Went there for our church retreat and it was great. Amazing home made foods and I'm glad that the…read morerooms are always clean and neat. It had everything we need and good AC, too! Loved the fact we could swim, kayak, and play at the gym. The little farm area was great too with the donkey, some goats, and cats, too! The people there are also very nice and friendly and accommodating, too!

Recently came for a weekend camp with my son and it was amazing. The staff members were very…read morefriendly. The other families and their children were awesome. It was nice watching the kids play while bonding with other parents. And the food offered was delicious, buffet-style, and nutritious! Everything was really well thought out. The planned activities were fun and made the days go by fast. Also, the lodging was comfortable and the nature was beautiful. Worship was great. The topics covered were light and kid-appropriate. Highly recommend to any families considering it!

Brindle Ridge has, quite literally, been a life changer for my kiddo. Her confidence has shot up,…read moreher sense of responsibility and accountability, which I've been working on for years, suddenly appeared, and now she can jump a horse!! It's all thanks to the amazing team at Brindle Ridge. The trainers are amazing! The facilities are great! The horses are well loved and cared for! We are so very happy there.

we love brindle! my daughter has grown so much and gained a strong sense of purpose,…read moreresponsibility, and equestrian skills. thank you!

I Got kicked out of camp due to a consorlor that wanted to argue over my pants and how many I…read morehad. And yes I had leggings counted as pants then I was trying to charge my cell one morning and they took away from me

I was a camp counselor at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp for three summers while in high school and between…read morehigh school and college more years ago than I care to admit, and it remains one of the most profound influences on my life of all. I haven't been back or visited camp for years, but the memories are still vivid. We did all sorts of activities with our campers with varying disabilities, even taking trips up to Timberline Lodge, and of course did all the crafts, archery, swimming, and other traditional things that any child participates in at camp. My campers taught me a lot more than I probably ever taught them, and we had a great time doing it, with lots of laughter. I remember many of them very fondly. At the time I was a counselor, the camp had a trout pond stocked by the forest service, and I became a crack fish cleaner and packer. I also learned what must have been dozens of campfire songs, and somehow have remembered many of those to this day. I'm thrilled to see Kiwanis Camp still surviving and thriving. My best wishes to them as they continue forward with a wonderful tradition of service and fun.

I recently attended an amazing retreat at Camp Cedar Ridge. Not only was the retreat itself…read morefantastic, but it was also really enhanced by being held at Cedar Ridge. Although the location is gorgeous: it's right on a beautiful river, there's tons of natural beauty and scenic views of the Coast range mountains, I was MOST impressed by the friendliness of the staff and the quality of the food, which was absolutely scrumptious at every meal and did the best job accommodating the dietary needs of EVERYONE in attendance. Absolutely will attend other retreats here in the future!

The land, the animals, the views, the staff and accomodations, along with the food was wonderful!!…read moreHighly recommend and grateful to have experienced this wonderful slice of heaven

AMAZING!!!! We are from hawaii and we ride wvery now and…read moreagain so we are beginners - intermediate riders. From start to finish. The car ride there was so nice. The place was easy to find. They had a nice sign out frount and clear signs where you can park. Everyone was very nice and friendly. The horses were very well behaved and easy to ride. This was our first ride here, but not our first time riding horses. I highly recommend them the vineyard ride is so relaxing :) i cant say one bad thing about our experience here!!! I cant wait to come back Pros Good prices!! Easy to find Well behaved easy to ride horses Clean Informative BEAUTIFUL vineyard ride Good distance FUN FUN FUN Cons YOU WONT WANT TO LEAVE!!!

Beautiful drive from Portland, fantastic staff and beautiful setting…read more We did a birthday party for my 10 yr old daughter. The experience exceeded our expectations. The staff was wonderful. The owner Sarah is a former teacher and she and her staff were wonderful. The girls learned to groom the horses, braid the horses manes and even decorate the horses. Then off to an indoor arena lesson and games while riding. Followed by a trail ride. Looking forward to returning with the family for the family lesson at very competitive pricing.

Instead of just running D&D games for a swarm of kids and calling it good, this summer camp is…read morepacked with awesome crafty workshops led by RPG pros and a completely unique storyline that not only promotes collaboration between players, but subtly teaches inclusion and compassionate decision-making without losing any of the fun in storytelling! Add to that the incredible amount of custom 3D-printed minis & props & souvenirs that each week of camp brings, and you've got a stunning newcomer on the local summer camp scene!! FYI, the word is that they're making plans to revisit this same concept for adults too, so don't you worry none, neighbors! The Circle of Everwyr might call you to join your fellow heroes soon, too!

Great interactive and educational experience! Fun and engaging for the kids. Can't recommend high…read moreenough

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.

The most fun I have ever had at a summer camp. Very friendly staff and counselors. What a fun way…read moreto spend a week of summer! Whether you enjoy kayaking, wading down at the creek, occasional sports tournaments or the high ropes and obstacle courses, there is likely more than one way you will come to love Eagle Fern Camp.

Our family has been part of Eagle Fern Camp for 34 years. Our kids absolutely couldn't wait for…read moretheir week at camp each summer while growing up. Now our oldest grandchildren are doing the same. On top of that, a number of us have served as counselors, speakers, summer staff, and more. It was my privilege to serve on EFC's leadership retreat team for several years, and we have the utmost respect for the camp's full-time staff and board of directors. I just got off the phone with my oldest grandson, who is flying up from Phoenix, AZ this weekend for his week at camp. He's so excited! We couldn't be more thankful.