We absolutely love Bear Creek. It's our third year at the school and it has been a blessing. Our…read moredaughter came out of Covid from public school and unfortunately schools were trying to catch students up who were the most behind rather than teaching at grade level. The teachers, staff, administrators, and family community are amazing. The academics are challenging; they push the kids outside their comfort zones with opportunities for public speaking and large presentations. In fact, Bear Creek is now ranked 5th for best college preparatory high school in WA. They also teach the kids to be good citizens of the community at large. Whenever we have had an issue, the Division Head has helped and addressed the concern. The student body is diverse and we have never experienced any racism. I felt compelled to write this after seeing the one star review that unfairly paints the school in a negative light. Perhaps this school is not for everyone, however, that's why school tours and meet and greets are imperative. We actually toured the top ranking middle/high school, and knew immediately that it wasn't a good fit for our daughter and family. If you are looking for an academically focused school that is nurturing but still has high expectations, Bear Creek fits the bill.

We send our daughters here and they really enjoyed going to school. I did ask if they are open to…read morego back to public school to save their father some money for a new fancy boat and both kids almost had a melt down. It sounds like I am not getting that new boat.

In 2020 I was a career paraeducator for LWSD. My son was an 11th grader at RHS. When schools closed…read moreon March 11, 2020 this would be the last time my son would see school. They never issued a laptop or hotspot to connect to online learning. I believe they did this because in March of 2018 I saw egregious harm of students with disabilities at the middle school I worked at. Following the law I filed a mandatory report. The district did not fully investigate and brushed it under the rug and I was instantly retaliated against(like my fellow coworkers-paras warned me I would be). At first I dealt with it, when I did not leave the district went after the learning access of my own Autistic son. Denying him access to dyslexic reading curriculum and failing to provide him with a post high school transition plan. They also denied him field trip access during his Junior year to go to Digipen. Despite being one of the first to turn in his permission slip to go, I was told the next day the field trip was full. Which was a lie. So in February of 2020 I filed an OSPI complaint against district on behalf of my son. Within two weeks the pandemic started. OSPI would go on to error on complaint, the district never did the corrective action. I filed a second complaint to OSPI on June 12, 2020 because of no learning, no services like OT and Speech from March 11 to the end of school year in 2020. OSPI ruled in favor of the district despite my son not learning one second from March till the end of June, disconnected that entire time with no access to laptop or hotspot to access online learning. The district covered this up, the parents of the students I saw harmed over and over again were never notified. Again it was not fully investigated and I was not the first person to report on this teacher. They violated the educational and civil rights of every student in the Transition room at RMS. I was told by other employees when I transferred it had been going on for years and I was not the first to say something. This district HARMS DISABLED STUDENTS. I witnessed it. They have a history. A history they do not want anyone to ever learn about. Please homeschool if you can or private school. Do not trust this school or anyone in the Special Needs Parent PTSA. I used to also be a member of that advisory council. Everyone in that group in 2020 knew what was happening to my son and I. They chose not to speak up. Please find another school district. This school operates with a "key communicator network". They will not care to cause harm if you try to follow the law and speak up for students. For proof I uploaded a snippet of my mandatory report I filed. Stamped. Again brushed under the rug and never investigated and never shared with parents of students in the Transition room. No accountability, no transparency. The district, more specifically the leaders in the special education department and Holmen and those superintendents who have come and gone, broke laws and took away the rights of students with disabilities. As punishment for me following the law of my job, they took away the access for my Autistic son, a Junior at the time to graduate. They took away is last four years (until 21) of schooling. He would never graduate. He would never access a post graduation Transition program. His name was Marley Smith - mine Tracy Smith. They destroyed my son's overall wellness and happiness and the trauma he went through, well I write this to warn others so it doesnt happen to your child, especially if you work for the school district. Also don't post on the non-LWSD Facebook group called Parents of Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers. I thought it was a private group only to find out it was not just parents in group, sitting board members were on that group during the time I was being retaliated. It is a group to spy on parents and students. It is a group that should have never been allowed to continue. It was created by an employee. One I used to work with who was a librarian, she may have had good intentions, but bottom line the creation of that FB group went against employee policy. Yet the district did not care because again they could use it to spy on community and students who may not see things the same way the district does. I do believe the group is still in existence. For your protection please do not join that group, what you type there will be seen by the district and if your an employee's your supervisors will also have access to see.

