We've had at least one child enrolled at The Goddard School in Gaithersburg for the past nine years, and that alone is probably the best endorsement we can give. Throughout that time, we've consistently experienced excellence from the administrators, teachers, and support staff. Leaving your child in someone else's care is never easy, but Goddard gives us peace of mind. We know our kids are in a place where they are truly cared for--happy, healthy, engaged in learning, and growing into their best selves. As a bonus, they leave Goddard more than ready for kindergarten, with a strong foundation and love for learning. read more

Ms. Nelson & Miss Guevara are amazing teachers. We appreciate them so much for all they do -The Diaz Family! read more

Our son started at Goddard at 2 years old and loves it. He looks forward to going to school an has made wonderful friends at Goddard. We even spotted his teacher out at dinner and he was just smitten. Highly recommended. read more

Goddard has been a great learning and growing space for our daughter. She is turning 3 years old and has been there for just under 2 years now. They have worked with us through some changes that were tough, like moving classrooms. The teachers care very deeply for their students. They work very hard and are open to constructive feedback. The activities they organize are age appropriate and highly varied including yoga, music, science experiments, sign language, art, and more! Their facility is great. They have play areas, which our daughter gets to use every day. Even on rainy days they have their own gym for them to get some exercise, something that not all daycares have. They also plan large events for families to attend and include sports, bouncy castles, bubble shows and even include food. We really appreciate the level of detail and effort that the Goddard staff have for taking care and helping grow our daughter. read more

Excellent programs, state-of-the-art classrooms, dedicated teachers and a strong focus on academics and technology. The management is highly cooperative and supportive, making it a great learning environment. read more

Mr. Botega and Ms. Manhander have truly raised the bar when it comes to early childhood education. Our three-year-old now uses words like "nutrients," "exquisite," and "delightful" with the same confidence most kids have when demanding a second serving of Goldfish crackers. I mean, when a toddler starts describing her lunch as a "delightful source of nutrients," you know something special is happening in that classroom. But it's not just about the impressive vocabulary. These teachers have a remarkable ability to connect with the kids on an emotional level, helping them grow not just in their language skills, but also in their confidence and kindness. It's a relief as a parent to know that your child is in such capable and caring hands. If you want your little one to develop a love for learning (and maybe even outshine you in Scrabble someday), these are the teachers to trust! Thank you, Mr. Botega and Ms. Manhander, for making learning so much more than ABCs and 123s - you make it truly exquisite. read more

With 4 years of experience attending the program, we give it high marks. Our child has received caring support from all the teachers our child has been in class with and a structured education program with progress reporting. The daily pictures are especially appreciated on their app. I like knowing and seeing what my kid has been up to and see that he is enjoying his day through the candid snapshots. read more

I am very happy we moved our daughter here from her mid size daycare. We noticed very quickly how she adapted to the classroom environment with kids all her age. The facility is very well maintained and the teachers/staff we have interacted with are all top notch. I have and will continue to recommend this location. I'm looking forward to my daughter's graduation. She has been practicing the song and it's so cute. read more

Our daughter has been at Goddard for two years now. Here are our general thoughts: Pros: the teachers are great, there's an academic curriculum, the facilities are clean, the student body is very diverse, and there are constant reports, updates, and photos to keep you in the loop on your child's school day. Cons: it is very expensive compared to the alternatives in our experience, but we do think the value is still there. They don't provide meals, so you'll have to pack your child's lunch. They provide snacks though and will issue a calendar showing what snacks are provided. Overall, our experience has been very good, but cost is definitely a hurdle. read more

We are so happy with this school for our daughter. She has been going to Goddard since 2 and a half, and is now 4 and a half. The school is clean, the curriculum is wonderful, the teachers (Ms. Roynestad, Ms. Clerizier) have been incredible lead teachers and really kind and instructive (all the staff has been great). My daughter is starting to read and write. She can do simple addition and subtraction. My daughter is interested and engaged when learning anything. She is independent. My daughter's social skills have also flourished and she's developed significant friendships. It is expensive, but it is a quality school and well worth the cost. read more

