Absolutely the BEST. Our child was enrolled here and we can't even begin to thank the staff here…read moreenough - Lara. Dani, Patrice, etc. Each one of them treated us like family and provided excellent communication to us. We were very sad to be leaving and will miss the entire staff there. This was our first experience with daycare and we couldn't be happier. We are staying in the Kindercare family but on the other side of the country. Thank you to EACH and EVERY employee at this location

Horrible!!! Dani worst ever, she should not be able to the run the building without LARA, she lacks…read morecompetency and control!!! Also Dani lacks sense of urgency!!!! She shouldn't be in the child care field they should ban her!!!!!!!! Jasmine (2/3 teacher )doesn't know what she is completely clueless!!! All of this because my son hit his head I wasn't notified. Also their DM Kurtis lied about talking to my grandmother who has been deceased for the past two years. Then He was more focus on bringing his kids to my one of parks, so unprofessional!!!!!The only good person there was Lara!!!

I regret enrolling my daughter here. Despite committing early (touring in Feb 2024, paying a…read moredeposit, and submitting all forms), the school's lack of communication, disorganization, and disregard for basic safety and hygiene created a deeply frustrating and emotionally exhausting year. From misplaced incident reports and unaddressed injuries, to administrative errors and tone-deaf leadership, this school consistently failed to provide a safe, transparent, and developmentally supportive environment. My daughter came home with swollen lips, unexplained bruises, missing shoes, and stories of peer mistreatment -- with no formal documentation provided, despite repeated requests. These were not isolated events; I have video/photo documentation, and other parents voiced similar concerns in meetings. The director's conduct was both inappropriate and hypocritical -- once sending me a photo of my 3-year-old with paper in her mouth and demanding I "talk to her about telling the truth" over a harmless joke (gum from dad), while gaslighting parents about emails that were never sent. We were made to feel like the problem, when in reality the school's tech systems, operations, and staffing plans were simply broken. Staffing was unstable -- the lead teacher left for maternity leave with no real succession plan. Parents were informed of changes through hallway gossip before any official notice. Other red flags included: * Poor nap hygiene (child's skin broke out); * No proper underwear/clean clothes sent home; * Unsafe food handling policies; * Lost orthopedic shoes due to mishandling after an accident -- only replaced after escalation; * Inconsistent behavioral reporting, with my child being singled out for normal 3-year-old behavior, while aggressive peer behavior went unaddressed all year. The school showed a lack of respect for working parents, sending critical updates (like school closures) late at night and offering no accessible options for required events (no childcare, no virtual options, last-minute notices). They ran meetings on free Zoom accounts that cut off mid-call, used free Gmail accounts, and misunderstood basic tools like unlisted YouTube links. My concerns were dismissed, incident reports were never filed, and when I reported this to the county, I was told it was "too late." Given how long and hard I tried to resolve these issues internally -- and my documentation of events -- this only added to the heartbreak. In hindsight, I should have trusted my gut and pulled my child out much earlier. If you're a parent considering this school, please ask hard questions about staff turnover, behavior policies, safety reporting, and operational transparency. And if something feels off -- trust yourself.

