The Fairfax Academy

Our son is currently 5 and has been going to the Fairfax Academy since he was 2. He has loved going to this very traditional school. It's been a great start for him. I am a teacher for Arlington County Schools and I can honestly say that the Fairfax Academy has prepared our son for Elementary School. They make it fun and inviting! My son is always happy when I pick him up from school. We can tell that he has been learning a lot and has made a lot of friends along the way. We also love that the school population is so diverse. The staff is warm and the price is right compared to over priced schools in the area.

My family and I love Fairfax Academy in Arlington! I have recommended Fairfax Academy to several people. The staff is helpful, attentive and caring. You can tell every single one of them, whether a teacher or administrator truly care about children. It is a wonderful learning environment for children to blossom, grow and most importantly develop their social skills prior to entering elementary school. We love the school so much we are going to continue to send our oldest daughter there for kindergarten even though she would be able to attend the elementary school for kindergarten. We were extremely fortunate to find Fairfax Academy. Almost a year ago my husband and I began our search of a preschool that offered a safe learning environment where our girls could attend. We needed to add to that equation a preschool that was affordable and offered extended hours due to our budget constraints and working hours. We contacted and toured many places. The majority of them did not offer the hours we were looking or were simply out of our budget. A friend of mine recommended Fairfax Academy. It was were her daughter attended and both she and her daughter loved it there. I contacted the admissions office and scheduled an appointment. We toured the school with our girls and were very pleased with our first impression. The teachers were attentive and courteous. The classrooms clean, safe and stressed the value of recycling. Great playgrounds. I noticed each classroom posted their daily schedule - these kids would be busy learning the entire time they were there and having fun doing it. Yummy and nutritious lunches - every meal includes a veggie, fruit and milk. After our tour we sat down with the Admissions Director to discuss payment and attendance policies. The Admissions Director explained the payment policy, the discount we would receive and the free breakfasts our girls would receive because we would be enrolling 2 children. She clearly explained their attendance policy - they follow the Federal Government schedule for the academic year and for their summer camp. Once again we were very pleased! No scrambling to find child care the week between Christmas and New Years or for the summer. My husband and I made our decision on the spot and signed all of the forms that clearly stated payment and attendance policies. Our girls began attending June 2012. We noticed some behavioral changes in the girls initially as they adjusted to their new schedule and new school. After all they are 4 and 3 and who likes change? Slowly but surely we noticed that behavior going away. Within a month they were writing their names and would preferred to draw and do art projects during the hour and half they are allowed to watch TV. Both my girls are naturally shy and are beginning to exhibit signs of "coming out of their shells" and displaying independence. They both love their teachers and going to school. They actually get upset if they have to stay home if they are sick. In my opinion if your child is begging you to go to school, the school is definitely getting it right!

Our family loves Fairfax Academy. We were so fortunate to have found it 6 years ago when our daughter was ready to leave daycare and start learning. The staff was welcoming and always informed us of issues on the playground, in the classroom and in the specialty classes. We are always welcome in the classroom and love reading to the class as often as we can. We actually regret the decision to have our oldest daughter attend kindergarten in our neighborhood school, because the way the lessons and classroom is structured here for our younger daughter is completely different than our Fairfax County school – small class size, two teachers for the class of less than 20, reading curriculum that incorporates writing, spelling, sounds and discovery, Spanish and dance during the school day. We can see the difference and are looking forward to our son attending next year. We wish they still operated an elementary school. The staff has always been attentive. I cannot believe that so many of them could remember who I was and who I was picking up within days of starting. Our children have established strong connections to their caring, attentive teachers. One of the reasons we started at Fairfax was because of the consistency in classroom staff. We were surprised when talking to some parents that they had some of the same teachers as their children, but this is the kind of place it is – you want to come back. We have even had some issues with the curriculum and classroom behavior, but our family and the staff discussed the situation in a caring, courteous manner to make sure our child’s interests were moved forward, not the school’s. Everyone was always respectful of our wishes and each other. We also enjoy the diversity of the families and staff. With the diversity of cultures, our children have learned so much. They can speak some Spanish and tell us about different holidays, so we now celebrate Three Kings Day and Cinco de Mayo. We also cannot believe the art work that comes home. It is just beautiful and seems to be beyond what I would expect for a 4 year old. The classrooms are more than tables, books and safe zones, they are alive with discussions, play and learning.

