Both of my daughters attended Dragonfly. My oldest only spent one year before starting…read morekindergarten, but her sister started as a toddler. The experience for both of my girls was overwhelmingly positive. While my girls are no longer students, they ask to visit Lisa and the school all the time. The decision of where to send your little ones for their first school experience is such a difficult one. We will forever be grateful to Lisa and the other teachers at Dragonfly for showing our girls so much love and kindness through the years.

Dragonfly preschool is absolutely wonderful! Lisa and her team of amazing teachers have been…read moreinstrumental in the growth and development of my 2 boys. You will be hard pressed to find a more caring and attentive preschool. I love the combination of outdoor play, art, learning and music. At the end of our time with Dragonfly, I felt my kids were well prepared for elementary school. Lisa has created such a lovely community.

Wildflowers was an incredible foundation for my son, and such a lovely community for him and our…read morewhole family. Communication with teachers was excellent, and I know they truly loved my child. My son is now in kindergarten and we still get together with the amazing friends he made there. He misses his teachers and still talks about them. It was a hard place to leave and I cannot recommend it enough.

Wildflowers was my dream preschool. Heidi and Holly loved and knew my son so well; they helped him…read moreat each stage of his development. Because of them he was totally ready for kindergarten. Wildflowers is a magical place, and the village I needed--can't recommend highly enough!

The best teachers and positive, supportive environment. Small school with opportunities for growth…read morefor every child. I would send my child here indefinitely if they had a high school program.

I don't have enough superlatives to truly convey the deep appreciate and regard my wife and I have…read morefor Metro. Our daughter has been in Montessori since she was 3. She is a Montessori kid. And when the time came to leave her upper elementary classroom at her previous school (the super wonderful Sunstone Montessori) - we really struggled. Did we put her in a pipeline school that would allow her to matriculate from her middle school program directly into high school (e.g. OES)? Should we consider Waldorf? In the end, sticking with Montessori for our daughter's middle school years was not only a healthy choice for her growth and development - it was an amazing experience for her whole person. Picture this - after completing her 7th grade year at Metro . . . our daughter disclosed to us, "that was the best year of my life." Wow! I don't know about you - but my Catholic middle school years were DEFINITELY NOT the best years of my life. Thank you, Metro for being such an amazing place of peace, curiosity and compassion. You ROCK!

I was searching for a co-op for my 4 year old son after some Covid limitations had lifted. My…read moredaughter was in a different co-op but it closed down at the beginning of the pandemic and unfortunately never opened back up. I wanted to find a co-op because I love the fact that I can ease my child into learning. You get to be a part of the class and get to know the kids, families and the fabulous teacher Amy! There was actual information about how they are CONTINUING to keep our kids safe and masking. It's so helpful for keeping those little fingers out of noses and mouths I love that the school is so inclusive and has so much information available on their site. Teacher Amy is so kind and gentle with the kids, you can tell it's her passion to teach kids! She rotates the activities for the kids to do so that there little minds are constantly inspired. I am so so thankful to have found the school. My son can't WAIT to go to school and see his friends, it brings such a beautiful sense of normalcy that I cannot express enough how big of a difference it makes for our family! If you're looking for a school for a few days a week to help prepare your little one and socialize them and for countless other reasons too I highly HIGHLY recommend Mt tabor preschool!!

It is with bittersweet joy that we are soon to be graduates of Mt Tabor Preschool! My daughter is a…read morestage 5 clinger and had a very difficult transition to preschool after being at home with me full-time. While other schools treated this as a problem to be quickly solved with many tears and quick drop offs, Teacher Amy had a different approach - work with the child on their time table, meet them where they are at. I spent months sitting and staying in the classroom until my kiddo was comfortable and now she has absolutely no issues and adores school! The space is lovely and bright, the other parents are kind and supportive and form a loving community, and my daughter is more than prepared for kindergarten, already reading and writing! The play-based philosophy and emphasis on building personal and interpersonal skills was just perfect for us and I wish I had more kids to sent to MTP!

Little Seeds has been a nurturing and expansive environment for our daughter. Teacher Sherry and…read moreshe formed a sweet bond early on, and my daughter loves going to school with the team there. The balance of play and developmental projects is good for her age and the large outdoor space with covered area is great to ensure the kids are outside every day, year round. Communication with the parents has been clear and open which is appreciated. AND! The parent community aspect is awesome. Everyone has always been so welcoming and fun to be around. Our family is grateful to have found Little Seeds.

Fantastic preschool. Our child has been blossoming since attenting Little Seeds Farm School…read more Everyday he brings home a new art project or story about something new he's learning in school. Children are very cared for and stimulated with attention to learning about hands on outdoor activities and crafts; animals, plants, and gardening-type activities. Engaging. All of the teachers are compassionate and supportive to all the students.

We sent our kiddo here and could not recommend it more. The loving community and play centered…read morelearning were exactly what we were looking for as a first school experience. Our kid has a love of learning because of her time here.

Literally the best 3s,4s, and kindergarten experience we could have ever asked for. Beyond grateful…read morefor the amazing, hardworking teachers and families who make the school what it is. A true community where all of our kids can learn and thrive.