Policy Review: Reasserting Parental Rights and Academic Focus…read moreThis review addresses the recent initiatives within the lake Washington school district concerning the integration of gender identity and sexual orientation topics into the curriculum and school environment. I'm drawing attention to Horace Mann Elementary in particular. While inclusion is a necessary community value, the current approach represents a significant overreach that undermines the authority of parents and distracts from our schools' fundamental academic mission. Lack of Parental Transparency and Consent The most alarming aspect of these initiatives is the systemic lack of transparency and collaboration with parents. Sensitive topics related to gender confusion are being introduced to students without prior notification, easily accessible resources, or, in some cases, without the ability for parents to opt their children out of these topics being discussed very openly at school. Education on deeply personal values belongs first and foremost to the family, and the district is obligated to act in partnership with parents, not in opposition to them. Any policy that encourages staff to withhold information from parents regarding a child's identity or emotional state creates an unacceptable breach of trust between the home and the school. Age Appropriateness and Curriculum Drift We must question the age-appropriateness of the materials being used, particularly at the elementary and middle school levels. Introducing complex, abstract concepts about sexuality and gender identity at young ages risks confusing children and exposing them to emotionally mature content before they are ready to process it. It's also causing a divide between students socially and if they don't believe it's ok to become the opposite gender that they were born as or date the same gender, they are being bullied by kids who are confused by this. Furthermore, this increasing focus on social and ideological issues is causing an undeniable drift away from core academic subjects. Our district's primary responsibility is to ensure every student graduates with strong foundational skills in literacy, mathematics, and science. Resources--including classroom time, teacher training hours, and budget--that are diverted toward social engineering detract directly from measurable academic achievement. Call to Action I urge the school board and district administration to immediately review and revise all current policies related to these topics. We demand: 1. Mandatory Parental Opt-In/Out: Clear, simple mechanisms for parents to consent to or decline participation in non-academic instruction regarding gender and sexuality. 2. Increased Transparency: Full disclosure of all training materials, external consultants, and library resources related to these topics. Students at this age shouldn't have to books showing girls kissing girls. 3. Refocus on Academics: A commitment to prioritize the core curriculum and ensure that all classroom time is dedicated to rigorous academic instruction. 4. Create an environment where kids aren't bullied for not supporting Lgbtq so they feel safe coming to school again The district needs to step back and remember its role: to educate academics, not indoctrinate, and to support parents, not circumvent them.

oth our kids have attended Cascadia since PreK. We had heard about this wonderful institution from…read moreour colleagues and were very intentional in our choice. Mrs Keeton's leadership and high bar for the teachers and students is amazing. Cascadia provides our kids with a safe environment (home away from home) where there is focus on academic rigor but also on whole child development. Mrs Keeton and all the teachers/staff genuinely care for the children and set a high bar for them both academically and socially. It is also very well recognized amongst other middle/high schools of the region (Overlake, EPS, Lakeside, Eastside Catholic etc) and Cascadia alum have made great impressions at these schools. If you are looking for a nurturing yet academically rigorous school, this is your place!

My both kids attended Cascadia and we thoroughly enjoyed our journey through Cascadia. Cascadia…read morenot just provides strong academic environment, but also overall development of the child - development in terms of social, emotional, public speaking, creative writing, confidence building, respect for others. The director of the school knows each child personally and involves actively in the child's development. Cascadia is a small, closed, connected community which differentiates Cascadia from many other schools in the area. Some might consider the smaller school size and lack of at-school activities to be drawbacks, but that did not bother us as our kids always had time to pursue their interests outside school as well. Our kids are not at Cascadia anymore, but they look forward to meeting teachers and other kids at every opportunity possible. Even after our kids graduated from the school, parents still try to keep in touch and help each other. We are pretty fortunate that our kids attended Cascadia and thankful to teachers and Mrs. Franklin.

