As the Highlands School enters its 30th year, Head of School Claudia Nachtigal talked with Harco City Lifestyle about the joint investment between the community and the school and the lasting impact of a Highlands School education.
Please share a brief overview of The Highlands School:
The Highlands School was founded 30 years ago in response to a very real and unmet need in our community: bright, capable children who were not thriving in traditional classrooms because of language-based learning differences. From the beginning, Highlands was built on the belief that how students learn matters just as much as what they learn. The school was intentionally designed to provide structured literacy, small class sizes, and explicit instruction in executive functioning. That foundational commitment remains at the heart of who we are today.
Highlands is entering its 30th year---when you look back, what stands out most about the way this community has consistently invested in the school over the decades?
What stands out most is the consistency and loyalty of that investment. Highlands has grown not because of a single benefactor or defining moment, but because families, educators, and community members have shown up year after year, often quietly and without fanfare. Many supporters were first introduced to Highlands through a board member, a child they knew, a family connection, or a personal understanding of learning differences. Those relationships built trust. Trust grew into belief. That belief became long-term commitment.
Highlands has never received government funding, yet it has thrived for three decades. What do you think that says about the power of local, mission-driven investment in education?
Highlands has thrived by teaching students how to learn, even when it has not always thrived financially. The school is here today because when a community deeply understands and believes in a mission, it chooses to protect and sustain it. Highlands exists because families and supporters choose it, not because it is mandated or subsidized. That kind of investment is intentional and values-based. It reflects trust in the school’s educators and outcomes and underscores the idea that meaningful educational innovation often begins at the local level.
Much of the community’s support has come from Harford County businesses, civic leaders, and philanthropic partners. How have those relationships shaped the school’s growth and stability over time?
Highlands’ growth and stability have been shaped largely by the support of the local business community and philanthropic partners. Many business owners in Harford County have personal experience with learning differences, and research continues to show a strong connection between dyslexic thinking and entrepreneurship. Having struggled in traditional academic settings themselves, these leaders recognize the need for a school that teaches students how to learn.
That shared understanding has translated into more than financial support. Business leaders have served as advocates, champions, and connectors, helping raise visibility, strengthen credibility, and sustain the school through challenging economic periods. Their partnership has allowed Highlands to invest strategically in people, programs, and facilities that directly benefit students. Ultimately, this support reflects a shared belief that investing in Highlands is an investment in both students and the future workforce of Harford County.
Beyond financial support, what does “investment” look like in day-to-day terms--relationships, trust, and shared belief in the school’s mission?
Investment shows up most clearly in relationships. It looks like families trusting us with their children, educators committing deeply to their craft, alumni and their parents staying connected, and community members continuing to champion the school. In many ways, it is similar to the idea of six degrees of separation. Once you begin tracing connections to The Highlands School, you quickly see how far its impact reaches across our county.
That web of relationships fosters a collective willingness to do what is best for students, even when it is hard or requires sacrifice. This kind of relational investment creates a culture of trust and hope, and that culture is foundational to meaningful, lasting student growth.
Highlands places a strong emphasis on how students learn through structured literacy, executive-function development, and individualized instruction.
Why is investing in learning processes--not just outcomes--so critical for long-term success?
For 30 years, The Highlands School has remained steadfast in its commitment to structured literacy delivered in small, 3:1 instructional groups. This model is expensive. On average, it costs approximately $10,000 more per student than our tuition covers. Yet we continue to invest in it because the evidence of its effectiveness is clear in our students’ outcomes.
When students understand how they learn, they develop independence, resilience, and confidence. They gain tools they can apply across subjects and settings long after they leave Highlands. By investing in learning processes, not just short-term results, we are building skills for life and setting students up for sustained success.
When you think about return on investment, what changes do you see most clearly in students--academically, emotionally, and in their confidence as learners?
The most visible change is confidence. Students who once believed they were “bad at school” or “dumb” begin to see themselves as capable learners. Academically, we see growth in reading, writing, and organization. Just as important, we see students take intellectual risks, advocate for themselves, and engage more fully in learning. That emotional shift often becomes the turning point in a child’s educational journey.
How does that investment ripple outward to families, particularly across generations, as parents watch their children develop stronger study habits and a healthier relationship with learning?
When one child’s experience changes, an entire family’s story begins to change. We hear this consistently from parents and siblings. Homes that were once defined by nightly homework battles and tears become places of connection, conversation, and calm. Parents stop bracing themselves for schoolwork and start enjoying their children again.
When a child who has carried years of academic shame begins to understand how they learn, something profound happens. Confidence replaces fear. Hope replaces frustration. This shift reaches far beyond study habits or grades. It reshapes a child’s sense of self. When a child stops believing they are broken and starts believing they are capable, it does not just change their education. It changes the trajectory of an entire family.
As Highlands looks toward its next 30 years, how do you hope the community continues to invest--and what do you believe that long-term commitment can make possible for the next generation of learners?
The Highlands School is in a remarkable season. Enrollment is strong, our workplace culture is thriving, and our financial position has changed dramatically. My hope is that we move beyond simply sustaining the school year to year and instead secure its future in perpetuity.
Over the past 30 years, countless lives in Harford County have been changed because Highlands exists. The opportunity before us now is to ensure that this remains true not just for today’s students, but for generations to come.
Anything else you’d like readers to know:
If one in five students has a learning difference, that means roughly 7,500 to 8,100 students in Harford County could benefit from a Highlands-style learning model. That is exactly why we exist. Each year, we provide approximately $450,000 in financial assistance to help make this education accessible to families. If you know a child who may benefit from a school that truly understands how they learn, we encourage you to reach out. Highlands is here to help.
From the beginning, Highlands was built on the belief that how students learn matters just as much as what they learn.
Highlands has grown not because of a single benefactor or defining moment, but because families, educators, and community members have shown up year after year...