Mount Daniel School

If there could be more stars, I would give it a 10. I have two special needs sons, one progressed from beginning at Mount Daniel well below average to above average academically when he graduated 1st grade. The level of dedication the staff, teachers, active awesome Principal Halayko is a testament of what a utopia of a little school it is. Wonderful field trips, strong school pride and my children were absolutely happy there.
—Submitted by a parent

2 of our 3 children are at Mt. Daniel & we love the school. Mrs. Halayko is a wonderful principal who seems to keep complete order in her school, but always is smiling. She knows all the kids by name & greets them in the morning. Most of the teachers are excellent too (& it seems that the ones that are not up to Mt. Daniel standards don't stay around too long). Parents are extremely involved in everything at Mt. Daniel too. Adds to the great education our kids get because they can help fill any gaps & it also leads to a great sense of community. We highly recommend the school!
—Submitted by a parent

This is an all right school, it definitely does the job for state department families in need of a temporary school for their children. The facilities are nice, the faculty is competent, (other than one grouchy, not-too-bright secretary) and overall we have been happy. I am a little disappointed that the quality of the education wasn't better. My son likes Mt. Daniel a lot, but I have noticed a bit of a decline in his work since we moved here. It's only first grade, so it's not like it's the end of the world, but his handwriting is a lot sloppier than it was at his previous school, possibly because his new teacher does not demand the same quality of work. Ditto for the spelling and reading, specifically the phonics.
—Submitted by a parent

My brother works at the school and really loves what he does and everyone who he works with.

Mt Daniel has surpassed our expectations. My 5 year old started kindergarten this year after 2 years in a Montessori program, The transition has been seamless. His reading and math skills have continued to flourish and he has developed great problem solving skills. He continues to impress me with the strength of his questions and interests. His teacher Ms Hof and Ms Wakely are responsive and nurturing. I love that the school is only PK, K and 1st grades. It promotes an atmosphere that allows the kids to stay young and innocent just a bit longer. The one downside is our son will only have two years with Ms Halayko, the wonderful principal. She is very active and addresses each student by first name within the first few weeks. The PTA is engaging, involved and the meetings are open. While attending meetings I wasn t pressured or bombarded to join any committees and really felt included. I like that the PTA is split between the lower grades (K-4) and the upper (5-12) so the meetings are focused on my immediate interests.
—Submitted by a parent

Mount Daniel is a wonderful, small school. It goes from Pre-K to First grade, then 2nd graders transfer to Thomas Jefferson (TJ). The teachers are very involved with the kids and so are the parents. Very organized and the school is pretty good at keeping parents up to date. I love the fact that the kids are able to get plenty of one on one time with their teachers, and the school really works hard to make sure the teachers meet the childrens' needs. Drop off is an options and the school does an excellent job in controlling the flow of traffic and making sure the kids make it safely to the classroom and each child is greeted by their name. Bus service is also available. I would recommend Mount Daniel to any parent.
—Submitted by a parent