We have my 2 Sons in Fairfax Academy. I have used another Preschool in the past and when i camper Fairfax academy with the other one there is a big deference. I just love Fairfax, the staff is very helpful, they always have a smile in the face... my kids love the school too.

When first touring this school it looks decent, with staff all over the place looking uniform in their blue shirts. I met with the Admissions Director who in actuality does not stay consistent with terms of addmission. I asked several questions regarding the time frame my two year old could attend, the schedule she could have and the cost. a Few months later when she went to start, the schedule changed and the cost changed without any notice, and the admissions director told me she never agreed to any of what i was told a few months prior. I was furious becuase it put our family in a very bad spot at the last minute. I then found out after a few weeks of my daughter attending that the Admissions director had lied to me and in fact some of what she told me at the inital tour was true. I was furious once again with the inconsistencies. I have listed below the negitive things I encountarted in the short two months I allowed my daughter to stay there. -The amount i was supposed to pay a week changed almost every week! noone at the school could give me a direct answer. -in 8 weeks my daughter apparently walked in to a door, fell off a slide, they lost her sweatshirt, a hat, she was bit very hard by another student. -They serve very unhealthy meals to the students and my daughter was not accostomed to eating corn dogs, meatball subs, pizza at the age of two, she would come home starving each day. -They do not tell you at all what the children do on a daily basis, i never saw the same teacher in there with her. One employee asked me how my son was doing after 7 WEEKS of my DAUGHTER attedning! -A male employee whose name starts with a B is very rude, not helpful and is condesending. Many times I interacted with employees they are rude and not helpful. -My daughters diapers where put on BACKWARDS! -they would cash checks for the tuition prior to when they were supposed to be cashed! -The facility looks rundown and classrooms are not properly staffed nor equipt with the appropriate educational materials for the various age groups. They would constantly call my work phone when i asked to please call my cellphone and not harrass me at work. My daughter was ALWAYS EVERDAY in a bad mood when she would come home and have VERY bad ABNORMAL behavior. AS SOON AS WE REMOVED HER FROM THIS SCHOOL HER BEHAVIOR RETURNED TO NORMAL. What a disapointing facility and I really can not see why it is still able to operate, it is a money making business and not a caring enviorment for students. Do not let the ever chaning cheap price fool you, I feel sorry for the low income families who must bring their children here because it is their only option.

My child loves going to this school. She is happy going to school. Tution is affordable. Staffs are friendly.

I used to be here as a toddler and it was a good time, it was around 2011 when I was 4 years old here.

ALWAYS READ THE BAD REVIEWS! WONDER WHY THERE’S NO WAIT LIST AND WHY IT’S SO EASY TO GET YOUR CHILD IN THE NEXT DAY?! MY CHILD WAS ASSAULTEDPINCHED AND SMACKED BY HIS TEACHER IN ROOM2! ALL THE STAFF IS SAYING IT DIDN’T HAPPEN! THE OWNER CATHY WEBSTER HAS BLOCKED MY NUMBER BECAUSE I CALLED AND ASKED TO SEE THE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF MY SON HIS LAST WEEK THERE! I HAVE AN OPEN CASE AGAINST THEM WITH CPS AS WE SPEAK, AND AM LOOKING TO SUE! TRUST YOUR GUT! I MEAN THE PLACE IS SURROUNDED WITH BARBEDWIRE! THIS PLACE NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN‼‼‼‼