Education in Portland: Perspective from Local Parents

By: Debby Dodds

I should have a strong opinion about where I want to send my daughter to school. I’ve been in the education field for 15 years, teaching in public schools and both secular and religiously affiliated private schools. I’ve also worked for four years as a private tutor for students who attend different schools in the Portland area.

I, myself, attended eight different schools growing up, primarily because we moved quite frequently for my dad’s job. After attending public schools for elementary and middle school grades, I begged my parents to send me to a small, co-ed private school for grades 9–12 because it had both college-prep classes and a strong theater program. It was a much better fit for me than the local public school.

In thinking of where to enroll my daughter for kindergarten next year, I became overwhelmed. I asked parents and students how they chose schools for their children. Some were happy to go “on the record;” others asked not to be named.

Preschool is an optional choice for schooling. There are some interesting reasons for selections at that level. Cheryl Backlund echoed many of the criteria most moms seemed to have. She chose Tigard Learning Center because it’s close to her home, has a good mix of playtime and academic time, and takes kids who aren’t potty trained. Although co-ops can be a cost-effective choice, moms like Cheryl who have other children at home, or moms who work, sometimes have a hard time fulfilling the obligations of co-ops. Other moms love co-ops such as Burlingame Preschool, Multnomah Playschool and Gabriel Park. With over 40 co-op preschools in the Portland area, there are many different philosophies and requirements, but the hallmark of most co-ops is direct parent participation in the teaching the students.

Other choices for preschools include the many Portland-area Montessori schools. Kyla Walker said, “I chose Child’s View Montessori because I love how it empowers children to think and do for themselves, which builds a positive self-esteem.” A Montessori philosophy encourages children to form a love of learning through meaningful activities, fostering an appreciation of nature and building a sense of community with fellow classmates. Activities, such as sweeping and tea-making, are interwoven with lessons promoting math and reading skills. Montessori isn’t just for preschool; Portland also has Childpeace Montessori (toddler–9th grade), Montessori Unlimited (preschool–7th grade) and Franciscan Montessori/St. Francis Academy (preschool–8th grade) among others.

Another mom told me she loves the Waldorf approach for her children because it blends the arts and mythology from preschool through high school. Waldorf students typically don’t learn to read until the second or third grade. Instead, writing and oral approaches are stressed. Portland Waldorf School (preschool–12th grade) and Cedarwood Waldorf School (preschool–8th grade) are two that promote the Waldorf method beyond the preschool level.

I also heard from moms who chose home-schooling for preschool for reasons such as: peanut allergies, financial situations and the desire to spend as much time as possible with their child.

When choosing elementary, middle and high schools, many parents agreed with Enid Sorowitz, whose children attend Alberta Rider Elementary, “I believe in public schools. I’m the product of a public school and when I bought my house, I considered what public school my children would attend.” I also talked to three teens who had attended private schools for K–8, but when it came time to attend high school, they wanted to go to public schools. Myles Buchannan, a junior, and his parents chose Cleveland High School because he was excited to go to a school in which all his friends would live in nearby neighborhoods. He likes both the diversity and “mainstream feel” of his high school in Sellwood.

Other reasons given for attending public schools: the wide variety of class choices, the International Baccalaureate or other college prep programs (Lincoln HS, Cleveland HS, Tigard HS, Wilson HS and Tualatin HS all have college prep classes), competitive athletics and the larger student bodies. On the other hand, a female student I spoke with transferred to a small, private high school after having attended a large public school for her freshman year. She felt the smaller class sizes and more direct teacher mentoring would be better for her learning style.

Portland also has many wonderful private school options. Catlin Gabel is an independent, co-ed day school (preschool–12th grade) with small classes, a progressive agenda and a dedication to experiential learning. The campus is gorgeous and college placement is high. Nell Bonaparte sent her four children to Catlin Gabel. She says, “You discover talents in your child you didn’t even know existed. For example, one of our sons was cast in a lead role in the musical when we didn’t even know he could sing.”

Sue Robbins is applying to Catlin Gabel for her sons because of the school’s academic reputation. She noted being especially impressed that the fifth grade girl who gave them a tour encouraged questions and radiated confidence.

Oregon Episcopal School, commonly known as OES, is both a day school and a boarding school. It’s co-educational and affiliated with the Episcopal tradition and the curriculum is classic college prep in the Upper School. It has 840 students from both the Northwest and around the world. One mom I spoke with moved her son here from Korea to attend this prestigious school. She was especially passionate in her admiration of the math and science departments. Another mom whose son attends OES touted the 7:1 teacher student ratio and explained how the school helped her son with some learning challenges.

The Northwest Academy (6th–12th grades), with its campus in downtown Portland, integrates the arts with a college prep program. Performance, dance and visual arts courses pepper the requirements. Lauren Wilson, a middle school student who attends NW Academy, told me, “The small class size makes it seem like we’re a family.”

The Arbor School (K–8th grade), another private school with small class sizes, focuses on supporting a student’s intellect, creativity and character. Eric Roessler attended this school and appreciates the strong writing skills and confidence he has today because of the school’s supportive teachers and integrated courses.

Catholic schools are another great option. Some interviewed sought these schools because of the classes in religion, the strong sense of ethics incorporated into the student life and the dress codes. Choices include: Jesuit (HS), Central Catholic (HS), Valley Catholic (HS), Cathedral School (K–8th grade) and St. Anthony’s (K–8th grade). Parents from these schools expressed enthusiasm for the schools they’d chosen. St. Mary’s High School is Oregon’s only remaining single-gender school and is dedicated to empowering young women. Many non-Catholic students also attend Catholic schools. Both of Charlene Sherwood’s daughters attend St. Mary’s. The family is Jewish and she has high praise for the he school, “Our daughters have never felt the least bit uncomfortable being Jewish in this Catholic school. They have never experienced any type of proselytizing… St. Mary’s Academy promotes each students spiritual journey, but the path of that journey is up to the student.”

Language-immersion schools are also an intriguing choice. How wonderful to prepare a young person for the global job market by empowering them to go out into the world as a bilingual citizen. Examples of these schools include: Chiquitos School (toddler–3rd grade), The International School (preschool–5th grade), German American School (preschool–5th grade), The Portland French School (preschool–middle school), Northwest Chinese Academy (preschool–elementary) and Gilkey International Middle School / French American International School (FAIS) (preschool–8th grade). A dad of a Gilkey student told me that his son’s aptitude for the language far exceeds his and his wife’s abilities, even though they both spent time in France in college.

Lake Oswego High School and Riverdale High School are hybrids of the public and private school models. Students within the districts are non-paying (property taxes cover their attendance) and students outside the districts attend as non-residents who pay tuition. Both have strong academics and are very popular schools for many non-resident applicants. One student told me she loves the trimester system at Riverdale because it helps her focus more intently on fewer courses each semester.

Of course there are other wonderful options that I haven’t mentioned: charter schools, magnet schools, Jewish schools (such as Portland Jewish Academy) and public and private schools. One of the noteworthy revelations I had while researching this topic it was clear that educational decisions are hard. However, what is a comfort to know is that there are many wonderful choices in Portland.

Debby Dodds is a Portland writer, mom and SAT tutor. She can be found on Facebook.