We enrolled our son at Goddard just a month before his third birthday, and we've been continually impressed ever since. His academic progress has exceeded all our expectations, and thanks to the incredible teachers and nurturing environment, he was accepted into early admission kindergarten! We truly can't recommend this school highly enough--it's been an amazing experience for our family. read more

We've had a wonderful experience at The Goddard School in Gaithersburg, where our son Benji has been for almost two years. Coming from another Goddard location, we had high expectations--and this school has more than delivered. Every teacher Benji has had so far has been caring, professional, and truly invested in his growth. This year in particular, we've been especially touched by the incredible care and love shown by Ms. Dave and Ms. Agustin. The bond Benji has with them is so heartwarming--it's clear how much he loves his teachers, and equally clear how much they care about him. They are endlessly patient, nurturing, and always approach each child with kindness and thoughtful discipline when needed. We feel very lucky to be part of the Goddard Gaithersburg community and can't thank the staff enough for the positive impact they've had on Benji's early years. read more

The Goddard School is the best! Our daughter has been going there for over a year and a half and her teachers, most recently, Ms. Dave, have been nothing short of incredible! The school is clean, safe, and classes are structured and organized. We definitely look forward to sending Mia's little brother here in the future! read more

Last summer my husband and I had to make a last-minute move. Not having much time to look for a new pre-school for our then 4-year-old son, we rushed into placing him near our new home. Unfortunately, that turned into a disaster. We then made some quick phone calls and Goddard of Gaithersburg was one of them. They were immediately welcoming and so kind from the start. We completely lucked out as they happened to have an opening in their pre-k/kindergarten classroom. I cannot tell you how much our son has thrived since being in this school. His teachers (Bassett & Hasemi) have truly been both nurturing and structured in the kindest of ways. Before starting at Goddard of Gaithersburg, our son just barely knew all his letters. He can now read and write in full sentences and actually enjoys doing so. His math skills amaze both my husband and I and he has even learned more Spanish than I can speak. He even learned how to play chess! This school has truly been one of a kind. Our only regret was not finding it sooner! We will greatly miss Goddard of Gaithersburg next school year when our son goes off to elementary school. read more

We've sent both of our kids to Goddard and have been so impressed with all of their teachers. They show kindness, dedication and are all amazing. The kids have fun and are learning. After 5 years of experience with Goddard we couldn't be happier with them. read more

Great and caring staff! We love the balance between fun and academic training. There is also a wide variety special enrichment opportunities. We also appreciate how the school communicates frequently with parents and how family engagement is supported and encouraged. read more

We are so glad we selected the Goddard School for our daughter's childcare and preschool! Not only has she learned so much, but the teachers and administrators are friendly, helpful and truly care about each child in the building. Sending her here has felt safe, and she always has a great day! read more

They have a very good teachers . I m with them since 2 years know and my child's really love their teachers in room 3 and room 9

We absolutely love our child's current teachers--they are warm, attentive, and genuinely care about his growth and happiness. He's always excited to go in the mornings and comes home full of stories and new things he's learned. The environment is clean, safe, and nurturing--everything we could ask for. We're so grateful for his experience this year! read more

Mrs. Nelson is such a fabulous teacher! She is patient and understanding with these pre-k kiddos. We feel blessed to have her teaching our son. read more

The educators at the school are very enthusiastic about teaching. They are hard working and show patience and care when addressing every child's specific needs. Our son loves his teachers and his classroom, and is excited to go to school every day. I would recommend this school to everyone that has young children. read more

Ms. Malik and Ms. Sauma have been amazing to my daughter! It's been her first four months at school at all, and they have helped her so much through her adaptation period! She's thriving, socializing and developing her language skills so well! We love the school and definitely recommend it. read more

