Schools in Portland, OR

“We could not be happier with our choice for daycare. Our son has been going there for two years and absolutely loves it! The teachers are incredibly kind and patient, and our son has grown so much under their guidance. The daycare also offers quite a few perks we couldn't find elsewhere - being able to drop for the summer without losing our spot, call-in days that are credited to the next month, and 10 vacation days throughout the year. Plus, their hours (6:30 am - 6:00 pm) make it very easy for his two working parents to drop off and pick up without having to rush. We highly recommend them for anyone looking for daycare!”

“I had no idea I’d love this school so much! The teachers are amazing and I love how warm and welcoming they make the environment. My daughter has gone here for 3 years with no problems! We had so much fun being apart of the Cadence family and will definitely enroll my son in the future. We’re very sad to leave but do so knowing my daughter was well taken care of and learned so many things!”

“Sarasvati Institute of Ayurveda &Yoga Therapy classes have taught me so much! As someone who works in the Healthcare industry, this class has taught me so much more about how to really care and listen to our patients. Ayurveda looks at medicine with common sense and compassion that we can share others. Its great knowledge to have in our toolboxes.”

“Estera is absolutely wonderful. She is an amazing manager. She’s very responsive via calls and email. She keeps you updated on school events and happenings. She really picks the right staff for her center. Her staff is caring and great with all the kiddos. My kiddo adjusted well, because teachers like Ally, Maggie, and Cathy would greet him in the mornings and they would had a fun activity planned for him. And he would ease into the day. I also loved that they did walking field trips to the park across the street from the center. This is a great place for kids.”

“So I'll start by saying that between my two kids, career changes, etc, we now have experience with several daycares in the area. And I could not be happier with Cedar Hills KinderCare. Since joining in April we have not had a single issue. Our little guy just turned 2 and will be transitioning to the 2 year old room soon.

Things we love:
- Great hours for a dual career couple/family
- Super responsive staff
- Super warm, friendly and loving staff
- Really fun activities & events for the kids, and for families
- Great community overall
- Lots of outdoor time with a great playground
- Variety of activities, and lots of education - our son now counts to 10 in both English and Spanish and sings his ABCs. All happened before age 2...
- They have also worked with us to provide school age care for our 6 year old son, on random days we needed care for him due to school closures, etc.
- They do not call me all the time and/or try to exclude from care for really trivial things that our child should not be excluded for (This was a real issue at our last daycare). I'm fine if he's actually sick, but if its because of a drool rash... ok... that's a little too much.

All in all - could not be happier. HUGE stress relief to have wonderful and reliable childcare so I can focus on my job and not worry about my kiddo.

Highly recommend. 10/10.”

“Currently have my two kiddos there while on summer break from regular school care and they are loving it. The center is bright, open and clean. Kids are super happy at pick up and excited to show me what they worked on. Staff are super friendly and caring. The Procare app is wonderful and nice to see how their day is going. It’s been a secure, friendly and convenient option while they are out for a few weeks. Appreciate the communication of the staff and we will definitely come again when normal care is closed or need additional back up!”

“My kids and I absolutely love Learning Tree! All of the teachers and staff are so kind, open, and friendly, and it is always evident how much they truly care about the kids. I can't recommend them highly enough!!!”

“We’ve had a truly wonderful experience at Irvington Preschool. It’s a warm, play-based community where children are genuinely respected and encouraged to explore at their own pace. The co-op model gave us a chance to be involved in the classroom and really connect with other families, which made the experience meaningful and we were able to build authentic community.

Teacher Sam is absolutely exceptional—she brings so much care, insight, and calm presence to the classroom. She understands young children deeply and creates a space that feels both joyful and grounded. Our child thrived in her care, and we always felt confident and grateful knowing he was with her.

Irvington Preschool is a gem, and we feel lucky to have been part of it.”

