I will start by saying that we have been here for 10yrs from pre school to 8th and it has been a…read morejourney. I appreciate all the teachers and staff at WOLCA. of course no school is perfect but my kids loved it her. I have 3kids here, they love their teachers and Christian guidance that came with it being part of the school. The school provided some stability and consistency, dont get me wrong, with 3kids in the school , there were some ups and downs, but we worked it out with the teachers and the principal which im grateful for. The school offered great christian view to early life and upbringing, discipline and guidance for my kids that I will always be proud of. As we transition out, we will miss being part of this community, and we pray that all families benefit from what we had benefited during our stay here.

If I can save a family from the discrimination and hypocrisy of this school, then writing this…read morereview is well worth it. The current principal presents as a kind person in public meetings, when the Pastor is around, and I suppose for parents of younger children. Her entire character changes, once you make it clear that accountability should go both ways. The principal is easily offended, retaliatory, and prejudiced-at least 3 parents have shared similar experiences. She is unwilling to account for various family experiences, and communication styles. During my time at the school, my children experienced various forms of discrimination regarding discipline policies, grading, and access! The middle school program is very poorly managed. The academics, elective courses, and overall teacher effectiveness are seriously lacking. I have only experienced 1 solid core teacher (who really should be the lead), and MAYBE 2 solid elective teachers. The students are not treated with respect or trust. Some wealthy families have their student's poor behavior excused, while other families are consistently mistreated. When brought to the attention of the principal, she sits quiet in meetings and allows the middle school "lead teacher" to lead any outcomes down a destructive and non truthful path. The Principal and many other staff members have difficulty holding this middle school lead accountable. Inasmuch as parents want to be involved as partner's in their children's learning, this school only allows that if you are agreeable with everything they currently do. They have handpicked the parents that receive patience, kindness, and grace. They have also handpicked the parents who will receive resistance, retaliation, and prejudice. None of which represent the Christian character they claim to lead in. If you are a parent who asks questions, and expects accountability and respect to go both ways-this is NOT the school for you. I think the only reason they have the enrollment they do, is because they keep their tuition lower than the Christian K-12 School that is one block away from them. They are basically undercutting a nearby school. You can see both schools from the road and many families need the tuition costs to remain affordable. Unfortunately, what you are getting in return is a hypocritical school, who claims to love Jesus and lead with love, but when challenged, are the furthest away from demonstrating that when it matters most.

As a parent of a Westminster School graduate, I can say with confidence that this institution…read moresignificantly, positively, and permanently influences children's lives. My child, for nine years (K-8), grew up in a caring community dedicated to bringing out the best in every student. Westminster's teachers are passionate about their subjects and truly go the extra mile to help students achieve academic success. Even more importantly, the emphasis of the school, as guided by a devoted administration, is the holistic growth of each child. It starts with the etiquette and respect for one's elders that is expected of all students; it continues with opportunities for enrichment such as taking classes on public speaking. It "ends" with the 8th grade play, the last of nine annual shows in which those who have attended Westminster since kindergarten will have performed a major role and which allows students to blossom into the poised, self-confident, self-aware, and ultimately well-rounded people they have consistently been raised to be. The lessons and impact of Westminster really never end. I cannot tell you how much my son mentions his time at Westminster and thanks its community for building him into who he is today. As an up and coming professional play-by-play broadcaster, he points to the extensive public speaking experience he received at a young age as a key factor in his success. He also often speaks of accomplishing tasks "neatly, completely, and with pride," a Westminster expectation for every student, faculty and administrative staff member of the school. While it may be daunting to think of the cost of a private school K-8 education, Westminster School is extremely competitive and the education your child receives will pay immense dividends throughout the rest of his or her life!

Horrible. Rigid, unreasonably structural, not even remotely understanding of different needs. One…read morelittle girl (middle school age) wasn't allowed to leave her classroom to use the restroom. She actually needed to change her menstrual pad, but couldn't! Another child was denied a water fountain break after playing sports. And I could go on... The school is all about control and the headmaster's ego. And about school plays. . Please, keep your children far far away! There are other excellent private schools in our area and we are also fortunate enough to have very good public schools too.

I like the school and the principal is chill and most of the teachers are nice and funny, the…read moremiddle school is fun and there isn't too much homework. There are many kids there and I had fun in all my 5 years.

