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.

My Kindergartener comments out-of-blue several times a week that he loves his school and said this…read moremorning he wishes he could rate it, so here we are :) I'm extremely happy with the school: It seems all the lower school specialists manage to work physical activity into their lessons, children are treated with respect and have SEL built into daily activities. The teachers and staff are highly conscientious, constantly revising their curriculum and methods based on outcomes, the latest in educational research, and community feedback. Just driving onto campus each morning feels good, because everything is done so well. The active and supportive parent community is wonderful. Lots of helpful parent Ed talks and resources (and plenty of nerdy, type A parents as you might imagine, that tend to knock whatever task they've volunteered for out of the park). Of course, each year is going to be different depending on the mix of parents, students, and faculty but the institutional structure of constant improvement and community involvement is one of the best I've seen. I also really appreciate the fact that my son is now middle-of-the-pack in terms of intellect and assertiveness, finding friends with similar interests and abilities. And I've been able to relax around the other parents who share similar experiences of parenting exceptional kids. Hope this is helpful; I know picking a school is a big decision and the cost is significant. All I can say it that we really love Open Window.

Open Window School Is a mediocre school,…read more As a current student it excels in programs for gifted students and for kids in need of special help. However, it lacks in some areas, it does not provide enough support to kids with mental health struggles and passes over kids they do not consider diverse. other than that, the teachers are the best teachers I have ever come to know and they always make sure that you will excel. overall open window is a mediocre school that is great if you are diverse and gifted.

at my previous school, I was bullied, depressed and hated learning. none of the teachers were nice…read morebut, hillside is the complete opposite all the teachers are nice, obviously care about their students and what they teach. all the students like each other. I'm still recovering from my past experiences, but hillside is doing a darn good job at helping me heal and helping nourish my gifts.

Flashback to 1989: I had just learned my parents had enrolled me at Hillside and I was furious. How…read moredare they enroll me in private schooling instead of buying me a car?! Needless to say, looking back, I'm glad of their decision. I hadn't been the most social kid in middle school and Hillside provided the perfect mix of supportive community, yet challenging academic environment, to enable me to succeed. If you're not familiar with Hillside, take a tour. They have one of the best college-prep, personality-development and real-world training programs in the area.

Not sure why there are so many bad reviews. My son has gone here for 3 years; first in a 50/50…read moreEnglish/Chinese environment, then in a Chinese immersion environment. We're very happy with the teachers he's had, with the friends he's made, with the extended hours of the school, etc. At first we didn't think he was learning much Chinese, but then his grandma came to live with us from China, and we realized he was just shy, and he could actually speak Chinese very well. Overall, great school, happy with his progress in English, math, Chinese. Happy with a structured curriculum that also gives him free time to choose his own passions.

I would give 0 star if I could. This is a fake Montessori school. It has no Montessori…read morecertification. Unlike other Montessori schools, kids play with toys in the afternoon instead of doing work. The classroom is full of Montessori material, but that's only for decoration. The kids have never touched some of the materials because teachers don't even know how to use them. Also, most teachers don't have certification either. The way they treat student is completely wrong. They dont comfort kids when they feel said. I feel like they don't actually care about their students and their feelings. The school is closed this year in March due to coronavirus. Parents send tons of emails asking for tuition refund and we receive no response. Not even to just acknowledge that they have received our email. The director refund 25% of tuition fee for April while the school is closed for the month. Some parents want to hold off their April payment until school reopens. They received a notice from school saying that if you don't pay for April, we will consider this as an act of withdrawing your child from school. The 2 month deposit would be gone. Their decision is very business driven to benefit their needs. They are still making money from us during this time period and use it to support school development(they are building a new campus) and teacher training program. Would a school without certification spend money on teacher's development? I doubt it.

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.

The 4th grade teacher and some office staff were not very friendly…read more Ms. Ibrahim is the best. Overall not very pleased. But still one of the good schools in the city as WA is the most unchurched state.

Our daughter has been at ECS since 1st grade and is now in 2nd. She's built such strong bonds with…read moreher classmates, and we've seen how much those friendships actually help her in the classroom. When they hit tough topics--like some of the more advanced math concepts--having that supportive group of friends keeps her motivated and makes the challenges feel much more manageable. We also really value how the school handles social growth. When a conflict came up, the teachers and the principal didn't just 'fix' it; they helped her develop a real strategy for resolution and taught her how to navigate things in the future. It gave her so much confidence. Most importantly, we love that the school is centered on God and faith. Seeing her so excited to talk about Jesus after chapel is a huge blessing to our family. It's a wonderful, supportive community and we're so glad to be part of it.

We have had our 2 daughters enrolled since 6th grade and they are starting their 3rd year at…read moreSummit. The amount of love that is poured into the students on a daily basis by the teachers and administrators is amazing. Anytime I interact with any of the students, I am amazed at the level of maturity and intellect displayed. Students pray for each other and lift each other up. Academics are top notch and this school is about discipleship and setting the students up for success. Public school can't come close to this experience.

I have two sons enrolled at Summit and my daughter will join kindergarten in the Fall 2015. I chose…read moreSummit because Jesus is perched and present. The curriculum is outstanding and they are learning. They enjoy school and I consider Summit an excellent school.

Our twin boys are currently enrolled at French Immersion school of Washington for the last 3 years…read moreand we love the community - very diverse and ground to earth. As a family although we aren't native French speakers, however our kids learnt the language so quickly. It's an excellent bilingual immersion school, which offers a strong academic curriculum in both French and English in an experiential learning approach via projects related to Art, Science, Mathematics, Sports, History etc... throughout the year, field trips, outside in authors visiting to talk to students along with exchange opportunities with schools in France. French Immersion school of Washington is one of the most diverse schools in the greater Seattle area. I would strongly recommend the school for families who are considering Bilingual immersion program in the Greater Seattle area.

We're a tri-lingual family. When we moved from California to Washington state, we were looking for…read morea French school for our two kids as the French school system is disciplined and rigorous. What differentiate this school from other bilingual schools or public schools? (1) The caliber of the teachers and staff. We were impressed with how well the school were run, the caliber, passion, and flexibility of teachers. (2) Small class with attentive teachers. Over the course of last 6 years, FISW helps to raise our kids to be open-minded, kind, inquisitive, adaptable, and curious about the world, students are simulated to learn through observation, inquiry, exploration, play and creation, vs pure memorization. The school also has many events and activities to bring the parents and community together. This is the best choice we've made.