Barrie School

The Dr. Charles R. Drew Center at 1200 Swingingdale Drive in Silver Spring (zip 20905) is one of several Montgomery County campuses operated by Academy Child Development Center, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization that has served the area since 1981 and is not part of a childcare chain. This particular location runs a school-age child care program for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade during the school year, with before and after care that operates from 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Both full-time and part-time schedules are offered. The center director is Carmen Jackson, and the site sits in a quiet residential neighborhood with large setbacks, free parking, separate outdoor play areas for different ages, basketball courts, and open green space. Academy's leadership and staff bring backgrounds in early education, special education, elementary education, and business, which is relevant for families whose children have developmental challenges or language-based learning disabilities. Language and literacy are treated as the foundation of the curriculum, and the organization emphasizes smaller teacher-to-child ratios so children get more individualized attention. Across Academy programs, enrichment classes in art, music, and Spanish are part of the curriculum and included in tuition. The not-for-profit also maintains partnerships with Montgomery County Public Schools, Mental Health Consultation Services, and the Gaithersburg Judy Center. All Academy programs are accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), licensed by the MSDE Office of Child Care, and hold a Maryland Excels Level 5 rating. Staff complete FBI and State of Maryland background checks with fingerprinting and reference checks, and are trained in CPR, First Aid, emergency preparedness, and medication administration. The buildings use cameras and limited-access entries, with daily sanitizing plus professional after-hours cleaning. The Drew Center accepts financial assistance, including Working Parents Assistance (WPA) and Purchase of Care (POC) vouchers. Across its locations Academy also works with the Maryland Child Care Scholarship (CCS) program, the Infant and Toddler EquiCare Grant, the PreKindergarten Expansion Grant, and Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood (MCCYN). The center provides a morning and an afternoon snack, while families pack a healthy lunch. To reach this location, call 301-989-0245 or email cdacademy@academychild.com.

The Colesville Center is one of four locations run by Kids Maryland Child Services (KidsMCS), a childcare organization in the Montgomery County area. The center sits at 14015 New Hampshire Ave. in Silver Spring (20904) and can be reached at (301) 384-0575. It is open from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm and accepts children from 2 to 12 years old. The other KidsMCS locations are the Sherwood Center in Sandy Spring, the Mary Hart Center in Rockville, and the Page Center in Silver Spring, with general enrollment questions handled at (240) 644-9295 or info@mdchildservices.org. Programming is split by age. The Preschool Program serves children 3 to 4 years old and mixes structured lessons with creative play (art, music, dramatic play, and hands-on projects) to build the social skills and independence children need before kindergarten. The School Age Program covers ages 5 to 12 and runs as a before and after school option, with homework help, academic support, active play and sports, and STEM and arts activities. A summer camp rounds out the year for preschool and school-age children, with weekly themed activities (water play, music, art, and discovery) plus field trips for older kids to local museums, parks, water play areas, and the zoo. KidsMCS centers are accredited by the Maryland State Department of Education and participate in Maryland EXCELS, the state quality rating system. Enrollment paperwork follows COMAR child care regulations, and the center provides individualized support that accounts for each child's strengths, interests, and special needs. Parent testimonials reference children making speech and language progress at the centers alongside outside therapy, and the program is structured around close partnership with families, including a family handbook and acknowledgment process. For families who need help with costs, KidsMCS points to two public subsidy options: the Maryland Child Care Scholarship Program (CCS) and Montgomery County's Working Parents Assistance Program (WPA). (The state-funded Pre-K Expansion Grant that KidsMCS offers is available only at its Mary Hart and Page centers, not at Colesville.) Tours can be scheduled by phone, and enrollment for the upcoming school year is handled directly through the center.

Silver Spring Learning Center operates two linked Jewish schools out of 1401 Arcola Ave in the Kemp Mill neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland. The early childhood side, branded as The Learning Center (TLC), is a fully licensed and insured, year-round preschool serving children from 6 weeks old through Kindergarten. Founded in 1971, it pairs standard early education with a Hebrew program, including Hebrew Immersion taught by Hebrew-speaking staff, Judaic enrichment, Jewish holidays, and a connection to Israel. The affiliated elementary program, the Leo Bernstein Jewish Academy of Fine Arts (also called LBJA or JAFA), runs a Judaic curriculum for Kindergarten and grades 1 through 5, with community field trips built into the year. The center keeps class sizes small and runs out of spacious, open classrooms. On-site facilities include a playground of over one acre, a new indoor playgym, and a children's library. Day-to-day programming is supported by a licensed security guard. Care hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30am to 6:00pm and Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm, with early care available from 7:30am and aftercare as late as 6:00pm, which makes it workable for parents on a full work schedule. Beyond the core school day, families can add optional hot lunch and extracurriculars in ballet, karate, and music. The center runs camps over winter, spring, and summer break. For cost, the school accepts Maryland state assistance vouchers for working parents. The schools are led by Headmaster Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Zaks and Director Natali Gavrieli, who holds a BA in psychology and an MA in bilingual education and has over 20 years in education. Tours are free and can be scheduled by phone at (301) 649-1373 or by email at sslcnews1401@gmail.com. Note that the published materials do not list specific special-needs or therapeutic services, so families needing those supports should confirm availability directly with the school.