Without reservation Columbia Gorge Montessori has been an incredibly positive experience for my…read morefamily and our child. We initiated services when our child was a new born and continue using their educational services today (our child is almost 2). From the start of services to currently we have witnessed superb professionalism from the director (Amber) all the way down to the rest of the staff. Their humanistic approach, personal touch, and flexibility have allowed us to have a persistent confidence in the care they provide our child. During these challenging times where everything seems to be changing, Columbia Gorge Montessori has provide us a sense of comfort and confidence that our child is given the best care and kept safe. This is essential and helps us go to work with confidence our child is being well taken care of. My wife is a Dentist and I'm a Mental Health/SUD's Counselor so we need a since of security with daycare with our essential careers. I highly recommend their services, it's worth the investment!! Cesar and Estrellita Ramirez

We absolutely love the Columbia Gorge Montessori! The directors and staff are wonderful people and…read morevery knowledgeable on how to help support the kids they are entrusted to. We are given updates each and everyday on how things are going and I love the app they use to communicate. We did extensive research for care in the area and we believe CGM is the best option around.

We moved both of our kids to Cascade Summit after them being at another Montessori school from the…read moretime they were both 3 months old. We really agonized over this decision but ultimately we have been very pleased with the move. Our son who is older and had a tough time adjusting a first told me soon afterwards "can we please stay at this school?" and has talked about how much he likes going there. The teachers and staff are wonderful and I have no hesitation leaving my children with them all day. The class sizes are great and I can tell how much time and attention my kids are getting. My four year old is already doing addition and subtraction and learning so much about various countries, the human body, how to write, etc. And for my toddler, they have been fantastic at assisting and supporting potty training which is such a nice bonus. She cannot wait to run in and hug her teachers and friends every day. As a parent and working mom, I really appreciate that we have NEVER once had to keep our kids home because the center lacked ratio, something that happened constantly at our last daycare and was a source of extreme frustration. Their prices are fair, they provide all the food and snacks, and they have minimal days that they are closed, in particular if you choose their extended day program. The people and other families are friendly, and the place has a great vibe to it, something you can sense as soon as you walk in. Overall this daycare center has been a great find and a huge asset for our family. I highly recommend them.

After almost two years, I no longer felt my child was safe at Cascade Summit Montessori. There were…read moresome positives. There are some wonderful staff and teachers. The school property is gorgeous. The playground is nice. Lunch and snacks are included in tuition, which I believed was reasonable. We tried to give the school time to regroup during this past year because we saw so much potential, but, it never got better. We received very little communication from our teachers, if any. The turnover has been extremely high. In less than two years, we've been through 3 directors and 5 teachers. We often did not know who would be teaching our child any given day, or if our teacher would even be there. The inconsistency was hard to ignore as you try to build your child up to depend on adults and to be able to rely on their teachers. A new teacher would arrive with a new routine, new rules, new keywords and phrases...and a few weeks/months later...a new teacher would arrive. The turnover rate just left our child in limbo, shuttled between classes, different teachers, different rules, for over a year. It was not a consistent, positive, nurturing experience. I was willing to overlook many of the negatives. But, this school has dealt with multiple shutdowns in the past few weeks due to COVID exposures. We would often find out on a moments notice, sometimes AT the door to drop off our child, that the classroom was closed. When we asked about reimbursement due to a staff-related exposure closure, we were told that there weren't any "fiscal updates." They didn't offer more vacation days or any other compromise or compensation. They didn't even care to follow-up or mention it again. When we inquired about their staff being vaccinated, they said it was a personal choice. But, when the classrooms closed due to a staff-related exposure, we were told to keep paying. After multiple COVID exposures, classroom closures, and extremely high teacher turnover, the school began requesting the assistance of parents to find substitutes. They also requested parents who would like to "do more within our community" to "volunteer" during pickup and dropoff to help take temperature checks for children at the door. This reminded me of one dropoff experience where I waited patiently at the door with my child, along with another parent and their child. When it came our turn, the teacher came to the door and taped a piece of paper to the door with a phone number. She cracked it open slightly, enough to let us know that "we're full, we're in ratio." My child looked up confused and said, "They're full? No school today????" The teacher said that we just needed to call the number and a teacher would come to the door. I asked if it wouldn't be too much trouble to let someone know, as I had left my phone in the car. She said "sure", closed the door, and went back to her classroom. Within a few minutes, before I could leave the parking lot, the director...and the same teacher...were at the door helping a new line of children. They were "full" and "in ratio" just a few moments prior. But, these are small examples of the inconsistent leadership at this school. Lastly, and what hurt the most, was when we told the director that we no longer felt our child was safe and we would be leaving Cascade Summit Montessori. This is the school my child had spent the past two years at. Two years. Almost half of my child's life. When I said we no longer felt safe and would not return, the entire email was "We are sorry to see her go." They didn't even bother to ask one question, or even leave a salutation, signature, name, nothing. That was how it ended. Seven words. When I arrived to pickup her remaining belongings that day, the director was notified I had arrived. I saw her helping other parents. She looked my way, but didn't bother to say a word. Nothing. After two years, I would expect a school to be more invested in my child, invested in their safety and their care, and be more professional. After two years, they could only respond with, "We are sorry to see her go."

