I am posting an honest opinion on LG now that my child is no longer enrolled there for our personal…read morereason. LG is one of the best Mandarin Bilingual preschools on the east side, they just moved to a brand new classroom facility, large bright windows that allows plenty of light into the rooms. The new child sized toilets and low sinks are perfect for preschoolers to reach on their own and feel like they can do personal hygiene like mommy and daddy. =) love the facility there, the only less than ideal is the slightly limited outdoor yard size due to space constraint, but it's filled with a very thick layer of mulch so kids won't get hurt. They do everything by the book and this is where I like this place. On the teaching end, I like all of the teachers and the TAs, they are warm and smiley toward the kids. Children receive a Montessori style education here, shelves of learning sections are stocked with various fun puzzles and toys. Kids have a regular schedule here every day so they know what to expect during transition time. I appreciate how the lead teacher/owner was very thoughtful in her planning, to be honest I was a bit caught off guard when I learned how elaborate the bday celebrations can be here (I initially just bought in 2 dozens of cupcakes like at previous COOP environment), but the celebration that ensued really impressed me, each birthday child receive this "royal" treatment on their special day, and they have to learn to express themselves well in classroom to tell stories too. All in all, I really like this place, and I think it's a good place for parents who are seeking a proper bilingual education. We will likely return next school year after my child is better potty trained and more prepared. (forgot to mention, they teach traditional characters here, their teaching staff can accommodate for ZhuYin or PY) Personally I think learning the traditional "radicals" that compose a proper character is very important in helping kids understand the etymology of Chinese characters.

We love this preschool, all three of our kids have had a wonderful experience here. My oldest son…read morewent here in 2012 when it was at a different location and Caroline was his teacher, when my second was ready for school in 2015, I put him in this bilingual preschool as well. Now my youngest daughter is attending this preschool, she is enrolled in the Chinese and English and her Chinese has significantly improved. We don't speak Chinese at home and because the school has sparked a curiosity in her, she requests Chinese words throughout the day and asks, "how do you say this in Chinese?" We were at a preschool before whose values did not align with our early learning philosophy. That school had wanted to teach every child exactly the same and ignore the needs of the child's developmental stage. We wanted a preschool that deepened our child's love for learning while treating them each as individuals and Language Garden does both. We feel so blessed to have found them. It's been over a year for my daughter and the teachers in both Chinese and English classrooms have been the same which helps build that stability a child needs to thrive. I highly recommend them!

My son has been in this school for almost a year now. My experience so far has been really good. My…read moreson has learned many mandarin words, learned to clean up, learned to play with others.The teachers are caring. Her main teacher has a master degree in education. The director has been really nice and supportive.

Very scary my child was yelled at there by director. This is scary for small children I saw it at…read morepickup and it made me sad.

Birch Tree Academy is a wonderful place for our family. Our child has learned so much, and has a…read moregenuine bond with her teachers. They have great hours (7:30am-6pm) to accommodate flexing work schedules, and they feed the children delicious meals and snacks throughout the day (no need to prepare food during the morning rush!). We're grateful to have found such amazing childcare.

We sent our little one to Birch Tree academy which is a russian immersion program (no we don't…read morespeak russian) and were impressed by the quality care, strong curriculum, and kindhearted staff. We were looking for a childcare that was both educational and nurturing and Birch Tree has gone above and beyond to provide the best care for children. They also speak english to the kids, but ours can now speak bits of Russian along with English at home. The facility itself is homey and well organized with each child welcomed with their own cubbies for coats, shoes, and extra clothing. The space is great for kids to learn and explore with toys that are well organized and not overwhelming the environment. It allows the kids to interact, develop and form relationships. The staff are well trained and we are always greeted at the door for optimal security. They love children and are always so friendly and welcoming. You can tell they care and provide the best care. The director Stephanie is so organized, on top of everything, and is always willing to help. Her dedication and that of the teachers shows in the positive nurturing environment they provide for our little ones. Shout out to Ms. Ksenia for her big heart, amazing art activities and unique curriculum. Our toddler has learned so much and they helped us with many milestones through noticing his personality and helping him grow emotionally and mentally. For curriculum, the daily routine is well structured and full of exciting activities for the children. On top of daily activities they have spanish and music class which is so fun and great for the children's brain development. They are STEM based which is rare to find in the area. They also take the kids outside frequently which is good for their health and physical strength. The food is made in house and is organic and delicious, my toddler told me it is yummy himself. They offer a good variety of well rounded food, the appropriate numbers of snacks and even a dinner snack. They also keep us updated on any changes to menus which is a bonus. Overall, an excellent daycare/ preschool well worth it as they will provide the best care for your little one. We love Birch Tree!

