Cedar Mill Elementary School

We moved our daughter from a charter school to William Walker. The teachers there are great. They show their love for the kids. As 2nd graders, not only do they have math, English, PE, etc., and the school also provides Music, Technology, and Library. Kids get to borrow two books every week, it has been only a month, and my daughter started to like reading a lot. Previously my daughter always struggled with Math, but now she is enjoying doing math work. We are very surprised to see what a big change happened to her. Her classroom teacher is very nice and experienced. We are so impressed after the first teacher-parent conference with her. This is probably the biggest decision that as parents we made to move our daughter to William Walker. Our daughter now is a happy 2nd grader.

What our family liked about this school: diversity in culture and ethnicity in the student body, and overall caring teachers and staff. As a parent of a SPED student, however, I absolutely had to advocate much more strongly than expected for my child's needs (much more than at other schools); and I have heard similar experiences from other parents in the community. My child's outside specialists had a conversation with various school staff at one point and told me they could discern that that members of the SPED team likely had not even read up on my child's condition. Additionally, I was less than thrilled with some of the very strong and sometimes pushy personalities of district staff and specialists that were assigned to the team. Overall I am recommending this school, as it may be an ideal school for families of typically developing children who naturally lean toward high achievement, but our experience was that it was not the best thing for our particular child.

This review is not about their education but about their character based on our limited interaction. Our house is right across MSB and we got used to traffic during pick up/drop off times and people parking in our driveway. No biggy.. we understand as we have 7 yo ourself. Recently we started to have their garbage truck coming at 5.30am and standing on their property for 20-30min with loud music and engine running. It is summer time and our windows are open so it wakes us up. I shared my concern with their custodian and asked if he can contact garbage company to stop doing that. His response was - why dont you do it yourself…Maybe it is a good school but definitely not a nice neighbor. If someone tell this to me - i would be apologetic and try to fix it ASAP. I guess this might not be a representation on their staff and program but it definitely reflects on their HR and hiring practices

Choosing the French International was far beyond a mere decision for our three children and our family; it was/is an investment in our children's future. It's been a journey defined by bespoke tailored education, emphasizing STEM education while nurturing process-driven thinking. The vibrant tapestry of languages and cultures has woven a rich mosaic, creating an environment that feels like home. Here, education isn't confined to knowledge; it's the gateway to global understanding and cultural fluency, guiding our children's minds to transcend boundaries and celebrate diversity. What truly distinguishes French International is its unique blend—a seamless intertwining of academic excellence with a multicultural fabric, shaping young minds into worldly, future leaders.

Learning: Amazing. Very intimate, most teachers were professors and specialized in their field. Feels like a college campus with uppity buildings endowed by the opulent & with sporty/incredibly smart students who know their way around a chateau yet are extremely humble and nice. Just a touch of entitledness with very few people, Someone told me they let the computer program just pick their classes even though their parents pay dollars a minute just to have them go there lol.spec. ed: They are so selective, I don't think there is even a single VISIBLY SPED kid there. Very sparsely placed buildings, and rocky and steep ground, would be very hard to navigate with w/a wheelchair. They would be amazing in accomodation sthough, & already are.Emotional support: AMAZING.COUNSELORS. They are even thinking of getting an emotional support dog/s. Safety: Good. Very emphasized, especially after the scandal & bullying problems.Admin is ON IT, whether it is about academic honesty, bullying, unsafe environments, or even a nice conversation.Bureaucracy: Forms. SO many forms.As a family you are EXPECTED to take part in activities, and as new students you are given host families to feel welcomed into the Catlin culture.Buildings; They asked for 40 million dollars to revamp the school.eco: They make an effort but it is kind of just greenwashing. The whole foods of education basically. Not an Erwhon, but Whole Foods is still darn good.I'm so sorry to those who had bad experiences (other reviews) Things have gotten so much better, and Admin is amazing. Luv ya & Eagles Soar!