Preschool
Ages 3-6First reading, writing, and speaking in Russian through play, using the Lomonosov School (Moscow) curriculum.
Russian School Erudite
Keep the family language alive
For eleven years we have helped children who are growing up American keep their Russian: the language of home, the books, the songs, and the holidays. Come learn with us on Saturdays.
since 2015 nonprofit school ages 3 to 17 Saturdays 9 to 3 Kensington, MD
Photo
Photo: children in a bright Saturday classroom, a teacher mid-lesson, hands raised and eager.
At a glance
Erudite at a glance
11 yearsTeaching families since day one
Since 2015A nonprofit school in Maryland
40+ teachersCredentialed and caring
Ages 3 to 17From first words to college prep
Saturdays 9 to 3One full, joyful school day
Kensington, MDSilver Creek Middle School
Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year is open.
About our school
About our school
Erudite is a nonprofit Russian language, educational, and cultural center for children of Russian-speaking families across the DC metro. We teach the language of home, its literature, and the traditions that go with it, so that a child raised in English still grows up fluent, well-read, and at ease in Russian.
We also welcome families who are new to Russian. Our Russian-as-a-foreign-language classes start from the very first word, with methods built for second-language learners.
Inna Hart founded the school in 2015 to give US-raised children a warm place to keep their family language. Eleven years later, that mission is unchanged.
Children forget the family language with extraordinary ease. Preserving it takes systematic teaching, sound programs, talented teachers, and a warm place to belong.
Academic programs
Academic programs
A clear course of study from preschool through the teenage years, so every child moves forward with materials matched to their age and level.
Elementary
Grades 1-4A heritage program: grammar, classic children's literature, Slavic history, folklore, and traditions, drawing on beloved children's readers.
Middle & High School
Grades 5-11Classic and modern literature, history, composition, and grammar, using literary readers and grammar materials adapted for bilingual learners.
Exam Prep & Heritage
TeensA Russian Cultural and Historical Heritage course, plus preparation for AP Russian, NEWL, and the ACTR Olympiada.
Russian as a Foreign Language
BeginnersFor children with no prior Russian, taught with methods built for second-language learners.
Kazakh & Other Languages
Children & adultsKazakh for children and adults, with other languages added when there is enough demand.
Enrichment and clubs
Enrichment and clubs
A whole childhood under one roof: after the core lessons, children choose the studio or club that lights them up.
Theater & Puppet Theater
A studio led by a VGIK-trained director using the Stanislavski system.
Music & Choir
Singing, instruments, and the school anthem.
Art & Crafts
Painting, drawing, and hands-on making.
Dance
Movement and folk dance.
Chess
From first moves to tournament play.
STEM, Robotics & Coding
FIRST LEGO League, Lego robotics, Python, Scratch, and the "Kangaroo" math competition.
Film Studio
Cinematography and film-making.
Speech & Early Development
Speech-language support and early-childhood programs.
Our approach
Our approach
How we teach is as important as what we teach. Six ideas guide every Saturday.
Built for bilingual children
We teach Russian as a heritage and second language, not the way a monolingual classroom in Moscow would. The methods fit the children we actually have.
Every child is talented
There are no hopeless students. A teacher's job is to find the key to each child and turn it.
Learning through play and art
Language sticks through games, theater, music, and culture, not through drills and fear of a red pen.
A warm, safe, respectful place
Kindness, tolerance, and non-violence are the ground rules. Children should want to come back.
More than language
Music, theater, chess, STEM, and the arts live here too, so a child grows in every direction, not just in grammar.
Culture and community
Holidays, concerts, festivals, excursions, and competitions bring our families together across the DC area.
A Saturday at Erudite
A Saturday at Erudite
One full school day, from a warm welcome at the door to a happy pickup at three.
Doors open, arrival and warm welcome.
- 9:15 to 11:30
Core lessons: Russian language, reading, and literature by age and level.
- 11:30 to 12:15
Lunch and a break to run around. Hot lunch is available at school.
- 12:15 to 2:45
Enrichment blocks: theater, music, art, dance, chess, and STEM.
- 2:45 to 3:00
Wrap-up, and see you next Saturday.
Hot lunches are sold at school and are not part of tuition. Please pick up on time: late pickup after 15 minutes is $10.
