The teachers, staff and parent involvement make this school. My kids really enjoy the…read moreextracurricular activities that are offered including hip hop club, art club and track club. We are about to undergo a major renovation which will only enhance the positives already mentioned.

My experience at Parkside was challenging. The admin was changing over and there was little…read morecommunication, and more than a bit of aggressive interactions with admin. We had a new teacher who was enthusiastic when the students were perfect, and utterly overwhelmed and clueless when the students had challenges. My son has ADHD, and despite telling me they has experience with 2E kids, the teacher thought my son had severe emotional problems when my son would self sooth by going in a corner to be alone for a bit. They also did not communicate in any way the depth of the problems my son was having in school. I finally realized the extent of his issues when I began attending daily to see for myself. They were often rude and childish in response to issues or complaints. They had a history of keeping teachers even after multiple complaints of abusive behavior. Their insistence on parent interaction was amazing, and the singalongs were fabu. But it doesn't make up for the severely subpar teaching, the reusing of the same curriculum every year, the nasty admin, and the overall confusion of vision with a high price tag. Do not recommend this school beyond kindergarten at all!

Our daughter is three and a half, and she just finished her first year of preschool (Primary) at…read moreParkside. We couldn't be more pleased to have her attending this special school. From top to bottom, it's an excellent program with marvelous staff and leadership, and a wonderful community. Some of things we love most about Parkside: it's uniquely and authentically Montessori, which was important to us when we were looking at schools. The teachers (called guides) are loving, creative, and thorough in their teaching methods. We were blown away when barely a month in, our daughter came home singing about all the continents of the world! The 12-acre campus is beautiful and well maintained. The kids get lots of outdoor time and often take hikes together as a class. They learn to value and sing about nature, including our new favorite song, "Chlorophyll" written by the founders. Music is a big part of Parkside life, and at least 1-2 events a week are organized around it (parents are invited to participate as well). We've enjoyed all the opportunities for families to get involved at Parkside and we've made some great friends already. Even through the craziness of the pandemic, Parkside staff led the way with through health protocols and regular communication with Austin Public Health to keep the kids safe and allow school to continue. In short, we've found Parkside to be an amazing, friendly, beautiful place that is nurturing our daughter to her full potential. We highly recommend it!

My daughter just recently started preschool here. I am absolutely impressed with the school,…read moreprincipal and of course our teacher Mrs. Sibert. She is truly one of the best teachers (this far ). She has in just a short period of time helped my hips grow so much. Really enjoying my home district school!

Ms. Sharon Sibert is my grandson's pre-k teacher. My grandson has great language skills but he is…read morenot good at writing and drawing. Three months ago, he could barely hold his pen properly, but within three months, Ms. Sibert miraculously taught him how to draw pictures, write his name, read simple sentences and write alphabets. Every time when we see him he shows us brand new skills he learned in a very unique way, usually rhyming or singing when he writes or draws. Ms. Sharon impressed me the most is that she answers parents' questions promptly all the time though she has 17 kids to deal with on a daily bases. When she communicates with parents, she not only points out the progresses the child made, she also patiently educates the young parents the most effective way to deal with kid's unwanted behaviors. For the last three months, I was wondering how in the world my grandson has learned new things so fast. I just find out recently that she holds a master's degree in education! My grandson is so lucky to have started his education with such an expert! It is like Ms. Sibert has a bucket full of water and pours into my grandson's tiny cup! I am very confident that under Ms. Sibert's protective wing my grandson will flourishing in no time! I am hoping when my granddaughter starts her preschool, Ms. Sibert could teach her also. I want to thank the school administrators also for their vison of assigning their very best teachers to teach the beginners! I agree with the other teachers that Cowan is a hidden gem! Hope more and more parents could realize that! Dr. Ping In Austin

I knew as soon as I step on this beautiful 25 acre campus this was the place for my daughter to…read moreattend. After interviewing 15 schools Austin Waldorf School was it. Kim made us feel right at home when we came for a visit. My daughter told me in the car on our way home mom this is the school for me. She never liked school and wasn't eager to go to school. It was like pulling teeth. When we found out 2 weeks before school started that my daughter got accepted there were tears of joy and happiness from her and I. We knew this was the perfect fit for her. She is so eager to learn and super excited everyday to attend Austin Waldorf School and wants to graduate here. My daughter has blossomed and has grown so much here. The teachers really take their time with the kids and love them as their own. I never experienced the care like they do at Austin Waldorf. The community here is so welcoming. We drive over an hr to get to school and it is well worth it. I cant say enough positive and inspiring words for this school. We made the best fitting and perfect school for my daughter. Thank you Austin Waldorf for this opportunity to teach my child!

Waldorf is such a wonderful education. Unfortunately if the teacher is not great (or going through…read morepersonal crisis and has a large and demanding class) your child will suffer. Steiner's view was to nurture the soul of the child and unfortunately Austin Waldorf is seeming more budget focused and the teacher for our grade certainly really let us down and did not even have the care for us as a family to speak with us directly. I would avoid this particular Waldorf.

This was our first year at Austin Rising School, and it has been a truly wonderful experience. Our…read morechild tends to lose interest easily and hasn't stuck with many programs in the past, so we were pleasantly surprised to see how engaged and happy they were all year long. The school environment is warm, creative, and thoughtfully designed to support each child's individuality. The teachers and director clearly care deeply and foster a genuine sense of connection and curiosity. We're so grateful to have found Austin Rising and are excited to return next year!

We love Austin Rising School! My daughters both have very different learning needs, yet both girls…read morethrive at this school! Their lessons have been sensory rich and in-depth, pulling multiple academic subjects into their lessons. The teachers are fabulous, and as parents themselves, they are truly invested in the school and the progress of the students. I really love the math curriculum (taught by a math specialist) and the project based learning! The take-home bonus is that the students' handmade textbooks for each unit are absolutely incredible and keepsakes for life! This has been a very affordable option for our family, and a better option as I work too much to homeschool full time, and need some support for developing curriculum. I'm especially grateful for the social-emotional learning curriculum and mindfulness lessons the children receive as a group! It makes for a kind and inclusive community!