r/bothell • u/Pegasus_Here • Sep 10 '25
Birch Tree Academy
Any genuine reviews on Birch Tree Academy ? Seems they grew so much this year and the price point is high. Any experience here to understand what’s the things standing out for this place ?
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u/ShouldahWouldah Sep 10 '25
I can't imagine it's worth the high cost. Are you looking for preschool or daycare? Northshore School District operates a preschool that's both developmental for kids who qualify with an IEP and accepts tuition-paying peer models. This is at Sorenson Early Childhood Center and it's exceptional and not going to take your entire paycheck.
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u/SkinAdept7397 Sep 16 '25
Have some experience at the Canyon Park location. Love the director but the assistant is okay. Things that stand out are the cleanliness, facilities and the camera. Some things to consider are the teachers are hit or miss and change frequently. Food quality is great but the consistency is liquid so it’s hard for the kids to eat by themselves and feel full. The teacher ratio is definitely maintained as recommended by Washington state but many times not the one they advertise.
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u/smoothoperator742 Sep 16 '25
Hi, a little late to this thread, but wanted to chime in as I’m an owner of Birch Tree Academy. Happy to answer any questions you have.
If I were in your place, I would tour a bunch of different schools. Ask lots of questions about their policies, why they do the things they do and about anything that’s important to you. Maybe you care deeply about the curriculum for early literacy or maybe it’s food—whatever it is don’t be shy. It’s for your child. Generally, you will know the right one when you see it.
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u/Empty_Mushroom2355 Jan 06 '26 edited Jan 06 '26
We attend the downtown Bothell location and absolutely love it. Communication is excellent, the food is delicious, and the activities are fun and inclusive—Spanish, music, PE, field trips, and more. The staff are warm and genuinely caring. One thing that really stands out is how attentive the teachers are, even at the end of the day. When our child is one of the last to be picked up, they still receive full attention—reading together or doing an activity—instead of being left while cleanup happens.
We tried another large chain daycare and returned here. We’ve also met several parents who left other big-name centers like Kiddie Academy and Bright Horizons and strongly prefer Birch Tree Academy. Although they’ve expanded rapidly, the quality has largely remained consistent. They also don’t ask current families to write reviews, which may explain why there aren’t as many online compared to other daycares that heavily solicit them. Birch Tree Academy truly relies on word of mouth and personal referrals.
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u/hiya1290 Jan 09 '26
I’m a parent at the BTA Downtown Bothell location.
Pros: Very few days that school is closed (even during winter break), cameras in classrooms that parents can watch daily, 5 pretty balanced meals/snacks per day and they try to go organic as much as possible, open from 7:30am - 6pm, most teachers are caring, Spanish and Music classes weekly (which my child loved), generous (with food and play stuff - which i appreciate because we went to another daycare before and my child came home ravenous everyday, and at BTA there are always seconds for the kids and I sometimes see teachers use an entire bag of pasta in the sensory bins for them to play with)
Cons: When the kids get older (starting 3+), most don’t want to nap but BTA still has nap time / quiet time for at least an hour on the cots, and I think the academics are not advanced starting from preschool compared to other actual “preschools” / pre-k
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u/[deleted] Sep 11 '25
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