PE classes keep you healthy with lots of creative fun and games that excitingly change through out the week. And Music that you also learn from none other than the amazing Heidi Lentz will make you get a head start in perfect vocals and lots of fun game with instruments. I may be 13 years old but as a student who went to this school k-5th I would highly recommend this to any parents looking for a school for there kids.

The school was great until they started pushing Comprehensive Sexuality Education agenda on my…read morechild. The teachers are great but obviously have to abide by ODE guidelines. I think it's inappropriate for my kid's third grade teacher to tell my kid and the class that they could choose to be a boy, a girl, or a neither on any given day by holding up a number line with a boy on one side, girl on the other, and neither in the middle. The part that angers me the most is that there was no phone call or email to parents so that we can follow up with our own child. I had to find out by asking her if she knew what "gender" meant, and that's when she told me. I fought for gay rights alongside my gay brother and gay sister in the 90s and 00s, so I am not a hater. But I do believe that telling a YOUNG child they could choose to change their gender, planting that seed and confusion in their heads, knowing the psychological and physical effects including mutilation of bodies as well as hormone therapy causing horrible side effects and possibility of being sterile, is just crossing the line in my book. I asked my daughter how she felt when she heard her teacher say this, and she replied "I forgot what 1 + 1 was".