This review is specifically regarding administration and the owner, Jim Worley. Dealing with management was a nightmare. Not only did Jim talk at us for an obscene amount of time, during which he had the audacity to ask us if we really felt that withdrawing our children at this juncture was the best decision for them (um, how about let's let the parents decide?) as well as called us "unwilling" to work with them after several incidents had scarred our children in going back to this school (most notably, the teachers did not feed our children lunch). Throughout the conversation, he managed to turn the situation around to make it appear that he and his team were the victims. It was a clear indication of how management felt about the entire situation when we did not receive ANY apology from Jim for everything that had happened and he literally just sat there, speechless, until his wife interrupted and said that "this meeting was an apology." The teachers our kids had during summer session were new and every time I went in, I saw that management was interviewing new staff - turnover is definitely high. Take all of that for what you will - with the tuition being $$$, I think it's important parents know what they're signing up for. Also, just know that once you sign the contract, it'll be a fight to get ANY money back, no exceptions. read more

My family's experience at this location was during the long wait for the North Bethesda Goddard School to open. Our experience was an absolute horror! My child was enrolled very briefly. Pretty decent teachers however most seem very new. I previously heard that the Goddard curriculum is challenging but once my child was enrolled I finally understood what that means. My child wasn't challenged academically and stretched to learn new and exciting skills and to develop socially. I knew my child wouldn't be successful there. For my family, Goddard actually seems pointlessly overly structured for preschoolers. My 4 year old child is currently attending another school and, after 1 month, was reading and now reading at a 1st grade level!!!!! Worth every penny!... which happens to be less than what we were paying at Goddard. I decided I rather have my children in a more nurturing environment where every child matters, particularly during a pandemic that's impacted all of us. The owners seem nice but clueless. I agree with other reviewers, I noticed money focused to be an incessant and common vibe. The director, who is now at the newly opened North Bethesda location, was friendly enough but came off as a corporate pawn. I have had the displeasure of meeting with Goddard's administrator/corporate head and, agreeing with other reviewers, I found her to be rude, condescending, and insensitive. I get it, in the corporate realm you want a shark personality but in this industry, business should be about setting children up for success and maintaining family-oriented community; at least pretend to have a heart. read more

Great experience for our kids. Structured environment but very caring teachers and fun environment.

The Goddard school at Gaithersburg is fantastic. We have had our 2 children there since around age 1 through kindergarten graduation. The teachers are great. The owners/administration are very receptive to feedback. The curriculum is excellent. We compared many preschools and this was clearly better for what we were looking for. In fact, we drive out of our way to send our kids here because we think the school is that good. I would highly recommend the Goddard school at Gaithersburg. read more

We've been with the Goddard School of Gaithersburg since my son (now 7) was 10 weeks old. Hands down, it's the best decision we made for both kids. The teachers are caring, thoughtful, and loving. Both kids have excelled socially, emotionally, and academically. My son finished the accelerated pre-K program reading at a second grade reading level, doing multiplication in his head, and was well prepared for kindergarten. The administration is on top of everything and communicates regularly and thoroughly. We we would highly recommend the Goddard School! read more

Update: I still believe this the best school in the Gaithersburg area. That being said, the owners of the school have been accepting more and more infants into the school. On the face of it, that's not a problem, but the effect is that the current infants are all getting pushed from room to room and not following any of the "school year" moves that were explained to us. Our daughter is about to move to her third room since March. I get it, this is a business and infants bring in a significant premium over toddlers and preschoolers. That has translated into a seeming lack of concern for consistency for those currently enrolled. When we signed up, our daughter would be in the same room until she was walking. Then she was moved to the "new" 6 months and older room for the next school year. That lasted for 8 weeks. Now she's being moved to the "even newer" 8 months and older room. Adding cribs and toys to a room previously designed for older kids is not the same as being in a room designed for babies that are growing and learning. The infant room as it now exists has a large mirror, separated crib area (so the babies can actually sleep), a bar for babies to learn how to balance themselves and the only place to heat up their bottles. These facilities don't exist in the two "new" infant rooms as of my writing this and I'd be surprised if anything more than a new bottle warmer was added. read more

We looked at multiple schools before choosing Goddard. However when we came for the orientation, we knew that was it! Amazing curriculum for early development including Spanish, chess, sign language, yoga, music, etc. Receiving report and pictures on a daily basis of our daughter and what she learned that day. Personal interaction with teachers on daily basis. I would recommend this school to anyone who has a kid! read more

