History of The Highlands School
The Highlands School is an independent, non-profit school located in Harford County that was established to remediate students with learning differences who struggled to learn by conventional teaching methods. The children who enrolled in our school were not achieving academically at their grade level and/or manifested difficulties in one or more areas of skill development, including language, reading and spelling, perceptual-motor integration, and organization/study skills. It was and continues to be The Highlands School’s goal to help each student discover how he/she learns and help facilitate academic growth.
The School is approved by the Maryland State Board of Education and offers a full-time school-year program and a five-week summer program. We are members of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS).
For 11 years we were located in the quiet, rural community of Street, Maryland, approximately ten miles north of Bel Air, Maryland, and about five miles south of York County, Pennsylvania. The Highlands School was housed in an old, traditional school building, the former Highland Elementary School. We occupied the six classrooms on the third floor of the building with a capacity to serve approximately 40 students.
The Highlands School was incorporated on November 22, 1993, and received its 501(c)(3) status on February 27, 1996. We opened in September 1996, for fourth through eighth grades (4-8) with an enrollment of six students. In 1997-98 we more than doubled enrollment, added third grade, and initiated a summer and a part-time school year program, as well as our regular full-time school year program. In the 1998-99 school year, we served 32 students in second through eighth grades (2-8). With the opening of our fourth classroom in January 2000, we were at capacity for the Street facility.
Beginning in September 2007, we relocated to our new facility at 2409 Creswell Road in Bel Air, Maryland. Our 40,000 sq. ft. facility sits on 18.5 acres of farmland rich in horse breeding, training, and racing history. Our school can now accommodate up to 120 students for the school year program and fifty students for the summer program.
In September 2010, The Highlands School received the prestigious Harford Award for Nonprofit of the Year.
In the 2014-2015 school year, we introduced an Upper School to our program offerings. We began with ninth grade and added tenth grade during the 2015-2016 academic year. In the spring of 2016, we received approval from the Maryland State Department of Education to add grades eleven and twelve which occurred in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years respectively.
During the 2021-2022 school year, The Highlands School decided to return to our original mission and focus on the students in grades K-8. Our last graduating class was in 2024.
The Highlands School serves the geographical area of northeast Maryland (Harford County, Cecil County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County). The school also serves students from southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Jersey.
Explore, Learn and Discover
We invite you to spend some time exploring our website. We are confident that you will find Highlands to be a vibrant school community. During the school year, we have a full academic program that provides our students with a complete classroom experience as well as small-group instruction. We also offer a homeschool extension program for homeschool students who need support in phonics, reading comprehension, and math. In addition to classroom and small group instruction, options for on-site tutoring are available. There are many opportunities for experiential learning including our Hands-On-Highlands Program that engages students in a multidisciplinary technical education. During the summer Highlands continues to bustle with our popular Mind Jump Summer Academic Program. Outside of the classroom students have the opportunity to become involved in activities such as our Musical, Chorus, Robotics, Science Projects, Pep Squad, Basketball team, Arts in the Afternoon, field trips, and much more!
At Highlands, we challenge our students by utilizing research-based teaching methods that work. Students receive individualized instruction and are taught using multiple modalities in a safe, caring, and supportive environment. Our goal is to unlock our students’ potential, thus giving them the confidence they need to pursue their dreams and passions. For over 25 years, our dedicated and talented faculty members have helped more than 2000 students by empowering them with the tools they needed for personal and academic success.
“Discover Yourself. Achieve Success. Inspire the World.” There is no better way to understand the “Highlands Way” than to experience it. Come join us for a visit to see what The Highlands School is all about!
