Double Creek is a truly magical learning environment for elementary age kids. My older child…read moreswitched to Double Creek two years ago after being insufficiently challenged academically and feeling overwhelmed with the stressors of a typical public school classroom. She immediately loved the individual attention and positive environment at her new school and started looking forward to school again. She has really blossomed in the time she's been there. My younger child also recently started kindergarten at Double Creek and loves school. The school is very small (I believe 9 students currently) and students are grouped according to ability or age depending on the activity. Math and language arts are individualized so students can progress at their own rate. There are two wonderful full-time teachers and they sometimes have volunteer parent helpers. They go on tons of field trips, take care of chickens and dogs, have music lessons and art projects, and have plenty of indoor and outdoor play, including walks through the forested backyard or around the neighborhood. The building is spacious, light-filled, and full of good energy. The kids are inquisitive, kind, and really support each other. I like that the curriculum is structured, but they also allow space for kids to dig into things they get excited about. For example, a couple of weeks ago the older kids decided they wanted to put on a play for the school, which they wrote, produced, and presented to the parents and younger kids. The teachers, Sherilyn, and Joy, are true gems. They're both highly qualified (one even has a PhD) with years of teaching under their belts. They truly care about the kids and really partner with families to make sure kids' needs are met. We feel extremely lucky to have found such a wonderful place for our children to grow.

Incredible Micro school specializing in gifted education and 1:1 instruction. Impressive.read more

My daughter has been at Cottonwood this school year as a kindergartener, and overall our experience…read morehas been really positive. Cottonwood is a great fit for families who value community, outdoor learning, and a smaller, more relational school environment. Her K-1 blended class has helped her grow academically and socially, and she's developed a real love for math, reading, and hands-on learning. Field trips and outdoor enrichment, like exploring Oaks Bottom, have been a big highlight. What stands out most is the culture of care. From day one, staff across the school made a point to welcome her by name, which helped a big transition feel safe and personal. That kind of consistency and attention really matters with young kids. I also appreciate being able to volunteer and stay connected to the classroom/fieldwork. Seeing the environment firsthand has reinforced why it works well for our family. Cottonwood offers something special for families looking for thoughtful teaching, strong relationships, and real community.

I have had both of my kids here since kindergarten. It is an incredible community and child…read morecentered and with deeply enriching curriculum. It's focus on field work has my kids connected and knowledgeable about Portland--its ecology, history, and its civics. With a strong focus on social emotional learning, my kiddos are developing skills in emotional regulation, communication and restorative justice.

If you are looking for a private school that is top notch and focuses on each individual child,…read moreplease explore The Catlin Gabel School. In a world where education puts kids in a box, The Catlin Gabel School is a refreshing tangent. I am so impressed with the students who have attended this school. They are the most mature kids who have been educated in a way that brings out the best of their gifts and abilities. Last year I had a student intern from Catlin at my place of business and I was so impressed. She was able to produce a professional video that reached the heart of my acupuncture practice and business. The first thought for most is that they cannot afford the school, but they have a complete system for financial grants and scholarships based on what you can realistically afford. According to the website: "More than one-quarter of the student body receives financial assistance through need-based grants and special scholarships. Grant and scholarship awards are not loans and do not have to be paid back. In 2013-14, we allocated over $3.4 million in financial aid to families with annual household incomes primarily in the range of $15,650 to $170,000. Award grants ranged from $1,830 to $25,750 and averaged $16,235." We hope our boys can attend this school next year or in the future and we applying for the 2014-15 school year. Fingers crossed and wish us luck!

I attended the upper school many years ago. Looking back on it now, I'm so grateful that my parents…read moremade me attend Catlin Gabel. The school really prepared me to be on my own once I graduated and also I was ahead of so many when I got to my college classes. I loved the small school environment once I was there! I can't say anything bad about Catlin! Go Eagles!

My updated review reflects our family's experience at Ren from grades 1-8. Our child is now a…read moreFreshman at St Mary's Academy and is on the honor roll despite having some learning differences. Ren prepared our daughter for a rigorous college prep program. Although she had some nervousness about final exams and needed a primer on letter grades and GPA, she was academically well-prepared. The girls who attend St Mary's after Ren School seem to excel. Most importantly, Ren was instrumental in helping my daughter develop a strong sense of herself. Ren's holistic approach to education, with a focus on social and emotional development, is stellar. It mattered to me that our daughter's education encompassed far more than just book learning. Over the years, she was nurtured and went from a timid and anxious child to a confident and creative young woman. As a college professor, I recognize the importance of academic preparedness. I also know that social and emotional stressors can make it challenging to learn. Being in a safe community where she was known and cared for by all the teachers meant the world to our family. Thank you, Ren!

Ren is still a really magical place, as per my previous review. Like at most smaller schools,…read morespecific experiences and accommodations will vary by grade and teacher, which means it can be a bit of a roll of the dice year to year. My experiences thus far are still all with the lower school, which has a noticeably different feel than the upper, though there's abundant mingling in all the good ways. Reading through a bunch of other more recent reviews I'm updating mine to reflect reality on some points that others have found frustrating in theirs: * The school does not have specific services, expertise or accommodations for neurodiverse kids. There is no counselor or administrator with specific training or credentials for helping ND scholars, and the overall body of staff lacks up-to-date pedagogy and training on the most current and effective ways to help these students, though there are *plenty* of well-meaning, helpful adults on the team, who do their very best. That said, the open, creative and varied nature of the environment *can* make it a much better fit for some ND kids than a standard classroom, and as such there are many ND kids in the student body who are thriving. But it's important to make sure that your kiddo will fit within the (not super explicit) boundaries when deciding if Ren is a good fit. Be open and clear about any special needs/quirks/features of your child to make sure it'll be a good fit, and if your visit day leaves you with open questions, ask for another one! Everyone wants everyone to succeed and no one is helped by accepting a student who won't flourish. * The school is not well organized, in terms of paperwork, documentation, administrivia, follow-up, etc. If you're looking for the well-oiled accountable machine of larger or more established environments, you may find this very frustrating. Everything takes a while, and you generally have to bring things up a bunch of times before things start moving. It's a worthwhile trade for a space where your kid can feel safe and happy, but one you need to decide to make so it doesn't irk you along the way. * While the kids form solid and important relationships in school, that does not extend out to the parent-body, which can leave some families feeling isolated. No PTA or parent interest groups, and minimal volunteer participation, though there is a core of very willing and available parents who show up if an effort can be organized for a specific issue or by a specific class. I remain an enthusiastic parent of multiple scholars, and am grateful that a welcoming and creative space like Ren exists, even if it does have rough edges to keep working on. If you find me in a local parent group or some such thing, I'm always happy to talk about Ren and answer questions. Good luck!

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.