Making the decision about where to educate our precious children is one of the most profoundly…read moreimportant parts of being a parent. Our goal was to have our daughter in a place where she would love being just as much as she does our home, and where she would develop academically and emotionally without the stress of repeated assessments. Our desires for her have been met and have been exceeded in ways we never dreamed they would. To explain the beauty of VMS is impossible to do in a short review and yet it's quite simple; the school is a place of peace. Some concepts are only understood when they are experienced first-hand. Come see the way the children operate like a well-oiled machine, how the teachers are keen observers who gently guide when they meet in small groups and individually with children and how they facilitate peaceful interactions between even the youngest children. Come see the carefully planned, stimulating environment which encourages creative learning and freedom of choice within a structure specific to each child. Walk the grounds and breathe in the air of the field, around the lake, in the garden and in the forest habitat beside the school. My truest, most heartfelt desire is that our country would experience this type of educational structure for the well-being of our children. Maria Montessori would be proud to know her legacy is being honored by Village Montessori School at Bluemont.

This is an incredible school that stays absolutely true to the Montessori philosophies and embraces…read moreeach child exactly where they are. The entire staff is child-focused and you can tell they truly enjoy what they do. The setup of the campus is nothing short of incredible. The children are given so many experiences they could never have inside of a "regular" classroom. The whole-life teachings are truly the way I wish all education would be designed. The empowerment, life skills, and sense of self your child will gain from this environment will benefit them even more as they get older. The elementary children are given even more opportunities to blossom with school plays, field trips, and maximizing their developing intellect to create "joyful scholars". Additionally smaller class sizes allow the children to be able to investigate and subject more deeply so they gain mastery of a concept as opposed to just a basic understanding. The staff is also very open to questions and brainstorming sessions to secure an environment for your chid to flourish. The kind, knowledgeable, and warm way in which they interact with students and parents alike is a beautiful example for any education system. I have 3 children who have attended Montessori programs spanning nearly 20 years- this school is the very best and I am so grateful to have found it.

My daughter has attended Rainbow Montessori for nearly two years. Hands down, sending her there has…read morebeen the best decision we have made for her personal, social and intellectual development. Having come from an urban environment where people really don't care for anyone but themselves, it stunned me to feel the kindness and gentle nature of the students and staff. We're not gushy folks, but it's hard to resist the loving and creative vibe from the school and kids - they are really a family. They are ever ready to help and always look out for each other. If someone is sad or hurt, there's always another child and staff member there to make them feel better. It's part of their nature. The school's director, Kit Hays, is passionate and dedicated to the students and families. She pours her heart into developing the most creative and thoughtful curriculum as well as carefully weaving in modernity and diversity. Not only are the staff skillfully qualified as Montessori instructors, they truly love teaching and nurture all their students. Students are encouraged to develop their existing strengths and are supported to take on new challenges when they are ready (like reading) - really meeting kids where they are and helping them to shine. Kids are not forced into learning; it seems like they sort of bloom when they are ready. Using this gentle approach, it's amazing to see how many kids are reading and counting at such a young age. They integrate many aspects of learning into their daily routine so there's no real separation between laughter and learning - it's one and the same. Even when they play games, there's a thoughtful educational element embedded in the fun. You can tell the kids enjoy every second they are there while, even when they are in "work time". At one point my daughter was having a difficult time going to school, weepy and clingy when it was time to go. Each day when we arrived at school, Ms. Kit and a handful of children were there to greet my daughter - a welcome committee! They literally embraced her and reminded her that she was an integral part of the family. We feel so lucky to have been able to join the Rainbow family (no wonder there's a waiting list every year!) and know our daughter has the educational foundation and confidence to succeed in her entire school career and life. We are ever thankful for all they have given our family. Our daughter is inquisitive, open-minded, thoughtful and thirsty for knowledge and challenges - just like all the children lucky enough to be part of the Rainbow family.