Map
Map: Silver Creek Middle School, 3701 Saul Rd, Kensington, MD 20895, with parking and the main entrance marked.
3701 Saul Rd, Kensington, MD 20895
Meet our teachers
Meet our teachers
The people who will spend Saturdays with your child: experienced, credentialed, and genuinely fond of kids.
Photo
Portrait: Inna Hart, founder and principal, warm and welcoming.
Inna HartИнна Борисовна Харт
Founder and Principal
A philologist with more than 30 years teaching Russian and English. She founded Erudite to help US-raised children keep their family language, and previously directed the Russian School "Olymp" in Potomac from 2007 to 2014.
Photo
Portrait: Marianna Lanzo, academic vice principal.
Marianna LanzoМарианна Валерьевна Ланцо
Academic Vice Principal
A specialist in Russian as a foreign language, a 2000 honors graduate of Moscow State Pedagogical University, with 15 years of teaching experience.
Photo
Portrait: Larissa Ortunio, financial director.
Larissa OrtunioЛариса Константиновна Ортунио
Financial Director
Twelve years as deputy director at School "Olymp." She meets families with a smile on Saturday mornings.
Photo
Portrait: Marina Pogosova, board member and extracurricular coordinator.
Marina PogosovaМарина Вениаминовна Погосова
Board Member and Extracurricular Coordinator
An M.A. in History and a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology, with more than 20 years of teaching. She created the "Introduction to Paintings" art-and-language project.
Photo
Portrait: Nataliya Grishina, additional education and math program director.
Nataliya GrishinaНаталия Александровна Гришина
Additional Education and Math Program Director
A physicist from Kazan State University. She has led FIRST LEGO League teams and the International "Kangaroo" math competition since 2012.
40+teachers
Behind our leadership stand 40 or more teachers, including a theater-studio director trained at VGIK in the Stanislavski system, and a senior teacher recognized in Moscow for top Russian-language exam results.
School life and events
School life and events
A school is also a place to belong. Across the year our families gather again and again.
Photo
Photo: children performing at the New Year concert, costumes and lights.
New Year celebration
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Photo: a Women's Day concert, flowers and songs for moms and grandmothers.
International Women's Day
Photo
Photo: hands-on experiments at Science Day.
Science Day
Photo
Photo: a creative report on stage, families in the audience.
Concerts and creative reports
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Photo: parents visiting an open class, children at their desks.
Open classes for parents
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Photo: focused faces at a chess tournament.
Chess tournaments
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Photo: students at the "Kangaroo" math competition.
The "Kangaroo" math competition
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Photo: the family picnic on the lawn, games and smiles.
Family picnic
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Photo: the Last Bell ceremony, graduates with ribbons.
Last Bell ceremony
Voices and reviews
Voices and reviews
Our teachers say it best. If your family knows Erudite, we would be grateful for a word from you.
All children are talented and gifted. A teacher's task is to find the right key to each child.
Enroll for 2026-2027
Enroll for 2026-2027
Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year is open. Joining takes three simple steps.
1
Register
Fill out the school application form. It takes only a few minutes.
2
Pay tuition
Pay by card or bank through Zeffy, by personal check payable to "Russian School Erudite," or by cash.
3
See you Saturday
Come in, meet your teacher, and start the year with us.
Card
Bank
Check
Cash
- Tuition is accepted in the first two weeks of each month.
- Pay monthly, by semester, or for the full year.
- The registration fee is non-refundable.
- Financial-hardship discounts are available with documentation.
- Late pickup after 15 minutes is $10.
- Hot lunches are sold at school and are not part of tuition.
Visit us and get in touch
Visit us and get in touch
Have a question, or want to see a Saturday for yourself? Come by, call, or write. We would love to meet your family.
Campus
Silver Creek Middle School, 3701 Saul Rd, Kensington, MD 20895
Mailing address
4104 Chippendale Ct, Rockville, MD 20853
Online office
Zoom office ID 857 7070 1567, passcode ERUDITE
Hours
Saturdays, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Service area
Montgomery County, Maryland and the Greater Washington area
Map
Map: Silver Creek Middle School, 3701 Saul Rd, Kensington, MD, with a pin on the main entrance.
Visit us this Saturday.