Fairfax County Virginia Preschools

Updated on January 03, 2012
V.T. asks from McKinney, TX
5 answers

We are moving to Fairfax in April and I'm looking for a preschool recommendation for my then 3 year old daughter. She is thriving in her current preschool and I don't want her to miss out on a year of preschool because we will be getting to Fairfax after most school do their registration for the upcoming year. We don't know where in Fairfax we will be living, but we are looking at Alexandria, Fairfax, Reston and neighboring areas. I don't mind driving her almost anywhere for a good school. She is is a church based preschool now and I really like. We are Catholic, but she is in a baptist preschool because it's the best in the area. We are looking for something that is 2-3 days a week and won't break the bank, preferably under $200 a month.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

It's extremely difficult to advise you until you know where you'll be living. You are willing to "drive her almost anywhere" but traffic in this region is very tough (the DC area is now one of the worst traffic areas in the United States, on a par in some surveys with LA and NY for commutes), so you may find you really do need to focus on the area near where you end up living. Driving from, say, Alexandria to Reston for preschool would be subjecting yourself and your child to a huge amount of time in the car, potentially, and isn't really necessary because there are so many preschools.

There are a lot of excellent preschools all over the area and any of the areas you mention have plenty of them. Are you visiting out here before you make the move in April? I would go online now, research preschools and then schedule visits for when you come out here. Check before you visit and ask whether the preschools are already booked up for this fall, or tend to have waiting lists; how long the waiting lists tend to be and how much of a real chance there is that a child who isn't at the very top would even get in; etc. I went to the information event at one preschool where they told us, only AFTER all the parents arrived, that they were fully booked for the following fall but we were welcome to go onto their waiting list -- that did not thrill me!

You also may find that "under $200 a month" may not get you all you would like for your child; I'm sure there are preschools that cheap out there but I would check their physical facilities and whether they offer extras like a music teacher or after-preschool programs where kids can stay on for an extra hour for special events etc. So be open to spending more. This is a pricey area and you may fall in love with a preschool that's more expensive than you mention.

3 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I live in Reston, The Lake Anne Nursery is a great pre-school.
http://www.lankschool.com/

You might want to call them and see if their is a wait-list.

St. Thomas A'Becket is a Catholic Church and I believe they have a pre-school. My neighbor sends her daughter to the Catholic school and she is doing WONDERFULLY!!!

Let me know what other help you need. Fairfax county is HUGE!! Where will your husband be working? Does he want to commute via metro or what? This will help in deciding where you live and where you send her to school.

We have a 5-bedroom 3 full bath 2 car attached garage for sale on my street and we have an AWESOME neighborhood!!! Metro picks up at the corner and drops off at the pool. That house is only 2 doors down from the pool!!

2 moms found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I live in Ashburn VA. If you consider Eastern Loudoun County, I would be happy to help. The MOMS club here has a great resource session on local preschools. Consider emailing the MOMS clubs in those areas for info.

1 mom found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

we just moved here a year ago and we live in Chantilly which borders Fairfax. My son goes to a preschool which is at a church in Fairfax 3 days a week. One thing I have noticed is that preschools are not that great out here. We looked at several and my son goes to the one we thought would be best for him, although it's no where near as good as the one he went to when we live in California. But, the teachers are very sweet and very patient and really care about the kids they do a lot of learn through play and they have chapel once a week with the pastor of the church. For the 3 half days that he goes there we pay $265 a month. That was the cheapest we could find in the area. The public schools in Fairfax (once your daughter goes to K) are amazing! Seriously, I had heard that Fairfax was the top in the nation, and I am very impressed and very happy with the public school that my daughter goes to (she is in 1st grade). My son will be in K next year and I am so excited that he will be going to such an awesome school with my daughter. If you would like to know the name of the preschool or more info about it, just send me a message and I'd be happy to tell you which one it is.

1 mom found this helpful
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