We enrolled our daughter at Virginia Beach Friends School for her 6th grade year, drawn in by the…read morepromise of small class sizes, individualized attention, and a school culture built on kindness. Sadly, our experience fell far short of those promises, and we made the difficult decision to withdraw her mid-year. Small Class Size Individualized Attention Our daughter's class had only six students -- something we believed would mean more personalized instruction and closer teacher-student relationships. In practice, that was not the case. Teachers were not proactively communicating with us about our daughter's academic performance or classroom participation, despite the fact that there were only five other students in her entire grade. A Serious Bullying Situation That Was Never Communicated to Us: The only other girl in our daughter's class made daily threats -- including saying she wanted to break our daughter's spine and throw her out of a window. This same peer also openly discussed self-harm in the classroom. These are not minor social conflicts. They are serious, ongoing threats that any school should be obligated to communicate to parents immediately. Our daughter started the year strong, finishing Q1 with all A's and B's. As the bullying continued, her grades began to slip in Q2. It wasn't until we proactively reached out that a meeting was arranged with the head of school, the educational director and the admissions director. During that two-hour meeting, we learned that the school had already been aware of this student's behavior, had met with her family, and had issued consequences such as silent lunch -- multiple times. We were well into late January and had never received a single call, email, or notification about any of this. That meeting produced a clear action plan: teachers would make a greater effort to connect with our daughter, and the educational director would meet with her individually each week to help get her academics back on track. Neither of these commitments was ever followed through on by the school. In the weeks after that meeting -- and after we informed the school we would not be re-enrolling for the following year -- our daughter began receiving write-ups for minor infractions: breaking a pencil, tearing up a piece of paper, not asking for help. We also received her Q2 report card, which included a D in PE. Not once had her PE teacher reached out to share any concerns about her performance or participation. In a class of six children, there is simply no excuse for that lack of communication. The pattern of events that followed our meeting, combined with our decision not to re-enroll, felt deeply retaliatory rather than supportive. We ultimately pulled our daughter from Virginia Beach Friends School mid-week and transitioned her to a public school to complete the remaining 2.5 months of the school year. It was not a decision we made lightly, but it was the right one for her wellbeing. TLDR: Virginia Beach Friends School markets itself as a place where children feel safe being uniquely themselves, and where kindness is the school's number one value. Based on our family's experience, those values did not translate into action. Our daughter did not feel supported, seen, or protected for a single day she attended. If you are considering this school for your child, we strongly encourage you to ask hard questions about how they handle bullying, how they communicate with parents, and how they follow through on commitments -- before you make your commitment.

We're in the middle of our second year at VBFS. Our daughter is thriving! She loves going to school…read moreevery morning, and is sad to leave each afternoon. The teachers and staff are all fully engaged and committed, and it shows. The teacher/student ratio is fantastic, with lots of individual attention. The only drawback for us is that there is no dedicated drama teacher or yoga this year. Our daughter loved the plays last year, and the yoga instruction, and misses both this year. But she has LOVES music, art, technology, P.E., square dancing, and Spanish, as well as her regular academics. We look forward to continuing at Friends School.

Love this school! We've been here for 7 school years now. My kids are thriving. They are in the…read moreElementary and Middle School at the moment. It feels like a family. They do a huge event for grandparents day each year. The teachers really love the students. We'll be there through graduation for sure.

I'm a student here, and this school is so good! The teachers incorporate Christ into everything,…read moreand are sooo nice! They try not to give tons of homework, but it is still a very rigorous education. They have tons of sports and extracurricular activities. LOVE MY SCHOOL

Excellent school with a good faculty to help build our children. Teachers are always willing to…read morehelp out through some of the rough patches in our children's growth. Also great physical activities and sports available !!! WRESTLING !!!!

This is my daughter's first year here. The teachers have been great. They communicate regularly…read moreand answer emails quickly. There are numerous extracurricular activities: student council, debate club, sports, etc. She has P.E. and an elective every day. She chose band, but other choices include orchestra, chorus, etc. Foreign language is offered starting in 7th grade. The school is safe and clean. There are student activities on a regular basis. We recently attended a student talent show.

I love Rainbow Station! I don't know that I can express myself well enough in words to explain how…read moregrateful I am that my son is now at Rainbow Station and not at his previous school anymore (see my review on the other pre-school for more information). Rainbow Station has been everything that a pre-school should be and my son has done nothing but flourished. His teachers Patty and Mallory are amazing! Anthony loves them both and will tell me that he wants one of them by saying, "Mommy I want Patty or Mommy I want Mama (as he calls Mallory)". The front desk ladies are so warm and genuinely happy to see us every day, Anthony blows them a kiss as we leave and waives bye. The Director, Ms. Jada is awesome and always available to answer any questions. She is silly and fun too, which I personally love because I like to be silly and prefer a happy environment as opposed to a stale and sterile environment. Ms. Hazel the owner is gracious and kind. Ms. Joyce always knows everyone's names and is always ready to snap a picture at one of our family events. The school even has a babysitting list that has the teachers that are willing to babysit beyond school hours, which has been such a blessing and made me feel better when I have to leave him for work events, because I know that he is in great hands! The curriculum is amazing and my son, who is newly two, has been speaking in full sentences and able to communicate effectively with me (as long as it is not right before nap or bed time). Since my son has been at Rainbow Station he has not had one single negative incident report! Which goes to show that Rainbow Station knows how to care for kids of all kinds and does not lay blame on a child like their counterparts in the industry. Instead they seek to understand and find a solution if need be. And did I mention that they have a ratio of 1 to 6 instead which is better then the required 1 to 8 that their competitors maintain. My son is happy when I go to pick him up every day and does not want to leave he is having so much fun. I know what he is doing each day and I would be able to tell even if they did not write it out in detail because Anthony shows me each night what they learned. I.E. When they were studying bugs, he went around the house and pointed out to me all of the things that looked like bugs. He may have also grabbed a spider and tried to give it to me, which of course was hysterical and not so at the same time! :-) I believe he did the same thing to his teacher while they were outside (I'm sorry Ms. Mallory my son has no fear). And I can go on and on with how awesome the entire Rainbow Station community is and how they treat us like family! Thank you so much for letting us be a part of your family! And for helping me to raise a strong and kind young man!

