You're not really going to make a choice about schools based on a review from Yelp, right? Go…read morevisit the school, check out their website, attend a game or play or lecture. Even a monthly parent-school meeting will show you the possibilities and opportunities that your child could glean from OES. The summer program offerings are a great place to start--look into it. While you're at it, sign your child up for an enrichment learning activity. We loved meeting the middle school drama teacher and the varsity basketball coach through summer camps. Want to see inspired teaching and learning? Make an appointment to visit classrooms and chat with teachers and students. It will be worth your effort. Maybe you've heard the cliche about schools and teachers and fellow students that help children discover and envision themselves in new, amazing ways. In our experience, that movie cliche holds true. Our son loves his learning experiences here. Even with a minimum of a 90 minute round trip commute to and from school, he looks forward to school every day and leaves at year's end with a deeper understanding of himself, his responsibilities as a human, and of a deep respect for others around him.

This School is The best The teachers are so kind. And they teach you about kindness…read moreYou should definitely go to school

I like the staff and all, as i left school this year, and the staff is nice, but i was bullied a…read morelot and made fun of. And the students are very harsh, and will make fun of you, and day racial slurs, such as the n word, so on, so forth.

Do not send your kids here. I went here when I was younger, was bullied by a kid, and it was not…read moretaken seriously. He repeatedly bullied me and several other kids, and was able to get away with all of it. Even when several other children came forward to say that they felt uncomfortable with this other kid in the classroom, again, it was not taken seriously. I was able to get away with more things going to the school than I ever have in my life. They had a little to no supervision and I was uncomfortable with the staff there.

Attended the spring band concert. Jazz, concert, symphonic and wind ensemble bands treated us to a…read morenight of varied and skillfully done pieces. This is a large hs (~2500) so each offering was medium to large in scale. We enjoyed it immensely but the wind ensemble captured our attention most due to my g'son composing and conducting one of the pieces. All in all a great program and these students should be proud! Well done!

Good school, decent teachers, nice kids, but THE BATHROOMS?! I don't think I've seen anything…read moreworse. AGS 1 class is getting VR headsets while I'm sitting in a stall, where the floor is damp from broken pipes, lunch food is strewn about like the entire room is a trash can, and the smell of vape is overwhelming. I don't know where the money is going, but it's sure not going to the bathrooms

Every year the Principal takes AWAY from these kids. There used to be amazing things done for the…read morekids but now she shuts down so many ideas because she doesn't want to stay at the school later than 3:30 or 4pm. Well dude it's kind of YOUR job. Events are all run by PTO and volunteers except for choir concerts, science fair, art fair etc. and they do a decent job. I want to volunteer IN my kids class. But there aren't many opportunities for that as they reach higher grades. The principal is aloof and doesn't have a level of investment at the school. The staff (aside from her,) are wonderful. So caring and so supportive. She lacks follow up, initiative and just general CARE. She can't even pronounce the names of long term teachers. What garbage. That staff cares SO much for the students. And the Vice Principal SHOULD be running the show. She is everything a leader should be. I cannot even grasp how the Principal makes the salary she does with the true lack of care and investment in the school. My son has a year left and then we are moving on. Aside from her it's been wonderful but she has truly made the school LESS in every way.

Do not send your child to this school, especially if your child plays sports. Their AD has no clue…read morewhat she is doing. They hire people with zero experience. Tricia Halonen is the worst AD in the state and it is NOT even close. She has no experience in Sports Leadership and she has no idea how to hire or lead coaches and young people. She is NOT qualified and this needs to be known with the school board. Tricia, please find a way into a different career or school. You are not capable of doing your job and you are not supporting children in the process.

Great school great staff. When ever I thought about what school was or what it was going to be I…read morethought of this one

Clackamas Day school is the best. Caring teachers and great programs. Our son started there when he…read morewas 4 months old.

We have been so happy at Clackamas Day School! The staff is always friendly and you can tell they…read moretruly love being with the children. All the teachers, no matter which age group they teach, knows each student's name. The office staff is always quick to respond and provide information. I also appreciate that they have a program for school aged children for the summer and during the school year when they have days off.

Concerns Regarding Bridges Middle School I feel a deep…read moreresponsibility to speak candidly about systemic issues that impact both staff and students at Bridges Middle School. Although the school publicly brands itself as an inclusive, neurodiversity-affirming program, the reality behind closed doors tells a very different story. Inadequate Curriculum and Staff Training Bridges utilizes little to no curriculum designed specifically for students with learning differences. Much of the curriculum is sourced from Teachers Pay Teachers and then modified by educators-most of whom have received little to no formal training in curriculum modification. Historically, Bridges has employed general education teachers without licensure in special education and without providing them with meaningful training in best practices for supporting students with learning differences. These are major oversights by administration. Families who pay $32,000 a year deserve highly qualified educators using well-vetted, evidence-based curriculum. Unsafe and Unsupported Learning Environments Teachers are routinely excluded from the development of Behavior Support Plans (BSPs), yet they are held solely responsible for implementing these plans-even when they do not reflect the realities of the classroom or students' actual needs. Staff receive no formal training in positive behavior support strategies, despite being asked to manage increasingly complex student behaviors without the necessary tools or collaboration. Safety protocols are also deeply inadequate. During my time at Bridges, I witnessed serious incidents-including students choking peers with stools and threatening gun violence-that were met with little to no follow-up or transparent safety planning with teachers. Administrative responses occurred behind closed doors, leaving educators without guidance or protection. This places both staff and students at risk. Discrimination and Toxic Leadership A troubling pattern of discrimination has emerged over multiple years, resulting in high staff turnover. This past year alone, every staff member with a disability was terminated-each due to symptoms associated with their disability. Legal action has been taken by more than one former employee. Meanwhile, the head administrator-who publicly identifies as a "neurodivergent coach"-has engaged in repeated discriminatory and retaliatory behavior. When staff presented documented evidence disproving false claims made by her, we were explicitly told to stop providing evidence that contradicted her narrative. This not only undermines trust, but fosters a culture in which misinformation and ableism go unchecked. For someone who holds a prominent voice in Portland's disability community, these actions are deeply hypocritical and harmful-especially within a school that claims to serve disabled students. Leadership Instability and Family Misinformation The school principal, who also teaches future educators at a prominent university, has overseen the marginalization and removal of highly capable staff. Due to her own complex trauma, she struggles to set boundaries, often overcommitting and failing to follow through-then placing blame on staff for the fallout. Decisions are frequently made to appease the most dissatisfied parent, rather than based on what is best for students. This has led to a revolving door of educators and a loss of much-needed continuity for students with disabilities. Misalignment Between Public Promises and Reality Despite public claims, Bridges does not offer: - Rigorous, standards-aligned curriculum with measurable outcomes - Ongoing professional development - Equitable access to educational opportunities - A culture of fairness, honesty, or integrity When conflicts arise from this lack of transparency, administration often pits teachers against families and actively excludes educators from important family meetings. While I believe some administrators genuinely hope to create a school that reflects the values stated on the website, they are being actively undermined by longer-serving leaders who resist anything that isn't her idea. It is my hope that this testimony helps shine a light on critical issues that deserve immediate attention-not just from prospective families, but from regulatory bodies, funders, and advocates for educational justice.

Bridges changed my sons life. The teachers were patient and kind. They didn't use punishment as a…read moretool which too often happened at other schools. They treated him with respect and ended up getting it in return. This school actually loves LD kids and kids who think differently. And finally they did a great job his 8th grade year helping us find a good high school and preparing him for the next stage of his education. Nothing bad to say about Bridges Middle School.