Our daughter started coming here last year, and it's been a better choice than we could have…read moreimagined. The support and investment from the teachers, coaches, and staff has changed our daughter's life and perspective on school and faith!

We love Virginia Academy! Our daughter moved to 6th grade at Virginia Academy this year and has…read morethrived! The teachers and administration are so welcoming and attentive. There is wonderful communication. I've received amazing feedback from teachers and the school leadership team has reached out periodically to make sure everything is going well. Each child is special and is not just a number. The courses and curriculum are very comprehensive. There are SO many ways to connect with the VAA community, through worship, sports, theater - you name it! We highly recommend this wonderful school!

My family has deep roots at Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences. My now 33-year-old son attended…read morefrom 2nd through 8th grade, and today my 12-year-old grandson is a student there. We also enrolled three additional children just last year. Having experienced the school across generations, I can say with confidence that Barnesville has remained true to something very special. I have been so impressed with Barnesville's ability to preserve its unique character while continuing to grow and evolve. In a time when so many schools feel increasingly standardized, Barnesville still feels deeply personal, intentional, and rooted in a genuine love of learning and childhood. There is a warmth to the community that is hard to describe but immediately felt. The teachers truly know and care about each child--not just academically, but as whole individuals. That kind of attention creates confident, curious, and kind students. What stands out most to me is the balance the school achieves: strong academics paired with creativity, structure alongside freedom, and a respect for tradition without feeling outdated. It is rare to find a place that nurtures both the intellect and the spirit of a child so thoughtfully. For our family, Barnesville is more than a school--it's part of our story. We are incredibly grateful to be back and to see the same values and magic still alive for the next generation.

Teacher turnover is high. Administration lacks experience and is not professional…read more Academics are lacking. We were there from 4th -8th. If had it to do over again definitely not ok for middle school. One middle school teacher never graded work and when asked handed me a folder of four papers nothing graded. They let in many kids with issues without having the proper counseling. Language teachers were some of the worst my child ever had.

3/8/21 Long before I went to private schools, I orginally…read morestarted out in public schools in Montgomery County  Maryland.  To my young mind I did not know I was having trouble with reading and math for a while.  The teachers apparently tried to help, but it seems I was a lost cause.  The teachers had a few choices words when describing me. School kids can be mean, but I was a smartass and gave back as good as I got.  Escalation also happened to and a fight or two occurred.   My parents not happy with my schooling got a second opinion on how learned things. I learned I had dyslexia  and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  Methylphenidate  better know as Ritalin was something I had to take for a while.  Then one day I stopped taking in and I was fine. There is more to this story, but I am not sure I got the full story from my mom. In short, she didn't want me taking it anymore. If there were side effects from the Methylphenidate, I don't really remember.  When I left Montgomery public schools,  I was introduced to students that had similar problems learning things. Montgomery County Schools weren't  all bad. Students and teachers in both public and private schools can be helpful and trustworthy. They can also be bullies and untrustworthy.   The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. What you get is a mixed bag in education.