My niece goes here and the school is great! It's very secure and her teachers are very involved…read more She comes home happy. I like that it focuses on child development and is not just a babysitting service.

Absolutely love this place! Our daughter started here in the Fall and she has learned so much! Her…read morevocabulary has improved significantly, he fine motor skills hav improved, and she is very happy! Staff is friendly, welcoming, and communicative.

My children have been students here for around five years. We have always loved staff and the…read moremanner in which they apply the Montessori method. They are understanding and patient and use differentiated instruction to each child. There is diversity among students that is unusual to see. Parents across cultures seem to really be attracted to the Montessori approach. MCH recently come under new ownership and we are equally pleased with Kathy's new ideas, implementation of STEM curriculum, as well as continuing to make MCH a place where I feel my children are nurtured, cared for, educated and challenged. I recently read a short, negative review and, while I have no idea what the situation was, I have always felt like my concerns were fairly and appropriately addressed. I wish for everyone's sake that if you have an issue with any school or teacher that you'd attempt to address it with them instead of posting vague negative reviews. (No affiliation to the school except that my children attend, I was not asked or compensated in any way for this review.)

My daughter attended this school from January 2025 until the summer of 2026. She has grown so much…read moreas an individual, both academically and emotionally, and she is truly a citizen of the world. She is not afraid to speak up against injustice, loves and protects nature, and is incredibly kind. Classroom: It provides a true Montessori environment that promotes independence and peace, making it the perfect place for kids of all backgrounds because they truly meet you where you are. The teacher-to-student ratio is 8:1. The staff are genuinely amazing and passionate about their work. Field trips, show-and-tell, nature walks, and much more are part of the experience. They invite people from all over to teach about animals, places, and everything in between. I never worried about dropping my kids off at school because I knew they were in good hands. My daughter is very confident and always tells me about the fun activities she participated in at school. Ms. Michelle was her main teacher, and she is like a real life Ms. Honey from Matilda. Ms. Jackie, Ms. Leanne, Ms. Sandy, and all the other educators are extraordinary, and I am forever grateful for giving my children a well rounded start in life. Extracurriculars: The school offers soccer and yoga. My daughter participated in both, and it's wonderful to see her practice her yoga poses at home. A note to know: There is no aftercare or beforecare available. School begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. I cannot recommend this school enough, and it is so bittersweet that my daughter has aged out and is moving on to her next adventure.

Ms. Jackie and her staff are phenomenal. Our first daughter was enrolled for 3 years at Sandpiper…read more Our second daughter started this spring. We love the school's philosophy and their willingness to accommodate our schedule and last minute changes. We feel strongly enough to drive 45 minutes across town for our children to attend Sandpiper. In our now 5 year affiliation with the school we have never heard a whiff of impropriety. My guess is the parents complaining in the reviews raised a lot of red flags of their own and the school decided these parents weren't worth the trouble. I think we've all met the type.

My adult son went to Independence Middle School when VBPS was transitioning from the Junior High to…read moreMiddle School model. He only went to 7th & 8th grades at IMS. Sixth grade was still elementary school. The school is conveniently located in my neighborhood. So it was an easy bike ride to school. My step daughter played on the then Junior High softball team. The ballpark is located adjacent to the school. During my son's time at Independence I served on the PTA Board & as volunteer pianist for the Chorus Teacher, making it easier for her to direct. The school is one that hasn't been replaced in the School Board's continuing project of replacing schools with glitzy new buildings. This makes me happy since replacement takes away the history one experienced in the former building. The sense of place is destroyed. Today my IMS Voting Precinct looks just as it did when my children attended. That makes me happy. The students that attend the school are from a mix of elementary schools. The children from Thoroughgood Elementary are split between Independence & Great Neck Middle. During my children's era those classmates were reunited at Cox High School. Since redistricting the children attend Princess Ann High School, as do most of their IMS classmates. Voting at the school brings back many memories. Those of us who are neighborhood old timers always run into someone we know at the polls. So I enjoyed my voting experience today for many reasons.

The best teachers. My daughter studied here, it's the best school. I am very grateful to the…read moreteachers of this school.

This is a rigorous, half-day homeschool hybrid school for pre-K through 8th grade. My daughter has…read morebeen here three years now. She is in 2nd grade. She is learning way more than the standard level. She learned cursive writing in First grade and is learning multiplication tables now. She will begin learning Latin next year. There is high attention to character, growing their relationships with the Lord, humility, kindness, and manners as well as academics and classical, Socratic instruction. The parents are solid, the teachers are solid, the staff is solid. I highly recommend this school. We have been very happy so far.