I have zero complaints about this school. Ms. Amanda is my son's teacher, she is wonderful. My…read moreson has attended this school for almost two years. It's very clean and they seem very good about communicating in general.

MAV was a great experience for our daughter's first year in a school setting. We are so proud of…read moreher and how much she's learned since joining MAV. We are so happy we chose them. We love the Montessori approach and feel that it helps children develop very comfortably at their own pace. All of the teachers, TA's, and administrative staff have been easy to communicate with and helped us with any concerns over the year. Being that it was her first year, I admit that I did have a lot of questions, but the staff was understanding and as the weeks went on, I felt more and more comfortable that she was safe and well taken care of and she became very comfortable with her teachers, as well as her peers. I saw how much she learned just after two months. The schedules work and have helped her thrive academically and socially. I can see her problem-solving skills have really developed, as well as her thinking. The monthly newsletters kept us informed throughout the year. The school programs are all fun to attend and see the children work together, and also see their individual personalities shine. I feel that the facility is very clean and that she's picked up some good habits over the year. She's also made some good friends with her peers and learned good manners. We love hearing about her day, her lessons, and activities when we pick her up. The pick-up and drop-off system works fairly quickly. We also love that they do STEM, art projects to bring home, gym, outdoor activities, and trips to the farm. It's a great facility and we do love the diverse staff, who are all friendly and helpful. We have enrolled her next year and can't wait to see how much more she learns and grows over the next few years with MAV.

Could not recommend this school more!!! My son has been here for about a year, for reference…read more First, they are by far the cleanest daycare I've ever toured and we toured a lot! Second the staff genuinely cares, my son has moved throughout multiple classrooms and every teacher has been nothing short of fantastic in the infant and toddler program thus far. In regards to the infant room they are GREAT about following the oz's per bottle you set, but also gently making recommendations when needed. because let's face it babies act different depending on who they're around sometimes. You get these cute little notes about things they enjoy and developmental milestones they achieve. They send home soooo much art work for you to hang on the fridge and cherish. The toddler program is also wonderful. Classroom 6,1,2, and 3 teachers were all super great. One day there was an issue, my son slept too long and he slept through a bottle and as a ftm it made me super nervous, this staff handled it like CHAMPS they were super understanding and supportive of my position and assured me it wouldn't happen again and it did not. Goes to show how great they are at not only dealing with babies but also parents. The food they receive is also amazing in my opinion their menu never fails! Overall the value of care, education, and experience you get for your child is unmatched by any other daycare I've seen. If you can get a spot here I highly recommend it!

This review is for the owner and director of the school- I…read morehave never had so much disrespect from another person. I had an issue with a teacher. I tried to discuss it with the teacher, that did not work so I went to the director. She not only did not hear any of my concerns, she was belittling and dismissive throughout every conversation. When I went to the OWNER of the school to discuss how the whole situation was being handled and how rude her staff was, I received the response that is attached below: "Staff members, including our management team, are not up for a discussion with parents." The facility is nice, the actual teachers really do seem to care about the kids, anyone else behind a desk was never a good experience and always made things difficult.

My 9-month old daughter has been attending Thalia Day School in the infant classroom for about 7…read moremonths (started there when she was 2.5 months old). This is our first child so we were extremely anxious about entrusting others to care for her while we work. That anxiety quickly dwindled when we saw how they care for our daughter and how happy she is to be there. I consider our family very fortunate to have found TDS and their wonderful teachers and staff there! We would recommend to other parents.

Our son has been going to Thalia since he was 2 months old and we have loved every minute of it!!!…read moreHe is in the infant room and they do a wonderful job with him! They love him so much! Even the teachers in other rooms know him well! The admin (Ms. Diane and Ms. Katie) are fantastic and incredibly helpful! Would highly recommend Thalia to anyone!

Barefoot is an incredibly special place for young children to gain social, emotional, and…read moreeducational skills. They are professional without being rigid or in personable. Both of our sons attended the school for a couple years each. Our boys are very different in personality and learning styles. The Barefoot team provided custom teaching styles to fit each of their unique needs. One of our boys is hard of hearing. he required help with his hearing devices, had regular speech therapy at the school, and was expressing his needs with sign language. The Barefoot staff was fully supportive and made every accommodation requested. Their team is always VERY responsive and proactive. It was truly sad to see our boys move on to other schools.

Barefoot is truly a gem. From day one, the staff made me feel safe, welcome, and supported -- so…read moremuch so that I never toured another daycare. Tara greets my babies with so much love, Ms. Courtney has endless patience, and Jen, her daughter, and Ms. Eileen are all incredibly kind. Leaving my kids here gave me peace of mind every single day. They were flexible, patient, and even welcomed my mom for a tour. The only reason we're leaving is because of my work schedule and commute -- otherwise, we'd be here for years. If you want a daycare where your children are loved like family, Barefoot is it.

