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.

We are in our third year at McLean School and we have been very happy with our school. Our son had…read moreattended two other independent schools and by the end of the 1st grade he was still unable to read. We had a neuropsychological study conducted and found out our son has ADHD and dyslexia. Where the other schools were unable to teach him effectively and even categorizing our son as a behavioral problem, McLean understood his struggles and brought him to grade level in 2 years. The school is a very supportive environment for the students but also for the parents. It is a supportive and engaged parent community and I am proud to be heavily involved with the Parents Association. In reading some of the reviews, I am saddened to hear that other families had issues with bullying. When we were made aware of another student engaging in bully-like behavior with our son, the school reacted swiftly and addressed the issues. We look forward to continuing with McLean for the foreseeable future.

Wonderful leadership and faculty who thoughtfully consider the needs of students who are not served…read morein traditional classrooms. Beautiful facilities and happy students.

We have had nothing but the BEST experience with Sugar Plums…read more ALL of the staff go above and beyond to make you feel welcome, greeting you and your child by name with warmth and enthusiasm at each drop off and pick up, and engaging in meaningful and genuine conversation which shows that they truly care about the children they care for. They use an app to communicate with you throughout the day, and post adorable pictures and videos along with updates on your child's eating, toileting, and naps on there too. Our infant son has grown so much in his time at Sugar Plums. Each day he participates in gross/fine motor activities, outdoor time/walks, crafts, sensory activities, music, storytime, and more! I would highly recommend this center and am so thankful for the teachers and the positive experience they've contributed to.

Sugar plums is such a wonderful daycare, both the facilities and teachers are great! I really…read moreappreciate the app they use to provide pictures and real time updates on naps, meals, and diaper changes. My son's teacher Sophie is so loving, I know he is in excellent hands when he's there. They also do really fun activities with the kids, like gym and music classes, and lots of art projects. The owner Deborah and director Tricia are always very responsive and accommodating. I can't recommend them enough!

I am the parent of eight children and have been using the services of Prep Matters for many, many…read moreyears. For all this time, I have been exceptionally pleased with the instruction and the results. I have, most recently utilized the services of Sunhee, an SAT tutor who has singlehandedly enabled my daughter to raise her SAT score by over 200 points. The experience of SAT test prep, which can be grueling, unpleasant and painful, has been actually enjoyable for my daughter. I think this has much to do with the relationship and rapport she has developed with Sunhee. From the first session to the last, he has been responsive, supportive, encouraging, and motivational. Sunhee is not the only tutor who has yielded exceptional results for my children. Both of my sons also used Prep Matters tutors, and I was equally and exceptionally pleased with the academic support and guidance they received. In all cases, my kids reached their target scores as a result of the instructional tips and strategies the tutors provided and were accepted into competitive colleges. I have also known Ned Johnson, the owner, for over two decades. He is an incredible person, dedicated to achieving success for all Prep Matter students. He has called me at home to discuss my kids' progress and has personally met with my kids when they have struggled academically or needed an extra boost of encouragement. He cares about each and every student who walks through his doors, remembering their names and stories long after they have graduated from high school and gone to college. Ned is an extraordinary man and the example he sets is on full display in the staff he employs. His tutors work hard to achieve results, embracing the same values inculcated by Ned. In many ways, Prep Matters feels like a family. This is a personal tutoring experience that adapts strategies specific to a child's needs. This daughter is my youngest and will close this chapter of my life. I will always be grateful to Ned and to Prep Matters for being there for me and my kids--for believing in them and working with them to create the best possible outcomes.

I can't say enough in support of PrepMatters. It is an incredibly nice, well-run, welcoming company…read morewith an enormously talented and dedicated staff. For quite a while, we've worked with math tutor Sharon Kim in the Bethesda office and absolutely LOVE her. She is really great about learning each kid's way of learning and then teaching effectively to that. Also, my son just really enjoys spending time with her and doing all the math they do. I'm super fond of her as well. We also worked very briefly with Moose in the Tenleytown office. He is a physics whiz and the brevity of our working relationship was only because my son had no teacher at school so needed guidance until one was hired. Moose was the perfect interim! I have recommended both him and Sharon many times. We have also worked with PM in the college counseling realm. Full disclosure- I have my own college counseling business, but my son and I didn't want to work together during his application process. So, we interviewed several companies and immediately chose to partner with PM's Maureen Delaney. She is wonderful, and my son loves working with her. Lastly, I'll note that Ned Johnson, founder and leader of PM, is a terrific human who is deeply committed to and knowledgeable about education, development, and adolescent. It's been a pleasure to get to know him, and I highly recommend the books he and Bill Stixrud have authored. The prices aren't low, but honestly, I feel great about paying such a caring, supportive group of people. Their help has been worth every penny!

