Alderwood Elementary School

By far the best public school experience we could have imagined. Birchwood faces similar problems to other schools in this area due to immense population growth, and their capable administration and dedicated, experienced teachers and staff inspire parental confidence and students' love for learning . Students learn respect for themselves and each other as critical thinkers and inquirers, notably through IB approach. Birchwood also excels at building community within and without.

Such a caring environment for my kids to grow and learn! We are so happy with Columbia!

Great school everyone is very helpful and friendly. The principal is wonderful!

Both of my children have attended Cedar Tree and my oldest has special needs. The way that she has been embraced for her unique differences and the ability of each teacher to reach has been wonderful. We will be at Cedar Tree for another four years as our youngest finishes out her tenure there. We adore this special school.

What a great experience! My kids feel safe and nurtured, but also challenged and stretched. We love being a part of this community.

This is our fourth year at ACS, and it has been such a positive experience for our family. As a single mom of two boys (5 and 9), I’ve been grateful for the strong education and formation they’ve received each year. The teachers are kind, supportive, and consistently communicative, which gives me a lot of peace of mind. My boys have a great balance of academics, play, and physical activity, and the school schedule (8–3, with extended care available until 6pm) works really well with my job. As a Catholic family, it’s been especially meaningful to see how much they’ve grown in their faith through opportunities like adoration, reconciliation, and daily prayer. Even the volunteer hour requirement has turned out to be a gift; it’s helped me build genuine relationships with other families, teachers, and staff in a way that has made the community feel truly welcoming and connected.