Winterhaven School

We were extremely disappointed with Richmond Elementary, and I feel our child sustained emotional trauma from the experience.At the beginning of the year, our child had anxiety entering the building. My mother, who is a special education teacher in the PCC network, quickly identified that the morning routine was poorly structured and not supportive for children with anxiety. There was no acknowledgement of these struggles, nor any attempt to create a positive, independent transition for students. Unfortunately, this proved to be reflective of many other problems at the school.The kindergarten class lacked sufficient support. Multiple children were highly disruptive, yet there weren’t enough teachers or assistants to manage behavior while still helping the rest of the students progress. The English-side kindergarten teacher seemed universally disliked by the students. She appeared burnt out and disengaged, which negatively impacted my son’s experience.The school seems to only intervene if a situation becomes catastrophic, and even then, the tendency appears to be to push the child out rather than provide meaningful support. This approach left my son more anxious than before, and he now dreads the educational process. He has also developed behavioral issues, and even neutral references to Japanese culture (such as a shirt with Japanese writing) have become triggering for him.While we do have a Japanese-speaking parent at home, the lack of structured, supportive systems at school made the program unsustainable for our child. In my view, Richmond Elementary only works if you are a Japanese-speaking family already immersed in the culture and language.I would not recommend Richmond Elementary based on our experience.

Cedarwood has been an extraordinary place for our family. What stands out most is the focus on social and emotional learning that actually feels real, not performative. Teachers know the students deeply and meet them as individuals. Our child came to Cedarwood after struggling in another environment and dreading school mornings. Now, we joke that there are “no bad days.” They’re engaged, curious, and genuinely happy to go each day. We really appreciate how Cedarwood has used the foundation of Waldorf to meet the contemporary needs of children today. The curriculum provides art, science, reading, languages,, and music in ways that build confidence, empathy, and intellectual curiosity. Cedarwood feels deeply human. It’s a place where learning and belonging go hand in hand, and where kids can grow into thoughtful, capable people who actually like who they are. The parent community is vibrant and mostly all aligned on how best to raise our children together.

The Tucker Maxon educators seem incredibly competent and the grounds are fantastic. However, the administration is abysmal. They do not support staff, or respond to concerns by parents. They immediately shut down anyone who has an issue. They have incredibly disorganized communication processes and make frequent mistakes regarding tuition, enrollment paperwork, or other special circumstances. It truly feels like all of the problems are centered around administrative functions.

We feel incredibly fortunate to have found ISP and enrolled our daughter in the Chinese track since kindergarten year—she is absolutely thriving! Every day, she’s excited to go to school, deeply connected to her classmates and teachers, and learning so much across all subjects. Before joining ISP, she attended other preschools, including a well-regarded Montessori school in the Portland area. However, she never truly felt at home in her previous school. Despite our active efforts with the teachers and administrators, she didn’t seem like herself at school compared to how she was at home, leaving us concerned during her preschool years.After extensive research, including attending many school open houses, tours, and speaking with other Portland parents, we decided to give ISP a try—and the difference was immediate. Within the first couple of weeks, we noticed a big change. The Chinese teachers at ISP are warm, attentive, loving, and fun, while also providing a rich and engaging learning experience. Our daughter absolutely adores her teachers and friends and is excited about every subject—not just Chinese and Math, but also Music, Gym, and Art. While learning Chinese is a wonderful bonus, what matters most to us is that our child grows into a well-rounded person with a strong foundation in wellbeing, learning, and social connections. ISP stands out for its experienced, caring teachers, dedicated staff, and top-notch educational quality in all subjects.Logistics were another important factor in our decision. Commute time, in particular, was a concern for us after reading online reviews about ISP’s car line. Thankfully, significant improvements have been made since the summer of 2024, following a construction project that streamlined the drop-off and pick-up process. These days, we can usually drop off our child in under 5 minutes and pick her up in under 10 by car. We also commute by bike a lot, and ISP’s campus is very bike-friendly and accessible.Overall, we highly recommend ISP!