Will only state the facts that lead to this review…read more.. In preparation for our move to VA this year, my family and I have been searching for a suitable Montessori school within this area. After speaking with Cardinal several times via the phone we felt that this might be a great option. A few weeks ago, my wife had scheduled a school tour and staff meet with Cardinal's senior coordinator (not official title) to allow us to see a routine day at the school and view its operation. We scheduled the tour for a Friday, which we were told was not "normal" but would be allowed given the fact that my family had to drive 5+ hours to get there. The tour was locked on that Monday with a 0930 start time on Friday. We had no other communication from the school throughout the week and on Thursday afternoon, we hit the road after I had gotten off work and arrived in VA just after midnight. We were up the following Friday morning and arrived at Cardinal at 0910 to an empty parking lot, locked building, lights off, and no one on site... We sat, waited, and attempted to call anyone with no luck and no response. It was about 0930 when finally a car pulled up and a women was dropped off. She didn't engage us at all and simply walked into the school. My wife proceeded to knock on the door and was met by said women who appeared to be cleaning. My wife explained our situation to the women who simply laughed, nodded, and said that the school was closed due to a maintenance emergency. A few minutes later, another women arrived who identified herself as a teacher. We calmly explained how we were scheduled to meet with a Ms. Igera for our tour but had not been able to reach her or anyone else. The teacher looked surprised and quickly reiterated that the school had been closed for the last few days. She then pulled out her phone and said she would call the "school owner" who was already on her way to Cardinal. At approx. 0945 the school co-owner arrived and welcomed us inside. We explained, again, who we were and why we were there. She quickly apologized and then explained how the school closed on Wednesday and Thursday due to plumbing issues. They had sent all the students and staff home and were now back (Friday morning) in order to clean for the reopening on Monday. She didn't ask any further about the botched tour appointment, but rather tried to go right into her pitch for the school. At the end of the walk-through, we were on our way out the door when we asked for Ms. Igera to call us about the clear failure in communication. The Co-owner said she would, glorified her staff, and said she hoped we would consider them when we moved... Fast forward 2+ weeks later....we got that call.... And it was to schedule yet another tour at the school. Nothing more. The level of complete disregard, disrespect, and sheer unprofessionalism that went into this waste of time is truly astounding. For better perspective, here is a better overview of all my family and I sacrificed in order to simply VISIT the school and observe its operation. - late night drive 5+ hours after work. - pulled my 4yo daughter out of current school in order to see the Cardinal school and meet the teachers. - my wife is 7 months pregnant at the time of all this. And she had to make all these movements. - I scheduled a full day away from work to make this trip happen. - spent hundreds on gas to make the round trip. Along with paying for a hotel in order to stay overnight... The Cardinal school may do just fine in some things, but I find it hard to imagine what. The coordination, communication, and lack of accountability is frightening. To make a commitment to an outside family who is willing to spend thousands on the betterment of their children's care and education and then not even have the courtesy to communicate a simple appointment change is unacceptable. I would HIGHLY encourage any family seeking a Montessori program to move on and explore other options (military families or otherwise). I have nothing negative to post about the teachers who work here, simply the lack of efficient and effective administrative overview of the school itself. This was not a sophisticated encounter, but rather a simple and what I would image routine engagement with an interested party. If this is how they treat an unaffiliated party, how do they respond under higher stress situations? Who actually maintains the schools appointments? Who is charge of registrations? Etc... Bottom line, keep searching. There are other great options within this region of VA, as my family and I learned. So disappointed to leave a review of this manner on a Montessori related establishment, but title alone does not guarantee quality. I truly hope this review can bring about a greater awareness of the low standard practices at Cardinal.

Incompetent staff, and director recommended we "some college boy" to shadow our son helping him in…read moretransitions. Turns out some Boy is her son and she, the director is the owner. We were paying 3x the tuition in this "boy" who was incompetent to help our son which resulted in Mrs Green the wow that caking me daily to get him at noon-3.5 hours early. All my son needed was to move down to prek since he was the youngest of all the K and clearly not ready for K. Instead they had us hire her son. Didn't tell us it was her son. Nepotism. We had to hear it from someone else. Never again.

Our family loves Greentree Christian Preschool! Before moving to the area we were asking others…read morefor preschool recommendations and Greentree was described as the "only and best place to go." We checked it out in-person and immediately felt at home. The first year our 4 yr old went 2 days a week. Her letter and number recognition grew by leaps and bounds. Her faith deepened and she learned to pray from her heart. The second year our now 5 yr old went 3 days a week and our two yr old went 2 days a week. I am still amazed how much my 2 yr old learned (letters, colors, counting etc.). Best of all, the teachers truly care about their students and the parents. They are easy to talk with and treat your children as their own. It's beautiful to see the great bond that forms between your children and their teachers. That's when you know you've found the perfect place! We have had such a positive experience that anytime we get asked about preschool we are quick to rave about Greentree. We look forward to a few more years as our 3rd and 4th children attend!

