When Alicia Ebeling moved to Portland 13 years ago, it was a job at Nike that drew her here. During her time at the company, she realized that she felt most satisfied when she was coaching and developing others.
“I started to wonder if maybe I was put on this earth to do more than sell shirts and shoes,” she recalls. “And that maybe I could make a real, positive impact on people’s lives outside the conference room.”
In 2024, the mother of two made that thought a reality. The only problem was, she wasn’t sure what exactly she wanted to do.
“It took me a long time to find the right outlet for this calling to ‘do more.’ I have so many different passions—art, writing, reading, the great outdoors... I could go on and on,” Alicia explains. “But in my search for the perfect fit, I eventually came across Ivybrook Academy. Not only was I drawn to how Ivybrook Academy connects with the community, I was also super impressed with its innovative approach to early education, and the thoughtful attention Ivybrook takes to its students and families. The moment I walked into one of the sister campuses in North Carolina and saw the delighted little faces in that school, I just knew I had to be a part of it.”
This fall Ivybrook Academy Tigard will be opening its doors to Portland area families, offering a range of programs for kids as young as 18 months all the way up to 6 years old.
Read on to learn more about the Pacific Northwest’s first Ivybrook Academy location and some of Alicia’s favorite local things to do with her children, from hikes to art fairs.
What made you decide to open an Ivybrook Academy instead of starting your own program?
Ivybrook has mastered the art of early education and providing a wonderful program for students to learn and teachers to teach. I couldn’t even dream of trying to build something so amazing from scratch, especially when I didn’t come from this industry. Plus, the franchise team is truly a phenomenal group of people who have made my life as an owner a breeze, relatively speaking. They have helped so much.
This is the first Ivybrook Academy in the Pacific Northwest. What was the process like to get the school open?
It’s been a year and a half in the making! The process of opening a school is a lengthy one—starting with getting the proper funding (which nearly took me out), finding a location, working with an architect, getting permits and then building the thing. Luckily, I was blessed with so many incredible folks who made this about as smooth as it could have been. Shout out to the City of Tigard, Colliers Engineering, Modern NW, my franchise team, and of course, my family for all the support along the way!
What do you think makes Ivybrook Academy stand out from other preschool programs?
We are a half-day program that blends the best of Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches into an incredibly thoughtful, innovative, and hands-on curriculum.
Our half day is designed to keep students engaged for optimal learning time and attention. We are not a day care—which I realize isn’t going to meet the needs of every family—but is absolutely the best approach for families who can make it work.
The blended Montessori and Reggio approach is unique and very intentional. We use Montessori materials, but we don’t follow every single Montessori guideline because we want the teachers to work alongside students, as co-learners in their development journey.
Our teachers are not babysitters. They observe and document what our students are interested in, which drives a lot of the children-led projects that deepen their understanding of topics that they are already interested in, strengthening their curiosity and love for learning.
Ivybrook also believes in strong parent-teacher collaboration. Lots of communication goes out each week to share what the children are learning, with ideas on how they can practice concepts at home.
This is like the Harvard of preschools. I would have done anything to get my kids into a preschool like this when they were younger. There’s a reason Ivybrook schools across the country have extensive waitlists.
Why do you think the Portland area is a good place to open an Ivybrook Academy location?
If there’s anything I’ve learned about this community, it’s that we’re a little bit competitive. (Or maybe that’s just a little pocket of Portland where I live?) But it’s a good thing! Parents want the best for their kids here. We spend a fortune on sports and dance classes and music lessons and experiences. I’m confident the Portland metro area is going to come to find out our school is one of the best the metro area has to offer.
This will be Ivybrook Academy Tigard’s first school year. What are you most excited about?
I can’t wait to see those delighted little faces, wearing their cute little backpacks marching to their classrooms! I’ve gotten to see how excited they are when children first see the school during their tours and nothing makes me happier knowing that we’ve provided such such a beautiful place for them to learn. Also, I never thought I would relish cleaning up sweet little finger prints off of glass doors, but I love it! I’m excited for ALL the finger prints.
Is there anything you’re worried about?
