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!

It's a bilingual school, but their summer program doesn't have any formal non-English language…read morelearning. The kids are generally exposed to other languages because the language teachers are "present throughout the summer program" and "language exposure is offered through basic words/phrases, songs and cultural exploration". Though I would prefer formal language instruction during the summer, I realize they're aiming to work with a mixed level group because some of their campers aren't the same kids they have during the school year where language learning takes place more often and more formally. In other words, some children come to the camp without knowing any other language besides English and each week different children may be enrolled. I ask my child all the time if they enjoy the camp and always inquire about the details of their day. My child has nothing but good things to say. They always come home with arts, crafts, and tales of adventures in the pool, playground, or specialty events such as the occasional soccer, puppet show, or whatnot. The main reason I enrolled my child is because they were very bored at their school-year daycare, started to get into a bit of trouble because of it, and complained about the other kids being "mean" and hitting sometimes and all of that. I knew my little one needed a change of pace so I sought to put them into what looked like a strong activity-based and high-engagement summer program. My child needs a lot of constant engagement, stimulation, and encouragement and my little one is certainly receiving that at Spring Bilingual. As I shared before, my child speaks with excitement about their day and has nothing but good things to say about the teachers and other campers. This camp has been a very good fit for my child right now; albeit the lack of formal language instruction. The staff is friendly, and my energetic child has made friends and is happy to be dropped off each morning. Each day my child comes home safe and tired.

SBMA is a wonderful preschool! Our child has blossomed there, learning about the world, the…read morealphabet, the numbers, and being good. Students and families are from around the world and our daughter has learned the importance of diversity.

Absolutely LOVE this school!! My son is so happy here and the environment is so loving and…read moreattentive. I could not imagine him going anywhere else. He loves Norbeck and we love it too. Its a hands on and positive learning environment.

We love Norbeck Montessori. Both of our children went to Norbeck Montessori starting in the 2 year…read moreold class and then graduating from the kindergarten class. Norbeck really helped them thrive academically, develop emotionally and grow socially. We're so glad we kept both children there all the way till kindergarten. They graduated from Norbeck as confident and emotionally strong with a strong academic foundation in math, reading and writing with enthusiasm and curiosity for art, creativity, music, science and geography. It was a very positive environment with highly experienced teachers focusing on the overall development of the children. The head of the school, Melissa Matthews, does an outstanding job managing the school and the teachers ensure that the kids are not just on par with but are also excelling beyond expectations in several elements. Discipline and kindness towards others are strongly encouraged and the children really have a lot of fun while learning. We highly recommend this school and glad that our family had the Norbeck experience.

If you're looking for a Montessori School for your Pre-K to 6th Grade child, look no further than…read moreMater Amoris in eastern Montgomery County in Ashton, Maryland. The beautiful, 13-acre campus encompasses a large meadow, wooded nature trails and a butterfly garden and is conveniently located near Olney, Burtonsville and Silver Spring, as well as Clarksville, Columbia and Laurel in Howard County. Our 4th grade son has been at Mater Amoris since 1st Grade. In that time, we are grateful to have seen him develop a quiet confidence, intellectual independence and a true love of learning. The Montessori teachers, curriculum and collaborative learning environment have allowed him to focus on his unique interests and learn at his own pace. He has excelled at math and science, while spending additional time on his reading and handwriting, which would not have been encouraged in a public school system. Highlights of the Mater Amoris program are an annual holiday performance, musical and Science Fair for 1st-6th grade. Additionally, 3rd-6th grade students have the option of attending a week-long trip to the Echo Hill outdoor school on the Eastern Shore, as well as the Cal Cup international field hockey tournament at Moorpark College, north of Los Angeles, California. The school also participates in an annual Swedish Exchange Student program. My favorite event of the year is the 6th Grade graduation, which requires each graduating student to write, prepare and deliver their own short commencement speech, something many 12th graders would have trouble doing with the same poise, confidence and individuality I've seen showcased by the caliber of student Mater Amoris consistently produces. Although the school itself and the Montessori curriculum are not a fit for every child, we've been pleased with our son's progress and have had our younger daughter attend the school for Pre-K and now Kindergarten. We've also found the parent community to be active, warm and welcoming along with a small, family-friendly atmosphere, with Fall Picnics, Silent Auctions and Spring Fairs organized by the Parent Council on the school grounds.

If you think something is fishy, it's because it is…read more Buyer beware: do not evaluate Mater Amoris solely by its beautiful grounds, polished messaging, or carefully crafted philosophy statements. Speak with current families. Speak with former families. Speak with former staff. Ask what happens when concerns are raised. Ask how incidents are documented. Ask how behavioral patterns are tracked. Ask what standards govern intervention. Ask whether difficult questions are welcomed or merely tolerated. Ask academic questions, too. Ask for specifics. Ask how reading progress is measured. Ask how parents know benchmarks have been met. Ask how classroom disruptions affect learning. Ask about staffing levels, turnover, support for guides, and the frequency of school closures, staff workdays, and other interruptions to instructional time. Ask whether the educational experience being delivered consistently reflects the tuition being charged. Most importantly, ask yourself a simple question: if a school cannot clearly explain how it protects children, measures academic progress, documents incidents, responds to legitimate concerns from parents, and delivers consistent instructional time, what exactly are you paying for? I ignored that one bad review about bullying and safety a few years ago when we enrolled. Thinking it would not be our experience, and here I am writing this review today.

