Harford Day School

What Harford Day School does

Harford Day School is a nonprofit independent school serving preschool (age 3) through Grade 8 on a single 12-acre campus at 715 Moores Mill Road, Bel Air, Maryland. Founded in 1957 and led since 2019 by Head of School Susan Bond Kearney (eighth head), the school holds AIMS accreditation and NAIS membership, and is the only PK3-Grade 8 independent school in Harford County with AIMS credentialing. Programs are organized into Little Dragons (preschool, ages 3-4), K-Prep, Lower School (K-Grade 5), and Middle School (Grades 6-8) with an 8:1 student-teacher ratio, average class size of 15, and sequential STEM curriculum anchored by a dedicated Innovation Lab (robotics, coding, 3D printing) and 1:1 iPad deployment. Co-curricular offerings include 8 interscholastic athletic teams across 5 sports (MIAA conference), arts, theater, field studies, and a Grade 8 Capstone Project.

The revenue model is primarily tuition-driven ($10,050 to $24,790 annual tuition across programs for 2026-2027), supplemented by the $500,000-goal Blue and Green Annual Fund, Extended Day after-school care ($2,350-$3,750/year or $30/day drop-in), Summer smARTS enrichment ($350/week, MSDE-licensed), and facility rentals on the campus. Pricing includes a sliding-scale Indexed Tuition program via Clarity ($8,448-$18,504), merit awards, military discounts of $1,000, and named scholarships (Mignon Cameron, Ventaja, Mannion, Growing Minds). The go-to-market is a structured six-step admissions process (inquiry via Veracross portal, campus visit, application Nov 1 - Feb 2, classroom visit, assessment, committee review with rolling admissions thereafter), supported by First Fridays, private tours, Spring Open House, and Preschool Prep Courses. Technology stack includes Veracross (admissions/portal), Clarity (financial aid), and CampBrain (program registration); no AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

The institution employs 59 staff and reports $650,000 in graduating 8th-grade high school scholarships and a 95% first-choice high school acceptance rate, with alumni feeding competitive Baltimore-area secondary schools (Gilman, St. Paul's, Calvert Hall, Bryn Mawr, McDonogh, John Carroll, Roland Park Country School). Recent strategic moves include the launch of a multi-year Campus Master Plan, deployment of Indexed Tuition, military/CCA accessibility partnerships, and the operational launch of Summer smARTS — all within a stable, geographically concentrated Harford County catchment.

Name

Harford Day School

Legal name

Harford Day School

Website

https://harfordday.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)

Keywords

• Private school education
• Preschool programs
• Elementary education
• Middle school programs
• After-school care

Headquarters

HQ city

Bel Air

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for preschool through Grade 8 education. Multiple program options with varying schedules and pricing tiers. Annual tuition ranges from $10,050 (Little Dragons 3 Half Days) to $24,790 (Grades 6-8).
2. Blue and Green Fund (Annual Fund): Annual fundraising campaign with goal of $500,000 supporting teacher salaries, classroom supplies, special programs, arts, athletics, technology, field studies, and financial assistance. Supported by current and past parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, and friends.
3. Extended Day Program: After-school care program from dismissal until 5:30 PM. Contract options include pickup by 4:30 PM ($2,350/year) or 5:30 PM ($3,750/year). Also offers drop-in care at $30/day.
4. Summer smARTS Program: Summer enrichment program serving children age 3 through 8th grade with weekly sessions. Rate of $350/week with $100 non-refundable deposit. Licensed by Maryland State Department of Education Office of Child Care.
5. Facility Rentals: 12-acre campus rental opportunities for athletic teams, performances, camps, workshops, and special events. Spaces include rear fields, field house, multi-purpose room, library/media room, middle school commons, and preschool building.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Harford Day School is a private independent, nonprofit school offering education for children from preschool age 3 through Grade 8 on a 12-acre campus in Bel Air, Maryland. The school's core offerings include Little Dragons preschool, K-Prep, Lower School (K-5), and Middle School (6-8), complemented by athletics, STEM via an Innovation Lab, arts, extended day after-school care, and Summer smARTS enrichment programs. The school also provides indexed tuition financial aid, merit scholarships, and military discounts to broaden access.

