Research Oregon Episcopal School Private Schools in West Linn, Oregon

“It is sad and disheartening to read the prior parents message, her experience for her two sons is exactly what current OES parents yearn for. Having two students at OES currently; we ve attended for 6 years. My assumption is this parent feedback is based on past attendance (at least 6 or more years ago) as there is no such family who attending during our enrolled period. In reading the reviews it occurs that Upper School may offer an academic challenge and the safety to explore & grow the whole student. The reputation of OES a long time ago was that of a high achieving private school. Unfortunately the tide has changed and the Lower & Middle School teach to the lowest common denominator. Administration has said that OES is not a school for gifted children. Which leaves highly intellectual students bored with no challenge presented.”

“It is apparent throughout all of the posted comments that there is a lack of emotional safety, which doesn t allow a student to strive to their full potential. My hope is that one day OES returns to a culture of excellence, retaining highly productive faculty & staff who invest in the emotional, social and intellectual growth of each student. As for our experience, all areas are lacking and extremely deficient. I would hope that OES High School produced successful students, but the lower divisions currently are not preparing students for life!”

“As a former parent of two sons who graduated from OES and who are now leading successful and independent lives, I must give this school the highest rating. The intellectual challenge that OES offered and the constant support during their 4 years there, have prepared them well for the world. I'm very grateful for this wonderful school. Sally Morris”

“I started at OES following elementary school and it is a hard school to move into. The majority of kids have been together since kindergarten so there are tight circles. I agree there are defined groups and a newcomer doesn t feel welcome or included. After three years it s still very difficult, I m excluded and feel like an outcast. The academic program is not challenging but the upside is OES is doing better in competitive sports than ever before. Go Aardvarks!”

“Hopefully US is way better than LS & MS because I've experienced nothing but mean, stuck-up kids who hang in cliques. It's not cool to be smart at OES, it's more about what party you got invited to attend. I feel sad that my parnets have spent so much money for my education, it seems like a wasted investment.”

“Hopefully US is way better than LS & MS because I've experienced a lot of mean, stuck-up kids who hang in cliques. It's not cool to be smart at OES, it's more about what party you got invited to attend. I feel sad that my parents have spent so much money for my education, it seems like a wasted investment.”

“I just started the high school, and I have to say it have been quite challenging even though we are only 2 weeks into the year. The classes are by far much more challenging that other private schools like jesuit and st. mary's and miles ahead of public schools. Almost every teacher and student knows who I am and the experience I have had so far is wonderful. The middle school was a struggle for me, because there were some students that were just there because they had to be, but in upper school every one is focused on academics but also everyone is accepting, nice, and social. It is an awesome school.”

“Fortunately I m leaving OES for High School and I couldn t be happier. The administration makes whack decisions. The new Head did away with Japanese as a language option, is spending over $300K on a park (useless), preaches sustainability - yet spends money frivolously. He passed out yellow hard hats to the entire school in celebration of the ground breaking park event, which is another example of unconscious spending; wasting more of our parent s hard earned money and ultimately adding 800 (+) unnecessary plastic hats to the land fill. Just when we thought it couldn t get any worse!”

“I agree with the last parent comment (May 30) regarding expectations not being met. Although the travesty is not the monetary resources lost, OES is not only a waste in terms of tuition; our student's lack of a solid foundation in basics has been a far greater price to pay. Not only are the academic standards poor and inconsistent, but the administration and teachers are unwilling to communicate and address parent concerns. The Oregon state standards do not apply to private schools like OES, and OES does not use any uniform standard for testing to assess children's progress, so parents are often in the dark.”

“Huge disappointment: low academic standards, lack of safety, inconsistent consequences, inauthentic communication and extremely over-priced!”

“I'm a middle school student in my ninth year. My parents have spent over $125,000. on my education at OES. Maybe it s because I m looking at high school next year and ahead to my college future but I consider the investment a waste of money. I have friends in public schools who are involved in more mind stretching classes and courses than what I m offered. My writing skills are not equivalent to many of my friends outside of OES. For the money spent, other than small class sizes, there s the same drama and lack of support as a free school. BTW having kids boxed in a small group with the same kids year after year is not necessarily a good thing. Ask the kids! I say go public; there are a lot of AP courses available. I wish I had.”