I had just moved to Maryland, had no family or friends around me...very reluctant to leave my then…read more1 year old with a babysitter, because my mom always babysit my kids for me, but now she's thousands of miles away...I had to work so babysitter was my only option. I saw a poster advertising "Ana's House Daycare", that was one of the best decisions ever. We went for a tour of the daycare and we sold. The authenticity was real, she genuinely care about the well being of your child(ren). Ana is very accommodating and understanding. My son has severe allergies and Ana is very attentive to that...She provide breakfast, lunch and snacks and my son never comes home with a allergic reaction. She even bakes bread for him once. I would recommend friends & family to Ana, because I the kids will be in great hands. Ana thank you for having such a big heart and opening your home to my kids. You rock!!!!

Don't go here! Find somewhere else! She gives you textbook/google answers when you're asking about…read morehow's your child doing or what did your child eat. There's dogs also running around when theirs infant/toddlers on the mat which are very yappie, there's one dog name honey that bit my child! Don't go there!

Have been going here for years and can't say enough great things about everyone here, from the…read moredirector to the therapists to the admin staff. It feels like a family here. The therapists are fun, engaging, and knowledgeable and the gym has many fun activities that my son enjoys. Everyone really cares, here, and parents are involved in the process. We've seen OT, PT, and speech and have been happy with all of our providers over the years. Actually cried when we just said goodbye. Highly recommend!

Been going here for a year or so for our daughter who has a mild OT related delay. We are Kaiser…read moremembers, and both us parents are in healthcare. I think they do a really good job. They are attentive, are service oriented- have been able to accommodate our challenging schedule needs. Therapists are all very energetic and enthusiastic, and our kid loves coming here. Facilities seem great. Front desk staff are very attentive and kind. Being in healthcare I have to say they are doing an amazing job. There are so many limitations and restrictions and things that get in the way of a patient and getting what they need. Kinda refreshing that this place does what it is supposed to do and they make it seem effortless. -jm

Our 14-month-old daughter has been at CLCP Early Learning for 8 months and we couldn't be happier…read more They provide her with structure and learning opportunities, while also providing the flexibility she and we need. The staff is warm and loving and have great communication with parents. Our daughter is happy when we drop her off and is still smiling when we pick her up. We know she is safe, learning, and loved while she is with Connie and her team. We feel very lucky to have found such a wonderful and affordable daycare for our daughter and could not recommend CLCP any more.

Our son of age 2 and a half has attended Connie's family/day care for about three months now, and…read morewe feel very happy for our decision of choosing Connie's. We must say that it not only offers great care to children and great affordability as an excellent daycare should but also provides many preschool-like educational activities for older (2 and above) children, which we value greatly. Connie's is state-accredited and currently has four staff members including Ms. Connie, Ms. Emily, Ms. Esther, and Ms. Sam. Through our careful observations during the initial visits and the following day-to-day interactions, we are confident that they are all fine persons and professional childcare providers whom we can trust to leave our child with. While at Connie's, children have a variety of activities day in and day out. In the morning, there are indoor play time, morning story time, outdoor play, lunch, etc. Following a nap time in the afternoon, there are educational activities such as crafting, singing, reading, etc. Food and drinks are served throughout the day and everyday ends with a closing story time. After a month of attending Connie's, we sensed that our son was better mannered, more self-organized, and more confident. A very useful service Connie's provides is an online communication tool that logs each child's activities. Through the ledger, we know exactly what and how much food our child eats, when and how many times diapers are changed, how long he plays outside. In addition, Connie's also shares photos of children activities through google drive monthly. These features really give us peace of mind and the ease to keep a good record of our child's growth. Last but not least, Connie's is affordable. We are happy to see that the family care is now authorized to accept up to 12 children from the current 8. We are looking forward to our son making new friends!

Family friendly…read more Wheelchair accessible. Inviting space for education AND fun. Community-oriented. Many program options. Check them out!