How did you choose a preschool in Woodbridge?

I've heard remarkable things regarding St Matthews except their hours are not flexible enough for the working parents who commute. Since our decision to send our daughter to Prince William Academy we've visited Creme de la Creme and have decided to put her there until there is a need for change. I think its really awful that many preschool programs are not able to accommodate working parents' schedules which leaves us to pay over priced daycare tuition just to ensure that our little ones are actually learning.

Visited several, observed classes. The most expensive was not our choice. The teacher with her Master's Degree in Education seemed disinterested and yelled at the boys. When we asked about that, the girl taking us on the tour said: Oh you have to, they are boys.

Notice things like when another said State-of-the-Art, all the computer monitors were those huge ones. This school was built specifically for this Academy. The security was lax and things like all toilets were adult size even though their students are preschoolers.

Careful for the hype! Go with your gut and notice if the students and teachers are happy. St. Matthew's Luthern Day School was our choice. We discovered the benefits when our child entered K and was already well ahead of the curve.

There is a Mom's Group in Lake Ridge that hosts a pre-school open house each year. I went there and learned about various programs in the area. When my child was 3, I had her in preschool at Dale City Rec Center. For Pre-K, I switched her to Chinn Rec Center. It's great, and my child loves it. They go to the indoor pool once per month, have field trips every other month, go to the library (next door) each month, have a playground adjacent to the classrooms, etc. The head and assistant teachers are all fantastic for all of the age groups. They have morning 5X per week pre-K, and afternoon 3 day per week 4/5 year old class, one or two options for 3 year olds, and "Toddler Adventure) for kids who are 2 1/2 years old by Sep. 30.

My husband and I recently chose Prince William Academy in Manassas, VA (Spriggs Campus - very close to Woodbridge 22193 area). We chose this preschool for Ashley based on the teachers, curriculum offered and the cost. We felt her current daycare provider was good but not sure if she was learning to capacity. Also, the ratio of teacher to children were beginning to be out of control. Our daughter will start at Prince William Academy in January when she turns 1 yrs old. I'll be sure to post a follow-up based on our experience.