Our family has had the most wonderful experience at Little Hands Garden School. My older son…read morestarted in 2022 and will soon be heading off to kindergarten with so many beautiful memories and a strong foundation, thanks to the nurturing environment at this school. My younger son joined this past year, and we are so grateful that he, too, gets to grow and learn in such a special place. The teachers at Little Hands are truly exceptional--kind, conscientious, warm, and confident. They approach each child with genuine care and respect, creating a safe space where kids are not only encouraged to explore and express themselves, but also gently guided to be thoughtful, kind, and responsible members of their community. It's clear that the staff is deeply committed to teaching children how to be good humans in our complex world. We especially love the play-based learning approach, which allows the children to learn through curiosity, imagination, and joyful discovery. The time they spend outside in the beautiful garden is a highlight--planting, playing, and connecting with nature in meaningful ways. It's the kind of early childhood experience every parent hopes for. Little Hands has been such a gift to our family. We're constantly in awe of the heart and intention that goes into everything they do. Thank you to all the amazing teachers for helping our boys grow with confidence, kindness, and joy!

Staff falsely reported me to DHS for sexually abusing my daughter over TOTALLY NORMAL BEHAVIOR,…read moresuch as grabbing her crotch. They proceeded to inform my coparent of this when she was the one who had dropped my daughter off! Resulted in a massive problem with my coparent wherein I did not see my daughter for over a week while the investigation was conducted. The staff was totally unresponsive and irresponsible. DO NOT LET YOUR CHILD GO HERE! THEY ARE UNTRAINED!

Here is a haiku about Puddletown: Perfect, wonderful…read more and exciting just as well you should join right now! I joke, but it really is an amazing school. I have attended for 9 years and the community, the experiences and the curriculum are all great. Please enroll in the middle school program there so I am not a lonely 8th grader next year... - A Puddletown Student

My daughter joined the Elementary program at age 6 after enjoying several years at another…read moreMontessori preschool. The transition was very smooth and now in her 3rd year there, she's still doing wonderfully. The community (parents, administration, teachers, support staff) are all relaxed and intelligent people that clearly love and value children. The Montessori philosophy and learning environments are authentic and beloved by the children. There's plenty of interaction between the children and the outdoors, with fun interactive garden experiences and an interesting outdoor play area. Tuition is the same as most other Montessori schools, and they offer before and after care, and plenty of opportunities for parents to volunteer. Good times!

ISP creates joy…read more Happy and educated children is what I see at ISP whenever I'm on campus. The combination of language immersion and IB education (inquiry-based) is amazing. These children come out with a global mindset treating others with respect snd care. We looked at a number of schools in Portland and ISP is the best. Seeing 5th graders graduate fully fluent in Spanish, Japanese or Mandarin is amazing. And hearing stories of ISP graduates in college and beyond who use the skills and language they learned at ISP daily, reaffirms why we believe this is the best school in Portland. Additionally, the location makes school accessible to families living all over Portland. Being centrally located (near public transit, bike paths, highways, etc.) means the students learn about city and have easy access to museums, theater, and more for field trips. An ISP education builds a strong foundation to help the next generations follow their dreams.

Where else in Portland can a monolingual household, like ours, send a child to school at age 3 and,…read morewithin a few years, watch her become fluent in another language? Not only does our daughter speak Spanish fluently like a native speaker, she can write proficiently in both English and Spanish. Our now seven-year-old child has achieved something neither of her parents have managed, which has been a huge confidence booster. Before enrolling her, we were concerned about whether she could succeed in learning a foreign language at such a young age and whether she might fall behind in other subjects. However, our fears were unfounded. She, along with her classmates, quickly picked up Spanish. Additionally, attending a diverse school where Spanish, Mandarin, and Japanese are predominantly used has allowed her to appreciate and celebrate different traditions and cultures. If you are looking for true diversity, you will have trouble finding more of it at any other school in the area. Remarkably, she and many of her classmates significantly outperform state averages in reading in English and math as evidenced by standardized test scores, demonstrating that language immersion has not hindered her overall academic progress. The inquiry-based learning process of the school's International Baccalaureate program has fostered her curiosity, creativity, and independent critical thinking. In one of her classes students can volunteer to present "mini-lessons" on topics of interest. Recently, she presented a lesson on DNA, displaying an impressive understanding of a complex subject that I didn't learn about until high school or college. I've also been impressed with the quality of her art classes. Unlike the simple arts and crafts of my childhood, she has learned about art history and various artists. When we visited a Frida Kahlo exhibit, she provided insightful commentary on Kahlo's background and influences. Similarly, she recognized the influence of Vincent Van Gogh in a painting by Edvard Munch, showcasing her knowledge and keen eye for art. The small class sizes not only provides more personalized attention from the teachers, it also fosters a culture of kindness (her class this year had a 12:1 student-teacher ratio, about half of what it is at area public schools). While the school is located in downtown Portland, it's a bit hidden. It's a safe oasis on a quiet dead-end street, easily accessible by bike, streetcar, MAX, bus, and car due to its central location. When we lived in The Pearl District, I could bike my daughter to school on dedicated bike paths for most of the route. If you are looking for a truly differentiated education for your child that will lay a foundation for them to thrive in a shrinking global community & economy I'd encourage you to check out the International School of Portland.

OCP is an incredibly warm and welcoming learning environment. Everything Erin and Diane do--whether…read moreit's the daily journal log or baking a snack or gently teaching my son how to write his name--is done with so much thought and care. My son is both able to access curriculum at his own pace and prompted with a safe and appropriate level of challenge, the perfect balance for him to learn and grow safely.

We have nothing but wonderful things to say about Overlook Collaborative. Our 5 and 3 year olds…read moreattend and look forward to their days. The communication from Erin, Diane, and Darin is transparent, consistent, and clear. We receive daily newsletters with pictures from the day, the kids love reading them with us and sharing about their day. I so appreciate their empathy, patience, and creativity.