Norwood School

8821 River Road

Bethesda, MD 20817

12 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 04, 2024

We have two children who currently attend Norwood School (daughter in 2nd and son in Kindergarten). We have loved our experience thus far. Our children are excited about going to school, have built strong friendships, and are supported and pushed by their teachers on a daily basis. Our children are known as individuals and their teachers have adapted and pushed instruction to accommodate their strengths and areas of growth. The school community is inclusive, welcoming and supportive- to both students and families alike. We highly recommend Norwood School!
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2024

Norwood is an extraordinary place - their middle school is fantastic, with the right mix of challenging academics and engaging lessons. They leave for high school with a newfound maturity and are fully prepared with the right study skills and experiences to flourish in high school. They bring joy to the school, and the teachers are incredibly caring. The bonds they formed with our children are genuinely unique to watch. It's a real community that you want to be a part of.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2023

Norwood School has been an extraordinary environment for my child's academic journey, providing a multitude of opportunities for her to shine academically. One remarkable aspect of Norwood is its commitment to recognizing and nurturing each student's unique talents. For instance, my child has a remarkable aptitude for writing, and Norwood has provided a platform for her to excel further in this through various events and opportunities to share her work. She has written stories from scratch with illustrations, and been encouraged to put them together into various books which were then placed in her class library, where her peers could read them. This not only bolstered her confidence but also honed her writing skills even further.The impact of being known at Norwood has been profound on my child's educational experience. The school's dedication to understanding each student's strengths and areas for improvement has set the stage for transformative growth. One remarkable way this personalized approach benefits their students is through tailored instruction. Norwood provides encouragement and instruction specific to each child, which is truly amazing. This not only instills a sense of responsibility and pride in the children at Norwood, but also enhances their leadership skills.The teachers at Norwood have consistently demonstrated flexibility and responsiveness in nurturing growth amongst their students. Teachers will provide one on one support whenever it is needed, and they will work with your child specifically to challenge their strengths further and address weaknesses. They adjust their teaching approaches when necessary and they incorporate visual aids and real-life examples to help build children’s confidence and understanding of concepts.Norwood truly excels in active learning. An example of active learning is where children perform hands-on science projects where they build working models of various concepts, encouraging critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration among students. They are encouraged to think critically to figure out things on their own, which in turn builds their leadership skills further.Norwood is a truly remarkable and exceptional school and creates such a warm environment for learning. We are so happy to be part of such a wonderful community!!
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2023

We love Norwood. The teachers are engaged and know each of our girls well. They're supportive while encouraging. The Norwood community is kind and welcoming. We highly recommend Norwood Shool.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2023

This is our 6th year at Norwood. I could not have picked a better school for him. He has thrived academically since starting in Pre-K. His teachers literally taught him and his peers to read!! The Norwood teachers truly care for their students and want them to thrive both academically and socially (as a parent would like). They also know each child's strengths and weaknesses. It speaks volumes of a school where many teachers have trusted their peers to teach their own children. This school fosters an environment of love for learning in a trusted and safe environment. The rare occurrence where my child had an issue with another child on the playground, the teachers and Head of the Lower School acted quickly to clear up any misunderstandings between the children. I am so happy that my son goes to Norwood and plan that he be here until he graduates 8th grade!
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2022

This is our third year at Norwood. I can’t say enough about the support Norwood has given my son. His confidence and growth has been extraordinary. So glad we were given the opportunity to come to this school.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2022

We joined Norwood in 6th grade and it was such a smooth transition thanks to its inclusive community. The school implements a very hands-on teaching philosophy and supports students at every stage of their learning journey. The teachers are approachable and they encourage interaction outside classroom. This makes our child feel safe to ask for help when needed.
Submitted by other on April 17, 2022

If Norwood were a college, it would be Skidmore: a small, crunchy school with a plethora of quirky students and teachers. An institution with a name unknown to most, but nonetheless, a solid academic program that prepares students well for high school. Specifically, middle school courses such as chemistry and history are very rigorous, entailing hands-on lab work and high school-length research papers. In addition, the math program provides an exceptional base for more advanced classes. However, though the academics set students up for success, the social dynamic makes for a rough transition to HS. As previously mentioned, much like Skidmore, the peer group is odd and sheltered. While attending Norwood, I was aware of the unconventional environment due to my extracurriculars (summer camp, travel sports teams, etc.) but I know many individuals who struggled to adapt to the more mainstream social norms at other institutions. Similarly, in regards to social life, diverse opinions and intellectual courage are not tolerated. Both teachers and students harass anyone who isn't vocally on the far, far left. Remotely conservative and even moderate students are silenced, which prevents intellectual growth, functional social skills, and overall maturity from flourishing in the student body. After leaving the "Norwood Bubble," I was shocked by how amicably my peers discussed current issues, regardless of the voices involved. In healthy schools, political discourse is framed as an opportunity to form opinions and learn from one another, not to engage in petty quarrels akin to that of the 2016 Presidential Debates. Likely, the civil conversations I've engaged in are a result of my HS teacher's mature leadership, which is not present at Norwood. Yet, ironically, despite their liberal leanings, most of the teachers are overly strict and have no desire to form relationships with students. In later academia, student/adult relations are a vitally important skill set to possess, not to mention the benefits of learning from teachers who are viewed as role models, not malignant authority figures. That being said, the academics are formidable, the music department truly ingrains creativity in students, and the sports teams, though comically awful, are provided with enough recourses to forge an enriching program. In sum, I wouldn't recommend Norwood over other privates in the area, but the school itself isn't monumentally terrible. If you like Skidmore, you'll like Norwood too.
Submitted by parent on May 27, 2018

Excellent in every aspect of education. Our son, now a newly minted PhD in physics, to this day cites his days at Norwood as having contributed more to his health, happiness and success than all the other fine — and better known— academic institutions he has attended since. Norwood is more than a school it is the community that helped shape the moral young Renaissance man he has become.
Submitted by parent on June 30, 2016

Our son said that he loves Norwood after the first day of Kindergarten. Fantastic teachers and great heads of school. It is a very nurturing environment and our son has made tremendous strides in reading, math, and being a curious learner. He loves all his teachers, from home room to PE, music, art, you name it. He has matured so much in just one year and we couldn't be happier we chose Norwood.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2012

Great school. Superb leadership. The school has a fantastic way of teaching and inspiring children, which makes them very happy and eager to learn and succeed. The school has high academic standards and teaches all subjects seriously. In general, the teachers are excellent and very devoted to doing a good job. I highly recommend Norwood for parents seeking a great, well-rounded education in the DC area.
Submitted by other on July 20, 2012

Norwood is a happy place of learning. It is academically challenging and teaches to individual learning styles. The school considers the total child. The focus not only concentrates on academics but also on developing good character, confidence, and fellowship. The school sings with creativity in the arts. Art covers the walls and plays are performed beginning in kindergarten. It is obvious that the faculty loves teaching the students and the students care for their teachers. The school continually assesses it's climate and curriculum with the objective of continual improvement.