I see people write this frequently where I wish I can give no stars. We are no longer at this…read morelocation but I would delete my previous review when was nearly 4 years ago. They were amazing then and now with a new head for a year all students have left for harassment issues, poor care of children, and confrontation with parents. Most of the guides have left too.

This is such a wonderful Montessori school! We highly recommend it…read more Our daughter previously attended a large Montessori school in bustling NYC for two years. Being used to the eclectic and energetic vibes of city life, we had inhibitions in how she would take to attending such a small and quiet school. Along with her previous classmates and guides, she was used to walking the streets of Brooklyn, taking the ferry to Manhattan, and walking to various public parks. When we arrived to see Guidepost Montessori at Fairfax, we were struck by its quaintness. The children have their own play area in the back of the schoolhouse, surrounded by a picket fence. It is intimate, yet spacious enough for all of the children to enjoy. The school is very clean and organized. The classrooms are set up in typical Montessori fashion, with the added charm of displayed artwork made by the pupils. The faculty takes the time to decorate for the seasons and holidays. The most charming and wonderful aspect of this school is the faculty. From the Head of School, the Administrative Director, to the Lead Guides, Assistant Guides and After School guides, everyone is kind, caring, patient and gentle, and respectful. They immediately treated our family as one of their own. They are the reason our daughter loves going to school each day. She has flourished under their care and guidance and we cannot thank them enough.

This school is a perfect fit for us. Montessori calm, Montessori materials and teachers, wonderful…read moreshady playground, challenging and fun every day, flexible and laid back while still buttoned up. We love it and recommend it whenever anyone is looking for a school in this area.

Our son has been with Roshini since he was 6 months old, and we've been so happy that we plan to…read moresend our second child there too. The entire team truly cares for the kids like their own, and our son loves spending time with his teachers and Duminda. Even more importantly, he's excited to go to school every day. What's most impressive is how much he's learned at such a young age. He's already doing addition and subtraction and is using phonics and sight words to read "I Can Read: Biscuit" books at home. A warm, nurturing environment that builds a genuine love of learning, we couldn't ask for more.

This home daycare has been a nightmare for our son and for us…read more We all know that is hard to find a daycare to move the child right away if something is wrong. Well, they take advantage of that and they don't deliver what they promise. Our son was so happy he did not go anymore and feeling safe again, he told us that he was repeatedly hit over the head, his hair was pulled and yelled at by Duminda, Roshini, the mother in law and Angie, the teacher. After telling us, it confirmed what we suspected. There was lack of transparency; multiple times there was only one 20 years some old girl taking care of 12 children. Roshini was never there and busy opening a different daycare location. Duminda was seen driving around town for personal business, leaving at home only the mother in law to take care of 12 kids, which she was seen always seating because of her age. Very frustrated regarding these people that are pathological liars and physically and verbally abused our son. Our son mentions everyday about being abused; it breaks our heart !

MSO was my son's first school, where he attended from age 3 until kindergarten for three years…read more All the staff are so lovely and caring toward each child. We had such a wonderful experience here, my son felt so loved that he still misses this school! They focus a lot on hands which really helped my son develop his sensory skills and fine motor muscles. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a true Montessori education for their child.

I have been a part of MSO for 30+ years, as a parent, school staff, and as a grandparent. I have…read moreseen many children and families and can attest to the wonderful outcomes. The children truly bloom and grow, academically, socially, and emotionally. The staff is knowledgeable, caring, kind, and dedicated.

Nurturing environment that expects every child to rise to excellence, but appreciates every child…read moreas unique. Emphasizes character, sports, & STEM learning. Great parent community. Students from many different backgrounds and countries. I feel that every adult in that building knows and loves every child in that building.

I have 4 kids two of which are attending Green Hedges. Also, I have attended both private and…read morepublic schools growing up. From my personal experience, this school's attention and love for the kids is as good as it gets. The experience and education these kids get is amazing. I feel so lucky every time I think about having such an amazing school for my kids to attend. Both of our kids just love the program and it has felt amazing to see how much they have grown from attending the school and interacting with the other kids. The staff is amazing and the families that we have met clearly have core values and a focus that we want our kids to be around.

I cannot speak highly enough of Ms. Afsaneh. When our daughter started at Evergreen in August 2024…read moreat age 3, she had extreme separation anxiety. Ms. Afsaneh was exceedingly patient, kind, and caring, and worked with us to gradually acclimate our daughter to the school. Now, our child loves her school, teacher, and friends; thrives in the Montessori environment; is learning how to read, write, count, problem-solve, etc.; and is happy! We are so very grateful to have found this school.

Evergreen Montessori and Mrs. Afsaneh have been in our family since the pandemic, when we were…read morelucky to find a spot for my daughter who was immunocompromised and needed a safe and extra clean preschool. It ended up being one of the best decisions we have made for our kids. My son is now at Evergreen and thriving. The school is a wonderful place and Mrs. Afsaneh is our very own Mary Poppins :) The kids are well cared for, they have a large outdoor play area they use anytime weather permits, they are fed home cooked meals daily and are beyond prepared for kindergarten upon graduating. My daughter still asks to go back during summer vacation. We lucked out and are so grateful for Mrs. Afsaneh.

