Ridge Ruxton School

Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) is a public high school in downtown Baltimore for students who want to train seriously in the arts. Founded in 1979 as part of Baltimore City Public Schools, it sits in the historic Alcazar building on Cathedral Street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood and serves grades 9 through 12. Admission works differently than at most schools. Students audition and interview in their field of interest, whether that is visual art, film, music, stage design and production, theatre, or dance. Acceptance is based solely on that audition and interview, with no academic criteria, so talent and potential matter more than grades or test scores. Auditions are held each January for 8th and 9th graders, and of roughly 1,000 students who audition each year, about 115 are offered a spot. Once enrolled, students split the day between a full college-preparatory academic program and intensive training in their art form, taught by working professional artists. The school keeps a strong academic support system in place and partners with major Baltimore institutions including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Center Stage, the Hippodrome Foundation, and the Walters Art Museum. Its campus includes a recital hall, music practice rooms, art and dance studios, a film editing lab, and a black box theatre. As part of the public school system, BSA is tuition-free for Baltimore City residents. Students who live outside the city pay tuition, listed at $10,000 per year for the 2023 to 2024 school year. The school enrolls about 430 high school students. BSA also runs TWIGS, a free after-school and Saturday arts program for roughly 550 children in grades 2 through 8, which introduces younger students to the same training and feeds into the high school.

Cambridge School is a private, classical, Christ-centered school in Baltimore, MD, serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade. The program is built around partnering with parents to educate children in both academics and character, drawing on a classical model that immerses students in literature, history, art, music, and science and ties each subject back to a Christian worldview. Kindergarten applicants for the 2026-2027 year must turn four by September 1, 2025, and first-grade applicants must turn five by the same date, so the school works with families of young elementary-age children through early adolescence. Outdoor education and nature study are a long-standing part of the school's approach rather than an add-on. There is a full-time outdoor education coordinator, Ann Kumpf (MOT), and nature study runs across grade levels as a way to build observation skills and attention to detail. The "Specials" classes round out the core academics with Art, Music, Physical Education, Outdoor Education, and a chapel program. The school also staffs a Learning and Support Coordinator, Paulette Begley, who works with students who need additional academic support. Heather Strube serves as Head of School, with Heather Jordan as Assistant Head. Tuition for the 2026-2027 year is $16,324 for kindergarten through 5th grade and $17,066 for middle school (grades 6 to 8), with extended-day pricing that varies. Tuition covers day field trips, textbooks, and some supplies, though middle school overnight trips cost extra. A non-refundable deposit of 10% is due with each signed contract, and the remaining balance can be paid in a single payment, two payments, or a ten-month plan through FACTS Tuition Management. Financial aid is available, and admission priority goes to siblings of current students. The school admits students without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin. Prospective families can take Tuesday tours by appointment during the summer, and the admissions process runs through inquiry, a campus visit, and a formal application.

Kids Edu Caring Place LLC is a licensed childcare and preschool center on Springfield Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland, serving children from 6 weeks to 12 years old. The center groups care by age across infant and toddler rooms, a two to three year old preschool, and a four to five year old kindergarten program, with structured play and learning activities in math, art, music, language, and early reading. Beyond standard full-day care, KECP runs part-time schedules, before and after care, a virtual learning option for school-age kids (with all-day and before/after-school blocks), and it is licensed for overnight care. Weekly tuition runs from $275 to $400, and the program keeps small groups and class sizes so children get more individual attention. The center uses a state-approved preparatory curriculum (described as the Creative Curriculum) along with developmental screening tools, and folds thematic units and extra-curricular activities into tuition rather than charging separately. Nutritious meals and snacks are served onsite. Staff are state-approved and certified in CPR, First Aid, and AED, with additional training in medication administration, SIDS, emergency preparedness, and health and safety. The building runs 24-hour monitored surveillance cameras and a monitored security system, with COVID-era measures like temperature checks, hand sanitizing stations, HEPA air purifiers in each room, and surface disinfecting. KECP describes its approach around child-centered care, attachment, parent partnerships, and ancestral and cultural awareness, and it has produced its own series of children's books (sold at $15 each) used in activities like its bedtime read-aloud events. The program accepts the CCS Childcare Scholarship, Childcare Aware, and Foster Care subsidy, making vouchers and financial assistance available to qualifying families. Enrollment starts with a 30-minute meeting with the program director, by virtual tour or in person, to review days and hours, meals, curriculum, and any questions before a family decides. The center can be reached at (410) 433-3186 or kidseducaringplace@gmail.com.