Commonwealth Academy promotes itself as a school that has expertise in ADHD and executive…read morefunctioning. Our experience there this last year with our son (12) was the opposite, and the staff was extremely unwilling to work with us on his needs. It gets worse. In the end, a false report of child abuse and neglect was filed against us, we believe and have strong evidence to back it up by senior school staff in retaliation for disputes we had with them. In my opinion, the place is not safe for your kids or you. We enrolled mid-year, when our local school was having issues meeting his needs. He has a learning profile that includes ADHD, language processing difficulties, and executive function difficulties. When we interviewed the school, which is billed as particularly suited for a child of his profile, we were very excited about the approach and attention to executive function, and the admissions head similarly felt it would be a great fit for our son. For a school that supposedly focuses on executive function skills, they offered him almost nothing in the way of support there, and made it very difficult for him (and us) to figure out what his assignments even were. There was no consistent place where or how assignments were listed; some were online, some were via emails, and some were given in class. This is a nightmare for someone with executive function difficulties, and only set him up for failure. The school was also slow to implement an assisted listening device, provided by us, that has greatly helped our son in his previous school. We had discussed using the device with CA prior to enrollment and they had agreed in principle. It took them over three months to actually begin using it. One of us is a licensed counselor and former teacher with years of professional expertise and success in helping children with learning profiles similar to our son's. With this expertise, we tried very hard to work with the school on how best to serve our son, and offered specific interventions to help him access the curriculum and get through the day. The school presented considerable resistance and foot-dragging and at one point, the head of the middle school told us that we were no longer welcome to email them. They were not only not interested in the resources we offered, they at times seemed offended by it. Another dispute centered around repeated and inappropriate suggestions from certain staff that we should get medical diagnoses and/or therapy for our son. For our son's privacy, I am not going to discuss the nature of these requests, but we have in fact involved his health care providers in addressing his in-school challenges, and we provided evidence of this in the form of doctor's notes to the staff on multiple occasions. After about the third time these requests were made, we complained to the head of school, who responded very supportively and agreed the staff had been inappropriate. It was two days after this that the false report to DC CFSA was made. The report included the allegation that we "refused" to take our son to the doctor, and other disturbing allegations that were simply made up out of whole cloth. After 35 days the report was ruled Unfounded by DC CFSA, which means a report they consider untrue. Based on the timing and the content of the allegations in the report as communicated to us by the social workers, we believe it's almost a certainly that it was made by one of three people there, two of whom are still there and are fairly senior in the school's administration. We removed him from the school the day the report was filed and home schooled him for the remainder of the year. The school was uncooperative in providing assignments and materials during this time, and was uncooperative in our investigation of who filed the false report. They have also not provided materials needed for applications to other schools, obstructing our efforts to find a new placement for him. Parents considering Commonwealth Academy should be aware that (1) it is not what it claims to be in terms of support for ADHD and executive function, and (2) it apparently employs people who are willing to weaponize Child and Family Services against parents by filing false and malicious reports accusing them of child abuse and neglect.

My family has been with goddard for over 3 years and my sons (age 4 in June; age 2 in July) are…read moreabsolutely thriving at Goddard! Where do I start?! The activities the teachers do throughout the day, the organization and routine (which I have learned is super important for toddlers) professionalism of the staff, communication with parents, and even catered lunches... are just a few of the things that make the experience at Goddard Alexandria unparalleled. As a mom who always felt I would prefer to spend the day with my kids, I know that my children would be missing out on so much if they were not at Goddard... it gives them a great education, confidence, nurturing caregivers, fun activities, and social skills. The biggest thing of all is the staff. Ms. Zaida , Ms. Helen and Ms. Kassie in first steps are amazing. They are so detail oriented and organized - as a mom of two active boys 2 years apart, I'm constantly forgetting something, and when this happens, they are always on top of it (and they never make me feel bad.) My son LOVES going and happily goes into their arms, and is even attached to them! Sometimes he doesn't look back! All of the wonderful photos they send are so appreciated and also show how me what a great time he is having. They truly love the children as though they are their own. My son has learned so much and is always doing something new at home like ASL or learning animal sounds. They even get the 18 month old kids to get in a circle, read books, and sing a welcome song! All 3 teachers are so sweet, positive, and somehow never seem stressed or overwhelmed. It's an amazing environment. In the rare instances my adventurous son falls or bumps his head or gets sick, they immediately call to let me know. In addition to the report in the app, also give me a great rundown at pickup of his his day went. I would trust them with my life! My older son is loving Ms. Lindsey and Ms. Jennifer in Preschool 2! He has learned so much, his speech has improved, and he's always excited to go tell his teachers something funny in the morning. He is very sensitive and does not handle transitions well, and both teachers have helped us teach him coping skills and learn regulate. A few times this week he has even said "let's go back to school"! Ms. Lindsey also used to be a behavioral specialist, so having her working closely with him has been so nice. Both teachers treat my son like their own child. He also doesn't eat as much as he should, and they are always trying new ways of encouraging him to eat. I never have to worry about his safety or happiness, and they always communicate immediately if something seems off with him that day. At pickup, they give me such a detailed rundown and spend as much time with me as needed to chat about his day. A few months ago, I was worried about his transition into this older class, but Ms. Jennifer and Ms. Lindsey have been a blessing and he (and I) could not be happier. I also want to shout out Ms. Shantel and Ms. Becky, my older son's previous teachers. They are so loving and my son felt so nurtured under their care as well. They were instrumental in providing him with coping mechanisms, improving his speech, and giving him the love and attention he needs. They still say hi and talk to him regularly and you can tell they still care for their kids previously in their class! They put my son's anxiety at ease and always made him feel better if he was having a tough day. I still love seeing them!