We absolutely love Bullfrogs and Butterflies and I cannot recommend it enough. From the moment we…read morewalked through the front door, we new this would be a special place for our daughter. The entire staff is kind, patient, nurturing, and committed to the school and each child's personal growth. We have seen such growth in our daughter's confidence and independence since joining Bullfrogs and Butterflies and it was the best decision to enroll her in this preschool

This was the first place our twins went after home-care and I have not been disappointed. Ginger…read moreand the team do a great job looking after the kids while providing academic structure and learning. Extras like dance, cheer, and soccer (all taught onsite) provide the kids with fun things to break up the day. Their integration with STEM learning is a plus also. I recommend anyone stop by and take a tour.

Very sketchy place. They don't have a lot of staff who are actually experts in Early Childhood…read moreEducation. Mrs. Valentina has a bachelors in linguistics and is the Lead Teacher? I find that odd and weird. All this money this daycare wants you to pay yet it is troubling that someone in such a critical early education role does not hold a degree in Early Childhood Education. The Goddard School is not simply a time for play--it is a foundational academic daycare that supports essential cognitive, social, and emotional development. Educators in this space should have specialized training in early childhood development, instructional strategies for young learners, and knowledge of age-appropriate curriculum standards. A degree in Linguistics, while valuable, does not provide the pedagogical framework or developmental understanding required to teach effectively at this level. This situation raises concerns about the standards being upheld in early learning environments. Recognizing someone as "Teacher of the Year" who lacks a degree in Early Childhood Education not only undermines the value of that credential but also sends the message that passion alone qualifies one to lead a classroom. Passion is important--but it must be paired with relevant, formal education to ensure children receive the quality instruction they deserve.

Our son was born just before the Covid pandemic started in 2020, this left us with a lack of…read moreoptions for childcare and also a big sense of unease about sending our baby to daycare/preschool. It took me almost a year to build up the courage to send him and in the summer of 2021 he started at Goddard. Now it's the summer of 2022 and both of our children attend Goddard. Our son is a little timid in large groups and likes to play independently, in each class his "style" has been respected. We get regular updates on his days and when a little extra attention is needed from us, his teachers have been gracious enough to help us reinforce positive behaviors at home. He loves his school and his teachers, every day he has a "great day" (his words). Navigating school and childcare in the post-pandemic has not been easy but we are always thankful and appreciative of the communication and cautiousness that Goddard places on the safety of the students and teachers. I would encourage any family looking for daycare/preschool to explore Goddard!

As a first-time mom with an only child, every "first" has felt monumental. Our first daycare, first…read moredrop-off, first time placing our trust in others to care for our little one all were huge moments for us. We enrolled at Goddard few years ago under the previous owners, Amy and John, and we genuinely felt good about the environment they had created. Their warmth and involvement were a big part of why we chose the school. When new ownership took over, things slowly began to shift. At first, I chalked it up to transition pains and told myself it might just be part of the process. Especially since I had no prior experience to compare it to. But over time, the changes became more obvious and harder to ignore. Longtime staff started leaving, and a revolving door of new faces took their place. One of the most noticeable differences was in the classroom experience itself. One example, in the early days, my son's teachers put so much thought and care into their lessons. If they read a book about butterflies, there would be a related craft--cut-out shapes, some prep work clearly done ahead of time, the kind of effort you'd expect in a thoughtful early learning environment. You could see and feel the intention behind it. But as time went on, that kind of quality just faded. Instead of meaningful activities, the kids were often given torn pieces of paper to scribble on. No connection to a lesson, no structure and It became visibly and tangibly clear that the care and planning were no longer there. Still, I kept wondering: maybe this is just what it's like? Maybe I'm expecting too much as a new mom who hasn't done this before? But after switching schools a few months ago, it became crystal clear--it wasn't me. Our new school has been a breath of fresh air. Communication is strong, the staff is happy and consistent, and there's a level of organization and warmth that I knew we were missing. In hindsight, I think the biggest issues at Goddard came down to two things: a lack of communication (sometimes I wouldn't hear back at all after several emails), and a lack of leadership that resulted in declining quality and consistency. By the time we left, the only classroom I felt truly confident in was the kindergarten one and from what I suspect that will be discontinued soon. I also understand the onsite owner may have stepped away, which might be for the best, as her presence was largely absent. I share all of this not out of bitterness, but in the hopes it might help another parent who's unsure of what "normal" or "good enough" should look like. I truly hope the school can find its footing again, because every child deserves an environment where they're nurtured, engaged, and truly cared for.

We have had our three kids at the Goddard School of VB for over two years. The new leadership that…read moretook over six months ago has completely turned the school around. The environment shifted immediately and the school is now cheerful, friendly, staff doesn't turnover, children are happy and I have 100% faith in the owners, directors and teachers to keep my children safe and engaged. I could not recommend the school more! Hannah and Rachel, specifically, are absolutely amazing!

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.