I regret enrolling my daughter here. Despite committing early (touring in Feb 2024, paying a…read moredeposit, and submitting all forms), the school's lack of communication, disorganization, and disregard for basic safety and hygiene created a deeply frustrating and emotionally exhausting year. From misplaced incident reports and unaddressed injuries, to administrative errors and tone-deaf leadership, this school consistently failed to provide a safe, transparent, and developmentally supportive environment. My daughter came home with swollen lips, unexplained bruises, missing shoes, and stories of peer mistreatment -- with no formal documentation provided, despite repeated requests. These were not isolated events; I have video/photo documentation, and other parents voiced similar concerns in meetings. The director's conduct was both inappropriate and hypocritical -- once sending me a photo of my 3-year-old with paper in her mouth and demanding I "talk to her about telling the truth" over a harmless joke (gum from dad), while gaslighting parents about emails that were never sent. We were made to feel like the problem, when in reality the school's tech systems, operations, and staffing plans were simply broken. Staffing was unstable -- the lead teacher left for maternity leave with no real succession plan. Parents were informed of changes through hallway gossip before any official notice. Other red flags included: * Poor nap hygiene (child's skin broke out); * No proper underwear/clean clothes sent home; * Unsafe food handling policies; * Lost orthopedic shoes due to mishandling after an accident -- only replaced after escalation; * Inconsistent behavioral reporting, with my child being singled out for normal 3-year-old behavior, while aggressive peer behavior went unaddressed all year. The school showed a lack of respect for working parents, sending critical updates (like school closures) late at night and offering no accessible options for required events (no childcare, no virtual options, last-minute notices). They ran meetings on free Zoom accounts that cut off mid-call, used free Gmail accounts, and misunderstood basic tools like unlisted YouTube links. My concerns were dismissed, incident reports were never filed, and when I reported this to the county, I was told it was "too late." Given how long and hard I tried to resolve these issues internally -- and my documentation of events -- this only added to the heartbreak. In hindsight, I should have trusted my gut and pulled my child out much earlier. If you're a parent considering this school, please ask hard questions about staff turnover, behavior policies, safety reporting, and operational transparency. And if something feels off -- trust yourself.

Will only state the facts that lead to this review…read more.. In preparation for our move to VA this year, my family and I have been searching for a suitable Montessori school within this area. After speaking with Cardinal several times via the phone we felt that this might be a great option. A few weeks ago, my wife had scheduled a school tour and staff meet with Cardinal's senior coordinator (not official title) to allow us to see a routine day at the school and view its operation. We scheduled the tour for a Friday, which we were told was not "normal" but would be allowed given the fact that my family had to drive 5+ hours to get there. The tour was locked on that Monday with a 0930 start time on Friday. We had no other communication from the school throughout the week and on Thursday afternoon, we hit the road after I had gotten off work and arrived in VA just after midnight. We were up the following Friday morning and arrived at Cardinal at 0910 to an empty parking lot, locked building, lights off, and no one on site... We sat, waited, and attempted to call anyone with no luck and no response. It was about 0930 when finally a car pulled up and a women was dropped off. She didn't engage us at all and simply walked into the school. My wife proceeded to knock on the door and was met by said women who appeared to be cleaning. My wife explained our situation to the women who simply laughed, nodded, and said that the school was closed due to a maintenance emergency. A few minutes later, another women arrived who identified herself as a teacher. We calmly explained how we were scheduled to meet with a Ms. Igera for our tour but had not been able to reach her or anyone else. The teacher looked surprised and quickly reiterated that the school had been closed for the last few days. She then pulled out her phone and said she would call the "school owner" who was already on her way to Cardinal. At approx. 0945 the school co-owner arrived and welcomed us inside. We explained, again, who we were and why we were there. She quickly apologized and then explained how the school closed on Wednesday and Thursday due to plumbing issues. They had sent all the students and staff home and were now back (Friday morning) in order to clean for the reopening on Monday. She didn't ask any further about the botched tour appointment, but rather tried to go right into her pitch for the school. At the end of the walk-through, we were on our way out the door when we asked for Ms. Igera to call us about the clear failure in communication. The Co-owner said she would, glorified her staff, and said she hoped we would consider them when we moved... Fast forward 2+ weeks later....we got that call.... And it was to schedule yet another tour at the school. Nothing more. The level of complete disregard, disrespect, and sheer unprofessionalism that went into this waste of time is truly astounding. For better perspective, here is a better overview of all my family and I sacrificed in order to simply VISIT the school and observe its operation. - late night drive 5+ hours after work. - pulled my 4yo daughter out of current school in order to see the Cardinal school and meet the teachers. - my wife is 7 months pregnant at the time of all this. And she had to make all these movements. - I scheduled a full day away from work to make this trip happen. - spent hundreds on gas to make the round trip. Along with paying for a hotel in order to stay overnight... The Cardinal school may do just fine in some things, but I find it hard to imagine what. The coordination, communication, and lack of accountability is frightening. To make a commitment to an outside family who is willing to spend thousands on the betterment of their children's care and education and then not even have the courtesy to communicate a simple appointment change is unacceptable. I would HIGHLY encourage any family seeking a Montessori program to move on and explore other options (military families or otherwise). I have nothing negative to post about the teachers who work here, simply the lack of efficient and effective administrative overview of the school itself. This was not a sophisticated encounter, but rather a simple and what I would image routine engagement with an interested party. If this is how they treat an unaffiliated party, how do they respond under higher stress situations? Who actually maintains the schools appointments? Who is charge of registrations? Etc... Bottom line, keep searching. There are other great options within this region of VA, as my family and I learned. So disappointed to leave a review of this manner on a Montessori related establishment, but title alone does not guarantee quality. I truly hope this review can bring about a greater awareness of the low standard practices at Cardinal.

