We have had our three children attend Ms. McCurdy's Clariphone Studios for several years now and…read morecould not be more happy with the results. Our kids are now 6, 7 and 10 and have a real appreciation for Piano and have gained an invaluable skill set they will use all their lives.

Leaving Kiddie Academy of Alexandria is so bittersweet for our family. Both of our children have…read morebeen here since they were just 12 weeks old, and watching them grow up in such a loving environment has been a beautiful experience. It's the kind of place where everyone knows your kids, greets them with a smile, and treats them like family. We are so sad to say goodbye. The wonderful teachers will always have a special place in my heart, and I cannot recommend this daycare enough to any parent looking for a safe, loving place for their little ones. They really are the best.

I enrolled my daughter at this location with high expectations for a safe, nurturing, attentive,…read moreand structured learning environment. Unfortunately, my experience over time raised several concerns that ultimately led to me seeing the truth about this location. One of my primary concerns was basic hygiene and attentiveness. On multiple occasions, I picked my daughter up with visible food residue still on her face. I also observed dried nasal discharge on her face and even on the back of her hand, as if she had attempted to clean herself. I began noticing similar issues with other children as well, including children walking around with excessively runny noses for extended periods without staff intervention. I'm sure this is why the kids are always sick. In addition, there appeared to be a lack of situational awareness when it came to children's comfort and supervision. There were times where clothing did not seem appropriate for the weather, which further reflected a lack of attentiveness to individual needs. They would take the children outside without coats while it's cold. More concerning were multiple safety incidents involving my daughter that were handled in an extremely dismissive manner. One incident I personally witnessed on camera involved another child pushing my daughter three times back-to-back until she fell to the ground, while a teacher stood directly beside them without intervening. Later that same day, I noticed a bruise on my daughter's leg. When I reported this to the director, Erin, I was told the video showed my daughter "falling into the teacher's lap," which did not align with what I personally observed on camera. I was also informed that no incident report would be completed because the injury was not from the neck up. Another incident involved my daughter being struck in the head with a toy by another child, leaving her with a swollen bruise and lump that was black, blue, and purple. At pickup, staff appeared very nonchalant about the situation, simply stating that they "put ice on it" and that these things were "normal." While discussing this incident with staff, another child nearby was actively biting another child while staff stood around without immediately intervening. When I pointed this out, the response I received was dismissive instead of reassuring. I also observed what appeared to be inconsistent treatment and favoritism within the center. When I inquired about my daughter transitioning to the next classroom as she approached the appropriate age, I was told it would not be possible because of lack of space and something regarding the way they pick who goes to the next class. However, I personally observed the director's granddaughter transition out of the same classroom within approximately 2-3 weeks. She doesn't talk, isn't potty trained and is only two months older than my daughter. Her mom confirmed these things to me personally. This raised concerns for me regarding whether policies and opportunities were being applied equally to all families. In addition to these concerns, I often was dismissed when attempting to advocate for my child. Erin's communication style frequently came across as condescending, defensive, racist and lacking empathy whenever concerns were raised. Rather than feeling supported as a parent, I often left interactions feeling unheard and uncomfortable. I also recorded my second raised concern that I had with Erin. So if anyone wants proof on the way she handles things, I will send you the video! There were also instances where staff appeared more focused on phones and side conversations than actively engaging with the children. The environment is more like passive babysitting than a structured educational setting focused on child development and attentive care. My daughter went from talking and being expressive to crying and whining all the time. When I asked to speak to the owner Erin continuously lied and made excuses. For $525 per week (approximately $2,100 per month), parents should be able to expect attentive supervision, professionalism, cleanliness, accountability, and equitable treatment. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. Also the front desk worker Suzie as well is extremely disrespectful. I just left the school so upset that this is the way they handle people who pay their hard earned money. Erin is a liar as well. She claimed I was rude and used profanity when my child was hit on by another child. Which is a lie! Watch the cameras for one full day while your child is there and I PROMISE YOU WILL NOT WANT YOUR CHILD ATTENDING THIS EXPENSIVE BABY SITTER! UPDATE: Notice every response is signed "Karim B. (Owner) mine is "Center Administration and Compliance Team". Erin is in fact a big part of the problem. Parents can draw their own conclusions regarding how concerns are handled when serious safety and supervision issues are raised.

We had high hopes for this camp. To give context to Alexandria parents, we did a week of Browne…read moreCamp (which my girls both said was their favorite in town camp and want to go back to next summer), Campagna, vacations, sleepaway camps for three weeks, and then Steve and Kates. I only bought 5 days for each child and we did 3 days the first week and 2 the 2nd week. I ended up having a babysitter come the remaining three days because my girls didn't want to go back to the camp (a first). There is very little structure to the camp, little to no outdoors time, and the food selection was either a bagel or pizza.....every day. There were no other options available. We packed lunches and snacks and after about a day of the camp my kids were really bored. They spent most of the time on pads or watching movies due to other activities being full when they wanted to do them. They specifically asked me to never send them to this camp again.

My 11 yo daughter attended camp the last 2 weeks. She was always disappointed when I picked her up…read moreas she wanted to stay longer. She was happy with the activities and food options.