My son and many of my friends' children attended Rainbow Montessori and found it an amazing school…read morefull of warmth, respect for each child's individuality and focused on holistic growth. (All kids are now grown college grads!) Miss Kit is the best! Highly recommend!

Went to a double reed camp hosted here, it had an amazing campus, and their cafeteria is awesome…read more The little river was super cool, and the music building had plenty of practice rooms.

I felt like I was walking on the set of "Hart of Dixie."…read more Shenandoah University is a small town university set in the picturesque town of Winchester, VA. I was here for a white coat ceremony and fell in love with all of the ponds, streams, and lakes that dot the campus. They have charming little red bridges, cherry blossom trees, happy forsythia bushes, and weeping willows which makes spring an absolute spectacular time to walk around. Although the school is small, it was evident that the staff was committed to the personal wellbeing and success of every student. The camaraderie in the room was absolutely electric and every student got a white coat cookie with their name on it. How's that for personalization? There's tons of wineries and cute small town restaurants near by as well. I really enjoyed my visit!

I had two gifted children that I removed from Frederick County Public Schools because this school…read moresystem refused to meet their educational needs. Had they been delayed they would have received the attention they needed but because they were advanced they were ignored. Gifted kids can't be ignored. They stop trying and end up failing. My children LOVED Winchester Montessori. I did too. I never saw them happier. They were excited to go to school every day. They learned so much. Montessori schools are not for everyone. It is a child lead educational approach. If your child is not motivated to complete their work they aren't going to learn. I loved the teachers here. I thought they were fantastic. Both my kids went from hating to read to asking me to buy them books. They finally love to read. Both are reading advanced novels. This change was fast. The class did chemistry (MEL science kits). Mrs. Sheehy really knew how to get the kids excited about learning. My oldest is in 7th grade now. My daughter is a 5th grader. We left Winchester Montessori because we moved out of town. After attending Winchester Montessori for two years, both my children have been placed in the GT programs. My oldest has been placed in classes 2 grade levels above his own. My daughter is working 1-2 grade levels above her own depending upon the subject. Frederick Country claimed my kids were simply average. They weren't. They were ignored. Thanks to Mrs. Sheehy and her school their education has skyrocketed. Thank you!

My daughter was in Pre-K and Kindergarten at Winchester Montessori School 2017-2019 and we had a…read morewonderful experience. My daughter was fortunate enough to have Mr. Drenning in Pre-K before he moved on to another adventure and Mrs. Sheehy briefly who was also wonderful as was her honorary "teacher's helper" Doogan. Her experience at this school prepared her well for public school where she has already been placed in GT classes and has advanced three grades already and is now a freshman in high school at 12. Thank you WMS for paving the way for a bright future for my daughter

I had never heard of Sheperd University, but was passing through Sheperdstown and parked near…read morecampus when grabbing lunch at the adjacent Blue Moon Cafe. What a cute university. I Googled it and found out all sorts of information about it: Public liberal arts school located in historic Sheperdstown, WV, was a teachers training college during the 30s, and had many renovations and additions over the past 30 years.

This is not really a review of the university more like a review of Shepherd University Wellness…read moreCenter.(because I couldn't review it or find it on Yelp) The wellness center has good staff and stuff and good basketball courts but I HATE it's vending machines. You need exact change and you can't select multiple things at once. Idk why they have it this way but it sucks.

Love it! 5 STAR playground, weekly mom/dad club meetings! Preschool, Community Events, Casa style…read moreelementary after care & more. Highly recommended.

We have been using LST for 2 years now and think she is the best! She always comes prepared with…read moreextra materials, and really listens to my daughter to get to the cause of her difficulty. She always has ideas and strategies to share, so when the lesson is finished we know we can handle it until the next time. I can't say enough great things about her! If you need a tutor for your child, definitely give LST a call. We plan to keep her until my 10 year old goes to college! I don't think there is a website, but we found her on FaceBook.