We're finishing up our fourth year at PGDS, and my son is going to start soon (my nephew is there…read moretoo). I can't say enough good things about this place (and I even waited four years to write a review just to be sure). For starters, though, there is a good chance you need to know this: the preschools in this area are fantastic. Your child will be fine, and you're doing a good job. I looked at 12 schools before choosing this place for my daughter who has a September birthday and misses the MCPS cut off (little did I realize how big a deal this is). I almost didn't consider this school because it has a Christian affiliation and my family is half Muslim and also not religious. Surprisingly, I found this school to be just the right amount of religious (do charity, be a good person, take pics with Santa) and non of the crazy things I thought it would be (like the documentary Jesus Camp). I was also surprised to find that the student body was very ethnically and even a little religiously diverse. When I was looking at schools, I really wanted a preschool as opposed to a daycare, and that is what this school is. My daughter would start class in September and stay there and have the same teacher all year. (Camp was more flexible, but we also loved that experience too!) The teacher retention at this school is incredible. Another thing, they are not strict about potty training by a young age in order for your child to move up a grade. (This is an important thing, but I didn't realize it would be when I was looking at schools.) So, back to my point about the September birthday, this school has a fabulous transitional kindergarten for kiddos born too late to go to MCPS, but too old to be in pre-K again. It was the perfect thing for my kiddo, and I'm grateful that her teachers (in all the grades) focused on not just learning but fun, kindness, understanding emotions and being a good community member. The families that attend here are fun too, and an added bonus to my daughter making friends is that I did too.

My son has attended PGDS from 3 years old - Transitional Kindergarten. My daughter is currently…read moreattending Pre-K here. I am so glad I found this school. The most important factor to me is that I feel comfortable leaving my kids here and I know that they are in good trusted hands. All the teachers they have had so far are amazing. Our favorites are Miss Gina, Leslie, Indira and Megan. The office staff (Bekah, Jackie and Angela) are very accommodating to our needs. Miss Karen who runs the aftercare is a gem. My children come home with a good balance of learning and playtime. There is a good mixture of History, Geography, Math, Science, and Reading in the curriculum. Their facility is clean. Their tuition rate is competitive as well. My daughter gets extremely excited when she knows she is going to school. The only con is that their Spring and Winter breaks do not align with MCPS.

When I lived in Bethesda when my son was 3 years old, I toured Harbor School along with 40 other…read moreBethesda area schools (that's not a typo, actually 40), and Harbor school was my favorite of the 40 for early childhood education. I have 17 years of experience as a recruiter (mainly Microsoft, now Nike) and am honed in evaluating talent -- with schools, checking everything out, the student art on the walls, how the kids look, how the teachers interact with the children, how the environment feels, all of it. Harbor School is a special place in that the teachers are really exceptional -- exceptional care for the students, expertise, there's a healthy genuine feel to the school, the students look good. It's not a fancy hyper modern place, but note that it also doesn't come with a fancy hyper modern 40k tuition price tag. The school is real, and I think a gem. Sadly for us, we moved too far away from it, in Middleburg VA now. Our 6 year old is a bit school avoiding and so I recently called up Harbor School, where our dear friends with a 6yr old and 3 yr old attend, and I asked Andrea if she would be willing to tour me and my son again, let him be in the classroom of his best friend, let him see how his younger friend, the 3 year old, is also in school. She was gracious in allowing it, I spent a beautiful 15 minutes in the pre-k class, 2 students productive and engaged at each station. The 2 teachers were lovely, on the ball, inclusive to my son, it was just a wonderful visit. One of the teachers with 27 years of experience at the school. We got to see the art room, music room, the maker room with loads of hands-on crafts, and we spent 15 minutes outside at the playground in the back -- lovely space. You could pay more for a school, and help fund facilities that go with it, but common sense would advise checking out this lovely school that has keen focus on what matters most: recruitment of wonderful staff. I also valued the small teacher to student ratio I saw, which set the whole thing up for success. In terms of kindness/sensitivity/expert knowledge at the younger years, I'm definitely impressed with Harbor School. End of day, I think a young child benefits most from being surrounded by excellent compassionate teachers vs a shiny perfect gym that some schools with higher tuition offer. Apparently Harbor School is moving in a year, but I think this is a school that would be worth chasing after wherever nearby they relocate to. Being at Harbor School again yesterday I literally contemplated could we reasonably do the drive from Middleburg...sigh. But for Bethesda area parents you're in a lucky situation feels like to me, wherever they move, because they are taking their teachers and philosophy and humane student:teacher ratio with them.

A wonderful, caring school. It's a great foundation for young learners. The teachers are very…read moreexperienced, caring and kind. Students are embraced. Each child gets a lot of individual attention. They feel accepted and comfortable, so they truly learn and form meaningful relationships. The student-teacher ratio is amazing and makes such a big difference. They are up to date on growth mindset, mindfulness, hands on learning, flexible classroom space and sitting options, inquiry based learning, use of technology, etc. It's a traditional school with an innovative learning program. It has structure, but it is personalized and flexible to accomodate each student. We are in our final year at the Harbor School and very sad to be leaving this wonderful place.