We came to Barrie after an uninspiring experience with a chain daycare. It was night and day…read more Barrie teachers are professionals who stay at the school for years and years (as opposed to turnover every few months at the daycare) and who are engaged in active social-emotional, language, and literacy pedagogy. Every detail of the day seems carefully considered. The kids spend tons of time exploring nature. By learning from the teachers and talking with them about what our kids need, we became better parents.

I wouldn't recommend this school. Most students have a family connection to the school, so there is…read morenever any accountability to the promises they make. When leadership is called out they do nothing to even acknowledge that they made a mistake. Communication is slow, and the whole school is completely disorganized. We didn't really notice this until one of our child's classmates pointed out that the only students who stay enrolled at Barrie are student's whose parents work at the school.

We chose Mercy for our two young children as they entered PreK 4 and 1st grade because of the…read morestrong academics, Catholic principles, and welcoming community that it has. We moved to the area not knowing anyone and without family nearby, which was very challenging. We quickly this learned area has many good options, but after touring Mercy twice, once with the principal and once with the admissions counselor, it was a very easy choice to make. Mercy is the only three-time blue ribbon school in Maryland, and they pride themselves on education which is completely transparent. The teachers all have professional degrees in education and work very closely with their students. We were excited to learn the young grades have small groups for reading and math, (and as the daughter of a teacher) the levels of work they do has been impressive. We were greeted with friendly parents and our kids made new best friends very easily. One of our favorite things about the school is the enrichment programs they offer which have included Spanish, art club, Wondermakers, and chess. The art and music teachers are incredibly incredibly talented and would encourage anyone thinking of this school to meet them and learn about their projects. The principal, church, and school leadership are professional, welcoming, and open to new ideas that will encourage the best school community possible, including the current playground and school construction. The community has been wonderful to be a part of, and we've been grateful for such support and kindness. Recently, a group of fathers and some staff play soccer on Fridays, and there are fun events throughout the year which fosters the school community. As any school, it's the most of what you make of it, and we've found there are lots of opportunities here which make it a very special place.

Horrible!!! I was told my children had a place in the school and then suddenly they didn't. Not…read moremuch of an explanation and very indifferent.

We love Holy Redeemer School! It is an incredible, close-knit school with a community that is fully…read morecommitted to its success. At the time of this review, my kids are 6 and 9 (1st and 3rd grades). Both have attended the school since Kindergarten. My 6 yr old also attended Pre-K at Holy Redeemer. We were first drawn to HRS for its reputation in our neighborhood as being a welcoming school with a firm anti-bullying stance. The teachers and administration work hard to maintain a supportive learning environment where students feel welcome and wanted. What sets HRS apart from other area schools is its small class sizes, its balanced and integrated STEM curriculum, and its committment to developing the whole person. HRS students are some of the nicest kids I have ever met -- kind, excited about service opportunities, curious about their world, eager to help each other, excited about math! The teachers here are incredible educators that encourage collaboration and inspire a joyful curiousity in their students. What I love most about the school is how the teachers (due to the small class sizes and their tenure at the school) really know and look out for my kids. This personal attention has really helped my kids to thrive -- both academically and personally. I also work in a STEM field, and the administration and teachers are very open and receptive to my recommendations of activities/extra-curriculars. They have also granted me many opportunities to share my organization's work with the students - which is so fun! In short -- if you are looking for a welcoming school where your child can get a phenomenal eduction in a safe environment, please join us!

In my experience, my biggest fear was that the school would change its approach halfway through the…read moreschool year, and unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. I felt that my concerns about racial harassment and discrimination involving children of color were not taken seriously. In my opinion, there was a lack of transparency and accountability from the administration, and I often felt that issues were minimized rather than addressed. I also felt that many staff members had close personal or family ties to the church community, which made it difficult for families outside of those circles to feel heard or supported. While the school presents itself as welcoming and student-focused, my experience was very different. I felt that promises made to our family were not honored and that tuition became the priority over the well-being of students. Based on my experience, I would encourage families--especially families of color--to ask detailed questions, pay close attention to how concerns are handled, and make sure the school's values align with their own before enrolling. I sincerely pray for healing, accountability, and positive change for the school community. God bless everyone involved. FYI Reviews were turned off, via Ms Krestler request. Think About It!!!!

One of the best public schools in the country! Proud to have sent my daughter here. Amazing…read moreacademics, culture, diversity, and sports!

An amazing schoool that produces some of the Washington DC areas finest students, proud to have…read moresent my kids here !