The middle school failed my child this school year. There's a notorious group of students that…read moresystematically bully new kids or someone outside their circle and the worst part, these students are favored among teachers. Multiple complains to the principal resulted in NOTHING! Only a check mark talk with the offenders and the vicious cycle goes on. It's a disgrace that teachers only promote their favorites to win competitions like Science fair. The middle school drastically lacked any fun or engaging events, fundraisers or activities that encouraged team work and inclusion of parents. There was only one field trip throughout the year and no promised end of year concert that even public schools have. The end of year award ceremony was unfairly selective. Throughout the year we got Zero photos from any teacher showing a school day, so it feels like this year just fell out equation with no memories to look back to. There's no graduation ceremony for 5th graders either, which they truly deserve. Since the new owner took over, the school environment (especially in upped grades) is rapidly deteriorating. And it's not surprising, the owner lives outside the country and rarely shows up. My gut feeling was right when I checked the school website before we enrolled and it was generic. And that's how this year felt, generic! A generic website with no teacher names, stock photos of students, there's nothing there that shows actual student life or curriculum or shows any photos of the teachers. This place is about squeezing every dollar they can from paying parents, while failing on delivering the fair support and equal opportunities every student deserves.

This year has been a joke for my daughter. She said she's had the worst year since she started…read moreschool. She complained about daily bullying, degrading or disrespectful comments from some kids in upper grades, because apparently, teachers combined 5th, 6th and 7th grades in the same classroom. School administration is not properly addressing the bullying issue either and I heard the new owner is missing in action, never present and it shows. We as parents were never invited to any classroom event, where we could engage with students, teachers and other parents. There's also no student counselor on site, which upper grades really need. This school needs to step up with its upper grades policies, so every student feels appreciated and having the support the need.

I have three children in this center. They really love spending time there. I think they have very…read moregood teachers.

My daughters just started at this center a few months ago and they love it! They love their…read moreteachers and they are learning so much. Their teachers are very informative, caring, and compassionate, as well as hands on. The assistant director and director are also amazing, and always keeps me up to date on everything going on in Kindercare. I appreciate this center and everything they do!

My daughter and son have been at Celebree since they opened and we feel we made the best decision…read moreby coming to this school. The children needs and feelings are prioritized above everything else. The kids get outdoor play, clean classrooms and fun activities and the awesome teachers put in tremendous efforts to create a solid environment for these children. Strongly recommend this school to anyone who wants to give their child a strong learning experience.

My child is currently attending the summer program and is enjoying it immensely. I had the…read moreopportunity to work with the owner of the school, who was an Assistant Principal for Fairfax County Public Schools. She is incredibly knowledgeable and truly understands what students need to stay engaged and excited about learning. My child especially enjoys Ms. Bella, who shows genuine care for her class and takes the time to connect with each student. It's been wonderful to see my child so enthusiastic about going to the program every day!

Lake Ridge Kindercare has been our FIRST daycare experience as FIRST-TIME parents, and I am so…read moregrateful we found such a quality experience for our son ("B") only a few minutes from home. We enrolled him in the infant room at 8 months, and I had the common new-mom tears and fears. The Kindercare team immediately put any concerns at ease, from the center directors Patricia and Janelle who so kindly encouraged me through the first morning drop-off, to the team who was so attentive to rocking, feeding, and playing with my son (and even getting him to nap in a new place!) We love the pictures and updates we get on the Kindercare app of what B is up to during the day. B is now in the the toddler classroom and has celebrated milestones like walking, an expanding vocabulary, social skills, and at 18 months is already identifying letters and numbers. But the best review is the giant smile B has when he sees his teachers at drop-off! We unfortunately are moving out of the area soon so we'll have to say good-bye to this wonderful team, but that means there's an open position for anyone looking for a daycare center where their baby will thrive. :) We love you Ms. Dana, Ms. Norma, Ms. Devi, Ms. Kavania, Ms. Marisol, Ms. Julia, Ms. Indrani, and Ms. Karima!