My son has been going to this school since he was 21 months old. I am a widow on a single income and have to sacrifice to afford the tuition here. I expressed concerns about a particular child in my son's class who was bullying him to the teacher. All I needed was for the situation to be addressed. The teacher became defensive and claimed she was attacked. I asked for a courtesy call once she had addressed the issue and got a call from two of the Admin team, Ms. Lopez and Ms. Garcia. While we were talking about the details of what happened Ms. Sarah Roebuck, who was in another office joined the conversation and stated I was yelling at her teachers and hung up on me. This will be escalated to the highest extent there is. read more

Very Unprofessional and extremely rude. Just focused on making money. They are super nice initially but change quickly. Stole our deposit. Told us that they found a replacement family and would refund us but never gave us the money back or any notice. They wouldn't even return our calls back when we tried to follow up. read more

Our family is truly grateful to have had this school in our lives over these past 8 years. Both kids have been there since infant classroom. Knowing that we can drop the kids off in a safe, nurturing, reliable environment has been a privilege that we sincerely appreciate. They've done great work to prepare our kids to succeed in the next steps of their journeys and were very kind to us along the way. Also, the way they've navigated this whole pandemic situation has been jaw droppingly amazing. Their commitment to the families that rely on their care as well as their steadfast handling of a completely volatile situation have been nothing short of incredible. This school is a very important part of our community and our family. read more

We started here on June 20th and couldn't be happier! My 4 year old son has been on 8 field trips! His last school was in survival mode, he barely learned anything and got behind. The teachers her have already figured out how to better engage him in learning to recognize his letters and send home materials we can use to work with him at home. Our experience has been AMAZING! I got to join my son on just last field trip for the summer yesterday. I got great time with his teachers and got to meet all of his new friends. This school is extremely well run and we couldn't be happier. Thank you Goddard Gaithersburg for getting our son back on track for kindergarten! read more

It's a nice school with nice teachers but we were not pleased with the administration. Feel free to PM me with questions.

Wow, what to say about this great school. Over the course of the last 5 years, my 2 kids have been part of the Goddard program. They both started at around 20 months and ended when they were 5 years old (finishing preK). When we first selected this school for the kids, what struck me was the structure, professionalism and cleanliness of the school. It was worlds different than other area "day cares". Calling it a "day care" is an insult to Goddard. I call them a daycare/school because they have programs for all the kids to promote education, social behavior, etc. Philosophically, I am a fan of that structure and I understand those who are not. To give you an idea of structure - their days are broken out into 15-20 minute increments ranging from socializing time, reading time, playtime, etc. Teachers - In all the years of teachers, I think I might have encountered one teacher and one teacher assistant that were average. The others - amazing. Out of 4 stars (4 stars being excellent and 1 star being bad) and of the 20+ teachers/teacher assistants that my kids had, I think 1-2 of them were 2 stars and the rest were 4 stars. I was truly impressed by the overall quality of the teachers - they all exhibited patience, great ability to interact with the kids, disciplined, etc. They had all the great qualities you want to see in a teacher. In fact, I've used several of them as babysitters over the years! The classrooms are clean and orderly. The playgrounds are up to date and safe. The facility itself is safe (requires a fingerprint keypad to gain access to the school). The interaction between parent and teacher is very open and comfortable. Any time I had a question for the teacher or if the teacher shared a concern, it was a very positive discussion. I loved that about the school. I would like to make one comment about a negative about the school. In the 5 years as a parent of kids at that school, I - at times - encountered the shuffling of kids from class to class nonsensical. There were 2 times where my daughter was just getting acclimated to the new class and they switched her out to a new class without her friends. The school must obviously have some sort of system to do this, but I would recommend being proactive about this since once the classroom changes are announced, it's very difficult to get them changed. Also, if you are considering your child for summer camp somewhere else with the intent of going back to Goddard in the fall, your spot is not guaranteed. In order to be guaranteed a spot in the fall, your child must be there in the summer. This may have changed, but I would look out for that. In closing, the administration of that school are all incredibly warm and friendly. Heather, Liz, Sheri and the rest of that team are all approachable. Lastly, Jim and Jill Worley run the school like a true family owned business. They genuinely care about all the kids and it is evidenced by how invested they are in the enrichment of all the kids. They seem to know every kid by name and are genuinely happy to see Goddard alums swing by the school to say hi. If there is a problem with a child, I've seen firsthand Jim and Jill quickly step in and try to work with parents to figure out a solution. They seem to keep close tabs with the classes so that if an issue arises, they are right there to deal with it in a quiet and quick fashion. Overall, I'm sad to be leaving that school because of so many positive memories in my children's lives but I know I'll always have a familiar home to go back to and visit whenever I want. read more

