Young School – Ellicott City, Ellicott City | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

PROS:
• There are some great teachers at the Young School. Ms. Carmen in the Maple 2s program is the BEST, most loving and nurturing teacher. My son adores her and is really happy in her class right now. While daycares are often known for their cold and apathetic teachers, Ms Carmen is so warm and I have great peace of mind leaving my son in her hands. She cares deeply about the kids and it’s like she’s an extended part of our family. Ms. Bolyoung helped us potty train our son and supported us throughout the process so there was consistency at home and in school. Because she’s a parent herself, she really understands the process and I felt like she was another capable parent helping our son. Frankly, she was the only teacher at the time who was willing to adapt strategies and work with us to make it work for our son. Ms. Ayesha is another wonderful teacher who took my son in at 15 months and she remains one of his favorite teachers today. She also has her own children so she’s naturally warm and nurturing.
• I love the variety of events and programs the Young School offers to kids. My son loves when Mr. Nick visits and plays guitar and sings/dances with them, cooking class, recreation time, outdoor play in the huge playground and summer time where there are fantastic water play programs like foam parties and more. The school has so many interesting toys and interactive activities that I haven’t seen at other daycare programs.
• The facility is extremely clean and the administration follows strict sanitation protocols—like gloves when handling food, cleaning tables after eating, washing hands before and after eating, etc. I never have to worry that the place isn’t thoroughly cleaned and they’re doing their best to minimize exposure to germs.
• The program at the Young School encourages and enables the kids to self-serve and grow into considerate and independent individuals. I love how everything in the facility enables each child to help themselves— they can wash their hands on their own, get the paper towel by themselves, etc. Everything is at the right height for their age range so they can learn and grow in an environment that allows them to do so. There was a ton of thought put into the facility and it really shows in the open floor plan and natural light that comes through. I also love how the kids are taught to clean up after themselves the moment they start. At 18 months old, my son was putting his own toys away at home. I saw one reviewer below complained about how clean the place was, I can assure you the kids use all the toys, they’re taught to clean up afterward.
• Love that there’s a live stream so I can check in to see how my son is doing at any given moment.

CONS:
• Parent-teacher communication in the app is just ok. Could be a lot better. Because the facility has a live stream available, the teachers tend to update the app less often. Depending on the day I’ll either receive 0 photos of what happened or several photos/videos. Some days I get a lot of updates and some days I only get updates until 2 p.m. (and my son stays until 5:30 p.m.). But honestly, this is not a dealbreaker for me because I can talk to them any time, ask questions any time, and look at live footage at any time.
• The infant program here could be better. Some of the teachers are wonderful but I’ve seen situations where I felt like the teachers should be more attuned to the baby’s needs instead of just leaving them to sit there by themselves. But again, you’re gonna see this no matter where you go, and I didn’t enroll my child when he was an infant. This is just what I’ve observed walking through the halls.
• Closes at 5:30pm not 6 like every other daycare.
• Tuition is $$$.

Overall, if you’re looking for a program that will keep your child entertained, safe and healthy, the Young School is a great option. I looked at 6 other places (Goddard, La Petit, Celebree, Kiddie Academy, etc.);no other program stacked up. Daycares I visited had less invested teachers, less sanitary play areas, fewer activities, etc.

We went for 3 days. They will talk about Reggio Emilia, nurturing independence, all those wonderful things that you’d want for your child. In reality this is another marketing catch. I was watching through their live feed how my 1 year old child was being forced to sit at the table and wait for all others to finish eating. Physically prevented to get up. She was upset and distressed. When I called the school, one of the Directors went in to find out more. I saw her short interaction with the teachers. There was no attempt to improve the situation or change anything. I was told when she did get back to the phone that this is their way of building a sense of community.
But worst of all was one of their teachers whose hands are all over. She was grabbing my child by the arm and forcing her into a chair. I witnessed it a few times and spoke with her about it. She stood their cold as can be spitting out rehearsed phrases ‘We don’t grab children by the arm. We only grab them by the hand’ – when I actually did see it myself. I am not blind and I am focused on the well-being of my children and their safety. I am still planning to file a complaint.
I should have been warned by the lack of reviews.
The place looks spotless but reeks of Lysol. It’s not safe for your children to be breathing all those chemical and synthetic fragrances they use all over. When you tour the place looks immaculate – it’s not natural for a daycare to be that organized if the materials are actually being used.
Red flags all over that I should have paid attention to. Like the doors not locked when I took my daughter to check out the school. We went in unobstructed. But when my husband and I tried to see their playground outside, we were flagged by one of the teachers who opened the door and told us that we had to go through the school to check out their playground. First of all, the front doors are not locked but parents are being flagged for walking outside near the school. And second, the teacher actually opening the door a few feet from us to lecture us – if we meant any harm, she pretty much created favorable conditions with that open door and holding an infant at that.

Young School has been a fantastic place for my son. The staff is caring, attentive, and always engaging with the kids. The facility is clean and filled with fun and educational activities, which my son enjoys. Communication with parents is excellent, and I always feel informed about my son’s day. If you’re looking for a trustworthy daycare where your child will be safe and happy, I highly recommend Young School.