Bend International School

Best school in the district. This school is a Title 1 school with an underserved population that exceeds the diversity of other schools in the district. This school is ranked number five in the whole state for schools with similar demographics. There is an equity team that addresses disparities regularly, teachers differentiate to reach all students, and bias reporting is made easily available by the school’s administration so that all incidents of bias can be addressed immediately, whether that bias involves poverty, disability, LGBTQIA, race, or something else. The rating given to this school by Great Schools is not reflective of the school at all. This is a school with high poverty and with fewer white kids than the other schools in this district, with kids who are often from households who aren’t as available as more wealthy families in Bend due to financial disparities. The teachers, therefore, must fill in those gaps and address problems not seen much in kids from wealthier families in the district. Kids learn coding from kindergarten on, using a hand-on approach—not just screens. They use storyline in first grade, have a yearly film festival, have a coding competition, engage in Battle of the Books, and have a rocket activity for fourth graders. Students use stop motion to describe their learning process and become their own teachers and lifetime learners. This is the best school in the district, with staff members who constantly collaborate to reach all students on an individual level. This school has an on-site counselor and specialists to address behavioral and learning needs. Bullying is not tolerated, and teachers work tirelessly to engage students in meaningful activities that will enrich their learning. The music program is great, and students have a library with a reading well—the only one in the district. There is a yearly Walk-A-Thon, and health and well being for all students is a priority. Best school in the district by far. Also, the school grounds are gorgeous and there are several buildings that allow for a lot of outdoor time. Outdoor play is scenic and not flat like other schools. It’s right next to Pilot Butte! Teachers and staff have a great working relationship, with minimal conflict—and this shows a lot. Best school in the district by far.

Amazing! This is an incredible school with dedicated staff that love what they do. It is a magnet school, os you must either live in the neighborhood zone or get in through the district lottery. They use the Scottish storyline method which fosters so much creativity in their academics. One review mentioned a negative experience because of the lack of a tour.; Highland @ Kenwood is a magnet school with a lottery that has to be submitted by a mandated spring deadline. There are only a few open houses for all Bend magnet schools and they are always on the district website in the the spring. Tours are not given to public wanting to just walk in. In addition, the safety at the school was recently updated with new construction and new district safety protocols. The building will be 100 years old in the fall of 2019.

Our family LOVES Westside Village! We think it's a hidden gem. We have 2 kids there (kinder and 1st). They are thriving! We feel they learn tons academically and socially/emotionally. We love the teachers, the principal, everyone that works there honestly. Everyone including the principal knows all the kids' names and they greet them by name in the halls! We love their alternative options and field trips: ice skating, watershed investigating, skiing, camping trips, community gardening...We also love that it's K-8, it's a small community, the start times are a bit later than other elementary schools since it goes to 8th... They have aftercare and before care, clubs that our kids love...They mix ages in classes and meet the kiddos where they're at. They are super supportive of their social interactions and them as whole people, not just kids learning school things. We also love their 6 weeks celebrations where your family goes to the school to interact with other families and teachers, see what your kids have been working on, and watch them do a little performance. Can't say enough good things!

My children have attended Waldorf School of Bend for several years, and we've had a deeply positive experience. Like many schools, the COVID years brought challenges and some ups and downs, but I’ve watched the school navigate those times as thoughtfully and steadily as could be expected. The teachers are truly exceptional—they know my kids so well, challenge them in meaningful ways, and do so without creating stress. My children genuinely love learning and have enormous love and respect for their teachers. My kids are thriving and that's what matters the most!