I have so many positive things to say. I looked for a long time and visited, interviewed and…read moreconsidered many options before selecting this academy. The curriculum is advanced and individualized to a degree you won't get in public school. The staff takes time to ensure all children are taught how to learn, learn, and (most importantly) to enjoy learning and staying curious. I won't say more about the academics, you can look up how great they are online. But I will say they don't break kids like other aggressive academic private schools, they make them love learning. The nutrition is top notch. They feed them "home cooked" healthy organic meals 4-6 times a day. Allergies accounted for. No cakes or sweets allowed and each child gets a classroom bday celebration. Arts are built into the curriculum: culinary arts, painting, music and dance with performances, gymnastics and you even get a speech therapist. Kids are with two teachers: English speaking and Russian speaking. This was a major deal for me in terms of importance. The school is high in security and cleanliness. I know my kids are safe and I get photo updates of their time here. The school doesn't teach religion, politics, or gender stuff. That stays with the parents. I love this. It's one of the main reasons I'm here. But they are still teaching kindness, diversity and are strict on anti bullying. The school has hundreds of options for after school programs and care inclusive of science, robotics, musical instruments etc. But most importantly... I love the people. Everyone knows my kids from the daycare to the administration to the cooks to the director of the school. It feels like a warm and safe home. My kids feel comfortable and safe. They are welcomed with kindness. And I feel like they really care. The director of the school called me on the phone to tell me about my son's Iowa test and how she was concerned that someone as smart as him wasn't trying harder to take it. That level of care is so impressive to me. Hands down one of the best decisions I've made for my kids coming here. It is expensive! But very comparable to other private schools in the area. Only thing I can say is I wish the big school events (like graduation and festivals) were a bit more seamlessly organized.

Sarogini is THE BEST HOME AWAY FROM HOME DAY CARE/SCHOOL! My granddaughter Elise spent 3 years…read moreattending that day cre! I'd like to express my sincere gratitude for the love they showed my child and for always being there for her and other kids throughout the years. You won't find better place with wonderful program for the young students, highly educated staff, and great administration! Thanks to Masha Sarogini, for all you do for our children! We wish you all the best!

My two eldest children have been attending RLS since their preschool years. The education level is…read morevery good and homework is assigned daily. The classes keeps my kids challenged and engaged without being too overwhelmed. I highly recommend this school!

My children have been attending RLS for over 5 years now, staring when they were 3 years old…read more RSL has fantastic teachers - dedicated and carrying, giving each child the attention he/she needs. Their classes are small - no more than 6 children per teacher, and every child is provided with textbooks and appropriate notebooks. You can attend classes in person, but there is an option to sign up for private classes over zoom. The school has a lot of classes to choose from, and they always help parents like me with multiple children who want to attend a variety of classes get my schedule just right. The classrooms are clean, the staff is professional. I highly recommend it!

Just in case Natalie will explain my review from below in a long and overwhelming format. But you…read morecan always give me a red heart after you enrolled you kid and really learned about what I said in a hard way. And, you are welcome. We enrolled our child here for a few months and experienced so many problems that we decided to withdraw. Honestly, it's hard to put everything into words. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be chaotic. The management is extremely disorganized, and it shows in every aspect of the school. They promise everything during the tour, but nothing is actually realized. For example, my son's potty training regressed while he was here, yet on his very first day at his new school, he was completely successful again--clearly showing where the issue was. Staffing is a major problem. The school feels understaffed, and instead of hiring enough people, they move teachers around constantly. Teachers are pulled from classrooms to cover the front desk, which leaves children without consistent caregivers and disrupts their sense of safety and stability. Sometimes multiple teachers sit at the front while classrooms and playgrounds remain short-staffed. When teachers are missing, children may be moved into other classrooms without parental consent or proper camera access. The facilities and environment are also concerning. The classrooms and floors are often dirty, even in the morning when children are first dropped off. The food quality is very poor, meals look like leftovers, often just cereal porridge with tiny bits of vegetables or meat, and not the organic quality that was promised. Supervision is lacking both indoors and outdoors. There are no cameras outside, and playgrounds are regularly understaffed. Our child was seriously injured outside and no report was provided. During one unannounced visit, I even witnessed children crying hysterically with no teacher comforting them, while other teachers raised their voices harshly at kids in full view of parents. Another disturbing concern is the culture: the school head's own child is in the school and acts as a bully in the classroom without intervention. Other staff members' children also receive special treatment. If teachers dislike your child, they may even allow or encourage other children to mistreat them. To make matters worse, they openly supports physical punishment, something every other preschool we toured explicitly prohibited. Unfortunately, our child experienced this firsthand. He was two years old, but punished in a harsh and rude way. The teacher had segregated and neglected him during nap time. We are contacting the agencies for the abuse. Hopefully they'll get punished soon. Communication with management is evasive and never provides reassuring answers. Overall, this school fails to provide the safe, nurturing, and trustworthy environment that children need. I cannot recommend it.

