The school offers the best bilingual education and enrichment program in the Seattle area. In the first six months of attending, my daughter started recognizing almost all letters (in English and in Russian), has greatly improved social skills, and has developed some amazing knowledge as well as friendships.
Bilingual education is important for children's cultural relevance and as well as cognitive development. We offer two programs for families to choose from: Russian Immersion and English with a Spanish component. Both of these allow our students to benefit from an amazing STEM-based curriculum while being exposed to a second language.
Bilingual education is important for children's cultural relevance and as well as cognitive development. We offer two programs for families to choose from: Russian Immersion and English with a Spanish component. Both of these allow our students to benefit from an amazing STEM-based curriculum while being exposed to a second language.
Services
Birch Tree Academy was built for a simple reason: I could not find a child care center with openings that I wanted my own children to attend. Instead of continuing to look or just compromising, I decided to build my own. In hindsight, this was a little nuts-I had no direct experience with early childhood education, starting a business or renovating commercial buildings to build the physical school.
We want to inspire children's natural curiosity while nurturing their desire for independence. Our toddler program gives children the opportunity for daily hands-on learning and exploration. They experiment by building with a multitude of open-ended materials, trying out various styles of art and learning social and communication skills in a supportive environment.
Parenting is tough! Let Birch Tree Academy help. We've created guides and tutorials based on our daily experience with children and the latest research on development. Where available, we will provide recordings of livestreamed presentations which will contain additional tips, hints and answered questions.
Enjoyed your tour? Fill out an application for your child and if there is space, you will be placed on a class list. If the class is full, we'll put you on the wait-list and give you our best estimate of when there will be an opening. Please note that your child's space is not reserved until we have your completed application and deposit payment.
Come see Birch Tree Academy for yourself! As there will be no children in the classrooms, you can see everything and talk to our incredible teachers with no distractions. So that we maintain the highest levels of safety during the pandemic, we are strictly limiting the number of families inside, requiring masks and taking temperatures at the door.
Reviews (21)
Andrew P.
Nov 15, 2021
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I wouldn't recommend this place at all. My son went to preschool there. My child was wet all the time there, from being outside, after washing hands, from doing crafts. Teacher never changed my son clothes. He was in slippers outside in October, November. Teachers and owners never said sorry, but instead blamed my 4 and a half years old son for not telling them that he was wet. Teachers saw him jumping in puddles outside and thought he was not wet. Who is working there? Are they adults people with common sense? After talking with teacher who had 20+ years of experience working with kids, all
Tati C.
Sep 19, 2021
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We chose Birch Tree daycare because they assured us that they know what they are doing and deal with children of all ages, including toddlers (we have a 3-year-old). They assured they know how to redirect the child, involve them in play, teach them how to nap in an unfamiliar environment and many more things that sounded great and instilled trust in them. We were on the waitlist first and later, paid a deposit to hold our spot that was supposed to open up 10 months down the road. We all waited with excitement.
Before enrolling we were upfront with them about the fact that our toddler was having
Before enrolling we were upfront with them about the fact that our toddler was having
Alina N.
Sep 12, 2021
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If you are looking for a place that gives you peace of mind for your kids- Birch Tree Academy is the real answer. The best team of super smart and creative people work together to bring that warm and caring environment for me, as a parent, and my daughter.
Your kids will love to wake up every morning to go there. Such a friendly environment, great communication, amazing teachers and staff! They provide different webinars for parents to help us with the most important transitions in children's life.
Forget about what your kids will eat all day. Fresh food is provided 5 times per day.In case
Your kids will love to wake up every morning to go there. Such a friendly environment, great communication, amazing teachers and staff! They provide different webinars for parents to help us with the most important transitions in children's life.