“To correct this 6/7/07 review by another parent, the annual Lower School Teacher appreciation luncheon was not cancelled. It was changed to a time frame in the after school hours, not during the school day. Having the luncheon during school meant the school needed far too many parental volunteers to oversee the students during this time frame. I have been at the school for 12 years and the quality of teaching and academics is awesome! I have a high schooler now, and if your child is academically driven, this is the place for you. The high school teachers are phenomenal, and really take pride in knowing your child and his/her strengths. IF your child needs more social or less academic challenge, then OES is not the place for you.”

“We have two children at OES (lower school). The teachers are uniformly excellent. We are very happy with the program, facilities and leadership. It is expensive but worth it. Low teacher student ratios drive the cost (worth paying for).”

“As a parent of a Middle School student, I agree with the majority of the comments. OES consists of many caring and capable teachers, some students are challenged academically but the overall vibe of the environment is disconnected. A common complaint is lack of structure, rules and standards. No one place is perfect; however with families making a commitment of $20K annual tuition, the expectation is greater than the experience received. The school rests in a very tenuous state currently with a new Head of School, Head of Upper School and Head of Lower School, all within a year. The Head of Middle School is retiring at year-end, rounding out the entire Administrative team, implementing all new leadership.”

“I m in the middle school at OES. If you re thinking of sending your son/daughter here then take a hard look around. The administration turns a cheek to behavioral problems until a situation is completely out of control and then they claim not to have known of any issues. So much stuff flies under the radar, it s a sad representation of what small class sizes do for this private school. Also the academic schedule is not challenging because the number of bright kids is so small, that those students needing extra help are catered to, while those who could be challenged sit bored. I feel like my parents are wasting the tuition money and I could get the same education in public school. I will definitely leave for High School.”

“I currently am attending the OES Upper School. My experience to this point has actually been lower than I expected. I believe that I could have learned the same material at any public school. However, OES is very good at making one a better writer in one's freshman year. The kids are nice and inviting and there is no problem making friends. One tip is not to overwhelm yourself by taking too many honor classes. Junior year is the hardest and is why parents pay the money for their children to attend the school.”

“I am a student attending middle school at OES. The school has great academic, social, and sports skills. I hvae been here since kindergarten and have learned to anjoy evertthing. They welcome students to many afetrschool and before school programs to enhance music, sports, and thought skils. All divisions of this school are friendly and i am looking forward to those who join. This college prep school is great and i am happy to be apart of such a great community.”

“I am a student at the OES Middle School, and I do not like it. The kids are mean and snobby, and the teachers turn their backs to this behavior. I will be glad to go to a different high school this next year. Though OES has a good academic program, some kids tease others if they do not get into the high classes.”

“It is a great school for students looking for a good and strong learning environment. There are no distractions and all are welcoming. You will be please if you attend this college prep school.”

“OES is experiencing a leadership overhaul, a new Lower School Head was brought on board this year, a new All-School Head has recently been hired (an interim Head has been in charge during the 06-07 school year) and the search is on to replace the Upper School Head. While the past leadership was dismal, one might ask why so much turn-over now? The parent participation level is at an all-time low. It is virtually impossible to secure volunteers in order to execute events; the annual Lower School Teacher Appreciation luncheon was cancelled due to lack of support on the part of parents. There is immense dissatisfaction amongst the OES community, it is apparent by lack of interest, support and participation. If you're looking for a school, read beyond the glossy brochure, dig deeper by obtaining feedback from families within the school.”

“Our family is completing its fifth year at OES. Our children are in middle school and in lower school. Our experience has been outstanding. We moved to OES from public school in the hope of getting a more personalized approach for our kids. Every time we have a parent-teacher conference my spouse and I comment to each other on how thoroughly the teacher 'gets' our child! The school chaplains, (there are four of them), are wonderful and help make tolerance an active practice throughout the school.”

“Great quality in every possible category. Rigorous and challenging course load. Great students.”

“Our two children attend OES, one in Lower and the older in Middle School. I cannot say enough good things about the teachers: they are warm, approachable, involved and caring. The classes have been rigorous, challenging and thought provoking for the most part. Although outside of academics the institution lacks the teaching, standards and expectation of social responsibility and accountability. The level of disrespect shown to fellow classmates as well as faculty, staff, administrators and parents is unacceptable. This has been an ongoing concern and administration has been asked to implement some sort of behavior modification, a pro-active approach, but the problem only gets worse. This is an enormous concern within the OES community. While academics are important, social and emotional education is paramount at this stage of childhood development.”

