The Springwell 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.

Barrie School is a private, independent school on a 45-acre campus at 13500 Layhill Rd in Silver Spring, Maryland, founded in 1932 and located minutes from the Glenmont Metro station and the Intercounty Connector. It runs one continuous program from infancy through high school: a Montessori track for the Lower School (3 months through Grade 6) and a Project-Based Learning model for Middle and Upper School (Grades 6 to 12). The same campus houses the Barrie Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies, one of the larger school-based teacher-training programs in the country, and Barrie Camp, a summer program that has run in the Washington, D.C. area since the 1950s. There is also an equestrian program on site. Barrie is the first school in the U.S. to offer the Global Impact Diploma, a diploma pathway built by a consortium of international-school educators. For families looking at special-needs fit, the relevant piece is Barrie's Student Support Team rather than a separate special-education program. The team includes learning specialists assigned by grade band (Toddler to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 12, and Grades 6 to 12), Lower School and Middle/Upper School counselors, and a Director of Health Services. For students who qualify, the team writes and carries out Accommodation and Care Plans, and it coordinates with outside providers a family already uses, including tutors, mental health professionals, pediatricians, and occupational and speech therapists. Support is delivered both directly to students and as consultation to teachers and parents. Tuition for 2026-27 runs by level: $25,730 for infants and toddlers (ages 1 to 2, class supplies included, no financial aid at this level), $29,545 for Primary (ages 3 to 5), $32,680 for Elementary (Grades 1 to 5), $36,780 for Middle School (Grades 6 to 8, books included), and $39,560 for Upper School (Grades 9 to 12, books included). Need-based financial aid is available starting at age 3, with roughly $2 million awarded each year and about 56% of students from age 3 through Grade 12 receiving aid; merit aid (about $300,000 a year) includes the Millennium Scholarship for incoming Grades 6 to 12. A sibling discount (5% off the second child, 10% off each additional child) applies separately from financial aid. The school describes itself as one of the most diverse private schools in the U.S., reporting 61% students of color and 15% international students, with bus transportation and extended-day options available.

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.