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.

I came to find Fernwood through word of mouth in my neighborhood. Several of my neighbors…read morerecommended the school, highlighting the benefits of the Montessori principles and the dedicated staff that go above and beyond to support the growth and development of the children following this methodology. It sounded too good to be true and so I did my due diligence and setup an in person tour before I made any decisions. Ms. Shaheen led the tour, I was pregnant at the time and in tears at the thought of my son being away from home for the first time (2 at the time). The amount of care and patience she took with answering all of my questions without being pushy or short ultimately led to my decision to enroll my son. Here I am, two years later and my older son is thriving. He is able to learn at his own pace with the full support of the teachers and supporting staff. Every single staff member knows my name and my child's name. My younger son is enrolling this Fall and I am feeling confident knowing both of my sons will be with staff that I love and trust. If you are hesitant, do yourself a favor and schedule a tour to see for yourself why Fernwood is such a special place.

Empathy. Community. Practical skills. The building blocks for math and language. Independence. Even…read morepotty training! Through the Toddler and Primary programs as well as summer camp, this school has given our child a strong foundation and lasting friendships. Through times of stability and of turbulence, Ms. Shaheen is a force of dedication for our family (as well as all the families), and we are forever grateful. If you are undecided, during your tour, ask to connect with current Fernwood parents for meaningful reviews.

There are quite literally not enough words to describe how much we love and appreciate every aspect…read moreof this center. When you are looking for a center, if the administrative staff is beyond communicative, if teachers love your child as they love their own, and if the energy that seeps forth boasts of creativity and engagement at all times, you know you've found the perfect place, and that place is Rock Spring Children's Center. It's hard enough knowing that you have to leave your child over the course of a day, but to know that you have the best care possible for your child during the day helps alleviate so much of that stress. The Center does not just say they love children, what they want to do to improve or how the work aligns with the mission, but they show EACH of these things, with intention, every single day. And while I'm talking about the overall feel and experience of the center, there are so many additions that really take it to the next level. The offerings of ballet, karate, an amazing plyometrics program, and music, all of it offered from phenomenal external entities as a formal class that help keep your weekends, a little more open. And for more ease, if you struggle to pack lunch every day, a catered lunch option is available. There is differentiated instruction that allows for all students to feel safe and seen. And did I mention the engagement and love of teachers, and administration? The list goes on. TLDR: There will never be a center as phenomenal as Rock Spring Children's Center!

We have been at rock spring for several years for both of our kids and are very happy with the care…read moreand education they have received. Teachers are excellent, loving and nurturing. Most teachers have been here for years which says a lot about the culture of this institution. Classrooms are beautiful, and tailored perfectly for each age group. We will forever be grateful to Rock Spring for taking such good care of our kids.

Our son has been at English Village ELC since he was four-months old in early 2019. I cannot tell…read moreyou how happy we have been with his care. One of the ways you know this is a good place is the continuity of the staff. Most have been there for the entire time our son has been there. He recognizes and loves all of them. Likewise, he has grown so much in the time he has been there, and now knows all his letters, colors, how to count to 20, and so much more at just two-years old.

My husband summed it up already, but our son was at English Village for two years and it was…read morewonderful. The owners and employees are kind and professional, communicative, and the level of care our son received was top notch. I recommend them to anyone looking for childcare!

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.

My kids don't actually go to the school, but I walk by this property pretty much every day on my…read moreway to work. The staff seemed like they are on top of it, and the kids always seem like they're having lots of fun! Just wanted to shout out a local school!

My 3.5-year-old twins have been attending BCDS in the past 18 months, and it has been a blast! The…read moreprincipal and teachers are very loving, caring and full of energy, especially Ms Bionca, Ms Suzy, Ms Lorena, Ms Nicole, Ms Isabella, Ms Briona and many more! They took so much care of my girls, always ready to share about statuses, progress, issues, and tips/guidance with parents! Originally we selected the school because it was just walking distance from home, but then we realized how convenient it is. it offers nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacka, have before and after care, and never close (except federal holidays)! that's critical for busy working parents! My girls loved their teachers so much and a lot of enrichment programs offered in school so we don't have to send them elsewhere to take dance, Karate, or soccer! lots of holiday events and even swimming/water fun during the summer! High recommend to all!

we have had our daughter here since the school opened. We love being able to drop her off at 7 AM…read moreand know she is safe throughout the day. It's such a clean school having just opened less than two years ago and the team seems to guide the kids to such good rules for living. She is only 18 months but is such a good little helper at the house. We love that she has had an awesome sleep schedule since starting. She also has not gotten sick much from School, which seems to be the thing parents worry about the most.

I have both of my kids at Guidepost Bradley Hills right now - one in the infant class and one in…read morethe 3-6 class - and we've had a really great experience overall. There was some staff turnover in my older child's classroom last school year that wasn't ideal, but the current team is fantastic and seems really committed for the long haul. The teachers are caring and attentive, and it's amazing to see how much progress both kids are making, especially when I compare to peers at other schools. My 3y/o is writing words already(!), and my infant is getting way more attention and support through bottle-feeding transition, crawling, teething, etc. than we ever got at my eldest's first school. 7a-6p hours are great for us (both working parents), and above all, both of our kids are happy and genuinely thriving here. As a parent that's all I can really ask for.

I highly recommend Bethesda Prep Over 2 years I looked for…read morean excellent preschool for my son and I found that here. The Directors Melissa and Sonia are AMAZING, always welcoming, very kind, open to help us with our son needs. The whole team of teachers is beyond amazing too! they are very professional, very caring, supportive and always looking for what is best for the kids, but most importantly the method that they use to teach is very appropriate for each age. Their curriculum is Excellent, all the activities that are included and plan daily are great and also fun for the kids. Since my son started I can see how much he advanced in knowledge, skills, and socialization. My son is loves it here and loves his teachers and I believe that this is the best reference to know the excellency of this preschool. I can't be more happy and grateful for finding this wonderful and lovely place! Is 100/10.

We absolutely love this daycare and more importantly, our child loves it! From the very first day,…read morethe staff made us feel welcomed and supported. Every morning, my child is excited to go, which speaks volumes about the care and positive environment they provide. The teachers are kind, patient, and truly invested in the kids' growth and happiness. We've seen so much development, socially, emotionally, and academically since our child started here. My 3 year old son comes home smiling, singing songs, and sharing little stories about his day. We're so grateful for the nurturing atmosphere and the peace of mind that comes with knowing our child is safe, engaged, and genuinely happy. Highly recommend!