Honestly? Getting students to leave when school is over! We’ve had several melt downs of toddlers who were NOT ready to leave when their tour was over. It breaks my heart!
What can families expect when they enroll their child at Ivybrook Academy Tigard?
Families will be in the absolute best hands with Miss Savannah as their principal. They can expect proactive communication, an expert resource, and a caring, loving staff to greet them at family events and parent orientation leading up to the new school year.
Do you have space in the program for the 2026-27 school year? If so, can you please share a link for interested families to learn more?
We still have open spots for all ages between 18 months to 6 years. Before a family can enroll, they’ll need to set up a tour and allow us to get to know their child a little better. To schedule a tour, families can either call us at 971-377-1496 or contact us at https://www.ivybrookacademy.com/contact/ by selecting the Tigard Campus.
We are also enrolling for summer camps for 2-6yr olds during the last few weeks of the summer! We have an art camp July 27-31, a STEAM camp Aug 3-7 and Splash camp Aug 10-14.
Is there anything else you want readers to know about Ivybrook Academy?
We have our grand open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 18th 2-5pm. We’ll have lots of fun kids activities including a children’s art show on display. All ages are welcome to participate in the traveling art show, and the art will make two more stops through September.
You and your children are avid readers. What are your favorite local bookstores?
We are big fans of Powell’s and go any chance we can. We hop between the one downtown and the one in Beaverton, depending on our patience for traffic.
I’m always on the hunt for used books. Do you have a favorite used bookstore?
There is a charming little used book store right across the street from the Beaverton City Library called The Book Corner that we love to visit. There have been some incredible finds at super low prices. We also try to donate there when we can!
Do you have a favorite local author?
Chuck Klosterman and Melissa Maerz are two local writers who I’ve gotten to know quite well. They are amazingly intelligent people and incredibly successful writers who just so happen to be married and have kids the same age as ours. They also make for fantastic dinner conversations. Highly recommend Chuck’s latest book, Football, or any piece of work that Melissa publishes.
You’re an art lover. Do you have a favorite local artist?
My husband! Erik Ebeling is a sculpture artist who makes beautiful portraits and figurative works that seem very old world and contemporary at the same time. He’s been featured all over the world and in incredibly proud of him. You can see his art at erikebelingart.com or follow his Instagram account.
What are your favorite art fairs to go to with your kids?
We love the Last Thursday Alberta Street art fairs during the summer. It’s a great excuse to stop into our favorite galleries (like Blind Insect, Talon Gallery, and Guardino - although no longer in business) and check out other local artists who set up their booths along the street. There’s usually music and food and dancing and the kids have a great time.
What about farmers markets?
We frequent the Tigard Farmer’s Market since we have a booth there about once a month. It’s a great place to connect with families and local businesses (and of course pick up some tasty food!) We love the Wow Cow food truck.
Your family also enjoys hiking together. What are some of your favorite kid-friendly trails?
We have yet to explore all that Forest Park has to offer but we used to love going to The Witch’s Castle on the Wildwood trail, and hiking around the Hoyt Arboretum—especially hiking down to the Redwood Observation Deck.
Once my kids were a little older, we started hiking in the Columbia Gorge. We’ve hiked up and around Multnomah Falls but my favorite hike to do with the kids is the Top Spur Trail Head to Bald Mountain. It’s easy enough for a 4 year old to do and has one of the most breathtaking views in the area. (Just don’t let your kiddo run off on their own so you can keep them away from the cliff’s edge! I’m a nervous mama.)
How about your favorite park?
We love Gabriel park in Multnomah Village. The kids and my husband can play basketball while I walk around the trail. Afterward, we like to pop across the street to Sunny’s for some frozen yogurt.
Lastly, your family is into sports. What do you think is the most family friendly local sporting event?
My kids love sports! But we are spending so much time in rec and school leagues, that we haven’t had time or energy to go to any professional games. We did, however, really enjoy attending a few high school basketball games. Anytime Lincoln Highschool and Ida B Wells plays each other, we make a point to go. My kids (9 and 11 years old) really get into them, and I can tell they walk away INSPIRED by the older kids/teenagers.
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