CBA, Clifton is fantastic. Our 2 year old has been enrolled for a little over a year and we've had…read moresuch a great experience. For context, we've got several center-based preschools to compare to as our other child attended a different school before we moved. CBA's communication is excellent. While most businesses and schools really struggled with keeping parents informed during COVID, CBA always contacted us quickly, and most importantly, with clear and CONSISTENT information. We always know what to expect and how things are being handled. Of course, the most important thing is the awesome care for our kiddo. He comes home laughing and sharing about his teachers and friends. He stops to say goodbye to teachers in other classrooms, and knows all of the administrative staff, who all know him, as well! A huge selling point is that they get tons of outdoor time. At other schools, this is not consistent even if the weather isn't a factor; at CBA they get to play outside at least 2x a day and the kids love it. They also have tons of stimulating and creative activities and celebrations that are shared through daily photos. We really appreciate the staff and feel grateful to have found a great place for our son to thrive.

So glad to have found this place. We love it for our ~2 year old, and so does he. Such friendly…read morestaff, and we love getting pictures throughout the day showing what our little guy is up to all day. Highly recommend Chesterbrook.

The most professional studio I have ever seen. The owner always puts her children and their safety…read morefirst. She works hard to make sure every child is treated top tier. Her staff goes above and beyond. I am excited to see this company grow.

My daughter enjoys her dance classes. Thankful we found a dance studio where she can dance for His…read moreglory!!

I got the chance to visit these piano instructors after I purchased a groupon for my 6yr old…read moredaughter to receive lessons. The location was a bit hard to find as I spent almost 15min driving around in circles (but that was neither here nor there). The classroom is absolutely adorable and fresh. They have coffee for the parents and snacks for the kids! The instructors were great and even in a group setting worked with each child accordingly. They provided a little folder for my daughters music "homework" (which she loved). Since, I was just a groupon trial we did not get the tote or music book (but I totally understand that) but from what it looked like is if you took up true classes they provided that as well. If we were staying in the area I would def. sign her up for regular classes.

As parents of a newly enrolled student this school year, we feel that our daughter is enrolled in…read morean exceptional school. She learned so much in PreK 1 with Mrs Gabby & Mrs Nina. It didn't take long for us to see her start to blossom & grow scholastically at Goddard. Mrs Gabby along with Mrs Nina have created an atmosphere full of enrichment. Her positive influence and guidance has become so infectious to our little one that she pretends she is Mrs Gabby at home and my husband and I are her students. And it shows in how Kendall pretends & plays Mrs Gabby so well. She really has such a genuine love for Mrs Gabby and her teaching. It shows in how she is truly inspired by her and loves attending class so much it's hard for her to leave school. And this warms our hearts to see. Our daughter already had basic prek knowledge of the complete alphabet, numbers and counting from 1-20 and could recognize alphanumerics visually. She also knew her shapes and colors at an early age of 2. Goddard has met and exceeded their promise to promote STEM and 2nd language arts and it shows. Our toddler now speaks Spanish with numbers, counting and knows colors as well. My daughter also came to love Ms. Nina. Mrs Nina is a welcome addition to The Goddard School in late 2023. She is such a treasure and a wonderful educator with decades of experience and knowledge. We'd like to give Special thanks to Mrs Traleece, Mrs Andrea & Mrs Sarah. These professionals are at the heart of what makes our school among the very best that Alexandria has to offer. As Directors and Executive Staff at The Goddard School they have shown such an eye for excellence & attentiveness to the needs of the children and parents. These are the hallmarks that makes them such an excellent academy. And to the many member's of The Goddard School educators and supporting staff, Mrs Michelle, Mrs Jennifer, Mrs Kiki, Mrs Lindsay, Mrs Maria, & Marley's Mom, and to so many we weren't able to name. We can't thank you enough for the passion & endless love you bring to The Goddard School every single day. The Graham Family

Our family has been enrolling our kiddos at the Goddard school for over a year and a half and are…read morecontinually amazed and impressed by the care and education our babies receive from the incredible teachers and staff, including: Ms. Michelle, Ms. Lizette, Ms. Maria, Ms. Ronnique, Ms. Jordan, Ms. LaSasha and Ms. Sarah. While these are the teachers who our kids have direct classroom experience with, ALL the teachers at this center are genuinely kind l, talented in their field and care deeply for the kids here. Additional shoutouts to Ms. Michelle for essentially teaching US the parents about caring for/preventing ear infections and general first time parent must-knows, and for Ms. Ronnique as she helped our girl finally turn the corner on potty training.

This review is based on a tour. I met with Carolina this morning, who was very nice and…read moreprofessional. My bottom line is that they are doing the best with what they have. It's a small space without natural light, but it does feel bright. It's clean and the children seem happy and well cared for. We are likely not pursuing a spot for two main reasons: the lack of natural light and the lack of a dedicated playground, or playground nearby. We feel strongly that we want our daughter to have outdoor education incorporated into her day, and I wasn't thrilled with the idea that she would have to walk on busy DC streets to get to a park without playground equipment meant for her age. In short, I think it seems like a perfectly nice place, but I don't think it's the right fit for us.

We are very Happy with our son's first Kindergarten! In a…read morecaring and professional atmosphere, our son loved going there and felt at home form the first day! The facilities are new, clean and very welcoming. Mrs. Mattingly and her staff made sure all our needs are met and questions answered. Highly recommended!