Anonymous
Post 03/28/2026 09:42     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Many of these places go through cycles. Like companies. They build up a great reputation during the good times. Then they get sloppy and ride off their reputation (and ease with which they can fill places and command high tuition). Then you get to a point where it is just considered the “best” and the “pipeline to XYZ brand name school”, the administration starts to run the school with less and less regard for (plentiful) customers and eventually with deteriorating oversight (parents become scared to push back - “just grit your teeth and get that recommendation letter”) and then bad things start to happen - school expands in response to demand, teacher quality declines, teacher agenda (“liberal” as described above) takes over, and eventually worse things can happen. The 100-year reputation is built up over prior (good) decades. You are not sending your kid there in the 90’s or 2000’s - you should be evaluating what you think of it today. Above all trust your gut on the visit. And be careful what you read on these forums - any dissent is met with several immediate posts of over-the-top rebuttal, which likely suggests a well-paid PR firm working overtime, or a group of parents for who are too brainwashed and clouded to see the forest from the trees - or more likely, both.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2026 11:15     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:I student taught at NCRC in the 90s and then taught there for many years in 2000’s and it was a phenomenal place for all kids. The teachers were all absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, NCRC is much more academic and less play-based now. They used to have amazing in-house special services (OT, speech, social-emotional therapist) but now all they do is tell parents to get help for kids outside of school. They have reduced their supports of kids while upping tuition. It was once truly the BEST preschool around.


Don’t slander a school just because you no longer work there and haven’t been inside the school in at least a decade. NCRC is a wonderful school filled with excellent and dedicated teachers and staff.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2026 11:12     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I student taught at NCRC in the 90s and then taught there for many years in 2000’s and it was a phenomenal place for all kids. The teachers were all absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, NCRC is much more academic and less play-based now. They used to have amazing in-house special services (OT, speech, social-emotional therapist) but now all they do is tell parents to get help for kids outside of school. They have reduced their supports of kids while upping tuition. It was once truly the BEST preschool around.


As a current parent, this bit about it being less play-based and not having in-class supports is fundamentally untrue. My children benefit from the dedicated NCRC Child Development Team who work in conjunction with the teachers in each classroom daily.

Just because you student taught there almost 40 years ago does not make you current on what is happening in the school now. Try again.
Anonymous
Post 03/27/2026 11:07     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:I student taught at NCRC in the 90s and then taught there for many years in 2000’s and it was a phenomenal place for all kids. The teachers were all absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, NCRC is much more academic and less play-based now. They used to have amazing in-house special services (OT, speech, social-emotional therapist) but now all they do is tell parents to get help for kids outside of school. They have reduced their supports of kids while upping tuition. It was once truly the BEST preschool around.
Anonymous
Post 03/26/2026 23:28     Subject: Re:NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you are considering that school after what happened ….


+1. River School has two adults per class. NCRC’s system has left too much room for possible abuse in the past.


Wut? NCRC has 2+ adults per class. What room for abuse? No one has been abused at NCRC.
Anonymous
Post 03/26/2026 23:22     Subject: Re:NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you are considering that school after what happened ….


+1. River School has two adults per class. NCRC’s system has left too much room for possible abuse in the past.
Anonymous
Post 03/26/2026 22:36     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
I student taught at NCRC in the 90s and then taught there for many years in 2000’s and it was a phenomenal place for all kids. The teachers were all absolutely incredible. Unfortunately, NCRC is much more academic and less play-based now. They used to have amazing in-house special services (OT, speech, social-emotional therapist) but now all they do is tell parents to get help for kids outside of school. They have reduced their supports of kids while upping tuition. It was once truly the BEST preschool around.
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 07:35     Subject: Re:NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you are considering that school after what happened ….


Good thing nothing happened except between the head and his computer!

I guess you are avoiding Beauvoir, St Albans, Wash Hebrew, Gilman, like every boarding school in the country, etc.


What happened in St Albans? I just learned about the GDS incident. But never heard about anything in STA.


All that happened is that a teacher who was accused at Key School in Annapolis taught at St Albans in the meantime. This was 8 or 10 years ago.

Which is to say that nothing happened, apparently, at St Albans except the employment of a person allegedly guilty of crimes that didn't involve St Albans students. (in thst way, kinda like what happened at NCRC.)
Anonymous
Post 03/06/2026 06:58     Subject: Re:NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you are considering that school after what happened ….


Good thing nothing happened except between the head and his computer!

I guess you are avoiding Beauvoir, St Albans, Wash Hebrew, Gilman, like every boarding school in the country, etc.


What happened in St Albans? I just learned about the GDS incident. But never heard about anything in STA.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2026 19:26     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
...every boarding school in England, the boy scouts, the Catholic Church, conservative white male politicians, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, gymnastics, volleyball, speed skating...
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2026 19:15     Subject: Re:NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:I can’t believe you are considering that school after what happened ….


Good thing nothing happened except between the head and his computer!

I guess you are avoiding Beauvoir, St Albans, Wash Hebrew, Gilman, like every boarding school in the country, etc.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2026 19:04     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
NCRC is a really special school. Anything but disorganized. Diversity and inclusion are priorities but in an age appropriate way. The community is stronger than ever and likely more vigilant than ever. It's been a great year. This post is so negative that it is unclear why you even applied and seems like a troll.
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2026 18:46     Subject: Re:NCRC Preschool thoughts?
I can’t believe you are considering that school after what happened ….
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2026 15:22     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
Anonymous wrote:NCRC is 100 years old and has a very well-developed and intentional play-based curriculum. The kids learn pre-reading and pre-math skills from the beginning and work on fine and gross motor skills, speech, and have fun while doing it. It has a very large playground, devoted teachers, and a warm inclusive community, all in a beautiful setting. If your child has anything to work on - speech, motor issues, etc. - NCRC will spot it and help with appropriate support early on. If you’re looking to go on to private school at some point, the top private schools in the area tend to admit a lot of NCRC graduates in lower, middle, and high school.


+1
Anonymous
Post 03/05/2026 14:00     Subject: NCRC Preschool thoughts?
NCRC is 100 years old and has a very well-developed and intentional play-based curriculum. The kids learn pre-reading and pre-math skills from the beginning and work on fine and gross motor skills, speech, and have fun while doing it. It has a very large playground, devoted teachers, and a warm inclusive community, all in a beautiful setting. If your child has anything to work on - speech, motor issues, etc. - NCRC will spot it and help with appropriate support early on. If you’re looking to go on to private school at some point, the top private schools in the area tend to admit a lot of NCRC graduates in lower, middle, and high school.