This is the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center and it rocks…read more Gallows ! I'll give you gallows. This is without question Maryland's most exclusive, hard to get into, magnificent and unknown country club / luxury estate. An absolutely marvelous getaway, you feel as if you are in the rugged confines of a resort in the mountains far way, yet you are esconced wonderfully in the curvaceous bosom of nature somewhere between Rockville Pike and Georgia Avenue. Here's what you get: -100s of acre of magnificent, sylvan, beautiful, unspoiled countryside, peppered with trails, tracks, streams -A pre civil war cemetery to explore -An 1830s water mill - the original Muncaster Mill -The upper reaches of Rock Creek meander through the park with overturned logs for the adventurous to try and cross over on -A wide range of orienteering programs, predator-prey, confidence building and course on the early settlers -Woods, trails, hills, streams, ponds, barns, covered bridges, animals, birds,owls, turkey buzzards, -Magnificently rustic cabin accommodation -A fine kitchen which belts out the finest BBQ chicken, spaghetti and French toast known to man ( not in the same meal) -Friendly, hard working , educated and passionate staff members and teachers.... Here's what you pay for it: -Absolutely Nothing. Zilch. Nada. It's Gratis. Free. And I mean free like in beer, not free like in puppies. Wait - this sounds too good to be true - there has to be a catch..... Oh yeah, there is the mother-of-all-catches..... To really enjoy this you have to be sixth grader in the Montgomery County school system - they each get three days here as a part of the County's absolutely magnificent Outdoor Education program. I volunteered to be one of the parent chaperones this week from Wednesday - Friday. When I recently told a friend I had done that he told me I was crazy and I - or someone else - would probably die. He did it a few years ago with his now- 17 year old and said it was horrible. " Have you any idea how unpleasant it is to be in a cabin with a dozen 12 year olds?" With these words ringing in my ears I was absolutely dreading this trip. Instead it turned out to be amazing - not just because for 2 days I was with Thing 1 and Thing 2 and all their buddies doing lots of cool things in the countryside, but I was also away from TV, internet, phone, BBY, email, distractions, credit card bills, tax documents - It was absolutely magnificent. A huge shout out to the teachers and Outdoor Educators of Montgomery County. This place is phenomenal - it has been going since 1963. And a further shout out to the budget guys - don't stop funding this place! It is absolutely brilliant. By the second day you can already see how the kids are changing, more in tune with the surroundings, paying attention, working together, being considerate. Yeah sure - they are kids and there will be issues, but overall this was a simply magnificent experience.

We are in our third year at McLean School and we have been very happy with our school. Our son had…read moreattended two other independent schools and by the end of the 1st grade he was still unable to read. We had a neuropsychological study conducted and found out our son has ADHD and dyslexia. Where the other schools were unable to teach him effectively and even categorizing our son as a behavioral problem, McLean understood his struggles and brought him to grade level in 2 years. The school is a very supportive environment for the students but also for the parents. It is a supportive and engaged parent community and I am proud to be heavily involved with the Parents Association. In reading some of the reviews, I am saddened to hear that other families had issues with bullying. When we were made aware of another student engaging in bully-like behavior with our son, the school reacted swiftly and addressed the issues. We look forward to continuing with McLean for the foreseeable future.

Wonderful leadership and faculty who thoughtfully consider the needs of students who are not served…read morein traditional classrooms. Beautiful facilities and happy students.

This is my school and thee teachers r not so great but everyone is really nice and I think that its…read morea really wonderful school

I love this highschool its really pretty and has plenty of wonderful sports programs and I love…read morelove love it!

We have been at Seneca Academy for 5 years. Both of our kids started in preschool and have…read morecontinued through elementary and we could not be happier with our experience! The staff is absolutely phenomenal. The classes are small so each child gets the attention they need. The kids get lots of outdoor time and because of that they are able to focus better when in the classroom. Dr. Parker, the head of school, is fantastic and we really appriciate her open-door policy. Seneca is such a close-knit community and we are so grateful to be a part of it! Our kids are thriving and love going to school every day. I can't imagine there is a better school out there!

I love Seneca Academy!!! I am so happy we chose this school for our children! The teachers are…read moreoutstanding, and I love how small the classes are! There is a real sense of community within the school. I appreciate how easy it is to get in touch with my kid's teachers if I have a question. I am very impressed by the IB program. Most importantly, I feel like my kids are truly getting the best education possible. I read a previous review about how they never met their child's teacher, and had to wonder how that is possible? One of the best things about Seneca (to me) is the ample amount of opportunities we have to meet with the teachers and be in the classroom. There are meet and greets, back to school night, parent/teacher conferences (even for pre k), and parents are encouraged to come in several times a year to be a guest reader, or help with holiday parties and other activities. Our experience with Seneca has been exceptional and I would highly recommend it!

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.