As parents of a newly enrolled student this school year, we feel that our daughter is enrolled in…read morean exceptional school. She learned so much in PreK 1 with Mrs Gabby & Mrs Nina. It didn't take long for us to see her start to blossom & grow scholastically at Goddard. Mrs Gabby along with Mrs Nina have created an atmosphere full of enrichment. Her positive influence and guidance has become so infectious to our little one that she pretends she is Mrs Gabby at home and my husband and I are her students. And it shows in how Kendall pretends & plays Mrs Gabby so well. She really has such a genuine love for Mrs Gabby and her teaching. It shows in how she is truly inspired by her and loves attending class so much it's hard for her to leave school. And this warms our hearts to see. Our daughter already had basic prek knowledge of the complete alphabet, numbers and counting from 1-20 and could recognize alphanumerics visually. She also knew her shapes and colors at an early age of 2. Goddard has met and exceeded their promise to promote STEM and 2nd language arts and it shows. Our toddler now speaks Spanish with numbers, counting and knows colors as well. My daughter also came to love Ms. Nina. Mrs Nina is a welcome addition to The Goddard School in late 2023. She is such a treasure and a wonderful educator with decades of experience and knowledge. We'd like to give Special thanks to Mrs Traleece, Mrs Andrea & Mrs Sarah. These professionals are at the heart of what makes our school among the very best that Alexandria has to offer. As Directors and Executive Staff at The Goddard School they have shown such an eye for excellence & attentiveness to the needs of the children and parents. These are the hallmarks that makes them such an excellent academy. And to the many member's of The Goddard School educators and supporting staff, Mrs Michelle, Mrs Jennifer, Mrs Kiki, Mrs Lindsay, Mrs Maria, & Marley's Mom, and to so many we weren't able to name. We can't thank you enough for the passion & endless love you bring to The Goddard School every single day. The Graham Family

I had the opportunity to work at this beautiful school, and I can share that behind those red…read moredoors, the staff and administration make a wonderful effort to make each child feel like a second family. It's a place where early childhood education is approached with professionalism and a commitment to helping children develop their cognitive, cultural, and most important, their social skills. There may be schools with more technology and innovations, but none as welcoming, cute and unique as Childrens International.

Wonderful, caring school. I loved their curriculum for pre-K children. There were engaging and…read morewonderful activities each week! I also appreciated the communication - including the emails sending out the curriculum and menu, and the newsletters documenting the children's activities, with pictures. My son loved his time at CIS, and loved the wonderful graduation ceremony he got to be a part of.

We have been with Browne since JK, now in 5th grade and love every ounce of the school! It is the…read moremost loving and educationally enriching environment! My daughter continues to come home every day filled with excitement to go back to school so I couldn't be happier!

I have 2 kids enrolled here and they have been doing well. Pre K program is excellent with Ms …read more Janet . She has been there for over 25 years . My son has been there since 1st grade he is now in 5th grade . We love the the diversity,the curriculum, the teachers are wonderful and compassionate. Excellent school !

The teachers and staff are very involved with the kids and families. Ms Lili and Ms Natalie teach…read moreour 3-year old and his behavior has definitely changed for the better since he began attending. The principal, Ms Claudia, does a great job keeping us in the loop and setting up family community events throughout the school year. The assistant principal, Ms. Angie, is very friendly and keeps the administrative process running smoothly. Highly recommended!

This wonderful gem of a School is tucked away in a neighborhood in Alexandria. My children (3…read moregirls) all attended school here through 6th grade. The experiences they shared and the knowledge they gained was immeasurable. All successful adults now, I feel I owe a forever debt to their early education and the staff at MSA. The school has been beautifully refreshed and it looks better than ever!

Both my children have attended Montessori School Alexandria (MSA). My eldest went there from 2001…read moreto 2004, finishing in kindergarten. He had a excellent teacher and had a great education. When he entered first grade in the Fairfax County public school system, he was ahead in his reading. Flash foward 11 years later when my youngest enters MSA's primary program. I will be the first to admit that she is not the easiest of children. In her second year of the primary, we started having serious discussions regarding our child's behavior which included striking teachers and outbursts of anger. Preliminary diagnosis pointed to ADHD. While our daughter was about to come off a wait list at reputable local children's hospital for further assessment--at the encouragement of MSA--the school informed us that she could no longer attend the school because she posed a danger to the other students. I would advise that while MSA does an outstanding job of teaching children who are compliant and on point with their emotional and educational development, the school is not equipped to handle a child that would require an IEP at a traditional school. Nor are they patient for a child to receive the care they need, despite being in a community where there is a long wait time for providers who can assess conditions such ADHD. Just be warned that if you think your child is ADHD or has other behavioral issues, the staff may not have the resources to assist your child.