My daughter attended Little Seeds for two years, and we couldn't recommend it more highly. Teacher…read moreSherry has such a calm, caring demeanor with the children, and my daughter absolutely adores her. We've recently moved and, sadly, are no longer able to continue our time at Little Seeds, but we will be forever grateful for the wonderful experience our daughter had there. She genuinely loves school, and we truly believe that is in large part because of the creativity, encouragement, and supportive environment that Little Seeds fosters. We are so thankful to Little Seeds for helping create such a positive foundation for her love of learning. I would highly recommend this program to any family looking for a warm, nurturing, and enriching environment for their child. We will forever be grateful for the wonderful memories and experiences our daughter had at Little Seeds

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.

We chose to take our four-year-old son to SunGarden after relocating. It's a lovely small community…read moreof staff, teachers and parents, but unfortunately it didn't turn out to be what we thought it would be when we enrolled. Keep in mind, we have high expectations since we're talking about our children. We're within walking distance and we prefer Montessori methods, and SunGarden is AMI vs AMS (please research the difference if you're looking into Montessori schools)... so SunGarden seemed like a great choice. Everyone is warm and welcoming, and our son grew leaps and bounds academically (which is great if you're looking to raise an Einstein), but I was disheartened by a few things listed below: 1) Time outside: We were told when enrolling our son would be able to work outside when he wanted to (with provided lanyards) and they would often be outside anyway. However, he would come home and say he was not allowed to run outside (a four-year-old not be able to run?!). And although the outside area is beautifully cared for, it's extremely small for how large the community of children is, which is why they were worried about safety if the children ran into each other or any of the garden equipment. At this age, we feel kids need to run off their energy, especially after doing serious academic "work" in a classroom all day - see below. So the outside area and the rules that go with it ended up being a downfall and we were a bit displeased. 2) Turnover: We were only at SunGarden for one year and it was the director's first year in this position, as well as our teacher's first year (her name was Amy - but she was the best part about the school experience for our son). Their "outside guide" left the school mid-year making it even more difficult to allow children outside to do their work (something we were told would happen daily, but ended up not happening much at all). 3) The environment: I have to commend the school on its materials - it complies with AMI rules and materials have to be up to a certain standard, and they are beautiful Montessori materials, kept clean and orderly. However, as much as I love a calm, organized, quite environment for learning, the rooms were unusually quite (these are children ranging from 2.5-6 years). There should be noise and laughter and giggles. Anyone who needed to "move" - which was more often than not - was told to walk briskly along a circular line tape placed on the floor. It almost felt like caged animals when I observed this. 4) Academics: AMI Montessori schools want your children to thrive academically. I want my child to thrive in this area as well but he was still 4... not heading to college yet... and the reports I would receive from my teachers were how long my child would sit, focus and work on math or other subjects. And although he learned quite a bit for a four-year-old, I felt bad the days he didn't want to enter the classroom, crying and sitting outside, because I knew in my heart it was because he was entering what he felt, was a place he couldn't essentially just "be a kid." 5) Play & Art: In our son's previous years at another Montessori school (which we all loved but was AMS), he would come home exhausted, often-times dirty from playing outside (this is a good thing, parents...), or covered in paint and/or in a change of clothes after getting wet on hot days. Unfortunately, he always returned home from SunGarden as well groomed as he had been when he went in the classroom door that morning, so it seemed that very little art exploration, imagination, creativity or getting dirty was encouraged (at least that we saw). Again, it felt exceedingly academic for little minds. I do know they have some make-believe areas (such as a small doll house), sing songs (he came home reciting the same 50 states song I too memorized in 2nd grade), and read stories, but the teachers are there mainly to observe the children do their focused work quietly. 5) Flexibility: I want to be fair, the director did allow our family some flexibility, but again, complying with AMI methods, SunGarden requires your children to attend five days a week. So if you're looking for part-time care (because we wanted our child to be able to move and explore non-academic areas on those days off), then unless they've changed their rules, you don't have that option. Overall, again, everyone was warm and kind and I do know they care about the children. Unfortunately, I left with the impression they care even more so about complying with their AMI Montessori beliefs and methods than what the children inherently desire and need to be a kid at heart. It is a great school for those looking to ensure their children simply grow in academics and social responsibility. Again, these are the areas in which we saw our child grow the most with his time there and we are grateful for this.

