We decided to leave this preschool because we felt that the decisions being made by the management team were not made with the best interests of the families who attended. The Director in my opinion is egotistical, and unstable. When 3/4 of the parents at this school had enough and decided to leave, the director would belittle and send out manipulating and unprofessional emails. The school had great teachers, but most of the teachers had a mass exodus from getting tired of the unprofessionalism shown by management. They also did not follow their own set of rules in their own handbook about giving deposits back. A vast amount of families had been owed next years deposits but the school decided to not abide by their own rules, leaving these families out of a lot of $. Our time spent here, was way too drama filled for a preschool! I would not recommend going here. read more

I have been a parent in the Davenport community for the past two years and my son is starting his 3rd year tomorrow. We are VERY excited!!! Before sending my son to Davenport, I visited A LOT of preschools. I can say that I couldn't find a stronger preschool or a better preschool for my son than Davenport. My husband and I are very picky and I can tell you that our son has thrived so much in this learning environment. Our son is a stronger critical thinker, more curious about lots of new ideas and concepts, and most important to us a better human because of his experience at Davenport. Obviously, as parents we talk to him about being kind and compassionate but Davenport helped him live out the principles we've been teaching him in his inclusive classroom. Our son has been exposed to students with learning differences and he's learned how to be in community with all types of learners. We are so grateful for that. I know that he will be a better community member in his next environment because of the exposure he received at Davenport. Additionally, our experience with the leadership has been very positive. When we first toured the school, we shared that we may have a foster child in our care due to the some challenges facing a family member. Liz and the team were incredibly supportive and were open to that possibility. I was so grateful for that. While the young boy didn't come to live with us, I had comfort and slept better at night knowing that if he had come, he would have had a home at Davenport. I also appreciated how forthright and transparent the leadership was when the Towson campus closed. I can only imagine how difficult that situation was for Liz and the team but I appreciated how they shared information about the campus closure and transition to Sparks before our enrollment forms were due. They had multiple parent meetings, made themselves available for individual meetings, and stayed in constant contact with the Towson community. I couldn't have asked for more out of the team. And they did all this while dealing with their own experiences of loss. Because of our previous research, it wasn't even a question. We were going to Davenport Sparks! And we made that decision even though my husband has a 90 minute commute to pick up our son in the evening. I have also found them to be incredibly supportive of my son. They have always put him in the right classes to foster his development. They really know what they are doing when they pair students with teachers and they set up classes. Each child has a different personality and yet I have always found they have the right mix and my son always has a great community of students and a great teacher. I have loved his teacher each and every year!!! Finally, I have found the leadership to be very open. For example, diversity in the student body and faculty is very important to me. I've shared my commitment to diversity and the importance of diversity. The leadership took my commitment to heart and I am so proud of the increased diversity I've seen in the school community over the past few years. I honestly cannot write enough positive things about Davenport and the team there. I am so grateful and I cannot imagine what I would do without them. read more

Please read this if you are considering sending your child to this daycare. I have had both of my children attend this school and have had issues and concerns from the beginning. The facility itself is fine. Large rooms with lots of interactive toys and nice a sized playground. My issue however is not with the building or its contents but with upper management. I witnessed with my own eyes a teacher hitting one of the students in the face. The teacher was allowed to stay on as a staff member and eventually left when she had a baby, 6 months later. Liz put all of the children who had not signed up to return the following year in one class that was understaffed with a large span in developmental ranges and ages causing the children to regress intellectually and fundamentally (major behavioral decline and children messing themselves). When I requested to have my child transferred to an age appropriate class I was lied to and told that there was no room. A few weeks later 2 other children, who were returning the following year, were moved in that class. I have talked to teachers who were docked pay due to families leaving the school. This is not the fault of the teachers but of Liz Harlan and she took it out on the them for her own mismanagement. Management has also found other absurd reasons to take money away from teachers like minor scratch a laptop and paint spots on the carpet. A teacher was fired via email that went out to all the parents before being notified by management. The school collected money for a silent auction that never occurred and money was not returned. A teacher was docked pay for being late when she wasn't and then verbally insulted when she questioned managements decision. Deposits of families were illegally kept despite following the rules of signed contracts. I know this is a lot to take in and seems unreal but I have spent over a year with this school and have been just as shocked as you are. Luckily for my family we were able to find another school in the area and will be sending our children there. There are wonderful teachers still at this school however the deceitful and dishonest methods in which this school is run far outweighs the good. read more