Forget about what your kids will eat all day. Fresh food is provided 5 times per day.In case
Alexey Surkov
Aug 30, 2021
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My daughter grew up at this place, starting from 3 y.o and all the way to Kindergarten. She learned a lot of things and made a lot of friends. She graduated from the Kindergarten as a bilingual English-Russian kid and could easily read and write in both languages. Overall this place is fantastic -- smart, fun and kind teachers, highly professional management, a warm and cozy environment, lots of fun field trips for older kids during the summer, great meal throughout the day. And a rabbit that you can take home for a weekend.
Nick L.
Jun 16, 2021
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We love love Birch Tree Academy and have had both our kids there the last two years. During the Pandemic everyone there were basically frontline workers and should be commended to the highest level for the work they did and continue to do. They implemented precautionary measures and pandemic protocols very early on and even signed up to do free testing for students and staff.
My wife and I are both in healthcare and so doing virtual, at-home school for our Kindergartner age daughter was not feasible for us. Birch Tree ended up opening another Kindergarten class and our 6yo was able to attend
My wife and I are both in healthcare and so doing virtual, at-home school for our Kindergartner age daughter was not feasible for us. Birch Tree ended up opening another Kindergarten class and our 6yo was able to attend
Julie R.
May 28, 2021
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I can't believe it has been nearly 4 years being a teacher at BTA @lake hills! This woman owned STEM pre-school (mind you there are 3 total but maybe more on the way) is amazing with the amount of care and compassion that goes into every day! As an employee, I am blessed to work with an eclectic group of individuals.
The curriculum is top notch and I can tell you that we not only provide 5 meals a day but we are learning in every category imaginable on a daily basis!
Cassie , Echo and Dasha have been such an incredible group of executives and even though their job descriptions differ they
The curriculum is top notch and I can tell you that we not only provide 5 meals a day but we are learning in every category imaginable on a daily basis!
Cassie , Echo and Dasha have been such an incredible group of executives and even though their job descriptions differ they
Shary L.
May 25, 2021
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I have been working at Birch Tree Academy Lake Hills for just under a year now as English Co-Lead in the Bilingual Pre-K, and I can't say enough about how much I love this school. I have worked in Early Education for 10 years, and of the 4 schools I have taught at, Birch Tree is the best by far. Not only is the care and education provided outstanding for students of all ages, but the management/front desk team at Lake Hills really goes above and beyond to support all staff, students, and families. Echo, Cassie, and Dasha are such a great management team, their support and guidance fosters
Trang T.
Oct 20, 2020
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My daughter has been here for almost a year. She is a picky child but the teachers are very caring and they can take care of her tantrum every morning. The food is very tasty. My daughter is also very picky in eating but now she can eat zucchini or bell peppers. The environment is very clean. Before she went here, she rarely talked but now she can speak in full sentence and know alphabet and numbers from 0 to 20. I'm very pleased with my kid's progress.
Natasha K.
May 07, 2020
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I'm so glad to have chosen Birch Tree academy school for my child.
This is our kiddo's Kinder year. My son has truly blossomed over the past few months academically and socially. He is always eager to go to school and has a wonderful relationship with his teachers. The director and teachers make themselves very accessible and very supportive. I will be sad when my son transitions out and keep asking the owner to extend the school beyond Kinder!
This is our kiddo's Kinder year. My son has truly blossomed over the past few months academically and socially. He is always eager to go to school and has a wonderful relationship with his teachers. The director and teachers make themselves very accessible and very supportive. I will be sad when my son transitions out and keep asking the owner to extend the school beyond Kinder!
Anna Pekarskiy
Jan 10, 2019
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Great school with outstanding teachers! The curriculum has a great balance of play and learning. The classrooms are bright, clean and large and the outdoor area is wonderful area for kids to run and play with each other. It's a safe, nurturing school that really does care about each child and their development. Our son loves going to Birch Tree Academy!
Grace W.
Aug 11, 2018
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The owners of the academy are very nice: Natalia and sherry. I was very impressed with them. They were warm and caring and seem to love what they do. We decided to enroll my daughter because we liked the facility and the teachers appeared to be excellent.