“I'm a parent of a upper school student. Yes the pricetag is high, however its worth it. The academic requirements are high and the personal expectations are just as high. There are no easy A's. My shy bright child has a terrific peer group, has friends and is challenged for the first time in his school career. The teachers have been very supportive at helping him develop skills that are lagging. There are other schools to choose from and each has a different personality. OES has a fairly structured curriculum, focus on primary source learning, and a focus on the sciences. In addition OES teachers treat the kids with great respect.”

“Although our family is new to the OES community, we have been very pleased with our experience thus far. We really appreciate the high academic standards, the individual attention from the teachers and specialists, the rich art and music programs, and the variety of sports and after school activities. Mostly, we love being in a school that raises everyone's level of excellence. The only drawback is the HUGE pricetag ( 14K + for lower school! ) But you get what you pay for.”

“I have children in both the lower and upper schools. OES is excellent in nearly everything -- strong academics, support for the whole child (physical, intellectual, spiritual), the wonderful teachers, individual attention, and the high level of parent involvement. OES does a great job in supporting children through adolescence. OES students are responsible. My daughter knows no one who smokes or does drugs. All students can do athletics, there are no cuts . Music and art are well supported. Jazz band is great! International exchange programs exist at all levels. OES has a wonderful record of student research (national awards almost every year). OES is teaching my kids how to learn and how to organize their time. I am working just to support my kids at OES I feel that sending my kids here is the best thing I can do for them.”

“OES has about 775 students, so it is unfortunate that those of us who love this school are not being heard. I have two children at OES, and the experience has been exactly what I had hoped - excellent teaching, high academic expectations, caring faculty/staff, and great preparation for college and life. No school is perfect, and yes, sometimes the administration has to make some hard decisions. But they always have the children first in all decisions. The homework load is very balanced, and both of my children enjoy a number of extracurricular activities. I would highly recommend this school. It is a wonderful community.”

“I attended a private school on the east coast growing up so it only seemed natural for our son to do the same. We knew nothing about OES when we moved to town but through much research we decided on this school for our son. The academic environment is suitable and what we hoped for (mostly), although there are still areas such as math and Spanish that are in need of an upgrade. We were sold on a 'Math Specialist' when we enrolled, but there is no such person in LS. Also, for the amount of tuition paid, an additional foreign language (Japanese) would be well served. On the topic of tuition, it was not communicated to us when we enrolled that we could be guaranteed a 7% annual tuition increase. It has gotten to the point where we are questioning whether or not the cost outweighs the benefits.”

“The school has some excellent attributes: small class sizes, advanced curriculum, service learning opportunities and passionate teachers. However, both leadership and communication are sincerely lacking! The frustration of these missing components are experienced by parents, as well as faculty and staff. It's unfortunate as this academic institution holds such enormous possibility. Our family currently has two children attending (both in the Lower School) and our expectations have not been met. The downside is, there is no place else to go, so as parents we feel stuck between a rock and a hard spot.”

“Upon our initial introduction to OES, including all of the beautiful glossy brochures and tours, we were sold! As parents who value education, we were impressed with the OES mission and principals stated. We've been a part of the OES 'community' (a word that is thrown around frequently, but not truly valued) for two years. We have experienced great disappointments with top-down decisions being made with little or no explanation, dishonest communication and a 'take it or leave it' attitude towards parents. It is quite clear that parents are afraid to bring concerns forward, so they don't. There is reference made that OES parents have a sense of entitlement, when truly what exists is a high standard of expectation. Families shouldn't feel the need to apologize when we're paying roughly $15,000/year tuition. We have a second child slatted to begin school next year and we are seeking alternate opportunities.”

“There is a lack of communication between the Division Head and teachers as well as parents. Concerns are not handled in an appropriate manner. Head of school and Division Head dismisses concerns of the parents unless it becomes a forced issue. For students, respect and responsibility are two principles that are promoted however the Administration does not lead by example. Parents are talked down to and disrespected on a continual basis. Why, you ask would a parent spend $14,000(+) in tuition per year and tolerate such treatment? Unfortunately, there is no place else to go. If you are a parent viewing this website then you already know, Caitlin Gable is the only other local independent school and even 'if' you could get your child in, the philosophy isn't for all children. Good luck with your search.”

