The Goddard School of

Ellicott City

410-730-1500
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
5633 Waterloo Road, Ellicott City, Maryland 21043

Proudly Accredited by:

School Highlights

American Sign Language
Art History
Crash-Rated Fencing
Outdoor Security Cameras
Gate Alarm
Halo
Handwriting
Interactive Whiteboard
Playground(s)

Where They Start Matters

At The Goddard School of Ellicott City, we believe that the start of your child's journey matters. That's why we offer an expert curriculum, experienced teachers and a nurturing environment to provide the best foundation for their growth.

The Goddard Difference

Goddard is more than just a preschool. With a proven track record of academic and social excellence, we've earned the trust of countless happy families who have seen their children exceed expectations and step into the world with confidence and compassion.

Curriculum

Our education program, Wonder of Learning^®, is the most innovative and well-researched on the market. It was created by early childhood development experts to empower children to explore their natural curiosity.

Expert, Caring Teachers

Our extraordinary educators shape your child’s experience, creating a fun and engaging learning environment with personalized lesson plans focused on whole-child development.

Leading with Curiosity

The Goddard School’s high-quality educational programming is designed to ignite curiosity and fuel a lifelong love of learning.

Learn More

Meet Ross Owner

Ross Flax opened The Goddard School in Columbia in 1997. After 18 years, the school was re-located to it’s present location in Ellicott City. A Philadelphia native, Ross attended Temple University where he earned his BA degree in Business Administration. He has been married to his wife Sandra since 1987 and has successfully raised two Goddard School graduates - Gabriela and Harrison aged 26 and 23. Both children have active, successful lives since graduating from college and graduate school. Gabriela lives and works in London and Harrison in Denver. Since then, he has opened four additional schools in Rockville, Clarksburg, Bethesda and Tysons Corner.

Meet The Team

Discover Our Classrooms

From infants and toddlers to pre-K, kindergarten and beyond, our classrooms are designed specifically with your little one’s needs in mind.

Infant

6 w - 12 m

In the Infant program, our teachers provide your baby with all the cuddles and care they need with opportunities to begin exploring the world around them.

Toddlers

12 - 24 m

As your little one rapidly develops physically and cognitively, our Toddler classroom is where their natural curiosity is fostered and their budding skills are nurtured.

Twos

2 - 3 yrs

In the Twos classroom, experienced, caring teachers guide your child through playful exploration, helping navigate big emotions while providing hands-on learning experiences that nurture their innate curiosity.

Bridge

2.5 - 3.5 yrs

As your child continues to gain independence, build self-care skills and learn more about themselves, the Bridge classroom provides the support they need to thrive in a preschool setting.

Preschool

3 - 4 yrs

In our Preschool classroom, your child starts their journey into a cooperative learning environment where they can discover interests and learn in a more structured setting.

Pre-K

4 - 5 yrs

As your child prepares for Kindergarten, our Pre-K classroom offers exciting opportunities to develop important skills, make new friends and explore the world around them.

Additional Programs Offered

Summer Fun

Our summer program is an exciting extension of the school year filled with lots of outdoor play and fun learning adventures!
Special Programs

We enhance our play-based curriculum with a range of enrichment programs designed to fit your child’s interests.

Learn More & Tour

What Our Goddard Village Is Saying

Excellent staff and curriculum program!

Grace & Daniel's Mother

Pre-K Classroom

Very welcoming atmosphere, great teachers and a lovely environment for a preschooler to learn and make friends.

Tigerlily's Mother

Preschool Classroom

Makes learning a safe but fun environment

Lennox's Father

Preschool Classroom

Goddard School's educational services are innovative & effective and provided by caring, top notch professionals.

Emerson & Eloise's Mother

Infant Classroom

The teachers at The Goddard School really care for my son and his well being. Each day, they are engaging him in a variety of activities to keep him entertained, as well as work on various development skills. While it would be nice to be with my son all the time, I know they are doing so much more with him that I could ever hope to do at home activity wise!

Andrew's Mother

Infant Classroom

Teacher turn over ratio is very low and important to having a heathy educational environment. I like the structured classes and lesson plans that encourage creativity.

Christian's Mother

Toddler Classroom

I am amazed by the little things that our teachers do on a daily basis to dramatically improve the educational experience for our son.

Benjamin & baby's Father

Toddler Classroom

I like the the structure of the school and the curriculum that is provided for my children. I also enjoy seeing the enthusiasm that the teachers show toward my children and others.

Nicholas & Noa's Mother

Toddler Classroom

Prioritizing Health and Happiness

Explore all the features and programs found at our local School.

Health and Safety

Crash-Rated Fencing

Finger Guards

Gate Alarm

Halo

Outdoor Security Cameras

Supervised Lobby Entry

Food and Nutrition

Caring for your child includes ensuring that they're fueled up and ready to learn and play!

Enrichment and Environment

American Sign Language

Art History

Handwriting

Interactive Whiteboard

Learning Technologies

Music Appreciation

Outdoor Classroom

Physical Fitness

Playground(s)

STEAM Cart/Computer Lab

Secondary Languages

Tablets

Tenured Teachers

Yoga & Mindfulness

Preview the Fun

Get a snapshot of what happens in our classrooms.

Upcoming Events

December 5

Art with Ms. Madelyne

12 - 1 PM
December 8

Coach Jamie & Maria

9 AM - 12 PM
December 9

Spanish with Ms. Eva

7 AM - 6 PM
December 11

Art with Ms. Madelyne

All Day

Care You Can Trust

The Goddard School is proud to be recognized for our commitment to quality care and early learning! These accolades reflect our dedication to providing a safe, nurturing and enriching environment for every child.

NAEYC ACCREDITED

LEVEL 1

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredits early childhood programs according to health, safety and education standards. The standards are intended to provide a reliable and accountable accreditation system to encourage the field of early childhood education to strive for a new level of excellence.

January 2011 - April 2027

MARYLAND EXCELS

LEVEL 5

Maryland EXCELS is a voluntary Quality Rating and Improvement System that awards ratings (up to 5 stars) to family providers, center-based and public school child care programs, and school age before and after school programs that meet increasingly higher standards of quality in key areas.

September 2022 - July 2026

CHILD CARE AWARE®

Child Care Aware is the nation's most respected hub of information for parents and child care providers. A program of Child Care Aware of America, Child Care Aware helps families learn more about the elements of quality child care and how to locate programs in their communities. Child Care Aware also provides child care providers with access to resources for their child care programs.

June 2021 - January 2030

MARKET OF EXCELLENCE

The Market of Excellence Award is presented annually and acknowledges a market that has demonstrated the best collaborative effort in representing The Goddard School in their community.

January 2015 - January 2016

CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE

The Circle of Excellence Award recognizes franchisees for elevating the Goddard School brand, reputation and business performance through outstanding achievements in education and operational delivery. The Circle of Excellence program represents the very best of the system and reflects Goddard’s mission and values.

January 2004 - January 2005

CAROUSEL CUP

The Carousel Cup was presented annually to Goddard School franchisees who best epitomized the true philosophy and spirit of the Goddard School to parents, children and community.

January 2000 - January 2001

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

The Rookie of the Year Award recognizes the rookie Goddard School that has met the highest standards in the areas of overall quality, health & safety, curriculum and business operations.

January 1997 - January 1998

Ready To Learn More?

Discover what makes Goddard extraordinary.