Our kids have been to Birch Tree (BTA) over the past 4 years. We've had an amazing experience, and…read morerecently realized how exceptional it is compared to other daycares. We took for granted the high quality care and high standards set by the management and staff. We took a short break and moved our youngest to another daycare for a month just to be closer to our house (national chain daycare in Kenmore), and it was literally night and day. The other daycare was subpar in quality and extremely short staffed, even though the tuition was comparable. We decided to move them back to Birch Tree, and drive the extra miles. What we love about Birch Tree is the management, warm and caring teachers who give lots of hugs, home cooked food, facilities, quality education, classroom camera and Bright Wheel App. Despite the locations expansion, BTA still feels locally owned and the owner Natalie and head of schools Jessica are very much involved in all of their schools. You will still see them in-person floating around the different locations. They generally know all student's names, and the local staff are always friendly and greating parents. They hold their staff to high standards and also expect the same of parents. Kids are well behaved, they wear inside vs outside shoes. Food is better than my home cooked meals, classrooms are modern with high ceilings and large windows, and all teachers have open communication with parents via the instant messaging feature. The admin staff is also on top of communication, and they have an abundance of teachers and admin staff. They also offer weekly PE, music, and Spanish classes which are all included in the price. They also offer parents night-out occasionally, and host events and weekly summer field trips for pre-k. You can do 3, 4, or 5 days a week. Speaking with staff, they enjoy working there and say that there's opportunity for them to grow and take on different roles within the school or office. Other parents we've met have moved from other daycares to go to BTA and seem very happy with BTA. They have well prepared our oldest for kindergarten and we are so thankful. None of these things we observed with the national chain daycare.

My 8-year old son had a great experience at GE Chinese School. He made great progress in the past 6…read moremonth, I'm really happy with the result. I think it is a great school for serious Chinese learners. The school developed its own apps to help kids do their homework everyday.

From the owner: Help you lean Chinese quick and efficientread more

My eight year son has been studying with Oclef the past few months and truly enjoys it. The method…read moreis so innovative and modern compared to our old traditional methods. He happily plays every day versus before he hated it. I am so happy that Oclef is in our life.

Before my older son joined Oclef 10 months ago, he had already spent four years on learning piano…read moreand was about to quit. :( All piano teachers he had before used a similar approach. They mainly focused on correcting notes, rhythms and dynamics during private lessons, and assigning pieces for my son to practice at home. Over time, my son lost his interest in piano and started refusing to practice. Thankfully, one of my friends introduced Oclef and Mr. Julian to us. In our very first interview, Mr. Julian immediately pointed out that my boy's piano learning was at a bottleneck as his sight reading and piano theory were way behind his playing level. Mr. Julian has a great vision on how a child should learn piano. Just after several lessons, we quickly noticed my son changed his attitude toward piano and had regained his interest! Oclef is totally different from any other piano teachers or school we know. They offer Kaizen classes so my son can practice piano under the teachers' guide everyday. All the teachers there are professional and wonderful. They also offer theory classes and organize performance seminars. Now my son can perform every piece he learns. More valuable, their performance seminars provide kids the opportunity of not only performing but also sharing critiques together. I will for sure send my younger boy to Oclef to learn piano once he is ready. This is my first time giving a review on yelp. Oclef is definitely a five star piano school. I hope our experience could help you and your kids.