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.

I'm not exactly sure where to begin ....but I love this SCHOOL! Love the Director & the staff !…read more We relocated to the area and I did a lot of research on other day care centers. I even reviewed VA reports of each day care center. When I visited the school in person I was armed with my list of questions regarding activities and correction. All of my concerns were addressed by the schools director, Mrs. Marlene.She was able to competently and confidently answer all of my questions. Putting some of my worries at ease. My child has attended this school for the past 7 months and has flourished. Please notice I called it a school because The RISING STARS For Toddlers is not a daycare or playroom. They have outdoor classes, circle time discussions, music and so much more! The curriculum varies on your child's ability. The children have no clue they are learning and to them they are just enjoying toddler life. I receive weekly photos of my child's daily interactions, which I look forward to viewing with my little one. My son is recognizing letters, counting in Spanish, cleaning his area in the short time he has attended the school. As a mother, your concerned about who is caring for you child and how their treated. In most cases you gauge that from how your child behaves upon pick up. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my 24 month old would NOT WANT TO COME HOME!!! I am not kidding!!! He literally has to be coerced out of school. THIS SPEAKS VOLUMES!!! Amazing Staff

We have been incredibly happy with the family atmosphere at Rising Stars. Our child loves going to…read more"school". She loves her teacher and has made many friends. They take education seriously, within 3 weeks she could sing the alphabet song and identify letters on street signs and in books. The many activities and family events are awesome and let us see our kids interacting with each other and the staff. I would recommend Rising Stars to anyone.

IKC is awesome. My son loves going to the Parents Night Out and mini adventure days. They have…read morethe best activities and he always has a great time.

From the owner: Inspire Kids Center offers before and after school care. Inspire Kids Care is open all day on…read morePrince William County School teacher workdays and hosts monthly Parents Night Out care.

I highly recommend this school for your children. We have no complains: the school is clean and…read morewell maintained. The teachers are all engaged and reputable. The children's food is well made with good ingredients. I have zero complaints about the school for the 3.5 years my child attended. If we were able, we would continue to use this school exclusively.

My children have attended HCA since 1/2022. We decided to the move to the Prince William County…read morearea after living in Loudoun County for approx 8 years. We were looking for a school in the area that was not only rich in their curriculum, but a school that was diverse in its culture and one that embraced children of all ethnicities. I noticed that during Black Histoy Month (2/2023), there were no initiatives highlighted in the February Monthly newsletter to recognize the contributions of the many African-Americans that have contributed to American History. I decided to email the staff with ideas in which Black History Month could be incorporated into the curriculum, considering that there were a number of African-American students enrolled at HCA. I received a phone call immediately from one of the Administrators (Mrs. Juliana) stating that this was an oversight and that they would be sure to highlight Black History Month. I had a follow-up conversation with the Curriculum Specialist (Mrs. Giovanna)...and to my surprise, she had incorporated many of the items that I highlighted in my email! Not to mention, how swiftly she acted upon this. I would like to extend my SINCEREST gratitude for all that HCA has done for Black History Month and everything that they are instilling in my children daily. I was thoroughly impressed with the various learning activities the students participated in throughout the month. They exceeded my expectations on highlighting African-American culture and the many great achievements of some of the well-known Black pioneers that have contributed to AMERICAN HISTORY. Efforts such as these make my husband and I confident that we have selected the right school for our children. We look forward to our children thriving in a school environment that promotes diversity and inclusion, as well as high educational standards. Job well done HCA!!

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!

I highly recommend Early Bird. My nephew is only two but already learning his #s, reading and…read moredeveloping his social skills while also having fun. The daycare provides a unique program of learning you wouldn't see at other daycare centers. The staff are attentive and caring. The environment at the center is very warm and welcoming. Best place for kids to go!

Early Bird has been a great place for my son who's now 3. The teachers and staff are passionate and…read morepatient. The school uses the brightwheel app where I can view photos and videos of him throughout the day or if I need to send a quick message to his teacher/staff. The drop off and pick up process is very smooth. I can see the changes in my son since starting Early Bird and he's very happy there with his teachers/classmates. I know he's in good hands there.

I love this school. The staff is very caring and their hours are great. The summer program was…read morevery good and my son loved it. I now utilize their before and after care which is awesome as well.

Ms Christine has been such a blessing for our kids. She is truly a gift from God. She is always…read moreavailable for tutoring and has bent over backwards to work with our kids to find ways to accommodate them in the class. She is a wonderful teacher whose love for children shows in and out of class and we are so blessed to have her working at CCA!!!

I was very optimistic and excited when kiddie Academy opened in the area. It started out pretty…read moregreat but the high staff retention has caused this place to go down hill very quickly. If you are looking for a place of baby sitting this is the right place for you. If you are looking for a legitimate curriculum and education to prepare your kid, do yourself and your pockets a favor and look somewhere else. I'll start with the pro: -Location is convenient -New building/classroom -Cameras in the classroom(it's not common everywhere else) Cons: -Director is a joke. Terrible customer service, I wonder if the owners realizes she is tanking their business. -Pre-K teacher Jocelyn is rude and unprofessional. She will not help your kid; she will let them play all day and good Luck when they get to kindergarten. The way she speaks to the kids is VERY concerning. ...Stay away -There is a new teacher every week, and those they hire are not qualified. The good teachers left long time ago when they realized this daycare is not a good place for them to work or teach. -Just a place for kids to play and not learn anything. I can go on and on but I think you get the picture.

Kiddie Academy of Woodbridge-North has been such a blessing and life-saver for me and my daughter…read more First- let's talk about the facility. It is brand new and gorgeous. With COVID, it was important to know that everything in there was less than a year old and that their staff is constantly cleaning. Second- let's talk about the staff. EVERY ONE that works there is amazing. They are not just nice and friendly, which is important, but they are inviting. I feel that they truly care about my child and that they care about my needs. Ms Roxanna is always working with my daughter, on reading, which is what I had asked. She is so patient and kind but strict enough to get what I request done. They are also always doing fun and educational stuff, even in the summer. Third- I mentioned they have been a blessing. Christin, the director, has truly been our guardian angel. Even when we first didn't sign up since we decided to enroll her in Kindergarten vs pre-k, she still kept tabs on us, just to see how we were doing. When my daughter's nanny could no longer work, Christin made sure that not only could they watch my child but they were able to pick her up from Kindergarten. No matter how crazy my schedule is, Christin and Kiddie Academy have been and are there for me, completely flexible and willing to work with me and my needs. My child has been to other daycares and I felt that at times, I was just a dollar sign. At Kiddie Academy, I feel like we are friends and family and they do truly care about my child.