We have three children attending WME. The teaching staff is great, with a few exceptions. Two of…read moreour teachers were wonderful, winning over the hearts of our children. The third was pretty mediocre. Nice enough guy, just lousy at his job. The kids do not have textbooks. Instead, they paste photocopies into notebooks. They never have homework, which allows the students without parental support at home to compete on an even playing field. Of course, most educated parents make up home study exercises to supplement the substandard education they receive at WME. If you're a crack head, however, you can neglect your child's education and they should continue to progress at a snail's pace with the rest of the class. The school building is too small. Most classes are housed in trailers. Though the school is nestled among the neighborhoods of $700k+ homes, most of the children are bussed in from high-density low-income housing along the route 1 corridor. Very few parents speak English. The middle class families living in the homes surrounding the school do not send their kids to public school. They have been effectively forced out by an educational system which prioritizes teaching immigrant children to speak English over providing an adequate education to the American establishment. If kids are Asian or Caucasian, they're not just the minority--they're the anomaly. Many optimistic parents love the Spanish immersion program which gives the school a progressive excuse to lecture the majority of the students in their native language. Personally, I didn't buy a home in Tijuana; I bought a home in Alexandria, and expect more. Our kids learned virtually nothing last year, even with the teachers who cared.

So far so good from what I've seen. Kindergarden...read more

Serious delay in security deposit refund. My daughter graduated from Guideposts West Alex, VA…read morelocation in July 2025. Nine months later, we still have not received her refund despite countless phone calls and email follow-ups. At one point they claimed a refund check had been issued and mailed, but they could not provide any documentation when asked. After that, they stopped responding entirely. We never received the check. Now it appears they are switching ownership and are using that as an excuse not to issue the refund. This level of unprofessionalism and stonewalling is infuriating -- we trusted this company and they have betrayed that trust. What a shady, irresponsible company.

We've had an incredibly positive experience with Guidepost West Alex…read more Our daughter has thrived in both the Toddler cohort, and now since turning 3, in Children's House. The guides foster an environment of curiosity and learning, and I love hearing our daughter talk about the activities and conversations she has throughout the day. Interactions are positive and numerous. This ranges from warm greetings in the morning to getting updates via Smart Classroom to weekly email updates to 1:1 meetings with the guides. We always feel included and in-the-loop on what's going on in the school broadly and how our daughter is doing specifically. From a leadership and administrative perspective, there has been a positive shift since Ms. Mary started in the Summer of 2022. There is a strong sense of community throughout the school, including after-school and outside-of-school events and meetups. She and her leadership team are always accessible and open. If you notice all the sub-par reviews are old and are from prospective parents. I want to recognize that we experienced some of those same challenges too, however the caveat is that this was with the prior leadership team and during COVID when admissions had a modified onboarding process. As a current parent I have full trust for the guides and administrative team to do what's best for our daughter's physical, emotional, and cognitive safety and development.

*****EDIT**** Nope…read more According to a few of the mothers who I still talk to and have their children attend there, it's honestly not as great... especially for POC . Ps- Audrey O is a faculty member so it's hard to take that review seriously. I appreciate her effort to improve the school's rating, however. *****EDIT***** Apparently the school got a total faculty makeover. Thank god. They caught on to the fact that there were some issues. So I moved my stars up slightly only because my children no longer attend there so I don't know what the environment is like there currently. I am still scarred from what I had to endure there for the few years my son did attend. However, I don't want to take away from the possibility that the school has improved. ************* It got to a point where I sent my child to a private school because I couldn't let my child go another year in this disaster of a school. Before, this school had raving reviews, but in the past few years- it has just been miserable. Many of the teachers here are pleasant but it's the administrative staff that I worry about. They do not seem engaged with their students nor truly care for their academic success. My child tended to have trouble in school and much of it had to do with his struggle with impulse. The teacher has been kind enough to "allow" an evaluation to take place but I have had so much push-back from the staff. I understand that it costs the school a great deal of money when doing an IEP, but it's for the benefit of the child! I just want to ensure that my child is getting the specialized instruction he needs in order to be confident in school. The year prior, he came home comfortable with the idea that he is just "not smart".That shouldn't ever be the case. My husband and I do our best to try and have him tutured at home, help him with reading, and occasionally see a specialist to assist with impulse control. Despite our efforts at home, my child still struggles at school. During my conference with the school however, I was informed by their assistant principle, Mrs. McNamee, that his issues were stemmed from the fact that he gets too much attention at home. What? Then they proceeded to still push back with getting my child any help until they FINALLY settled on having a 504 plan done. I want to give them the benefit of a doubt- but they have left me with the impression that that if your child has any type of disorder, language barrier, or disability- you're in for a world of grief here. Oh and heaven forbid you're a step parent. According to Mrs. McNamee, step parents dont have an opinion.