As current parents of two children at SunGarden (one in each room), we couldn't be happier with our…read moreexperience. New to the area, we wanted a local Montessori provider where we could feel connected to the community. From the first day we dropped in (literally) to tour the school, the director, guides, and staff made us feel welcome. Since then, we've continued to have great experiences with the school, the parents, and the community. We love living in West Linn and often comment that SunGarden was the best decision we've made here. Specific to the school, we love the building and yard, the amount of outdoor time the kids get (rain or shine, they go out!), the pictures we get from the guides, and the ongoing parent/guide conferences. There are opportunities to connect with the guides, have drinks and coffee with other parents, learn about the curriculum, and interact with the whole community (annual events). SunGarden is the right place if you're looking to be a part of a Montessori community where your children will be cared for and given individual attention.

Coming from another Montessori elementary school in Vancouver, the Earth School is a breath of…read morefresh air - it is what every Montessori/private school should be! There are 4 Lower El classrooms (1st-3rd), 3 Upper El (4th-6th) with plans for another, and the Middle School (really a Jr. High) with 50+ kids. In making my decision to transition during the school year January 2015, we were allowed a trial day for my boys to take part in the classrooms. My 5th grader stated that he learned more in the one trial day than he did in a week at his other school. My suspicions were confirmed and the decision was made to change schools. (We also tested the Gardner School, which was way too easy). My son was obviously right - his testing went from mediocre on the MSP at the old school to 85% on the Stanford 10, with 5 of the 12 categories at "post-high school level" and 4 at high school level. This in less than 14 months. There was no emphasis on test-taking - the education was simply that much better. His new teacher Gladys Munoz shows an interest and engagement with him that was lacking at least in conferences with his former upper el teacher, and reminiscent of the passion his lower el teacher Tami O'Kinsella had for him. Another difference was the clearly articulated plan with achievable goals that Gladys created for and communicated not just to me but to my son as well. She modeled a belief in his ability to achieve the standards she sets for him. I believe she does this for all of her students. So how do you know if a private school is living up to what is it supposed to be? Without standardized minimum expectations for academics or actually seeing the children interact in different environments to know how they handle bullying and other social problems, how does a parent know? Specifically, how do you know whether a Montessori school is successfully implementing a Montessori curriculum? There is Montessori teacher certification, but you need more than that (yes, there are horrible Montessori-certified teachers out there just like any profession). There is Montessori school certification by AMI and that would be best, but is expensive and limiting to the school and therefore not all Montessori schools apply for it. School management is the key. The Head of School must have the experience, training, and aptitude to manage, delegate, guide, motivate, and correct when necessary. She must have an ability to mentor the teachers, spot problems/weaknesses before they blow up, create a plan for improvement, and then follow that plan. If he/she does not have the training and experience, AND aptitude then she cannot support your teacher. This requires experience and training teaching the higher level classrooms or beyond so she can understand what a properly functioning classroom looks like and what type of support teachers need. If the Head of School does not have those tools, she might still be able to support the staff if she has great management skills - she would need to use outside consultants on a regular basis, but she needs the skills to follow through with the consultant's recommendations. Otherwise, you as the parent are left to rely on luck to get a great teacher. Our prior school did have great teachers, but but my boys drew the dud cards. The Earth School has an experienced Head of School who is accountable to her higher-ups and has decades of school management behind her. She seeks her customers' input. She has great hiring skills and the staff is experienced and top notch. Sister Therese is constantly seeking ways to improve the school and attends parent forums to here concerns and suggestions yet can firmly let you know the current priorities. As my mother said "Franciscan nuns run a tight ship!" She was right and they do it kindly, firmly and with love. So, what should you hear from a prospective teacher? You need to hear her/him discuss how they will be creating a plan for your child and the steps to follow that plan. You need to see that teacher be excited to find out about your child and how they will assess your child. You need to watch that teacher "follow the child', i.e., listen to your child, ask probing questions, patiently await the answer. In the case of my preschooler, the teacher literally followed him, allowing him to go first and point things out and ask questions. Good luck in your quest. The Montessori philosophy is amazing and needed in this world. Our Montessori schools will create the entrepeneurs of tomorrow! http://blogs.wsj.com/ideas-market/2011/04/05/the-montessori-mafia/

