This a very good school, everyone here is friendly and welcoming. Kids love their teachers and…read morestaff. Playgrounds and fields a in good condition for kids to have a great time.

My three children have attended St. Ambrose since kindergarten. The oldest is now in middle…read moreschool. My husband and I love the atmosphere of the school and our children have thrived--each child is encouraged to develop their own special gifts in a supportive environment that emphasizes kindness and respect to everyone. St. Ambrose nurtures the growth of the whole child, so in addition to academics, my children have also enjoyed learning chess, playing an instrument in band, having a role in the school Christmas play, and developing their track and basketball skills on the school's CYO teams. The teachers and staff are wonderful. They are always responsive and welcoming to parents and really function as a team. St. Ambrose is a very special place.

Ok - so I went here in the late 70s and early 80s, but I still have fond memories, and for the…read morerecord one of my teachers, Ms. Moke, still works here. I remember her quite fondly. The education was stellar, and it prepared me extremely well for my future in junior high school. I have fond memories of mooning my first grade teacher at the encouragement of a fellow student, and afternoon meetings in The Pod, where on at least one occasion the anti-smoking people came to pass around chunks of blackened lung inside plastic to scare us away from that filthy habit. It worked. There was also a safety video depicting kids being taken on stretchers into ambulances... because naughty kids who threw things had injured them. My fondest memory of this place, however, was of the air raids. Once monthly or so, we'd practice the end of times when the air raid signal went off and we'd go into the halls, line up against the walls, duck and cover, expecting chunks of the ceiling to rain down upon our heads. Ahh. Those were good times. I secretly hope that they're still showing that little turtle movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixy5FBLnh7o and practicing those air raids. 'Cuz ya never know...

This is by far the worst school I have ever had the privilege of tell to "f" off! Usually, when…read moreyou tell a school "hey let some other child have the privilege of dealing with your classy busy bodies" they actually leave you alone. Well not this school. I am still a month (+) later being harassed by this school and the old hen busy bodies that run it! To add insult to injury here, I fought to get my child into this school only to be treated so horribly and harassed each and every day for the month that he was there.! Now I am having to fight just to get them to leave us alone. Apparently.... class and good breeding does not run amongst these busy bodies! The mere motto "live and let live" really needs to be stressed to these people. If someone does not wish for their child to go here show some class and part with respect. Do not continue to harass them months later, because you are jealous of their happiness. Live and let live people. Not everyone will find this school good and just because you don't want your homes to decrease in value or you don't want to get involved with your kids education does not make this a good school. That says more about you. This is a public school and somewhere along the way someone has misinformed them and left them with the thought that they are "special". What ever fairy dust was sprinkled by what ever fairy, the people in this neighborhood should really ban together and dust it off! You are a PUBLIC school and not a good one! No never ever would I recommend them, not even to a bug.

My almost-four-year-old son currently attends Griffin Academy. We are working parents and needed…read morefull-day care, and we did a pretty exhaustive search in the area for an affordable preschool. I cannot BELIEVE how lucky we are to have found this place. Let me tell you why you should send your kids here. Even before I talk about my son's experience, I need to mention how well this program is run. Kristine Lee, the preschool director, is one of the warmest, kindest, most competent and professional humans with whom I've had the pleasure of interacting. She was so responsive and helpful throughout our enrollment process that we felt like we were already family members from the first contact. This was not our experience with other preschool programs. Many private preschools, like the one our older daughter attended, have strict arbitrary rules, parent work hour requirements, and intimidating admission processes that (for us) made us feel a tiny bit unwelcome. None of this from Westminster. This private school, with its classical focus, has managed to wrap us in its arms and surround us with a community of funny, warm, and down-to-earth people. It feels EASY, not stressful, to attend school here. As private school first-timers, we had to adjust to uniforms, but it's been no sweat. Teachers. We knew that our son liked his teacher, and that she (and all of the Griffin teachers) had been kind to him, and patient as he adjusted to a full day of school. We were so incredibly impressed when we met her in person at back-to-school night. Beyond having exactly the personality you would want for a preschool teacher (gentle, nurturing, and understanding), Miss Horner brings incredible expertise and professional knowledge to her job as classroom teacher. I myself am a board-certified teacher, so I have some clue about what they do, and my son's teacher is at the top of her game. Literally every aspect of her students' experience seems to have been designed with their development in mind. Everything in the classroom is accessible to the children, with the goal of fostering their independence, improving their fine and gross motor skills, and promoting harmony. The children are taught to greet each other respectfully, refer to their classmates as "friends", and express appreciation frequently. We toured other schools in our search, and at some well-known schools, we were dismayed to notice that the teachers did not seem to have a loving relationship with their students. My son's teachers LOVE him, and it shows. This was the single most important thing that we as parents were looking for. Every child deserves to experience preschool in a class like my son's, and we cannot overstate how fortunate we feel to have landed here. Here are some other fun things that we love: - They go on field trips (on the Westminster bus!) on almost a monthly basis. That is so many out-of-class experiences! - Each classroom has an imaginative play area that changes monthly (post office! garden! cave! grocery store!). - You can pack your child's lunch, OR order hot lunch from their service! Or both! - Excite Soccer offers a short after-school class on Thursdays, and our son goes to this and LOVES it. - French. Library. Music. Science. Our preschooler's schedule is as varied and rich as our 1st-grader's. My son is a wiggly little boy. Was I worried that he wouldn't have enough opportunity to move and play in the course of his rigorous classical education? I was. I've got one word for you: GYMNASIUM. If you can show me another preschool where kids get to run around a huge gym first thing every single morning, I'll be astonished. My guy comes home happy and tired every day. I'm typing all of this because when we were looking for preschools, there weren't a lot of parent reviews to read, and parents need to know that this wonderful option is available. Look no further!