Braddock Elementary School is definitely a shining gem in Fairfax County. I am in and out of the…read moreschool every day and I can confidently say that the students are happy to be there. As a member of the PTA, I see teachers who go over and beyond for our kids. Parents, including me, are extremely engaged and volunteer countless hours. We are blessed that the administration allows our students the opportunity to participate in a wide range of after school activities that really enrich my kids. The staff and and administration genuinely live what they do and it truly shows. When your kids come home and all they can talk about is school you know you have them in a winning school! I swear that the principal must live there because she is there every single time I am in the school no matter what time of day! I really enjoy getting to talk to the parent liaison who always has time to listen when I need to talk! When my kids are challenged in such a warm, safe, and meaningful way they are on the path to becoming lifelong learners. This school is amazing and serves its widely diverse population well!

Pinecrest is a little gem in the heart of Annandale. The small student to teacher ratios ensure…read morethat each child is nurtured and taught in an environment where they can have their needs met. The teachers are warm, caring, and provide exciting and challenging curriculum while helping maintain a creative environment. The motto "This is Community" could not be more true as parent and teachers work together, are involved and always looking out for the best interest of the children. Pinecrest also has a wonderful Mindfulness program that is implemented in every classroom on a daily basis! It's a wonderful and warm place to have your children learn and thrive!

As an educator I know a quality school when I see it. Pinecrest School (as well as their summer…read morecamp- Pinecrest Summer Pavilion) is an incredibly unique learning environment, with a school community like no other. I often think how much I would have loved going to school there as child. Pinecrest's leadership and staff are highly qualified and incredibly talented. The class sizes are small and the students truly LOVE their school. There is a genuine joy of learning that takes place at Pinecrest from both the students and the staff. The energy at Pinecrest is buzzing with creativity, comfort and community. It is a true gem of Northern VA.

It's an incredible school and definitely the best one I've ever gone too I'm lucky to be here.read more

Our son is a rising senior at HGS and we couldn't be happier with the education he has received…read morethere. The teachers are truly exceptional and the Head of School does a fantastic job of leading the school in accomplishing its mission. Erick has always been a joy to work with and I've never met an educator so dedicated to supporting our son's success. (Our son just took a week-long "Maymester" course on game theory with him and LOVED it). If you're looking for a school where your child's talents will be nurtured, values will be shaped, independence will be fostered, and community-engaged citizenship will be encouraged, look no further - HGS is the best school around. At HGS, your child will get honest feedback on their work and will gain the confidence needed to be successful both in and out of the classroom beyond high school. (If you have an artistic child, don't be put off by the lack of art classes. Through internships, "Maymester" classes, and electives, our son has been able to develop a solid portfolio to use in applying for film schools next year). If you're considering HGS but aren't sure if it's the right fit for your child, tour the school and see what you think. Erick and Lizzy (Admissions) can connect you with parents who can talk to you about their experiences. Tell them you'd like to talk to the mom of the rising senior who's planning to go to film school - they'll know who you're talking about and will give you my contact info. Happy to talk with you about how fantastic HGS is! :) Kim

I removed my son from this school. I think they handled his behavioral issues incorrectly and made…read morehim seem abnormal. They pressured me to get him help through county services and then when I took their advice I was told my son was perfectly normal and just being a three year old boy. He is now at a new preschool thriving and doing well and we have had absolutely no issues.