“As a current OES parent, I was told about this website. What a 'great' opportunity for families to learn more about a school before becoming invested. I wish that we had been privy to this info prior to enrolling our now, two children. We have a Middle School and Lower school child, and I agree politics among faculty and administrators at OES were very apparent. The reality is, it is one of the more political arenas that I've been invested. Volunteering is not a rewarding experience, unless you enjoy living under scrutiny.”

“My children attended from grade school through high school. Outstanding college prep...no question. College was a vacation for them after high school at OES. However, policies and rule interpretations seemed to me to depend on how much, or if, you donated to the annual fund or other fundraising efforts, and as for ethnic diversity, well, yes, it's there, but it's diversity with a lot of money...which does not exactly give exposure to a cross-section of society. I would definitely send my children there again for grade school...would think about middle school...and would probably check out either Catlin Gabel or Jesuit for high school.”

“I graduated from OES. High school was so hard and the homework load so tremendous that any participation in extracurricular activities meant staying up all night to finish assignments. As a college prep school OES was excellent. It was easy for me to stay on the President's List in college. The politics among faculty and administrators at OES were very apparent to us. Favoritism was not hidden, and the lofty goals of self-expression, fairness and individuality found more exposure in brochures than in day-to-day reality. OES upper school is an excellent choice for a dedicated student who has no interest in athletics, a social life, or standing out from the crowd. A creative teenager who embraces life on more than an academic level might be happier elsewhere.”

“My daughter has been at OES since kindergarten on a scholarship. She is now a tenth grader. Although no school is perfect, in general OES has been a wonderful place for her. In recent years there has been a change for the better in the administration which has set a whole new tone for the school. OES is extremely rigorous but they do care about the work load on individual children. I've found the majority of the teachers are more than willing to work with families to meet the needs of individual students. The math and science programs are particularly stellar. If your child's talents lie in these areas you won't find a better school anywhere in the country. OES also excells in the area of service learning, children begin contributing to the larger Portland community in large and small ways beginning in Kindergarten. My daughter has developed an unusually strong moral compass and we've had none of the usual teen troubles even though she's a very 'cool' kid. Outdoor or traveling school experiences twice a year have helped her develop a sense of independence and competence. Yes it's a bit on the conformist side. This is countered by classes with themes like the eighth grade humanities class, where kids are exposed to some of the great issues of fairness and justice of the twentieth century. OES is also terrific at guiding kids through the 'ages and stages' of childhood development from pre-school to adolescence. I can't tell you the number of times my daughter has come home over the years and said 'I love OES.' She is not an 'easy' kid. We are not the stereotypical wealthy OES family, and yet she has found a good home there. If your child is bright and needs a challenge and you don't mind being in a somewhat limited group of people, OES could be the right choice for you. OES is fairly diverse racially, especially in the upper school and is working very hard to become more economically diverse. There is a 'sister school' relationship with Vose Elementary School, a neighboring public School where 65% of the children speak English as their sdecond language. Be sure to ask about it if you apply. It's one of the things that sets OES apart. I'd also like to add that although my husband and I are both atheists, we've found the chapel program to be one of the real assets of the school. Children are encouraged to discover their own spirituality, whatever it may be and are exposed to a variety of religious traditions. Many of our good friends at OES are Jewish and the school works with their families to accomodate their children's needs. It's not perfect but there are many, many wonderful things about OES.”

“I sent two children through Upper School at OES. On more than one occasion I 'butted heads' with the administration on policy issues -- and my children paid dearly for it. I have read the other posted comments and agree that it's a good idea at OES not to step out of line or in any way to irritate the powers-that-be. Academic quality was well above average and my children found the homework load backbreaking, but they still were able to participate in one extracurricular activity each.”

“My son attended upper school and subsequently went to a major university on a partial scholarship. The academics were good. The staff seemed a bit clueless at times and did some selective looking the other way. The teachers were mostly very good and really cared about the kids. The main drawback I saw was that student invididuality was frowned upon. It is also an enormously expensive school, about $12,000 per year for upper school, which means that while there is considerable ethnic diversity there is little if any socioeconomic diversity.”