Naval Academy Primary School

My son is in kindergarten and this is our first year. Overall, this is a wonderful & nurturing little school with a caring staff & a small teacher:student ratio. It's also one of the most affordable schools in Annapolis. PROS: Very small classes mean that your kid gets a lot of attention; multiple recesses so the kids are moving around a lot (great for restless boys, especially); good communication between staff and parents; lots of chances for parents to get involved. I disagree with the reviews that said there are no after-school activities--there are many available, but you have to pay more. Before- & after-care are also available. They have mandatory music (chorus), French, and P.E. classes (P.E. teachers are wonderful!) CONS: a lack of ethnic diversity (probably the blondest school I have ever encountered!); curb-side drop-off/pick-up makes it harder to meet other parents (hopefully you have a good room parent who organizes events); French is the only language currently available (they have plans to change this in coming years; supposed to be a secular school, but the kids say grace before meals & participate in a Christian Christmas pageant. Wonderful school, overall!
—Submitted by a parent

I can't even begin to express how wonderful this school is to our family! The faculty and staff are the most nurturing and loving people to all the children! The only downside is it ends at fifth grade!
—Submitted by a parent

We are new arrivals at this school and were very excited to start given many of the previous review. We could not be more disappointed with this school. The "Mayberry" comment is rubbish. This is a school that plays favorites, is unaccepting of new families, employs teachers that don't have teaching degrees and is UNACCREDITED. My children aren't learning anything extraordinary And the way the teachers speak to the students makes my toes curl. In short, look elsewhere!
—Submitted by a parent

NAPS is a small but close knit community. Our children are so happy here. There are limited musical options, sports, and things of that nature and everything seems to cost extra. However, the location, staff and teachers make up for it ten fold. The Director is open minded to all suggestions; bringing in new excited and well educated teachers and technology have really improved the learning environment. Parents are encouraged to come into the classroom and help with projects, parties, and on field trips. Love this little school.
—Submitted by a parent

NAPS has been a wonderful place for my children.I have spent a lot of time at the school and I am more and more impressed as the years go on. I would recommend it to anyone who wants their children taught common courteousy and the 3 R's. Absolutely worth the money.
—Submitted by a parent

I feel very fortunate that we have an affordable and excellent school like NAPS that we area able to attend.
—Submitted by a parent

In reading the previous reviews I was curious to see that 8 of the most recent were written within 3 days of each other and 5 on the very same day. Looking at the time spread of the other reviews this seems suspicious. However - I could not disagree with the reviews stating a "nurturing" environment. My child was very unhappy at this school, learned very little and was afraid of the adminstration. Quote " the teachers here are the meanest people". From the mouths of babes.
—Submitted by a parent

CON: Small school, no band option-music program only, small gym, fundraising, no auditorium. PRO: Small classes, lots of 1 on 1 time, foreign language, music, fantastic PE teachers, specialists available, less $ than many of the private schools, good kids with healthy upbringing, fun family events, opportunities to get involved, car line, affordable before/after school care, staff/teachers available to parents, and great location! Very pleased with the NAPS office staff, all the ladies are easy to work with, and always flexible. Both teachers and staff are really amazing women that love what they do and the children they have in their charge. We are blessed to have such a positive learning environment for our child.
—Submitted by a parent

NAPS is a modern day version of Mayberry! The idyllic location, nurturing atmosphere and varied curriculum offer students of all kinds a solid base upon which to build. Both of my children attended from pre-school through fifth grade and were fully prepared for middle school. The staff is eager to help each child succeed and will work closely with parents to meet that end. One of my kids needed time to percolate and repeated Kindergarten. I have never regretted the decision and I appreciated an atmosphere that put the needs of the child above the ego of the parent! The other child required some subject based tutoring and his teacher and the onsite resource teacher worked with me to ensure his success. Children are taught respect for adults, classmates, and country. My whole famiy has extremely fond memories of this loving, happy school.
—Submitted by a parent

NAPS does a great job, not only in educating our children (I am constantly amazed at the material our kids are learning) but in nurturing them as well. The staff never forgets that these are little kids, and childhood is a magical time.
—Submitted by a parent

There isn't a more nurturing place to educate your children in the area! Small class sizes enable teachers to really get to know each child, offering lots of personal attention, and "old fashioned" ideals like respecting others, saying the Pledge, and being part of a community are an important part of the curriculum. NAPS is an outstanding school!
—Submitted by a parent

The school is absolutely wonderful. Honestly, the staff knows all the children. The class sizes are small about 15 on average and the curriculum is top notch.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is an amazing example of excellence. There are so many opportunities to become "apart" of this school and the communication with parents is excellent. The quality of teachers is TOP NOTCH! I have boys, so I welcome the help with kind and thoughtful discipline & our teacher's communication about issues in the classroom have always been thoughtful and considerate. We are very happy to be a NAPS family!
—Submitted by a parent

NAPS is an all around great school with wonderful administration and family support for both military and civilian families.
—Submitted by a parent

This is our 7th year with children at NAPS. We are very happy and pleased with both the curriculum and staff. The size of the classes allows for the perfect balance of teacher/student, teacher/parent interaction. The communication is strong, especially coming from the school. We are always kept abreast of the events and activities going on. The school is not Christian based however they continue to say the pledge of allegiance in the morning and prayers before meal times. This is something that public schools should have never gotten away from. The school offers an enviroment that is safe, nurtures the children both scholastically and mentally. The leadership at the school is strong and very professional. We will be sad when our last child completes NAPS.
—Submitted by a parent

NAPS is a wonderful school with caring staff and teachers. The classroom sizes are small, and serving the USNA and military families is a special honor. The children receive individualized attention, positive encouragement, and good instruction in the basic fundamentals.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree 100% with the last review: very involved parents, but unfortunately is not a positive and happy environment.
—Submitted by a parent

There are two things I can say about this school: the parents are very involved and the administration and teachers do not demonstrate a positive and happy environment.
—Submitted by a parent

The parents and families at this school are very involved. There are numerous fund raisers throughout the year. It is very focused on standardized test scores and hold children back who do not meet expectations in certain subjects. The administration has fostered an atmosphere of discipline over nurture. I have personally witnessed teachers speaking to children in a very unkind and unprofessional manner including my child's current teacher. We will be seeking out other options for next year.
—Submitted by a parent

The school is absolutely wonderful. Honestly, the staff knows all the children. The class sizes are small about 15 on average and the curriculum is top notch.
—Submitted by a parent