I usually do not provide online reviews for anything, but since it is something that involves our…read morechildren, I've decided to write this post. HPS is a lovely school and our son was happy there. Unfortunately, the school ended up leaving us with a very bad impression. We initially enrolled him two days per week, half time. When we enrolled, they told us that if he was happy, we could move from two to three days and eventually to full time three or five days. One month in, when we saw how happy he was, we moved him from two days half time to three days half time. It went great. One month later, we wanted to move him full time three days a week. Then the problems began. The school manager gave us conflicting and sometimes false excuses for refusing our request. Finally, after we insisted about half a dozen times she summoned us to her office. In essence, she said that if we wanted to have our son spend more time in the school we would need to hire an occupational therapist to spend all day with him at school. Our son has a speech delay (started speaking at three) and he does not follow instructions or adjust to routines as easily as fully verbal three year olds. HPS ended up using the challenges associated with his spech delay to demand that we basically hire another teacher exclusively for our son. We found this request innapropriate. I have doubts as to whether it is even legal. All told, they simply did not want our son there and were unwilling to work with us to navigate his speech delay and related challenges. This is all very sad to us. We have now enrolled him at another school, five days a week, full time. Many people are very happy at HPS and they may never encounter any similar issues. I just want to leave this review out there for parents to carefully consider HPS before enrolling, especially if you are thinking of increasing throughout the year the number of days your child is there or if your child has a speech delay or any other developmental delay.

We could not be happier with the care given to my child at The Hill Preschool as it far exceeded…read moreany expectations I had. The teachers and administrators are all loving, attentive, and passionate about the care and education of young children. This passion is apparent with the significant high level of engagement every single day. The Hill Preschool is a positive and enriching environment for children, and my child is healthy and happy every single day, gaining confidence and knowledge that has set a foundation for the rest of his life. The teachers are selfless, kind, and dedicated. The facility is clean and full of enriching activities. The teachers are also great at communicating with parents daily both in person and online with a portal that outlines the activities for the week and pictures so you can keep up with what your little ones are doing. Not only do I feel comfort in knowing my child is cared for and safe, I also know my child is receiving a holistic approach to early childhood education. The children have routine and stay active, and the teachers build a curriculum for the children where they learn about their community, art, science, architecture, biology, music, and more. The teachers take the children on several field trips that coincide with their curriculum visiting the Botanic Gardens, the Natural History Museum, National Gallery of Art, and local businesses to enhance what they are learning every day. I could not recommend the Hill Preschool enough, and I only wish I had found it sooner.

TOTH is an amazing Montessori style facility. The teachers are caring, warm, knowledgeable and…read morefriendly. Most of the teachers have been there for years and they do a great job at retaining teachers year over year. My daughter absolutely loves the teachers and runs into the classroom when we drop her off. She talks about the teachers and friends at home often. My daughter's vocabulary, speaking ability, social interactions have improved so much since she joined TOTH. They also help with potty training from day 1 and at 2.5 my daughter is potty-trained and almost entirely independent with the bathroom. They also did an awesome job at navigating COVID and had minimal classroom closures and no major outbreaks in her classroom. TOTH also has an attached playground and they prioritize spending time outdoors, which my daughter loves. They go on long walks and do not use any carriers which is awesome because we can now go on short hikes or museums without a stroller. We couldn't ask for a better learning facility, TOTH is her home away from home.

We've sent two of our kids to TOTH and look forward to sending the third in a couple years. The…read moreteachers are extraordinary -- they truly embrace each child for who they are. Each of our (very different) kids has thrived at the school and felt totally loved and seen. The chill Montessori vibes have been good for our parenting and for our whole family. TOTH has given our kids a great foundation of self-confidence, independence, and love of learning to carry with them as they transition into DC schools.

Hi granddaughter goes to Capitol Hill Day School. She is getting a wonderful education and is…read moremaking a lot of friends. I like that they're so creative in their education and that they're casual in their dress. The students are rewarded for good behavior. I'm very happy that she is there.