Our family LOVES this preschool! We, too, left another preschool we were not happy with over 13…read moreyears ago! We have had 7 of our 8 children in this preschool and I would not go anywhere else! It is a warm, loving, nurturing, play centered and faith filled preschool. My children look forward to going every single day. The teachers and staff are always positive, smiling and the classrooms are big and bright! Cannot say enough great things about this school!

I went to this school from a few years, and it really changed me. On the good side, I loved how we…read moreconnected with the Quran and started memorizing it early. But when it came to academics, it felt like it was all about memorizing and repeating, not actually understanding or thinking critically. The teachers are some good and some not so, this situation resonated with me. I was once accused of something I wasn't involved in, and it became a traumatic experience that affected my mental health for a long time. I was interrogated about something I had no knowledge of, pressured to admit to something I didn't even understand, and made to feel guilty for something I didn't do. The emotional toll this took on me was huge. Even after the situation was resolved, a teacher continued to imply that I "deserved" the treatment I received. While I was there, the school environment felt more about fear than safety. There wasn't much room to express problems freely, and the atmosphere was isolating, especially since the class was so small. The academic focus was heavy on memorization, but without much critical thinking or deeper learning. I think that lack of a supportive environment, both academically and emotionally, made things harder than they needed to be. I share this experience not to attack anyone, but because I believe the school needs to reflect on how it handles its students, particularly in moments of conflict or misunderstanding. No student should ever be made to feel like they're guilty without understanding why. It's something that deeply affected me and still sticks with me today. حسبي الله على كل ظالم

My experience at this private school was frustrating, overly controlling, and academically…read moredisappointing. One moment that still stands out happened during lunch when I was seated with younger students, around 9 years old. One of the kids criticized another student for eating McDonald's because it was "unhealthy" and claimed he never ate fast food. I pointed out that he was literally eating Subway, which is also fast food, and called him a hypocrite. The child started crying, reported me to the principal, and I was immediately pulled into the office. Instead of handling the situation rationally, the principal accused me of using a "curse word" because I said "hypocrite," then launched into a religious lecture about how God curses hypocrites and how I should never use that word, even if what I said was true. It felt less like discipline and more like being shamed for basic honesty and critical thinking. The school also enforced rules in ways that felt extreme and disconnected from reality. At one point I had a very short haircut, yet staff told me it was "haram" because the sides were faded -- despite the top being just as short and not even long enough to comb. It came across as nitpicking appearances rather than focusing on education or character. What made the environment even more infantilizing was the way students were treated regardless of age. I was 14 years old and still being escorted around 15 feet to my father's car by a student patrol member who was literally 9 years old. Experiences like this made the school feel unnecessarily controlling and embarrassing instead of supportive or academically focused. Academically, I genuinely have no idea what kind of education this school advertises or how my parents believed it was acceptable. Looking back, I'm extremely glad I was pulled out. The school seemed far more focused on religious studies than on building strong academic foundations, yet many of the instructors did not seem qualified to properly teach either. I remember answering extremely basic questions that any average 9th grader in a public school should know, and the students around me reacted as if I were some kind of genius. The academic standard honestly did not feel comparable to even a general education class in Fairfax County public schools. If your goal is for your child to become well-rounded, intellectually sharp, and properly prepared for higher education or the real world, I would strongly reconsider enrolling them here. Unless your only priority is having your child heavily immersed in the school's particular interpretation of Islam and religious instruction, I believe the academic environment does students a disservice rather than helping them grow.

We did Accotink for kindergarten to take advantage of the half day program before sending our son…read moreto public school. We absolutely loved it! The administration, teachers, and academics are excellent. We felt that our son was challenged academically but also very engaged with all the fun activities and events. Highly recommend!

We enrolled our daughter here for 1 year before moving. We lived right next to the school and found…read moreit to be an excellent preschool. I would highly recommend!