We have now been at this school for three years and we could not be happier. We left our…read moreneighborhood school mid-year because our son was being bullied and despite numerous conversations with his teacher, the counselor, and the principal little to nothing was done. When I picked our son up from his shadow day at FMES, he said it was the best day of his life. Within a week he was more joyful than he'd ever been at our neighborhood school. Three years later, he has some of the sweetest friends and is the happiest I've ever seen him. This past weekend (end of spring break) he said he was missing school because he is really enjoying math. Our younger son has ADHD and is also thriving. The options and flexibility really work well for him. FMES feels different from the moment you walk through the door. It's a very warm and welcoming community. Having taught special education in public schools for twelves years it was tough for us to make the decision to switch but we could not be happier. The love and care our children receive at FMES protects their innocence and joy, giving them a wonderful childhood.

We have been so thrilled with our first year at Portland Montessori! The dedication and thoughtful…read moreapproach of every staff member is so evident in our day to day experience with the school. Our guide, Ms. Susie in the Rainbow Room, is exceptionally talented and has helped us instill grace and confidence in our (almost) 4 year old son. The aftercare staff and GIANT play space are the best we saw in our search or have heard about since, since the same support staff stay for aftercare they know all of the children really well and can respond to their individual needs. We have also loved Camp Vida this summer, they really stepped up the program from last year in terms of the diverse weekly offerings. Music Mondays and Cooking Fridays give our son something to look forward to every week! Great school!

This place is not equipped for kids with any special needs. They treat small informal communication…read morelike a massive burden but can easily do it for preferred families. When parent teacher conferences are set up parents are not given confirmation emails but ignored. When meet and greets are scheduled the teacher flakes out within hours the same day even after having had a week of notice. When an injury occurs the response is "nobody saw anything" and activity logs are not shared on request. Additionally, when the school has events that involve other community adults attending the information is withheld until the evening before leaving parents with zero time to plan for or attend. They will also claim your kid did stuff he doesn't ever do like zip something blank inside a backpack. When you express concerns and offer potential solutions those will be ignored too while received fluffy buzzword replies about "partnership". If you don't plan to get on WhatsApp don't even plan on this pre-k or you'll be left out of the loop. Additionally, there is an air of superiority from primary guides here and they feel empowered by their bosses to talk down to parents especially anyone on the pre k for all program.

After dealing with other after-school programs, I didn't realize the quality of this place--how…read morewell they handle children and guide them in the process. They would get five stars if their communication and correspondence were better, so I figured I would update their rating. Hopefully, I can get my son back in there.

Excellent school! My child attended for 4 years and had a wonderful experience. The community is…read morevery inclusive, and the teachers and staff are caring and supportive. We love the Montessori approach and the Spanish program--both have been amazing for our child's development. Highly recommend!