Our daughter has been at CHDS for two years and we love the community, the school's stable…read moreleadership, and the pedagogy. It's a little sad that a very small number of parents have taken to Yelp to air grievances, because in our experience the vast majority of parents - and students - are thrilled to be at the school. The idea that CHDS does not take bullying seriously is just plain wrong, as is the idea that the school does not listen to feedback. The truth is, the Head of School is wonderfully accessible (we know this from personal experience) and has a reputation as one of DC's best and longest-serving educational leaders. The teachers are devoted, respond quickly to questions and concerns, and focus on student-centered, inquiry-based learning. The parents get along with each other and build friendships outside of class. The field trips teach soft skills and critical thinking far more rapidly than everyday classroom learning. The building is beautiful, the student body is diverse, the faculty turnover is low, the communication robust, and the destinations for graduates impressive. Most important, our daughter comes home from school happy each day.

Our daughter has been part of the CHCC family since she was 6 months old. We are preparing to…read moretransition to PK3 and we have been reflecting on our time at CHCC. As a parent, deciding on a daycare is such an overwhelming and scary thing because your child spends so much time there. My husband and I think sending her to CHCC was one of the best decisions we have made. The teachers are so loving and incredibly caring and have built such an amazing and genuine bond with our daughter and us. There are lots of daycares and some of them will have fancy corporation centers with state of the art toys, that is not this daycare. But our daughter every single day has a curriculum in which she is learning numbers, letters, words, etc. in a fun and structured environment. The teachers are true educators and pride themselves on teaching all the children something new every single day! I would take that over fancy toys/centers any day! Do yourself a favor and check them out! You will not regret it, we sure haven't!

I loved the time my family spent with Capitol Hill Childcare and I really miss having a kid in…read moredaycare there. CHCC is a truly special place. This is the most loving, child-centered place I can imagine for babies and toddlers. The quality of the teachers and the instruction is amazing. There is a close sense of community among all the kids, staff, and families - my child knew the toddlers, babies, and parents by name and loved introducing us to them when we ran into school friends out in the neighborhood. I attribute that sense of community to the hard work of CHCC teachers. All the teachers knew my kid well and my kid talked a lot about loving them all. The staff knows and cares for each child as an individual - they're very thoughtful about how to meet each child's needs, whether it's OT, food preferences, or individual potty training journeys. We joined CHCC just before the school moved into its new space on 8th and North Carolina SE, and in spite of the logistical challenge of moving out of the facility where CHCC had been for 10 years, the director and teachers put the kids first at every turn and they thrived. I really liked the new space and wish we could have stayed longer to see it continue to transform as CHCC continues to settle in. Though this may not seem like the fanciest daycare there is, the quality of the instruction for toddlers is on par or better than what more corporate or expensive daycares are providing. CHCC balances that with a lot of fun, free, outdoor time. It's a really nice, age-appropriate structure for young children. For toddlers, each day at school is a great balance of free play and learning, with lots of time at the parks in the neighborhood, lots of singing and dancing, art, and early literacy and numeracy activities. By the end of toddler II, the kids know the letters in their names (and many of their friends' names), can identify upper and lower case letters, can count to at least 20, and much more. I have been completely blown away at how much my kid has learned while having such a good time. I could never say enough about the incredible teachers we've been lucky to have at CHCC. Ms. Pat and Ms. Capri were my kid's primary teachers. They are loving, skilled educators who implement an ambitious curriculum. Over the summer, they took the 2-3 year olds on field trips riding the bus several times per week! On many occasions, I personally saw Ms. Pat handle challenging toddler behaviors expertly, with the utmost patience, love, and calm. It was magical. I would trust them with kids of every disposition. At pick up every day, it warmed my heart to see them so happy and energized even after a day caring for all their toddlers. Bottom line: this is a loving, enriching, and happy environment for kids. It's unpretentious, rigorous, and fun. The parent community is also wonderful. I still miss it every d

We have absolutely loved River Park for our little one. The play based model has taught him social…read moreskills, and he loves going to school each day. Highly recommend!