Product overview

Harford Day School is an independent private school offering Preschool through Grade 8 education on a 12-acre campus in Bel Air, Maryland. The school's product portfolio includes: Little Dragons (preschool for ages 3-4) and K-Prep programs; Lower School (Kindergarten through Grade 5) with emphasis on foundational literacy and math skills; Middle School (Grades 6-8) with leadership development and capstone projects; Athletics with 8 teams in 5 sports; STEM program featuring the Innovation Lab with robotics, coding, and 3D printing; Summer smARTS enrichment camps; Extended Day after-school care; and Student Life programs including arts, theater, and field experiences. The school also offers Indexed Tuition financial assistance and multiple scholarship programs. Technology infrastructure includes Veracross for admissions/portal, Clarity for tuition applications, and CampBrain for program registration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Little Dragons (Preschool)

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of students accepted to first-choice high school
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AIMS (Association of Independent Maryland/DC Schools)coreOthersAccrediting body for independent schools in Maryland and Washington DC. Harford Day School is accredited by AIMS, the only PK3 to Grade 8 independent school in Harford County with this accreditation.
• NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)coreOthersNational membership organization for nonprofit private independent schools. Harford Day School is a member of NAIS, which defines private independent schools as nonprofit institutions independent in philosophy and managed independently with board governance.
• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationSecure online financial application platform used for Harford Day's Indexed Tuition program. Provides standardized methodology to objectively assess what families can afford for tuition.
• Child Care Aware of AmericaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMilitary child care support organization. Harford Day works with CCA to help military families take advantage of benefits related to Little Dragons, K-Prep, Extended Day, and Summer programs.
• MIAA (Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association)minorOthersInterscholastic athletic conference for Maryland private schools. Harford Day competes against a variety of Baltimore private schools in 5 sports through MIAA.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Bryn Mawr School: Independent K-12 girls' day school in Baltimore. AIMS accredited, NAIS member, and a placement school for Harford Day alumni; competes for the same Harford County families seeking elite private education.
• Roland Park Country School: Independent K-12 girls' day school in Baltimore. AIMS accredited, NAIS member, and a documented Harford Day placement school that competes for Harford County families.
• The John Carroll School: Catholic independent high school in Bel Air, MD — geographically the closest direct competitor for Harford County families seeking private education, and a documented Harford Day placement destination.
• Boys' Latin School of Maryland: Independent K-12 boys' day school in Baltimore. AIMS accredited, NAIS member, and a regional competitor for Harford County families seeking private K-12 education.
• Calvert Hall College High School: Catholic independent high school in Baltimore, MIAA athletic conference peer of Harford Day. Competes for Harford County families at the high school level and is a documented Harford Day placement destination.
• Gilman School: Independent K-12 boys' day school in Baltimore, AIMS accredited and NAIS member. Competes for the same high-achieving Harford County families Harford Day feeds, and is a primary placement destination for Harford Day graduates.
• St. Paul's School: Independent K-12 boys' day school in Brooklandville, MD. AIMS accredited, NAIS member, and a primary Harford Day graduate placement school; competes for the same feeder families in Harford County.

Direct peers

• McDonogh School: Private independent PK-12 day school in the greater Baltimore area, accredited by AIMS and member of NAIS. Direct comparable in mission, governance structure, and target demographic of Harford County and Baltimore metro families seeking PK-8/12 independent education.
• Park School of Baltimore: Independent PK-12 progressive day school in Brooklandville serving Baltimore metro families. Comparable in independent PK-12 structure, NAIS membership, and progressive pedagogy emphasis.
• Friends School of Baltimore: Independent PK-12 Quaker day school in Baltimore serving families across the Baltimore metro area. Comparable in independent school governance (NAIS member, AIMS accredited), PK-12 scope, and tuition range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/harford-day-school

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harford Day School