We started our child here this past summer after they had been at another daycare for 6 months. Within a few months we noticed a marked improvement in their behavior with other kids, they communicate better, and they really enjoy themselves. They looks forward to coming in the mornings, and we're happy with the educational opportunities for them. We don't feel like we're just dropping them off somewhere for the day where they're not being stimulated. The staff here is excellent and attentive and work quite well with my child, and they're very communicative with us, we feel like we know what's going on at all times. A great place to take care of your child. read more

Agree what people said all they care about is making money. Very inconsiderate management and will not work with you through difficult times. The teachers quality have also gone downhill from 3 years ago, we have two "main" teacher in the daughter's class but we hardly see them at all, everyday it's some new substitute teachers. My friend's son got bullied in school but teacher would not listen and never sided with the boy. It's just sad that it is not the same Goddard as before. We still keep in touch with the old teachers who left the school for the poor management and it's sad to see good talents being forced out due to these. read more

My son had been in a daycare since I returned to work when he was 7 months old. As he got older (3yrs) I realized he needed more. He was eager to learn and my search began for the perfect setting to provide him enrichment. I knew I found the perfect place for him the moment I entered Goddard. As an educator myself, I was beyond excited by the opportunities for my son and the way curriculum was developed to be interdisciplinary and engaging. My son has been at Goddard only a few months and the knowledge he has gained is immeasurable. He is so excited to go to school each day and adores his teachers who are kind, caring and patient. I have been so impressed with the owners who are always present, available and often in the classrooms interacting with children. I really feel like we hit the jackpot with Goddard and would encourage everyone to visit and learn more about this incredible school. Owen's mom (pre-school 3's) read more

The rudest teachers are in this school. They are teaching nothing and the school is only very good at taking your money. The teachers are so rude and blunt, so whoever hires them should send them first to some kind of schooling with courses on how to treat children and their parents properly. Even the field trips are nonsense and not as educational as they could be. I am very disappointed in this school environment and I am pulling my child from it. My child is uncomfortable when she approaches the classroom and crying all the time. The school is not school, it is more like a marketplace. read more

Goddard in Gaithersburg is one of the best. The educational component starts at as early an age as you'd like, and the care is second to none. We held off moving my daughter from an in-home daycare to a school until she was 3 1/2, wanting to keep her in a home environment for as long as possible. For as much as I loved the family that cared for her, we should have moved her sooner. She wasn't being stretched enough by that age. She clearly had excess capacity at the end of the day, which was manifesting itself in behaviors that puzzled us. She was also shy in large, boisterous groups and we feared that she would never be comfortable going into unknown environments. Goddard changed all of that and put her squarely ahead of many of her peers. Goddard has an excellent program, but Jim and Jill Worley, the owners, are exacting in their standards. Their school has the highest quality ratings in the entire franchise system. They're well ahead of the program. Their hires are equally dedicated to the kids, or they don't last. We've become very connected to the teachers, developing relationships that go beyond her classroom years. They are, simply, amazing. Not only have we been woven into her Goddard experience, but my daughter has transformed into a confident, smart, fearless little girl, who at the end of the Goddard pre-kindergarten year tests well into the first grade. Although she's repeating kindergarten in elementary school (missed the cutoff date), we're working with the first-grade summer homework. I can't say enough about the Worleys and the staff. The kids literally skip and run to get to class in the morning - every morning. Every evening is a struggle to get them to leave. They see Mr. Worley or Ms. Braden (Assistant Director) or Ms. Kramer (Director), and they tear away from you to run and give them a hug. The administators know every child by name and know personal things about them (and you!) - an amazing thing for a school with hundreds of children they don't spend regular time with. It's an amazing place with amazing people. read more