The Beddow Schools is a private school in Maryland serving elementary school through high school with campuses in Prince George's and Charles counties: a secondary school in the Accokeek census-designated place and primary schools in the Fort Washington and Waldorf CDPs.
the campuses had 25 employees and 200 students combined.[1] In 2008 there were 40 students in the secondary grades.[2]
Trudy Beddow, the founder of the school system, had a background in education as a history teacher within the Montgomery County Public Schools system, specifically at a school near Silver Spring. Her tenure in this role ended in 1966 when she was dismissed by the school's principal. Beddow attributed her departure to her dissatisfaction with what she described as the conservative atmosphere of the school, which she felt stifled her educational approach and philosophies.
Following her departure from the school, Beddow transitioned to working as an assistant producer on the popular quiz show It's Academic. This experience in a different field likely contributed to her decision to pursue a new direction in education. Motivated by her passion for teaching and a desire to create a learning environment more aligned with her educational values, Beddow established her own school around 1974. The school began in a modest setting—initially holding classes in the family room of her house. This grassroots beginning marked the start of what would grow into a more structured and independent educational institution under her leadership.
the secondary school relies on administrators to provide counseling to students in regards to their post-high school university, college, or career choices, as the secondary division is, as stated by David Anderson of The Gazette, "tiny".[3]
all of the students in the secondary division graduate.[3] about 90% of the graduating students attend post-secondary institutions.[1]
The three campuses are:[4] Fort Washington Montessori School in Fort Washington census-designated place,[5] Waldorf Montessori School in Waldorf CDP,[6] and Accokeek College Preparatory School in Accokeek CDP.
The Accokeek campus has 7acres of land.[7] Originally the students did physical education in the school's driveway or at a nearby park. The first gymnasium for the property, with a cost of $1.2 million, was due to break ground around 2008.[2]
Prior to 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau defined the land that the Waldorf Campus occupies as being in the St. Charles CDP.[8] [9]