Great and affordable cooperative nursery school with helpful, caring, and nurturing preschool…read moreteachers and staff! Highly recommend Rockville Community Nursery School (RCNS)!

What a wonderful co-op preschool! My son is in the 3's class with Ms. Sofya this year and we…read morecouldn't be happier! What we love about this school is that they offer a 5 day/week program with an aftercare "lunch bunch" option. (They also have a 2, 3, or 4 day per/week option). So, my son has school from 9:30 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. Monday-Friday. I don't think that any other co-op in Rockville has this much schooling for the 3's age group. Another great thing about this preschool is that they have the option to BUY OUT of the co-oping duties! This year is especially busy for my family because we also have an 8 month old baby and we are very limited on time. (I love this school's flexibility!!) RCNS' location is beautiful. It is surrounded by wonderful green space and a fun playground! My son enjoys playing there with his friends when his aftercare is finished. (During this time, I enjoy socializing with the other parents!) In all, I would highly recommend this preschool for parents looking for a co-op with a more flexible schooling option! We are so happy that we decided to come here!

My son has loved his time in daycare here. It's a warm and welcoming environment with attention to…read moreroutine, playtime, and enrichment through daily activities as well as imaginative play. I've never seen him adapt so quickly to a childcare center - or be so proud of his budding skills (putting shoes on, packing his book bag). We especially love the great use of the local park for their outdoor time. All the teachers are professionals and form great bonds with their students.

My daughter has been at FCP since she was 2 1/2, she is now almost 5 years old. I can go on and on…read moreall day about the many wonderful aspects of this school. The teachers are very caring and love those kids dearly. The curriculum is great, they are exposed to Russian and French as well as many different field trips and visits from local professionals (firefighters, police, karate instructors). There are spring, summer, fall and winter parties for all of your family to go and enjoy if your schedule allows, there are a few picnics on weekends and there is a parents night out. Parents can be as involved or not involved as they'd like. There is an open door policy and I have dropped in at random times to find everyone so cheerful and well taken care of. They go to Cherry Hill Park and the library across the street almost daily as long as weather permits. My husband and I work full time and I have to say they are wonderful when it comes to staying open with inclement weather as much as they possibly can. In the past 2 years I can barely count on one hand the number of times they have opened late or closed early because of snow. They really do all they can to be there for us working parents because a lot of us have jobs that don't close for snow like the government does. Elena is the owner/director and she is so greatly involved with everything. She's very responsive to all e-mails, phone calls. She's often there working with the kids and teachers. In a nutshell, I will be so sad for my daughter to graduate and be going to kindergarten in the fall. This is an amazing school and I'd recommend it to anyone.

Caring staff, organized school, never a doubt in my mind about the Montessori education being…read moretaught here.

I caution anyone who is considering sending their kids to this school as a former student. I went…read morehere from Pre-K through First grade. I was very shocked when I first learned about what Montessori education was supposed to look like, because it was nothing like what I experienced at this school. This was a while ago, but the administration is the same First, majority of the teachers would scream at you for the smallest things. Once, I was coloring and a kid put down a stencil after he finished using it, so I picked it up to use it. Immediately, Mrs. Barshay screamed at me, without explaining what I did wrong (I still don't know what the issue was, the other kid looked confused too) and sent me to the principal's office. One of the few kids who was exempt from this treatment was another teacher's child and someone whose parents donated a ton of money to the school (made clear to us, since they put a sign with their name on the playground.) Things like this would happen on a daily basis to multiple kids and the administration received complaints. They would simply allow it, cultivating an incredibly toxic environment in which young children are forced to walk on eggshells and feel ashamed It's very possible that they have better teachers than Mrs. Barshay and Mrs. Hamm now, both of whom would act like they were dealing with adult criminals and not children, but just know what this administration is willing to enable.

How my heart sings when I think of Geneva Day School! The warmest, most kind, caring, and…read moreconscientious environment for little scholars to learn and grow. . . Am proud to have family as "graduates" of both the preschool and extracurricular activities. Am thrilled to have visited on many occasions, most especially for family events. I love the emphasis on Art, Mindfulness, Environmental Education, and Physical Education. Such traditional, pre-academic training (known to us as the "Geneva Method") is shaped by passionate professionals who love what they do and, yes, love the children. . . I am especially touched by the beautiful curation of Monarch Butterfly gardens; this Maryland Green School campus promotes environmentalism and invites exploration at every turn. . . I cannot recommend more highly this hidden gem of Potomac. Much gratitude for all you do!

