Our family was part of this school for two years, and in the beginning we truly felt at home. The…read moreteachers cared, our children were happy, and it felt like a community. Things changed after new leadership came in. The atmosphere shifted, communication became strained, and we started to feel pushed out. At one point our child's personal information was shared, which crossed a line for us. This used to be a warm and welcoming place that valued different backgrounds and perspectives. Sadly, that sense of inclusion is gone. I hope one day it becomes that kind of space again, but right now I wouldn't recommend it to families looking for a safe or supportive environment.

Outside, nature and play-based education - so the kids are having fun and don't even realize…read morethey're learning. My 5yo and 3yo are both thriving. It's a great community for children (and their parents too, let's be honest), and we are so glad every day that we found this hidden gem of a preschool.

I will start by saying that we have been here for 10yrs from pre school to 8th and it has been a…read morejourney. I appreciate all the teachers and staff at WOLCA. of course no school is perfect but my kids loved it her. I have 3kids here, they love their teachers and Christian guidance that came with it being part of the school. The school provided some stability and consistency, dont get me wrong, with 3kids in the school , there were some ups and downs, but we worked it out with the teachers and the principal which im grateful for. The school offered great christian view to early life and upbringing, discipline and guidance for my kids that I will always be proud of. As we transition out, we will miss being part of this community, and we pray that all families benefit from what we had benefited during our stay here.

If I can save a family from the discrimination and hypocrisy of this school, then writing this…read morereview is well worth it. The current principal presents as a kind person in public meetings, when the Pastor is around, and I suppose for parents of younger children. Her entire character changes, once you make it clear that accountability should go both ways. The principal is easily offended, retaliatory, and prejudiced-at least 3 parents have shared similar experiences. She is unwilling to account for various family experiences, and communication styles. During my time at the school, my children experienced various forms of discrimination regarding discipline policies, grading, and access! The middle school program is very poorly managed. The academics, elective courses, and overall teacher effectiveness are seriously lacking. I have only experienced 1 solid core teacher (who really should be the lead), and MAYBE 2 solid elective teachers. The students are not treated with respect or trust. Some wealthy families have their student's poor behavior excused, while other families are consistently mistreated. When brought to the attention of the principal, she sits quiet in meetings and allows the middle school "lead teacher" to lead any outcomes down a destructive and non truthful path. The Principal and many other staff members have difficulty holding this middle school lead accountable. Inasmuch as parents want to be involved as partner's in their children's learning, this school only allows that if you are agreeable with everything they currently do. They have handpicked the parents that receive patience, kindness, and grace. They have also handpicked the parents who will receive resistance, retaliation, and prejudice. None of which represent the Christian character they claim to lead in. If you are a parent who asks questions, and expects accountability and respect to go both ways-this is NOT the school for you. I think the only reason they have the enrollment they do, is because they keep their tuition lower than the Christian K-12 School that is one block away from them. They are basically undercutting a nearby school. You can see both schools from the road and many families need the tuition costs to remain affordable. Unfortunately, what you are getting in return is a hypocritical school, who claims to love Jesus and lead with love, but when challenged, are the furthest away from demonstrating that when it matters most.

My 2 children have been attending this school since they were 2.5 y/o. They are now 4.5 y/o. MSHR…read moreis absolutely wonderful. Ms. Ling, the administrator, is the ultimate professional and the school is very well run. I love the ease-of-access to direct communication with the administrators and teachers. I don't have to leave endless voice messages that go unanswered and every response is super timely. My kids were in Lavender and Ocean. They are the same age and I was nervous to separate them, but Ms. Christy (head of school) encouraged me that this was the right decision. Ms. Jharna and Ms. Michelle have fostered the growth of each child in a loving and attentive way. EVERY ONE of the staff there seem to genuinely care for the children. Academically, I believe the Montessori was worked best for my kids. I highly recommend this school to any parent.

