The Harbor School

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

Posted: August 27, 2026

We are entering our fourth year as a Harbor family. Both of our children have thrived at Harbor, thanks to its small environment, excellent teachers, and a true school feel even in the preschool years. After having tried a couple of the daycares in the Potomac area, Harbor felt like a major upgrade in quality — real, long-term teachers, a responsive classroom approach, early academics, social-emotional learning, and the relationships our kids developed with the older K-3 students made them more confident, kind, patient, and collaborative. Some of our best family friends are now other Harbor families, and the community is friendly, grounded, and warm, not competitive or elitist. We recommend Harbor to every young family we know, and we look forward to sending our third child there when he turns two!

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Posted: August 26, 2026

Our child attended Harbor School for preschool, and we had a wonderful experience. The teachers are incredibly warm, engaging, and kind, and we met so many wonderful families in the community. We were looking for a preschool with a low student-to-teacher ratio, a strong curriculum, and an intimate school community—something that felt like a true school rather than a daycare. We found exactly what we were looking for at Harbor!

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

Posted: August 24, 2026

We feel incredibly fortunate that our three boys have had the opportunity to grow and thrive at Harbor School. What makes Harbor so special is the deeply personal nature of the relationships among the administration, teachers, students, and families. The school’s small size is one of its greatest strengths—it allows every child to be truly known, understood, and encouraged. We have watched our boys, who were once quite shy and introverted, develop into confident, engaged “rock stars,” willing to take risks, find their voices, and shine. I never would have thought they would go up on stage at the school talent show and tell jokes/play guitar/sing. We attribute so much of that transformation to Harbor’s extraordinary teachers, nurturing environment, and unique approach to teaching each child.

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Posted: July 30, 2026

Our daughter has been thriving at the Harbor School. They offer a loving and nurturing environment while having a structured classroom setting. We found that this has set our daughter up for success and keeps her eager to learn. The staff knows your name, and give undivided attention through the whole year. The thought and care that goes into the curriculum is one of the reasons that keeps us coming back. They meet you where you child is at, and helps find the resources for additional help/attention they may need. We could not recommend the Harbor School enough. It has made the transition into early childhood education and beyond enjoyable and reassuring that my child will continue to thrive!

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Posted: May 20, 2026

Now in our third year at Harbor the kids are thriving thanks to a caring community. My child loves to read, is excelling at math and curious about arts and technology thanks to wonderful teachers!

Posted: April 19, 2019

Due to small size classes, each child has an individual plan based on their needs and areas of strength.

Posted: April 19, 2019

The school is very small and it allows for more hands-on and proactive approach to any issues.

Posted: April 19, 2019

Posted: April 19, 2019

Teachers get to know each child as an individual and support their needs, while celebrating their strengths.

Posted: April 19, 2019

Kids learn mindfulness and other great strategies. Uniqueness is celebrated. The school has a very supportive and kind culture.

Posted: April 19, 2019

Leadership is accessible to parents and supports kind and warm culture, while offering many activities for kids.

Posted: April 19, 2019

The Harbor School has exceeded our expectations. The school combines a very good academic program with warm and supportive approach. Kids are provided challenging projects and allowed to excel/go beyond their grade level in many areas, while being supported in other areas.
The teachers get to know each child very well and work with the child’s needs and learning style, while still teaching the whole class structure and responsibilities. The classes are very small and each class has two teachers. The school is inclusive and celebrates uniqueness.
Above all, Harbor School looks for the best in each child and supports their growth and learning. As a result, the children feel safe to express themselves, explore and even make mistakes. Teachers foster students’ natural curiosity, creativity and imagination. The kids are encouraged to think outside the box.
The curriculum incorporates a lot of structured and unstructured movement. Teachers expects kids to focus and work hard, but they understand their natural need for movement and activities. As a result, the school’s curriculum is much more “hands-on” and interesting than many programs.

Posted: October 11, 2018

Small class sizes and two teachers mean each child gets a lot of one-on-one time.

Posted: October 11, 2018

Kids are really encouraged to see how others feel, to show empathy, and to work together through conflict and the ordinary challenges of being a kid. Teachers are very proactive when issues arise. Parents have opportunities to be engaged in the classroom also.

Posted: October 11, 2018

We have been so happy with The Harbor School. You couldn't ask for a warmer, more nurturing environment that really lets the children discover who they are as learners and people, building friendships along the way. We wish it went past grade 2!

Posted: October 11, 2018

Builds student confidence by sending home work that requires effort but is achievable, plus required nightly reading starting in K.

Posted: October 11, 2018

Incredibly gifted, warm teachers who really take the time to know each student and meet them where they are.

Posted: October 11, 2018

When our older child graduated and went to a new school, we had a newfound appreciation for the effort teachers and the school put into coaching kids and building social skills and empathy in the students. Such a warm environment.

Posted: October 11, 2018

Phenomenal new head with a lot of experience in independent schooling, and a terrific asst. head who has almost 20 years of teaching experience - a dynamo team.

Posted: August 28, 2017

The school uses responsive classroom curriculum which teaches positive classroom behavior.

Posted: August 28, 2017

Children having increasing roles and responsibilities in the class and school as they progress through second grade. This is just one example of how they build character in our children.

Posted: August 28, 2017

Posted: August 28, 2017

Each child is unique, and they truly treat and educate them that way. That said, the school is not set up to address special needs children per say.