“St. Agatha has been (and continues to be) such a blessing to our family. We transferred from another Catholic elementary school and are so grateful to have found St. Agatha - there is nothing quite like it. The teachers and administration are caring, involved, dedicated, engaged, supportive, and committed. The community is absolutely incredible - the parents are a vital part of the school and it makes such a difference. Mrs. Casey, the principal, cares about the faculty and the families. She knows every single child's name and her presence is exactly what one would hope for to guide their child's school. Our elementary school boys love their school and community. It sincerely is like one big family. I could go on endlessly about how grateful we are for St. Agatha and how blessed we feel to be apart of this community.”

“Excellent school with dedicated teachers in a caring environment. We have attended since kindergarten and my children have thrived. Small class sizes, full time specialists in PE, Art, Spanish, Stem and Library and multiple extras make this school a special place.”

“I have three children that all started in preschool at Catlin Gabel. Catlin Gabel provides warmth and nurturing for young souls. Staff at the school pay incredible attention to the child's social-emotional well-being. Catlin students are happy, confident, and ready for the world. My children are all in high school now and they have gotten a fabulous academic foundation and are almost ready for college! The price is well worth the environment in which my children are growing up. I am happy and secure to be able to say that my young adults are curious learners, view the outside world with hope and skepticism, and are always open to new ideas. They are caring and generous, educated and sophisticated. I couldn't be happier with Catlin Gabel School.”

“This place has been very special for our family. We first came here 6 years ago and they have been a very important part of all three of our boys’ early lives. As with all child care, there has been changes over the years as people have come and gone but a constant is the passion and care that all have provided. We have had the great fortune to get to know the teachers, administrators, and owners well and have always been very happy with and grateful for the family here at Goddard!”

“Magnolia Blossom has been a great introduction to school and peers for our pandemic toddler. Auntie Chelsea has been so patient and friendly. She helped ease any concerns we had about leaving our daughter under someone else’s care when she kept coming home so happy and looking forward to going back after the weekend. The small class size and daily outdoor play are added bonuses and our daughter loves helping cook lunch with Auntie Chelsea.”

“Friendly House kindly let our organization volunteer with them while on a company retreat.The staff was kind, organized, and thorough. Our group of 14 was able to help out with decorating for their Halloween party. We were impressed with all that Friendly House is able to accomplish. We were honored to contribute in even a small way to the good work Friendly House is doing and really appreciated hearing about the Volunteer Coordinator's experiences with Friendly House.Keep it up!”

“Holy Cross is a wonderful school. I’ve been so impressed by the dedication of the teachers and leadership, especially during the pandemic. Our daughter is loved and nurtured at Holy Cross, as well as academically challenged and enriched. We love that Holy Cross has a family-like, down-to-earth atmosphere. When we joined the school 3 years ago, we felt immediately welcomed and included. Holy Cross has plenty of opportunities for service projects, extracurricular clubs, sports and fun community events. There is so much to love about Holy Cross!”

“My daughter is having a wonderful experience at Sweet Day! The management is open and communicative, and the teachers show genuine care for the children. My daughter is excited to go every time.”

“Lisa and her team at Dragonfly are absolutely wonderful! They filled our kiddo’s world with beautiful art, song, sensory play, and exciting special projects, but it was their genuine love and enjoyment of him as a person that made our hearts overflow with gratitude. There are lots of preschools out there, but Dragonfly is special because it’s a place where your child will be known and appreciated for who they are—adorable quirks and all—while also being nurtured, protected, and taught to explore the world. We are sad that it’s time for our family to move on!”

“Our 5 year old just graduated from there after attending the last four years. Our one year old son attends now as well and we plan on him attending until kindergarten as well. The teachers and staff here are nothing short of outstanding and we are so proud to have our kids attend here!”

“I love rising stars! My daughter has had the best experience at this center. Such loving teachers! We will be staying here until kindergarten. Leaps and bounds have been made since enrolling. If I could give more than 5 stars I would!”

“My daughter has only been going here for a couple of months, but I have been xstreamly satisfied with them so far. The staff seem great, they seem to work more on actual education than other after school programs, and my daughter is excited to go every day.”