Incredible school and staff. We were looking for a bilingual school for my oldest son so he could…read morelearn Spanish. I also loved the mindfulness and breathing they bring into everything. The school is run by parents who truly care, and even set up amazing after school care and activities for the kids. Highly recommend!

Amazing little school, all the teachers are so attentive, caring and professional. My daughter…read moreleaves easily in the mornings, and wants to stay as late as possible - what could be a better signal!

My son has been going there. I see a marked improvement in his comprehension and essay writing…read more One of main challenge was to get him to use English words instead of Gen Z slang. Ann is a truly amazing and genuine person, who cares about the kids and parents equally. Tony my son's tutor has been so amazing, patient and so much empathy for him. The best thing is that my son looks forward to going to Brightmont. Truly happy with Brightmont. Highly recommend giving them a try, you never know that may be the missing piece, before it all clicks for you kid.

A wonderful school that offers self paced one-on-one instruction with kind staff and workers…read more Excellent for students seeking more support/credits academically. Also a great place for kids that struggle with the distractions and noise of big class sized schools. Brightmont Academy offers flexible scheduling with the seamless ability to transition from in-person classes to online classes.

Unprofessional, not compassionate, only offers Islamic education to children they deem "perfect",…read moreas in NO HANDICAPS. No compassion, hardly a reflection of Islamic values. If you believe all children have worth, and deserve an Islamic education you may wish to rethink Madina Academy. My child is still living with the scars this place gave him.

My son is currently attending BCA in the Kindergarten level. He was started in BCA from PreK level…read moreone and half years ago. Based on many recommendations from my friends and colleague, we decided to apply BCA for his Pre-K study in order to have better preparation for his elementary study, the result is amazing, he grew much faster in BCA both academically and socially compare with his previous school. His preschool study was in a good private school too, but this one year in BCA, I can clearly see the difference in his academic growth. He really like the school, feel encouraged and cared by the school teachers and staff, and do not even want to go to public school for elementary study. His effort and work are fully appreciated here, therefore he feel much more confident than before. The school also has many afterschool enrichment class to choose on site, including but not limited to Drama, Karate, Art, Reading, Writing, Chess, Origami, Dance, etc, which give kids different opportunities to explorer their potentials. The summer camps are also very popular, including IB (International Baccalaureate) and Features oriented programs, such as LEGO. Like being said by others, the tuition is on the higher end, but it's comparable/similar with other top private schools in this area. The additional $5000 mentioned by others is actually a CD thing (similar to term deposit), the full amount + interest will be paid back to parents once kids leave/graduate from the school. Based on my son's very positive experience in BCA, this year I am applying my daughter to BCA for her Pre-K study too.

Worked formerly as a teacher here so this comes from my own personal views and opinions, although I…read morecan say that many former colleagues would agree with me... I can say with confidence this school is the worst school I have ever seen, been to, or worked at. To start, the tuition rate is outrageous, they have a turnover rate of almost 50% of staff every year, and they barely pay teachers with Masters and PHD's a living wage. In working at public schools before this, I can say the curriculum here is substantially worse and far less engaging. Parents get scammed into thinking this is some elite school for gifted kids. Your child will be far better off at any public school than here. Save your money for a good college or a real private school, not this horrendous place that calls itself a "school". PS after paying over $30,000 a year per child for tuition, that doesnt even cover school lunches, field trips, or any after school enrichment opportunities or activities. They just want your money, and if you pay enough I am sure they will give your kid amazing grades without them having to learn anything! (The school will pressure teachers to give students better grades so it will reflect better on them and make student look more capable than they are)

We used this place for 'emergency' child care need. Very thankful to certain employers to have this…read morebenefit. Very nice and clean facility. Administrator are very prideful and helpful. My child had a good time over summer. Projects weee fun and facilities are spacious to accommodate a variety of activities. A great place for older kids (kindergarten and above) Would return for sure. Thank you for providing a safe and fun place for this community.

Our family has been with the school for 3 years. The Head of the School is a loving, sophisticated,…read moreand passionate leader, and you will know from the first time meeting her that she loves educating young minds. We love this school because it has a strong academic, leadership, and character development focus. I have found the parent community to be warm and supportive. Diversity is truly celebrated, and we love being a part of this community.