I am very grateful for the staff at Davenport. When I wanted to transition my son from a very small in home daycare to a more formal daycare at age 3, we discovered he had some major behavior issues and developmental delays. He was asked to leave 2 separate centers and we were at a total loss of what to do next. No one seemed to be able to help me or give me any guidance. I had my son evaluated by an OT and she recommended Davenport. I felt better after my first conversation with Ms. Pucillo. I knew that if he was not a good fit for Davenport, they would try and help me find some other options. I felt like she genuinely cared about all children and wanted to find a good place for him to grow and thrive. The staff at Davenport worked very hard to figure out what worked for my child and help him overcome his delays. In addition, they helped me as a parent understand him. We know that children do not come with instruction manuals and each child is different. You can tell they enjoy what they do, and will continue to try and find various ways of helping each unique child be successful. They far more different than a typical "daycare". Unfortunately our family experienced a significant loss and it was reassuring for me to know that my son was going to a place where he was safe and well cared for. Sometimes he jokingly told me he couldn't hug me because he said he gave all his hugs away The staff communicated with me regularly and we worked together to come up with different strategies and ideas to help my son be successful. My son is going to kindergarten next week and I'm confident he would not be doing as well if it was not for the wonderful teachers and administrators at Davenport. read more

I have a unique perspective on this school because only my youngest was lucky enough to attend Davenport with Liz Harlen and her incredibly talented team of educators. Of my 3 children, she is hands down the most prepared for Kindergarten. Over prepared in fact. In the best, most self-confidence building ways. At three years old she was reading books "in her own way" which prepares their little minds in more ways than I never knew. By age 4 she was making up her own elaborate stories, able to write all her letters and tell me the sounds of every letter. By age 5, and just a few weeks into Kindergarten, I'm told by her teacher that she's showing the other kids the joys of reading in their own way. She thrived from the moment she started at Davenport. She came home singing new songs with choreographed dance moves that she learned in music class, teaching me science facts I never knew, aware and eager to help the less fortunate, and genuinely loving school. The entire faculty knew her name and treated her like family within her first couple days. Davenport became so much more than a place where she learned, it quickly became a second home both to her and to all of us. The Davenport difference is real, and I see it every day in my third child. My only regret is not knowing how incredibly unique and amazing this program was in time for my older two. read more

Both of my children were at another preschool in Towson. My son had a difficult time switching classes. He would cry all day, started having accidents (after being potty trained for a year). The teachers just ignored him. There was also a ton of staff turnover. We went to an Open House at Davenport. The teachers all RAVED about their experience teaching at Davenport and had all been there for years. I spoke with the Assistant Director at length about my son's issues switching classes and how they would work to accommodate him. After being sold on Davenport, we just felt that we couldn't afford it. After mentioning to the Directors that we really appreciated what they were doing but we just couldn't afford it, they worked with us so that we could afford to send both of our children there. Once we started, my daughter was the one who had issues adjusting. She would cry every morning at drop-off. The Assistant Director would hold her and they were sure to tell me that she stopped shortly after drop-off. My son is now in Kindergarten. He was so well-prepared by Davenport and LOVES his school. I brainstormed with the Directors how to work with my daughter who would be at school without her big brother for the first time. They were so helpful and she did NOT cry even once during the transition. They have (additional cost) in-school activities like soccer and dance, which is great so your child can do that during the day and you don't have to run around at night. We are so glad we found Davenport and are so happy for our daughter to continue there until she starts Kindergarten. read more

Amazing school! Loving teachers and great program! My son has been going to davenport since they first opened and it's very nice and clean too!! Their summer camps are so much fun come check them out you won't regret it! read more

Teachers were great. Management and ownership is questionable. So many options out there - find your kids a better preschool!

