Oregon Episcopal School

You’re not really going to make a choice about schools based on a review from Unilocal,right? Go visit the school, check out their website, attend a game or play or lecture. Even a monthly parent-​school meeting will show you the possibilities and opportunities that your child could glean from OES.
The summer program offerings are a great place to start – look into it. While you’re at it, sign your child up for an enrichment learning activity. We loved meeting the middle school drama teacher and the varsity basketball coach through summer camps. Want to see inspired teaching and learning? Make an appointment to visit classrooms and chat with teachers and students. It will be worth your effort.
Maybe you’ve heard the cliché about schools and teachers and fellow students that help children discover and envision themselves in new, amazing ways. In our experience, that movie cliché holds true. Our son loves his learning experiences here. Even with a minimum of a 90 minute round trip commute to and from school, he looks forward to school every day and leaves at year’s end with a deeper understanding of himself, his responsibilities as a human, and of a deep respect for others around him.

I’m afraid I have to post a review as a response, in a sense, to Paula W.‘s review.
OES is a private liberal arts preparatory school — and by its very existence does self-​select for some of the families and culture exhibited as noted in Paula W.‘s evaluation. There are scholarships and financial aid available, but certainly, that does not ameliorate all the issues with elitism.
It is not the real world. However, the real world can be an unkind and distressing place — and it is every parent’s choice to shape the educational experience their child receives. The public school education has pockets of brilliance which are constantly under siege by budget cuts and other sociopolitical challenges. Each individual will need to assess whether the return on investment is appropriate for OES — regarding small class sizes, additional resources, and community support.
But, comparing OES to the public school system is a philosophical undertaking, and not an evaluation of the quality of the school. Compared to other private preparatory schools, such as Catlin Gable, or, further afield, places like Episcopal, Seattle Prep, University etc., OES provides a similar caliber of educational experience. It provides a different experience for each age group, however, and college preparatory support vs. K through 5 presents each child with different educational opportunities compared to the alternatives.
My bias is obvious; I attended OES for 12 years — en route to Stanford University, medical school, and then medical school academic faculty. It is a parallel universe with its own pros and cons, but, at the end of the day, it is the responsibility of every parent to be involved in their child’s education and provide them with opportunities not present in the place of schooling.
If I lived in Portland, I would likely choose between OES and Catlin Gable for my children.