I absolutely love this center! Ms. Patricia and Ms. Brandy are such amazing and hard working women…read more I feel so comfortable having my daughter attend daily. They answer all of my questions and are so patient with me as a first time mom. I couldn't ask for a better center and team working with and caring for my daughter. Every teacher is so friendly and professional! I am so thankful for all that they do!

Military Families, READ THIS!!! We Paid DEARLY!! PCS Movers PLAN AHEAD!!…read moreWe are a Midwest military family new to the area and were in desperate need of daycare for our two children, a toddler and a pre-K child. Despite our best efforts to be good parents, we didn't do enough prep and research. After just two days of attendance (YES, TWO DAYS), we were forced to make the decision to disenroll. Each day, my baby girl came home with fresh scratches on her face and neck. When I arrived to pick up their belongings after disenrollment, I saw why. The teachers were using the well-behaved toddlers as training aids for the handsy, rough ones. While one instructor went to grab my daughter's things, I saw another put sunglasses on a little girl and then put a boy in front of her, saying, "Gentle hands." He reared back and slapped the sunglasses off her face. I was heartbroken that I had sent my daughter there for two whole days without me. There was a clear negative change in our children's demeanor, behavior and mood after only two days here. The school is situated behind an AutoZone and a 7-Eleven. On the first day, around 10 or 11 AM, I dropped in to check on my daughter. As I pulled into the parking lot, I saw two teenage boys lurking a few feet from the toddlers' playground fence. When they saw us, they scrambled up the fence onto an adjacent wall. My wife wanted to get out of the car to chase them away, but I reminded her that the school could call the police. When I went inside, the director was sitting in front of the monitors. I told her what happened, and she clicked around a few times with her mouse, and that was that. When we saw our daughter, we were upset to see that she was on the playground at the same time these teens were on the fence. One of the worst parts of this experience was when we asked for an exception to their disenrollment policy. We received a personal email from the owner stating, "Unfortunately, we have to follow the policy we have in place. Your balance as of now is $2992." This is roughly $1500 per day! She also called us, and after I explained the situation and mentioned we are a military family who made an honest mistake, she said, "Policy is policy." She did offer to be generous and allow us to make payments. MILITARY FAMILIES BEWARE: GODDARD HAS A 30-DAY NOTICE!!! Every other daycare in the area has a normal two-week policy, but not here! Other schools in the area offer something called Discovery Days, a free grace period where your child can spend time at the school to see if it is the right fit. There are many other issues I've experienced at this school. My son's Pre-K class is adjacent to the playground, and when we went to pick him up for the day, I pulled the metal door handle, and it slid right off into my hand! What if there was a fire and a kid lost the door handle so they couldn't escape, or even worse, an active shooter?! NOPE!!! Not taking my kids!!! The school has cameras but doesn't share the video streams with families. You may want a solid break from your kid, but in the two days of enrollment, we received only one picture of our son in Pre-K and three pictures of our toddler. There are many dirty, old, broken toys that appear to be more donated or recycled. The rug in my son's room was FILTHY brown. The school has one of the highest tuitions in the area but doesn't supply lunch, snacks, diapers, etc. If you send food that needs to stay cool, each class has a large, floppy, ridiculous zippable cooler bag to store food. Hopefully, with the $3000 taken from our family, they can afford a few refrigerators. There's lots more but hopefully you now have enough to make a better decision than I did for our family.

If you want your kids to get bullied and come back home with cuts and bruises everyday, then by all…read moremeans send your kid here. The teachers and staff don't do anything about bullying and will avoid all responsibility. STAY AWAY FROM GODDARD IF YOU VALUE YOUR KID