Our son went to Griffin Academy for preschool and he attended some of the Griffin camps (winter,…read morespring, summer.) Griffin Academy is part of the Westminster School, however, it is on a different campus and it is run by a different headmaster. So first, I must say that this review is for Griffin Academy not Westminster as we do not have any experience with Westminster directly. The best part of Griffin Academy is the teaching staff (actually, all of the staff) and the facilities. If you take a tour of the facilities I have no doubt you will be very impressed. Having an indoor gym-type of space in the winter was hugely beneficial. Also, the teaching staff was excellent, and I mean really excellent. My son had a primary teacher who he adored and then he did rotate through other teachers who teach specialty subjects, and they all got to know him and I was really impressed with all of them. The expectations, educationally, were set very high which works well for my son and our family because I felt that he was pushed just the right amount. The class sizes are small so the teachers are really able to work with the kids at the level that they are at. They also worked a lot on his manners and his social interactions. My son came out of Griffin at age 4, able to sight read entire books on his own, silently, to himself. So educationally, I cannot fault Griffin at all; I was very impressed. Our son was definitely not bored, which is a big thing for us. The hours that they provide childcare/school for are also very good for working parents, as they provide a variety of options to allow the parents to be able to choose and manage the hours of school and childcare that they need. The price was also surprisingly much more affordable than a lot of other preschools. The only reason I am not giving the school 5 stars is because, just out of bad luck, is our son really didn't have that many other boys in his class, so unfortunately a lot of the stereotypical boy activities, he was not able to partake in to the fullest extent of what he would have preferred, so I ended up having to enroll him in some outside extracurricular activities (karate, etc.) just to kind of make up that deficit. The class he was in was almost all girls. However, as I say, I realize that experience was probably just unique to us and unfortunate due to the way the classes broke down. The reason that is a big deal to me is my son needs a lot of physical activity to get his energy out and that really requires him basically running around like a maniac playing soccer, etc. He is already at the age where he doesn't want to play what he thinks of as girly games so that was a bit of an issue during the school times, was not having enough physical activity for his liking. (***During the camps sessions it was a better mixture of boys and girls so this problem actually completely went away for us during all of the Griffin camp sessions.) The only other pretty minor complaint I had about the school was at times I felt they were a bit too strict on some things that I myself am pretty relaxed on - especially the "clean your plate" mentality, I am not really that into. On the flip side, his manners were much improved and he is able to do a lot more on his own and for himself than he was when he went into Griffin, so I have mixed feelings about that. All in all, I would really recommend Griffin, it is a very good preschool, and when our daughter is old enough we will probably be sending our daughter there.

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.

Of all public elementary schools in this community, Annandale Terrace is the true shining gem of…read morethe community. The teachers and administrative staff are attentive and up to date with their students. I have never experienced any issues with anyone regarding 504 plans or IEPs. In addition, the principle seems incredibly knowledgeable- which is refreshing. She demonstrates true concern for the betterment of her students and ensures that their best interest is at heart. The teachers I've encountered have been nothing short of encouraging and motivating. This school provided such a positive experience. I knocked off one star only because of the constant calls we received in the evenings regarding fundraisers, PTA meetings, etc. it wasn't all that big of a deal at first but it eventually got to me (so Sorry! I am Sure there was a way to opt out but we didn't know how)! Otherwise, we were happy to have had our son attend ATES.

One day I was browsing the internet, and I found out that Kumon accepts 3 yo kids. My daughter…read morestarted the classes in December 2021 (she was 3 yo and 2 months then). She could count 1-20, but sometimes she was skipping numbers. After less than two months, she counts up to 50 in a consistent way. Better: she is having fun; she asks me for more homework. Be aware that you are buying the methodology and material, but Kumon alone will not do miracles. You need to guide your kid every single day (at least for young kids) to make it successful.

My two sons who were about average in math started to show huge jumps in math ability after two…read moreyears at Fairfax- East. Kumon works on foundational skills and thanks to Mrs. Kwon, they are now thriving in math when it really counts with all the online schools. I Highly recommend this center.

My cousin used to go to this school. It needs more design on the building and inside. It looks like…read morethe 90s but overall it's ok.

Another easy peasy voting event. In and out in under 10 minutes, granted it was a special election…read moreso I was not really expecting any lines & there was also early voting & mail in ballot options. Deja vu as I worked at this school for nine years. Loving the new mural in the cafeteria.

I recommend this school for kids.I had a friend that did not know to do lots of stuff.Then he moved…read morefrom Barcroft and came to mason crest and suddenly he started listening,School is awesome Lots of fun stuff to to