During the first trial week, I noticed that there were some great teachers who were really hands on and played and talked with the kids. However, I noticed that there were also some teachers who just only chatted among themselves.
On the last day of our trial, I sat in during lunch. My kid has a ton of severe food allergies where she can have
During the first trial week, I noticed that there were some great teachers who were really hands on and played and talked with the kids. However, I noticed that there were also some teachers who just only chatted among themselves.
On the last day of our trial, I sat in during lunch. My kid has a ton of severe food allergies where she can have
Jenn T.
Jul 25, 2018
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This is a shout out to Natalie, the owner. She's hardworking, friendly and on point, you can see the fruits of her dedication in how well organized the place is. I went in to inquire about their Russian class but our schedule situation simply can't work, so Natalie suggested to try a tutor and then went above and beyond to actually personally introduce me to one instead! Wow! Since I sat in the lobby for a bit, I saw her personally greet many kids by name and you can see the whole center is run with love and care with a can do and no sweat approach. We don't go here yet but will
Iriana S.
Jun 02, 2018
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Its a good school for picky parents of 1-5 years olds. We have two daughter here for one year now and it has been a good experience overall. They try to keep menu organic. Building is new, clean, bright and rooms are spacious. Families that come here are very international and great people. Most of teachers are great and have lots of fun projects every day. I felt pretty happy most of the days when I dropped my girls here.
Jonathan Ray
Sep 18, 2017
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Lana Earhart
Dec 27, 2016
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My daughter has been attending Birch Tree Academy since September 2015 and is currently enrolled (October 2016) in their Kindergarten class. The school offers the best bilingual education and enrichment program in the Seattle area. In the first six months of attending, my daughter started recognizing almost all letters (in English and in Russian), has greatly improved social skills, and has developed some amazing knowledge as well as friendships. The curriculum is very well thought out and includes thematic lessons, field trips, play-time, PE, music, art, and drama. The school has a well-planned
Sonya Hartmann
Aug 16, 2016
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Birch Tree has been an amazing environment to watch my son grow from a toddler to a "grown up" kindergartner. He absolutely adores his teachers and his experiences every day. The school is focused on ensuring the growth and enrichment for every child, and they take a very unique approach to ensuring that the kids all get exactly what they need to learn and grow. My son is super high energy and inquisitive and the teachers do an excellent job of ensuring that he is getting the attention that he needs. The communication level is incredibly great, providing feedback and information about exactly what
Elina Mosesova
Aug 09, 2016
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My son has been at Birch Tree for 2 years now. I couldn't be happier with the academy. The knowledge that he obtained there in the last two years has been outstanding. The love and attention he receives there is genuine. He's happy to go every morning, loves his teachers, and is developing the sweetest friendships! We love Birch Tree and would highly recommend it to others.
Natasha Daragan
Jul 14, 2016
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My youngest daughter has been going to Birch Tree for 2 years now. I researched a lot of Russian based preschools when we moved here from CA 2 years ago, and Birch Tree was by far the best one based on my research. The actual experience proved even better! The school has a perfect balance between academic, artistic and social (emotional) development. The variety and creativity of the lessons is amazing. There are many extracurricular activities scheduled throughout the year as well: we had a pumpkin carving party recently which was an absolute hit for both kids and parents! The school provides
Tatyana Kolmychevskaya
Jul 10, 2016
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Inese Westcott
Jun 10, 2016
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Vladimir Jashi
Nov 24, 2015
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My daughter was attending preschool program for a couple of months. Academically program seems to be average and unfortunately their best teacher Mike left. We requested a reimbursement for 2 weeks my daughter missed so we were told we would get it. 2 months later we stil hadn't received it so I had sent multiple email to the director who again promised she would take care of it and only after I had called her 6 months later and spoke with her over the phone we got out reimbursement money back. It took them 8 months to send us a check. We've never gotten any appologies from anybody. Very unprofessional
