Commencement Bay Academy

My daughter has attended this school for 2 years now. I have been very impressed with CBA. My daughter previously attended a preschool with 16 children and it was overwhelming for her. The small class size that this school offers is wonderful. The children get a lot of 1:1 attention and truly learn to work/play together in a caring manner. Even though there is no playground on site, the children often go to Wright Park across the street for nature walks and other outdoor activities. The teachers also do a ton of art projects, music, science and this year even Spanish. If you're looking for a small, caring preschool where the families really get to know one another then this is the place for you! more

I sent my poor child here for three years after hearing how great other parents said it was. It wasn't great and I should have known this from the start when I called to confirm they received her registration. I was rudely told to check my bank statement to see if my check had cleared. Only after I asked them to look her up did she reluctantly find her class list. It only got worse. There was no communication regarding the first day-- parents had to call to find out when school started! No handbook with school policies . . . The classroom is way too small for preschoolers and there is no outside play -time save for special events, ie., spring Easter egg hunt. more

This is a cozy little pre-school with great teachers. Student teacher ratio is great like 6:1. Teachers are attentive and communicate with me daily about my child's experience in class. My child loves going to school. She wakes up every morning asking if it is a school day. They do field trips to cool places and foster a friendly, fun atmosphere. I've seen the staff deal with all types of health issues from diabetes to food allergies to nose bleeds. I've enjoyed getting to know other parents and I feel a real sense of community through the school. Teacher Karen is the absolute best, I wish I could take her home with me my kids love her so much. All around my husband and I are very pleased with the school and would recommend it highly. Pros: Fabulous Teachers/ Warm environment Cons: Only one evaluation at the end of the year more

I've never written a review before, and after ""shopping"" other pre-schools, I felt the need to actually rate the one our child is currently attending...We joined Commencement Bay Acadamy after hearing raving reviews from friends who had all of their kids go through CBA over several years and really enjoyed it...Last year I shopped a couple of pre-schools and chose CBA b/c I'd met with 2 outstanding teachers during a scheduled ""classroom observation""...I had no idea what the school ""community"" was like, nor what it was like once we were enrolled or what the ""rules"" of the school was until school began. Pros: Small classroom with good teacher/student ratio (1:6), clean, location, secure (students are ""locked"" in classroom) Cons: lacks parent involvement, teachers change based on day of week, snooty staff, no outside play more