We love MSHR! We brought our son there when he was three because his current school wasn't paying…read moreattention to some bullying and weren't proactive about some speech delays. We fell in love with Ms. Sara who was our sons teacher for two years. We put him in public school for kindergarten and he was not challenged/ was bored and not getting enough exercise/outdoor time. He asked if he could go back to MSHR for first grade and just finished up a stellar year there. Our three year old spent three months crying everyday at drop off before she was finally old enough to head to MSHR. Stopped crying on day two. She loves Ms. Sara and the rest of the teachers. It's hard to leave your little ones in someone else's hands but MSHR makes it easy. Plus they have a giant playground and aren't afraid to use it!

This wonderful gem of a School is tucked away in a neighborhood in Alexandria. My children (3…read moregirls) all attended school here through 6th grade. The experiences they shared and the knowledge they gained was immeasurable. All successful adults now, I feel I owe a forever debt to their early education and the staff at MSA. The school has been beautifully refreshed and it looks better than ever!

Both my children have attended Montessori School Alexandria (MSA). My eldest went there from 2001…read moreto 2004, finishing in kindergarten. He had a excellent teacher and had a great education. When he entered first grade in the Fairfax County public school system, he was ahead in his reading. Flash foward 11 years later when my youngest enters MSA's primary program. I will be the first to admit that she is not the easiest of children. In her second year of the primary, we started having serious discussions regarding our child's behavior which included striking teachers and outbursts of anger. Preliminary diagnosis pointed to ADHD. While our daughter was about to come off a wait list at reputable local children's hospital for further assessment--at the encouragement of MSA--the school informed us that she could no longer attend the school because she posed a danger to the other students. I would advise that while MSA does an outstanding job of teaching children who are compliant and on point with their emotional and educational development, the school is not equipped to handle a child that would require an IEP at a traditional school. Nor are they patient for a child to receive the care they need, despite being in a community where there is a long wait time for providers who can assess conditions such ADHD. Just be warned that if you think your child is ADHD or has other behavioral issues, the staff may not have the resources to assist your child.

We enjoyed our experience and highly recommend St. Paul Preschool. Both of our kids went to St…read more Paul and they both have great memories of the teachers, staff, and friends. It is a good sign when your kids are excited about going to school and are happy to be dropped off in the mornings and give hugs to the teachers at pick up in the evenings. Sometimes my children would ask me why I picked them up so early because they wanted to stay at school longer! They had a lot of fun with the different lessons, crafts, performances, nature walks, and even surprise petting zoo visits. Our kids came home with backpacks full of their art or science projects and they were so excited to tell us about them. They also talk about wanting to go back and visit and how they miss being at St. Paul. From my experience, the teachers and staff are amazing. They took great care of our children, gave them individual attention, but also helped them become more independent. I enjoyed the family events such as the Halloween Parade, Christmas Performance, and Summer Break/Graduation Event. It gave us an opportunity to see first hand how much the teachers and staff care for the children and help them grow. Because it is a small community, we also got to know some of the other families and still keep in touch for play dates. It can be difficult finding a preschool where you feel comfortable leaving your children. We are very glad that we found St. Paul! Our kids were happy and ready for kindergarten! Thank you to the St. Paul family!

St. Paul's is like a family! It provided not only a safe educational environment, but an…read moreenvironment that nurtured our children emotionally and helped them feel confident in themselves. The teachers care and are highly approachable and responsive. There are daily enriching activities and also special adventures on and off school grounds that are carefully planned for the children. Both of our children loved their time at St. Paul's and I cannot speak highly enough of the school, staff and teachers!

