The Vine Preschool at St James in Alexandria, VA

My daughter has been going to the Vine for almost a year, and she loves it. Not only is the staff very friendly, they are also held to a high standard by the owner. They are required to complete well above the Virgina state minimum for teaching courses, which is evident based on how well they teach, play, guide, and interact with the children. The facility has a welcoming atmosphere and is cleaned daily. The staff sends multiple photos and videos everyday, which ensures you are aware of how your child's day is going. The Vine also has several optional classes and programs you can choose to sign your child up for. This gives them the flexibility to try out different activities while also continuing to build friendships with their fellow Vine classmates. The staff is very responsive, and they typically respond to a parents message very quickly and thoughtfully. All the other families that go there are very nice too, and overall the Vine does a great job of creating a welcoming community that your child can learn and thrive in.

I highly recommend The Vine Preschool at the St James. The staff is wonderful, the facility is super clean, and just overall the experience for my daughter has been amazing. I struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety that made it incredibly hard to trust anyone with my daughter. I looked for solutions to continue to work a full time job and provide a loving, nurturing environment for my daughter. The Vine Preschool at the St James has made me feel so comfortable, warm, and that I could put my full trust in the staff to be a loving, nurturing figures in my daughter’s life. We are so happy with our experience and feel incredibly grateful that we have such a wonderful school to send our daughter.

I can't even begin to describe how thankful my husband and I are for The Vine Preschool. We are pretty new to Virginia and have had a few horrible experiences with some local child care providers (both home care and centers). We currently live in Arlington and gladly make a minimum 30 minute drive (one way) to get to The Vine Preschool. I love how Kim and her staff put you at ease! The last thing you want is to be at work worrying about your children. My husband and I were able to meet with Kim and observe her "classroom" (it really is a wonderful learning environment) before we enrolled our son. As you can imagine we were a little apprehensive, but our initial visit put us at ease. We received pictures and videos of our son's first day and continue to get pictures on a regular basis. We recently had another baby that now attends, and I have to say that it seems as though Kim and her team personally cater to each and every child, giving them all the love and attention they need. My son was a bit of an introvert when he first started, he is now incredibly comfortable and loves to participate in all of the activities. I really appreciate the structure and curriculum that is provided. Kim is able to teach each child at their own pace according to their level. She is very knowledgeable and I often ask for her advice not only as a provider but as a parent. I know that once its time for both of my children to move on to public school they will be more than ready!! Completely Satisfied!!

The Vine staff consistently go above and beyond when taking care of our children! They update us regularly with pictures, texts, and stories of what has taken place during the day. They have taught our children how to be kind, caring, and thoughtful and have more than prepared our son for kindergarten. Our daughter has to say goodbye to everyone—adult and child—before she leaves each day. I cannot imagine a better place for children to be if they can’t be at home. Kim and the rest of The Vine Preschool staff are hands-down the best!

I am the proud mommy of an alumni "Kim's Kid". I love, love, love The Vine Preschool. My youngest son attended from 6 months old until he turned 4. This school was the best of all worlds, Noah was loved and nurtured as well as given a great education. I really appreciate the care and attention to detail that Kim and her staff take. Knowing how challenging traffic and commuting can be in the Metro DC area, I commuted from Woodbridge, VA to The Vine Preschool in Alexandria, VA to work in Maryland and back daily. I would do it again in heartbeat!!! There is is no short cut in my day that could measure up to the peace of mind I had knowing that my child was receiving the best care daily. Being an educator myself, I at times wonder if I have unrealistic expectations of what school and childcare should look like for my kids. But our experience at The Vine Preschool proved to me that excellence in care and education should be the expectation, not the exception. From an infant, