The Goddard School @ Arundel Mills

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Google Review (The Goddard School – Hanover) Our family has been part of The Goddard School in Hanover for the past two years, with two children enrolled, and we are truly grateful for such a positive experience. From the very beginning, the environment has been warm, welcoming, and consistently supportive. The curriculum is engaging, well-structured, and thoughtfully planned, and we love the weekly specials that make learning fun and exciting for the children. The teachers have been nothing short of amazing. They are kind, knowledgeable, and intentional about creating learning experiences that meet each child where they are. Ms. Tierra, our two-year-old’s teacher, is extremely patient and caring. Our son has a speech delay, and she has been so encouraging in helping him use his words, while also using picture cards to support his communication. The progress we have seen, along with the compassion she shows daily, means a lot to our family. Ms. Kennesha, our four-year-old’s teacher, has created such a warm, energetic, and engaging classroom. Learning is always happening, and our child looks forward to going to school. He especially loves the morning song that kicks off the day and sets the tone for a great learning experience. Safety is also a major priority at this school, and it truly gives us peace of mind. The keypad entry and retina scanner system makes us feel confident that our children are in a secure environment every day. We also appreciate the strong sense of community at Goddard Hanover. The family events are well-organized and inclusive, allowing every student to participate in ways that match their abilities while still feeling fully connected to the group. We have enjoyed events like Pancakes with Santa, Family Pizza Day, Family Portrait Day, and Grandparents Day, and we are looking forward to the Preschool Science Fair this month. Overall, we are thankful to be part of such a caring, structured, and nurturing school community. We highly recommend The Goddard School in Hanover to any family looking for a safe, engaging, and supportive learning environment. I highly recommend this location.

DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD HERE. I'm giving this review 5 stars so that this message gets sorted higher in the listings. The front office staff was routinely rude and dismissive whenever I dropped my child off in the morning. Inside the classroom was no better. Every morning, there would be at least three children crying. Utter chaos! My child did not enjoy coming in and was very upset each time we would drop him off. No wonder he didn't like it there, the teachers have no control of the classroom. Not to mention all these asinine systems they impose on parents (labeling of every pouch of food with name, dates, and when it's supposed to be consumed). We would get passive-aggressive messages, about how to hang coats or if we miss-labeled a snack pack. Also! This organization implemented a creepy AI facial recognition door lock to drop your child off at school. So if you're not cool with getting your face scanned to drop off or pick up your kid, you'll have to go through extra Draconian steps every day until you opt in. This organization costs way too much for what they provide; which is ultimately a substandard care of your child. So I'll say it again, DO NOT BRING YOUR KIDS HERE.

I cannot emphasize how much we loved our time at Goddard. I could always trust that my son would be taken care of as I knew all of his teachers genuinely cared. The owners, directors, and staff truly create an amazing atmosphere for making learning fun. Between the extracurricular activities, the family events, and the little everyday things (like lofi playing in the lobby lol), I knew we couldn’t have found a better school for our son to begin his academic journey. Thank you thank you thank you! Shoutout to Ms. Carmen, Ms. Kennesha, Ms. Lori, Ms. Jade, Ms. Melvise, Ms Christina, and the rest of the Goddard Hanover team. We will miss you tremendously.

We had a very disappointing and concerning experience with The Goddard School of Hanover, MD, specifically with the owner, Melvise Powell. Our son, who was 4 at the time, was diagnosed with ADHD, and we were upfront about this during enrollment. We were assured the school had experience supporting children with similar needs. After only a few days, our son was abruptly asked to “temporarily un-enroll” without any real attempt to implement a support plan or collaborate with his behavioral therapist. Despite later providing medical and professional documentation, agreeing to a gradual part-time return, and receiving positive feedback from his teachers during “drop-in” days, we were ultimately told he would not be allowed to return — not due to any dangerous or destructive behavior, but based on speculation about what "might happen". We repeatedly tried to work collaboratively and propose reasonable accommodations, but those discussions were not honored. Communication was unprofessional, dismissive, and at times inappropriate. Most troubling is that our son, who had made tremendous progress, was left confused and hurt about why he was not allowed to attend the same school as his twin sister. We strongly feel that our child was not given a fair opportunity and that his diagnosis led to discriminatory treatment rather than support. Parents considering this school should be aware of how children with special needs may be handled.

This particular Goddard location was a pleasure to be a part of for the past 3 years. The curriculum is engaging and fun, and I’ve seen my child grow in confidence and social skills. I cherish the pictures they sent me of my child gardening, doing science activities, art, food crafts, writing, playing, there is no doubt they get the kids excited about the many wonders of the world. The facilities are secured, modern, clean, and kept, and the outdoor play facilities are well maintained as well. A big thank you to Ms. Amanda for being the sweetest first teacher to my daughter, she’ll always be remembered. And another thank you to owner Melvise, for making the school blossom into something special during our time here. We were lucky to be a part of it!