“I went here many years ago. I will say i do not recall learning the most amount of things while here besides when i taught myself how to dribble a ball. But thats okay because the purpose of my time here was so that i wasn't alone in the house while my parents worked, and for that it did the job perfectly”

“We have loved our time at Child Roots. The teachers are fantastic, especially Tyler who is truly an amazing person. Communications are organized, prompt, and issues seem well-handled. The school is clean and comfortable and my son absolutely loved it. We have made a great community of friends through the families there. I would recommend CR to any family or friend, with the information below included.

Now, about the neighborhood and how it affects the school. We have lived in big cities our whole lives and found the situation in Portland shocking, and the area around the school is one of the worst for open drug use, needles, knives, drug dealing, prostitution, biohazards, and threatening behavior. At first we were disappointed with how the school was handling issues such as tents with prostitution in view at drop off, needles discarded on property, users in the exit stairwell, tents with drug use in view of children, theft from waiting strollers, etc. Then, as we lived here longer, we learned that Portlanders are just ok with this type of environment. Or as the school owner told me “welcome to Portland”. My point is, if this is not the environment you are looking for, it’s not dissimilar from Portland as a whole, so outside of what we deem to be a city-wide issue with children’s safety, I can’t fault the school itself when really it’s just how the city is. If you are from here and ok with this, then I wholeheartedly recommend CR. If you think this might bother you, I would look outside of the city of Portland itself. Again, the school itself I have high praises for. I will note other schools nearby have hired security that does clear the sidewalks around the school (even if that is not technically their jurisdiction) but Child Roots has not done so, but they have been more proactive about tents on the sidewalks directly adjacent to play areas more recently.”

“Accepting and caring staff. I appreciate that the environment is based off of mutual trust and respect, rather than authority. To anyone attending, I would definitely load up on as many science classes as possible.”

“Lad ‘n lassie daycare center has been like a second home for both my children. All the employees have shown and given compassionate care towards my children. The communication between teacher and parent has been clear, open and prompt. I never have to worry about the care my children are getting while at work. Which puts a mama’s heart at ease during the work day. All the teachers have helped with potty training, breaking the binky habit, and with any positive reinforcement behavior that we have been working with at home. One of my children is a very picky eater, Jen has always made sure my child has a full belly by offering things he does like. Again, puts a mama’s heart at ease. They both always look forward to coming.”

“My wife and I always considered ourselves quite over protective. We spent countless hours researching, reading reviews, attending walk throughs and debating the best options for our daughter. It wasn’t easy for us to find a daycare we could trust, but the moment we met Mrs.Nancy and her staff, all our worries melted away.

From the very first interaction, we were welcomed by a warm and caring staff who made us feel like we were part of their family. They took the time to listen to our concerns and ensured that every aspect of our daughter’s care was personalized to make her feel safe, happy, and loved. Their communication with us is always top-notch, keeping us updated throughout the day, which truly puts our minds at ease.

The KinderCare staff have shown nothing short of dedication and compassion. Our daughter is not only well cared for but genuinely enjoys her time there, which is a relief for us as parents. They’ve created an environment that feels nurturing and supportive, and we can tell our daughter has thrived in their care.

We’re so thankful to have found this KinderCare location that not only meets our high expectations but exceeds them. It’s a place where we feel our daughter is safe, loved, and protected, and for that, we will always be grateful. Thank you, Mrs.Nancy, Teacher Dylan, Ms.Katy and all of their staff for making us feel like family.”

“Our son has attended Grandma's Place since he was first able to (around 6 weeks old) and has been there ever since. Cannot imagine him being anywhere else in the Portland metro. I never have to worry if he is being properly taken care of, as I always feel like family is watching him. Wonderful communication and updates throughout the day. Plenty of play and learning that is communicated with thought out subject plans. They are very mindful and considerate of his and other children's allergies and provide food around these as well. Best decision we could have made was brining our son here, and we will absolutely be enrolling our 2nd. Thanks GP staff for the amazing treatment of our family.”