Posted: August 28, 2017

We have been very happy at Harbor. When our older child graduated and moved on, we truly realized just how great we had it at Harbor!

Posted: August 28, 2017

Homework starts in K and progressively increases with age and grade.

Posted: August 28, 2017

Having two teachers per classroom allows teachers to truly know our children and provide one on one instruction.

Posted: December 7, 2016

Our son was diagnosed with ADHD around 3, and had been through 2 other pre-K schools before we found a home at Harbor, just in time for Kindergarten--what a miracle! He is now in his last year (2nd grade), and has blossomed into a happy, well-adjusted, kind, and smart student, thanks to the dedicated, nurturing, and loving teachers and administrators. Their small classes (2 teachers: 12-14 students) enable the teachers to really focus on each child and his/her needs. They were there to work with us every step of the long and difficult road to finding what works best for our son with his ADHD, and it never felt contentious, but rather always collaborative, even in the toughest of times! We are so grateful that we found Harbor when we did, as our son wouldn't have become who he is today at any other school. It's the kind of school I wish I could have attended as a child, where the kids can learn in a safe and supportive environment, and as a result, develop a love of learning. We are now looking at schools for 3rd grade next year, and only wish they would expand through the rest of the elementary grades. Highly recommend to any parent who wants their kids to have a joyful, fulfilling early childhood education.

Posted: December 7, 2016

Posted: December 7, 2016

During our time at Harbor, there have been a few students on the autism spectrum, who did very well in the small classrooms. Our son and a couple of other students in his class have clear cases of ADHD, but they are all very happy and doing great. The teachers and administrators really pull out all of the stops and go well above and beyond to make every student's experience the best it can be.

Posted: December 7, 2016

Posted: December 7, 2016

Posted: December 7, 2016

The teachers love the students and take a personal interest in each student and family. The lead teachers have years (some, decades) of experience in early childhood education, and know how to figure out each student's strengths and weaknesses to help them reach their potentials.

Posted: December 7, 2016

About 10 mins per grade level, with an emphasis on reading--perfect!

Posted: August 30, 2015

The teachers do not care. They talk to the kids like they [teachers ] are robots. No human contact at all really surprising.

Posted: August 30, 2015

home work was a really poor. The child would come home with a piece of paper for home work. One that had been copied off a website. The website would change nightly. No structure . Regretted not taking the child to public school instead. Really poor.

Posted: August 30, 2015

School is so disorganized that its practically impossible to develop such traits. I doubt the staff care to take time to mold the students in this way.

Posted: August 30, 2015

Our child was a student for 1 year. It was a nightmare. Teachers that do not care, a Head of school who is buddy buddy with staff, facilities and resources are very poor in spite of what was advertised. The most scary part is the unwillingness to change or take advice. The teachers have a blank stare when communicating with the children like they are in another world. A truly poor school. Look carefully before you sign your young child up.

Posted: December 5, 2011

Harbor provides an incredibly nurturing environment that takes the discipline of early childhood education seriously. This is not a warehouse for little kids, occupying their time until they get to the older grades - this is a school that believes early childhood education not only is a building block, but central and critical to the child's overall development and future educational achievement. There is also an increasing body of work that suggests that you really don't know how a child will learn, and what sort of scholastic environment suits them until they are 7 or so. Since I ascribe to that line of thought, observing our child in the early years and making an educated choice about future schooling after the second grade makes sense. Finally - Harbor's reputation is stellar, so placement after 2nd has proven to be as painless as it can be. I can't say enough about this place.

Posted: October 8, 2011

I am sorry about the experience posted by the Sept. 22 review. Our experience with Harbor School, however, has been truly wonderful. The school has embraced and loved our special needs son and has done such incredible work with him that he no longer needs one-on-one assistance at the school. The director is a brilliant and amazing leader, and has successfully promoted inclusion and communication to ensure all of our children's successes at the school. We cannot say enough positive things about the school (for all of our kids), and only wish it continued through high school.

Posted: October 8, 2011

I also am very sorry for the feelings from the parents posting of 9/22. Our daughter has only been at Harbor for a month and I cannot say enough about the INCREDIBLE way that leadership, faculty and students EMBRACE, not tolerate (as with many other school), children with special needs: it is very much part of the fabric and culture of the school and, honestly, it will produce imply better kids, complete with empathy, tolerance, compassion, and understanding - things that seem to be in somewhat short supply out there these days. An experience to illustrate the amazing culture and the effect is has on the kids: 6yo special girl child as a breakdown in class and needs to leave the classroom - comes back 5 minutes later and apologizes to her classmates - unsolicited by teachers or anyone, the rest of the class gives her a standing ovation and then runs over to hug her! I feel this is one of those paradigm-shifting stories that needs no further explanation and illustrates the power of what Dr Wise and her staff are doing with the inclusive model at Harbor. If the school is a good fit for your child, there is no better place to be regardless of your child's situation.

Posted: September 21, 2011

This school espouses inclusiveness, diversity and child-focused learning, and yet is unwilling and ill-equipped to accommodate children who need any extra special needs. Spent many hours exploring the school and being led to believe that our child's needs were not an issue, only to be declined later. We were welcomed with open arms at another fabulous school and are ultimately pleased that things worked out as they have, but don't lead people on (it's a waste of everyone's time)!