Our family feels so blessed to have found Cornus Montessori School. Being an educator myself, it…read moreis of vital importance to me that my children learn in an environment that is bright, open, accepting, and focused on developmentally appropriate concepts. Our son has always been an independent child who is interested in the world around him. The Montessori approach works well for him as he can finish what he has started and he now understands he can be independent within certain limitations. Our 2.5 year old started school at Cornus on opening day and he has grown into an independent, well-spoken, and determined 3 year old. He has been introduced to concepts in practical living that are life-long skills and will serve him well for years to come. At Cornus he feels as he has the freedom to explore and extend his thinking in a safe, clean, and caring environment. The staff at Cornus is top-notch. When going through the process of finding a school for our child, we met with many teachers, directors, and owners. The staff at Cornus was by far the kindest, most welcoming, and honest group we encountered. I felt no hesitation in leaving my child in their care. Since beginning, my admiration for the staff has only grown. Every time I walk into the building, people are giving genuine smiles and willing to help in any way they can. In addition to the amazing staff, clean facilities, interesting curriculum & activities, the tuition is affordable. I can not tell you the relief we felt when we found a place with all these qualities that was affordable and offered a variety of care options. My family needed 3-full days only, but there are options for 3-half days, 2-full days, 5-full days, 5-half days, etc. This allows parents the freedom to decide what works best for the child and the family. Additionally, the age range and option for summer care are an added bonus. We have been pleased with Cornus and our son enjoys school each week. Thank you Cornus for everything!

Our toddler son has been with Cornus for about a month now and is thriving. He had been to a few…read moremore typical daycare/toddler schools in the area and drop offs were difficult for him, he'd often be crying when we picked him up at the end of the day (though we knew in between he was having fun in what we considered organized, yet somewhat educational, chaos). But he struggled at these centers, leading us to pursue a different style for him -- Montessori. At first we felt like the Montessori style seemed like magic that toddlers will roll out a mat and calmly work with a material, putting it away when they're done, etc. It of course takes time to teach them this, but we're believers after seeing the progress our son has made in such a short period of time. He also takes such pride in the independence he is gaining and when he successfully accomplishes a task. We are so pleased with Cornus when it comes to the Montessori approach, but also find the staff to be very warm, calming, and welcoming; we find the facility (new on the inside) to be top notch and very clean; and we find the tuition to be extremely reasonable compared to other daycare centers and schools in the area. Our son has enthusiastic drop offs now and doesn't seem to want to leave when I pick him up. We feel so lucky to have found a school where our son seems to be thriving at a price that doesn't break the bank and at a convenient location (off Rt. 50 and 28). Only negative might be that we need to pack his lunch/snacks everyday and they don't have a refrigerator, but even that doesn't bother me too much. I grew up as a sack lunch kid and don't mind being able to control the healthy foods that I pack him.

My child has been attending Aya for the past 2 years, since they moved to their new location in…read moreColumbia. The school itself seems to be well kept, and they also seem to keep in line with the Montessori method of teaching (as far as I can tell, since the pandemic, parents are not allowed in the school, so everything I know is from my child). My one complaint is lack of communication. The school uses mainly the app Brightwheel to communicate with parents. They very rarely send photos of the kids, and never tell you if your child has gotten an injury while in their care. My child had 2 nosebleeds at the school that I had to find out from them (never mentioned by the school at all). Their was blood on their shirt, which they had to change out of during school hours, so the teachers must have known. In addition, when you reach out to the school with questions through Brightwheel, you rarely get a response back. Maybe about 50% of the time. You can also send an email to the admins, but they can take a few days to respond back to you. There is a phone number to call, but in my experience, no one answers it. My child has liked attending Aya, I just wish they would improve their communication with parents.

From the owner: Aya is an AMI Montessori Member School. Aya is an 1) MSDE…read moreapproved nonpublic School for ages 5-12, 2) MD-recognized Montessori School for ages 2-9, AND 3) OCC-Licensed Child Care Center. Aya is your child's second home. Our mission is to nurture the mind, body and soul of future generations and raise balanced children through spiritual, social, and intellectual growth grounded in authentic Montessori education, Arabic Immersion, and Islamic Education. NOTE: (Islamic Education is only offered for special tracks at the Primary and Elementary levels - ages 3+).