Thornton Creek Elementary School

Our child was in the elementary program from 2021-2022. Having had great experiences at the former Montessori school in our home state, I expected a certain standard in Montessori education as Northwest Montessori School stated that their school was fully accredited and recognized by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). The head of school, appeared eager for us to sign the contract and to get our money. As a Montessori trained guide, as someone who attended Montessori school, and observed in Montessori classrooms in the US and abroad, I found the lower elementary program at Northwest Montessori School to be of poor quality. The lower elementary classroom is like a daycare. We didn't get an opportunity to observe in the classroom and we later regretted signing the contract. We noticed practices inconsistent with Montessori method and philosophy. The leadership is also very slow in their communication. The lead teacher in the lower elementary was a stoic, unfriendly, and unwelcoming individual. I was quite appalled to hear that he would call the kids, "dodos." He also failed to provide our kid with adequate number of lessons in many areas, including math, writing, science, and reading. When we brought up our concerns, he either blamed us, our kid, or made an excuse and would not take responsibility. Our child fell behind in reading, writing, and math; science education is deficient in this classroom. Although we did a lot of tutoring at home once we realized that our child was falling behind, we wished we never sent our kid here. The most concerning was when an older child in the classroom targeted our kid and acted inappropriately with him. We brought this to the attention of the lead teacher in the lower elementary, the head of school (Elizabeth Truman), and couple of administrators many times. They were slow to respond. Elizabeth Truman even tried to put the onus on our child regarding defending and there were no real consequences for the other child. They all failed to protect our child while he was victimized many times in the presence of three adults (the lead teacher and his two assistants) until they finally separated the other child a month before the end of the semester. This place failed to provide a safe learning environment for our child, let alone offer a good Montessori education. Fast forward, our child is now back in his old Montessori school. BIG difference. He learned so much since we left this one.

We have been a part of the Seattle Waldorf School for three years. We made the decision to move our son to the school when he was in 5th grade. If I were to articulate the main reason we needed a change, we were looking for a school where our son would be fully "seen" by the teachers and the community and not get lost on zoom calls and standardized tests. We were also very interested in SWS's curriculum and experiences. Our son has thrived at SWS. His confidence has grown, he is excelling in his classes, and his sense of self has become more defined through curriculum, class experiences and with support from the amazing teaching staff. Our son did not start in kindergarten but has quickly caught up with the other students with his strings practice and all of the arts. I have been astounded by how quickly he has absorbed new skills and the pride he feels when learning something new.The SWS school does an amazing job providing hands on experiences for the class. When my son did his first 3 day camping trip at Mt. St. Helen's with the trip, he had never been in a sleep away camp. He has since done multiple trips every year and comes home leveled up in his confidence. The school creates positive interactions where the children learn how to work together, how to get along, how to learn and appreciate their differences. I am grateful for this and have seen first hand how it has helped my son grow. SWS has a genuine sense of inclusivity and kindness that permeates the school. We were so happy we have also moved our daughter who is in third grade. She just did her first overnight camping trip on a working farm and loved it. SWS has been transformational for our family. We are so grateful that we found SWS and that our children are in an environment where they are happy and thriving intellectually and emotionally.

We absolutely love ASB! Our leadership and teachers are deeply rooted and committed to the school. The parent and student community is wonderful - everyone looks out for one another. I love the focus on social emotional development and the pride that comes from playing CYO sports together. This is a special place.

Concordia provides a personalized learning experience in a superbly supportive environment.