I have 2 nieces that attend this daycare. I am the AP of a high quality pre-k 3 thorough 5th grade…read moreprogram. I am very watchful of the development of the children in my family. What I have seen so far, especially in my youngest niece, is growth, growth, and more growth. She's been in the toddler program since July and her cognitive, fine motor, verbal, and social skills are quickly increasing. She loves school and looks forward to going every single day. I'm not a satisfied with my older niece learning. Unfortunately she has been out of school for up to one week at a time due to illness which certainly may be impacting her learning. Hopefully she will be attending daily and can begin building her learning momentum. I will say that her class, from what I have observed through Brightwheel, is involved in a good number of social emotional activities that support their ability to make good decisions. They also lean a lot about community. When i drop the girls off everyone is friendly. Overall, I am satisfied with what I am seeing.

This school has been amazing for our family. My son has…read moreexcelled in the jkprep classroom. He has a close relationship with teachers, administrators and other students. i feel confident that his growth here will have him ready for kindergarten. All of the staff, teachers and administrators have been responsive and helpful when i need something or have a question about anything regarding my child or the school, always kind and warm! We love our school

Pinecrest is a little gem in the heart of Annandale. The small student to teacher ratios ensure…read morethat each child is nurtured and taught in an environment where they can have their needs met. The teachers are warm, caring, and provide exciting and challenging curriculum while helping maintain a creative environment. The motto "This is Community" could not be more true as parent and teachers work together, are involved and always looking out for the best interest of the children. Pinecrest also has a wonderful Mindfulness program that is implemented in every classroom on a daily basis! It's a wonderful and warm place to have your children learn and thrive!

As an educator I know a quality school when I see it. Pinecrest School (as well as their summer…read morecamp- Pinecrest Summer Pavilion) is an incredibly unique learning environment, with a school community like no other. I often think how much I would have loved going to school there as child. Pinecrest's leadership and staff are highly qualified and incredibly talented. The class sizes are small and the students truly LOVE their school. There is a genuine joy of learning that takes place at Pinecrest from both the students and the staff. The energy at Pinecrest is buzzing with creativity, comfort and community. It is a true gem of Northern VA.

Our son started at CIS in August 2024 after our VERY beloved in-home daycare closed. He was 3 at…read morethe time and we knew the adjustment would be tricky. We visited several full-time preschools in the area, with location/convenience of drop-off/pick-up being a top priority for us. CIS was the only one we visited without a personal reference, and we were referred to it through friends who checked it out but didn't ultimately attend CIS because they moved out of the country. On our initial visit, we were immediately impressed with the diversity and warmth the school provided. Many of the teachers (great ones!) have been there for decades. The materials also referenced a "conscious discipline" approach to managing behavior, which my husband and I wholly support. We also loved the way the rooms were arranged, with photos to show where everything belongs. And although there isn't much green space, CIS has on-site two small playgrounds. The preschool also coordinates with a local organization to provide spring and fall soccer lessons once a week, at an additional cost. For music, CIS arranges for a talented, local musician to come on-site once a week to get the kids singing and dancing. Once we made our choice, our son had a bit of a rough transition, which is to be expected at 3 years old. One of the veteran teachers, with a perfect balance of compassion and no-nonsense, spent at least three weeks personally helping our son say goodbye in the morning with as few tears as possible. After that initial transition period, our son has really loved CIS, and has thrived there. He loves his teachers, has made some great friends, and generally enjoys going each day. The school communicates coursework and activities, and shares the lunch/snack menus monthly. Although it's not a big fancy center, CIS is warm and the staff clearly care about the kids. They take medicine administration seriously and the space is clean and welcoming. There has been some turnover in directors during our time there, but the current director seems great so far! Our son will head to kindergarten this fall and we will genuinely miss our connection to CIS (for now). We highly recommend CIS as an affordable, full-time preschool option in Alexandria.

We love CIS! My first kid started during the pandemic, and we toured all the nearby schools. This…read moreone was a no-brainer: teachers who'd been there for years, dedicated playground, dedicated parking lot, fun and welcoming space. Now, our second kid just started there this year and it's just as good as I remember. There is one teacher who wasn't even her main teacher at the time who just had the magic touch getting her to calm down after drop-off. The teachers are all so loving and caring towards the kids. I'm really grateful we found a place like this for our kiddos.