My daughter started earlier in the year the Capitol Hill location and from Day 1, it was a…read morewonderful experience. The environment is both living and educational. The focus on self reliance for the children is great, making them well prepared for entering school. The added bonus of an additional language being learned in the classroom is amazing! The staff knows each child and cares for them individually and treats them as little individuals with feelings. That has made me feel so comfortable and confident as I leave my child each day for work. I know she's well taken care of. We have truly enjoyed our time and look forward to rounding our year before school starts in the Fall.

We have been at Kiddie (now University for Kids) since our oldest kid was very young. We started at…read morethe H street location and moved to the F street location when our oldest moved to the preschool class. Our youngest started in the baby room at the F street location. Overall, we've been happy with our experience at both locations. The teachers clearly love the kids, and my daughters have always been happy to go and happy when we pick them up. And importantly, we feel that our kids are safe. Kiddie isn't as fancy as some other daycares, but my girls have still flourished; in particular, my very shy oldest kid really thrived and developed socially and emotionally while also learning other things like her ABCs. They were fantastic during COVID. Even when shut down at the beginning, they set twice daily zooms to give weary parents even a brief break, and they remained open for kids of essential workers. They reopened for everyone far earlier the most daycares, and have been careful but also less strict than many (kids must be 24 hours fever free, can't have more than one symptom, but they won't send you home with a runny nose, so we've actually had child care). And while they follow OPM, they have also reopened when possible if OPM makes a judgement call about inclement weather but then snow doesn't materialize. The communication from the location director could be better and isn't always the most professional, but it is improving. and April who oversees all of the Kiddie locations has been very responsive when we need help resolving billing issues and issues related to reimbursement for dependent care.

I had two kids at this school from kindergarten through seventh grade. I'm a huge fan and advocate…read morefor people sending their kids here. Lasting friendships spiritually and physically for my kids and an established education from one of the best schools in Washington DC. My biggest takeaway is that as parents we must be involved in our children's education. It's a diamond in the rough like the admiration that runs it. Three amazing women Martha Herndon, Angela Henson, and Sarah Beth. Why not five stars, because no one's perfect but every act of love is an act of perfection in Gods eyes. Thank you staff, teachers, family, and friends. Love you.

My son Sammy started at Northeast Stars (DC location) last summer for camp. Prior to that he was…read morehome with grandma until age two. As a result, coming in to a full time care environment was totally new to him and it was a tough transition. However, the staff there, especially Miss Dina (lead teacher), Miss Kim (Sammy's classroom teacher) and Miss Monica (after care teacher), were incredibly warm and worked through it with us. There were many tears in the morning and at the end of the day when Sammy would see other kids picked up before him. However, it only took a few weeks for him to adjust before he was waving goodbye and running in to join his friends and teachers. One year later, after a successful school year, Sammy is back for camp and continuing to love it. He is now 3 years old and in extremely great shape to start Pre-K 3 at a Montessori program in PG county in the fall. I am confident that he will blow his new teachers away with all he has learned already at Northeast Stars. I would recommend this school to anyone who wants to help her child get a head start with learning activities of daily life, practicing motor skills, as well as working on precursors for reading, writing, and math. All this before age 3! I also particularly enjoy the emphasis on grace and courtesy. We really get a kick out of how polite our little guy has grown to be at such a young age. I know this will serve him well throughout life.

DO NOT commit to multiple weeks here until you have tested it first. I paid for 8 weeks -- over…read more$4,000 -- and my son lasted 2 days. My biggest concern was that Spanish instruction is a key part of what they advertise, but when I asked for any proof or documentation that it was actually happening, they could not provide it. That was the main reason I chose this program, and it was not delivered as promised. Beyond that, communication and transparency were consistently poor. Concerns about his daily care, meals, and progress updates were met with excuses rather than accountability. The restricted access policy, while understandable for child safety purposes, is also directed at parents in a way that made it very difficult to feel informed and confident about my son's daily experience. It simply wasn't a good fit. So I withdrew my son and requested a partial refund for the weeks he would not attend. They refused to negotiate at all, citing a no-refund policy -- despite the fact that services were not delivered as represented during enrollment. My son is now thriving in a program that communicates openly and delivers exactly what it promises. I am formally pursuing a refund through available channels. Do your research before committing financially -- I wish I had.