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.

My son joined Stellar when he was two years old, and now we can't wait to send my second kid to…read moreStellar! We feel incredibly fortunate to have found this place. During our school tour, the Director Ms. Deepika told us that Stellar is not only committed to educating children academically, but more importantly, to inspiring their passion and curiosity for learning and encouraging them to explore. We deeply resonate with this philosophy, and it was one of the main reasons we decided to join Stellar right away. I've already recommended Stellar to many of my friends and family, here's why: 1. The teachers are incredibly dedicated and responsible. Since my son joined Stellar, we've been pleasantly surprised by his daily growth and progress, not only in knowledge, but also in emotional development, self-regulation, and discipline. He has learned to be patient and take turns, to share with others, and to use gentle hands. He throws fewer tantrums, has become kinder, and even helps clean up his own toys. 2. My kid is also noticeably more cheerful and expressive. His vocabulary has grown rapidly, and he can now engage in full conversations and communicate clearly. He can count, and every day at school he participates in crafts and art activities. At home, he continues to want to read, sing, and draw, these are all things that Stellar has helped nurture in him. 3. When I mentioned to the teachers that my child was a picky eater, they patiently encouraged and supported him during lunchtime to ensure he got the nutrition he needed. Over time, he began finishing most of his lunch and reached a healthy weight. The teachers always take parents' concerns seriously and do their best to support both the child and the family, which I truly appreciate. 4. External Environment: The school is located near major transportation hubs, yet nestled within a quiet residential neighborhood. It's peaceful, convenient, and has easy parking. 5. Campus Environment: The classrooms and various facilities are very clean. The entire campus gives me a strong sense of cleanliness, safety, comfort, and simplicity, exactly the kind of warm and welcoming atmosphere I look for in a daycare.

We are so glad that we decided to enroll our son in Stellar Montessori Academy! SMA is a wonderful…read moreschool, and our son has flourished under the care of his teachers and Ms. Deepika, Director of SMA. We love the school's intimate size, caring teachers, and ease of communication with the staff. Also, SMA operates year-round with minimal closures. It has been very helpful to not have to worry about backup childcare. Most importantly, our son is always happy to go to school, which gives us the greatest confidence that SMA is the right choice for him. Thank you SMA for making such a positive impact on our son!

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.

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.

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!

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!

Pros: --Kids have weekly challenging assignments which are…read morehanded out on Fridays and required to turned in on Thursdays. It is great way of making a habit of daily study. --My kids can read easy books in English after 5 months in Kindergarten which mine could not do before started. --School uniforms for 4 days a week. --Option of buying or bring lunch --$8 per hour late charge or extended care Cons: --Like other said, hit or miss teachers. --Homework is usually about 20 pages or more and probably needs parents help to complete. --Teachers seems to suffer budget of the class supplies and for crafts. --Most surprisingly, teachers let kids watch cartoons on TV at school while their regular school hour. --Home work is black and white printing, but some questions requires color to solve it. --Homework level is rather random. Most of the time homework is not relevant to what they learned specific week. Some are so far advance and defiantly needs help. --Parking --Schools asks donations for buying a new projector or other equipment like some in play ground. --Not focus on STE of STEM much --School is rather small.

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.

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.

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.

We love this school…read more They educate with intention. Most of my class parents say they wish they went to school like this one :) We found this school at perfect timing when my daughter was in 3rd grade. The admission process is unique & experiential. I attended the open house with my daughter who made an instant connection with her class teacher and was happily engaged without me. At this point, I had toured another school in Seattle, and seeing my daughter's comfort and confidence blossom we knew this was the right place for our family. The part I found most significant in Waldorf admission, my daughter has 3 day visit where she could experience how it is for be in new classmates and teacher. I think respecting school policy as stated on the website is a no brainer to me. In my opinion, to fully enjoy your child's milestones, it's beneficial for adults to orient themselves to Waldorf education. The teachers are amazing. They deeply listen to your challenges, and partner with you to raise a well-rounded child. If you know a student here, do check out their handwork, main lesson books. As a parent, I feel centered in this environment given the busyness of work and day. I find strength to keep going with perspective our teachers provide, events like the Winter Spiral, Crafts & Tea. It takes a village, and I found a like-minded community, and people I can lean on, fostered a thriving academic journey for my middle schooler. The highly trained teachers and wonderful staff work tirelessly to create a learning environment that emphasizes connection with nature, a robust curriculum, handwork, and the art and play block. No tech has provided a foundation for mindful screen use and fostering focus in early years for us. Check out the instagram page!! Good luck!

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!

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

The minute you walk into this school you feel it's difference from any other School…read more My son went here from kindergarten to 1st grade. He started kindergarten knowing his ABC's and by the time he started 2nd grade at Cascade Ridge he was reading at a 6th grade level. The academic program is incredible. They have high expectations from their students and use a lot of positive teaching methods to help the kids reach their full potential! What I loved so much about the school was the fact that they strive to make the child feel confident about themselves not only academically but as a whole person. They teach them to be successful in their daily life by being kind and compassionate. The love that the staff feels for the students are genuine. If you want a nurturing environment for your child this is the school to be at.

Physical punishment!!! My son (3 year old) constantly saying…read morethat One of the toddler teachers pinched his hand because he was not sleeping after lunch (BTW, the policy is that the nap is not mandatory for kids). It was strong enough to leave redness and bruise even after 24 hours, and we informed DCYF. Any policy, any condition; is really physical punishment allowed??? When we shared our concern with the director and expected to fire that so-called teacher or move her to another class by EOD, she refused and just asked if we want to withdraw and get refund. If your child safety and and health is important, please take this review seriously.

Pros: - we got lots of picture updates…read more- they do tons of activities with the kids - my kid liked all the teachers - covered playground for the rain/sun (though it gets pretty cold without the sun) - decent food Cons: - not the cheapest (not the most expensive either) - my kid seems to get sick more here (they have floaters in the morning & late afternoon, and a lot of teachers send their own kids in other classes, so it seems like viruses will not be contained to a single classroom) - parking lot is a pain during pickup/dropoff Overall I think this is a well-run school that cares about kids & its staff.