Geneva day school is an expensive glorified daycare. My child is okay. But, I wanted to post this…read morereview to alert other parents because most have no clue what is going on in the school. I was impressed by the brochure and website. But, when I asked my child if you did this...or did you do that?....based on the brochure. Answer was no, no...nothing, none of those! So, they are very good at marketing with fancy flyers and brochures but sadly nothing is going on. If your child is underdeveloped....can i assure you it is likely due to this school. We had made this mistake before when we thought oh...we are paying solid $$$, so probably kid will have solid fun and development. We paid solid $$$, but we got just minimum daycare from Geneva. We have seen some really good programs....so we have very good perspective on when schools are just for minting money and when school really put 100% or 200% effort to help with child development. Cmon guys....it is not hard. At least, do what you say in your brochure. How hard is it to give some bubbles, playdoh, slime or bug catching kit to kids? They cost pennies. If you will just leave the kids in the playground for free play all day....that does not help with their development. My child just reported me that some kids were CRYING ALL DAY!!!! Seriously? Where is the money going?

I recommend this school to everyone that is looking for a serious and true Montessori program. In…read moreMD any school that claims to be Montessori has to be approved by the state and has to have at least one Montessori-trained teacher. However, I have heard parents complain sending kids to Montessori is a waste of money because it's just a name to sell the school. So, not all state-approved Montessori programs have good quality of education. So being aware not all schools are the same, I toured 3 Montessori schools: Lone Oak, Manor and the Woods Academy. I found the Lone Oak Montessori on AMI website and Woods academy on AMS website. Manor was recommended by other parents and it seems to be a popular choice when it comes to Montessori preschools in Bethesda area. I took my 3-year-old son with me to all the tours and he loved the Woods the best because we were allowed to walk into the classroom and had very brief interactions with the students and teachers, to observe and also play some toys in the classroom while parents were talking to the director, Mrs. Gerber- who is very knowledgeable and experienced about Montessori programs and part of the reason we chose Montessori is because of her expertise and experience. After the tour, my son wanted to go back the next day because the classroom was just so fun and interesting for little kids. My son is happy every day and cannot wait to tell me what he learned in school. The teachers encourage independence, good manners, trying new things/food, healthy snacks, and creativity. They are caring and loving but also very firm when giving instructions. My son learns new things/facts each day and not just merely playing with expensive toys. For instance, he came home one day start singing "The family of the Sun," and talked about all the facts he learned about planets and I was amazed. And three weeks later, he started to learn the sounds of alphabets and try to read! The teacher told me she would advance any student if s/he is ready so there is no need to wait till 4 or 5 to learn how to read. The other pluses but not major factors are- 1) facility, it's a school so it has it's own gym, music/art classrooms, library, and playground. It's very spacious, clean and well-maintained. 2) it has PE, music and art classes once a week for 30 minutes. The school has a very strong art program. 3) faculty and staff are very friendly and they know student by names. I felt that students are given a lot of attention because of its small classroom size. The only downside is the tuition. It is about $2K more than other schools I checked/toured. We've been happy with our choice and would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good preschool in Bethesda. If you want more information about the Montessori program, check out the blog: http://woodsmontessori.blogspot.com/

This is a very good private school in the Potomac and Bethesda area. I went here for Montessori…read morethrough 8th grade and loved my experience here. There were incredible resources and the teachers were awesome! I definitely recommend looking here for your child.

Great school, caring teachers, and quality activities. Our son is starting his 2nd year and we have…read moreseen great changes in him. He knows his letters and numbers and is socializing great with kids his age. We plan on sending our daughter next year. What my wife and I really love about the school is the teachers, who genuinely care for the kids. We also like the other children and parents. It's a great and positive environment.

New Day Preschool is a small school but it has fantastic teachers! A big concern I had after…read moremoving here from Chicago was how competitive it is to be in the Wootton high school district. But the Pre-K teacher has not only made school fun, but really prepared my son for kindergarten. The 2 year old and 3 year old teachers are so patient and caring! They have curbside drop off and pick up, it's SO convenient not having to take my baby out of the car twice a day especially when it's cold outside! They have Chapel with the Pastor twice a month, where they learn Bible stories, sing worship songs, and donate money to buy mosquito nets for children in Africa. The tuition is really reasonable compared to many other preschools in this area. I'm excited to send all of my kids here!

The Brooksfield school provides a welcoming environment for children in a small and personable…read moreatmosphere. We have looked at other comparable schools in the area and were impressed with Brooksfield due to its smaller size and friendly staff. The school is well run and our child loves going there.

Our son has benefited greatly from his years at Brooksfield School. The educators are exceptional…read more- personable and caring, encouraging each child to learn and grow. My son was consistently exposed to a myriad of topics that were not on the curriculum at his associated public school. His education was differentiated based on his strengths and opportunity areas. The curriculum is so well rounded! Art, art history, movement, meditation, gardening, music and rhythm, reading, spelling, mathematics, manipulatives, etc. He learned independence, social skills and practical skills along with strong academics. All this within a welcoming school and parent community.

Very excellent school for learning and interacting!!! Great teachers. Great students and…read moreenvironment.

My little girl is in the pre-school here and she LOVES it. Like runs to school when she gets there,…read moretalks about wanting to go on the weekend loves it. The teachers there are so wonderful and caring, and it has been a delight for our whole family and so enriching and positive for my little girl. The school as a whole has the smaller, family oriented feel and there are two teachers per classroom for pre-k. It's a great transition for kiddies who haven't been in daycare before, and our teachers Mrs. Young and Ms. Glerum are the best!