My daughter attended Davenport Towson location for 2 years and was provided an extremely loving and nurturing environment that fed her love for learning. We found that Davenport's curriculum truly captured big world concepts in a developmentally appropriate and hands on way. As educators, my husband and I have high standards for the educational environment we place our children. Davenport prepared our daughter for kindergarten at one of the top private schools in the area. We are thrilled with the educational foundation that Davenport has provided for our child and believe you get a lot of bang for your buck when you walk through Davenport's doors. read more

My younger son attended Davenport Preschool between 2015-2017 for the threes and pre-K program. He loved coming to Davenport every day, learning from his incredibly dedicated teachers, and spending time with his friends. During his time at school he had a variety of medical issues and the communication and support between home, teachers, and administration was top notch. On days he missed from school, we would always get an e-mail saying that he was missed. He entered Kindergarten more than prepared for the learning environment and has thrived in the public school system. Our older son has special needs, and even though he wasn't a student at Davenport, Liz always made time to speak to me about IEP meetings and help me figure out his needs. Working with Liz through both medical and behavior issues with both my boys really helped give me perspective and direction for their educational needs. My entire family loves the Davenport community and we recommend it to everyone we know. Don't miss out on becoming part of this incredible community and school. read more

I have seen the negative reviews and I am honestly not surprised. My children attended Davenport back when it first opened. We trusted Liz Harlan and her team to provide a warm and caring environment for our children. Over time, we realized that Davenport was not providing what they promised. We had multiple concerns including some of their staff, the daily decisions they made regarding their classroom management style, their behavior system which everyone had to buy into it, etc.. One example is that my children had outgrown naps but at Davenport you had to lay still for at least an hour and then maybe you could have a book. Well, since my children could not lay still like they wanted them to, they were put in rooms by themselves. This was a huge safety concern for me and my husband. We spoke with a number of educators and doctors and we all agreed that Davenport was no longer the right fit for our kids. We went into the meeting and explained that we were planning on staying till June but afterwards we would not be returning. Everyone including Liz Harlan agreed that this would be the best plan and we left thinking that everyone both cared for and supported our family. We were very wrong. The very next day, I received an email that our girls were no longer welcomed at Davenport. No real reason except to say it was not the right fit. It was absolute cowardly of Liz and I know that the only reason that we were kicked out was because we were not on "Team Liz". I am not writing this to slander Liz or to spread vicious lies. I am writing this because I have seen other parents go through what my family went through and my heart breaks. Liz Harlan and Davenport are not right for any family. Do you research and find a school that really cares about your family. My family had a happy ending but I really regret ever stepping foot in Davenport. read more

If you're looking for an outstanding learning experience for your child, with teachers and administrators who are tuned into your child's individual personality and devoted to nurturing your child's individual needs and abilities in fun ways with lots of positive energy, you cannot do better than Davenport. That's been our experience in our 7 year connection to this unique school/community. Our kids who have graduated from Davenport look back on it with such tremendous fondness for the happy memories, and they take advantage of every opportunity to go back and visit, keeping in touch with teachers and administrators and the preschool friends they made. And staff didn't just go above and beyond while we were enrolled ... when one of ours transitioned to elementary school, the school director and the pre-k lead teacher even attended an IEP meeting (diagnosed ADHD) to provide key insights on the academic and behavioral supports most likely to help him be successful. We truly could not be happier with our experience over many years with Liz Harlan and her team at Davenport. read more

I have been apart of the Davenport Preschool community since it's inception in 2013; my mother has worked for the founder for over ten years and, subsequently, I have gotten to know her over those years, too. When she offered me a job upon opening up a second branch to Davenport last July, I jumped on the chance to officially become an employee to this one-of-a-kind family. Children are put first and the faculty is given the training and support we need to ensure that happens. read more

The management, specifically Liz Harlan, but I'd have to lump the whole team together, are really the issue at this preschool. Like others who have posted negative reviews, I want to say the teachers are wonderful, and the only reason we did not ultimately pull our second child out. Also, things seemed to get progressively worse and worse with Liz. The emails became more incoherent and the attitude edgier. As you can see, the battles are not just with any individual parent, but with several as the negative reviews are outweighing the positive. Some of the recent issues seem to smack of desperation with the lack of a refundable deposit (which means either read the fine print or hire a lawyer) because even if you could technically exercise that option if you were the school, why would you want so many dissatisfied parents when a good deal of your business relies on word of mouth. The management is unprofessional and disorganized. There were a few safety issues as well that were inadequately addressed. We got stuck without reasonable alternatives mid year, if you're smart, just don't ever engage. There are so many other options. There are a million emails that I and other parents have been sent over the years and they're simply disheartening to think that your children could be around such problems and issues. Again, the teachers were almost all wonderful and I would never hold anything against them. But I just could never recommend this school to anyone. read more