We have three children attending WME. The teaching staff is great, with a few exceptions. Two of…read moreour teachers were wonderful, winning over the hearts of our children. The third was pretty mediocre. Nice enough guy, just lousy at his job. The kids do not have textbooks. Instead, they paste photocopies into notebooks. They never have homework, which allows the students without parental support at home to compete on an even playing field. Of course, most educated parents make up home study exercises to supplement the substandard education they receive at WME. If you're a crack head, however, you can neglect your child's education and they should continue to progress at a snail's pace with the rest of the class. The school building is too small. Most classes are housed in trailers. Though the school is nestled among the neighborhoods of $700k+ homes, most of the children are bussed in from high-density low-income housing along the route 1 corridor. Very few parents speak English. The middle class families living in the homes surrounding the school do not send their kids to public school. They have been effectively forced out by an educational system which prioritizes teaching immigrant children to speak English over providing an adequate education to the American establishment. If kids are Asian or Caucasian, they're not just the minority--they're the anomaly. Many optimistic parents love the Spanish immersion program which gives the school a progressive excuse to lecture the majority of the students in their native language. Personally, I didn't buy a home in Tijuana; I bought a home in Alexandria, and expect more. Our kids learned virtually nothing last year, even with the teachers who cared.

So far so good from what I've seen. Kindergarden...read more

Great experience overall and the teachers were amazing. We are so grateful for our time here.read more

We just moved to the area from NY. I was looking for prek for my daughter and saw this school on my…read moreevening walks. I called for a tour and was placed on hold for 30 min. Called again 3 times and was told that they were too busy to "deal with my request". Then lady thing up as in was talking. I am so glad I got to see their true colors before sending my child to this dump. Luckily, I found another school and we are very pleased with level of service and professionalism. Warning: stay away from this place and do your research.

Amazing preschool with a very talented and dedicate staff. Church is amazing as well. We were…read morevery happy here with the three year olds program and four year olds programs. Excellent afternoon programs as well. We loved it here!

The best preschool. Affordable, with fantastic teachers and staff. My 3 yr old loved going to…read moreschool and always came home spouting new things he learned about "the white house" or "groundhogs," etc. His teachers were incredibly kind and kept me informed of his progress. Our fridge is decorated with "projects" that he did himself. He made great little friends and is always asking to play with them. Fantastic school!

Hollin Meadows is currently undergoing a renovation, the new designs and floor plans look amazing…read more I teach chess here after school so I'm here every week. The staff at the front office are very kind and the school culture is very inclusive and offers a lot of activities. The only downside is parking is restricted so you'll find a lot of cars parked on the street. This becomes a cramped unsafe environment.

calvary is a good school overall and Mr Lewis and his wife are amazing people here are my problems…read morewarnings all they do is not give kids ice cream but any kid with a warning can just go to the store and buy some and the teachers are focused towards girls and it is extremely unfair another complaint the bathroom door on one of the doors dosent lock people are extremely uncomfortable in there knowing any kid can open the door on them but the some of the teachers are amazing like Mr Mayer and dr elk too and Mrs Peffer and Mrs Lewis does his best because most pf this things are caused by kids but they still need to be fixed

We just completed our first school year at Calvary (1 son in kindergarten, 1 daughter in preschool…read more3). My son is excelling and I am very pleased with the school and the staff. My youngest daughter will join her older siblings in the fall.

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.

One of the teachers allowed another child to report to me about my son's behavior during dismissal…read more She watched and nodded along as the child reported. This is extremely unprofessional. A teacher had a man that DOES NOT work at the school sitting in the school with her watching her work during after care hours. I did not know who this man was and I am sure he did not pass the necessary background check required for educators. That same teacher was vacuuming in one room while the children were alone in another room. My son was 3 or 4 years old at the time and the other students were young as well. If there had been a problem would she have been able to hear the emergency? The leader is rude to parents and students. In addition, for many years she has not had a proper board of directors. The board consisted of the founder and two of her relatives. This is a huge conflict of interest reflected in the schools inability to grow and adapt to relevant educational research. The Beddow School is supposed to be a non-profit. However, the school clearly ran in the best interest of the founder as opposed to the organization. Beddow operates like a for-profit business that mostly just benefits the founder. For example, the founder benefits by cutting costs and making staff that should be watching children clean instead. My son was left in a classroom with other students alone. Definitely, not what I signed up for. I am sad that I enrolled my child at this school. The first red flag for me is that the school is not named after someone who is a great educator. It is named after the founder, a shriveling woman that is alive and well. I am a teacher. It is not a career path for people that are self absorbed. Teaching requires a level of humility that puts students in the spotlight, which is why most schools are named for a mission or a person that has already proven themselves (like Mary McLeod Bethune or Maria Montessori). The first sign that the school operates in the interest of the founder is the school's name!

This is a wonderful school! The HOS is very caring and she puts the children first! The…read moreMontessori environment cultivates individualism and promotes a child's development and respect for other people. My kids loved this school an my granddaughter loves it!

We joined midway through the school year in the 2's class (which meets two mornings a week), and…read moreour daughter immediately felt right at home. It's such a wonderful school and a truly special community. As a cooperative preschool, parents help out in the classroom 1-2 times a month--and that's one of the things that makes it so unique and rewarding. Everyone gets to know each other's kids so well, and there's such a genuine sense of connection and support among the families. The teachers are absolutely fantastic--so kind, warm, and engaged--and the outdoor space is incredible. There are so many areas for the kids to explore, climb, dig, and play. It's the kind of place where childhood really feels like childhood. We love the balance of unstructured play and thoughtful, low-pressure structured activities. Our daughter looked forward to every single school day, and we always felt confident she was safe, happy, and learning through play. We can't recommend Ft. Hunt Preschool enough!

The 2s class at this school was my child's first school/care experience outside of our home, and I…read morecouldn't imagine a better place for her to go. You can tell that the staff here truly care for your child. This school really prioritizes nature, and there is a natural, wooded playground (not just a bunch of cement and plastic like so many playgrounds), rain barrels so the kids can play with water, a huge sand pit with a canopy, tree stumps and rocks, an outdoor kitchen. It creates an environment that is reminiscent of generations past, when children would run outside into nature and play freely. The parents and relationships you have the opportunity to form here are also wonderful. What could have been just a preschool has turned into a community for us.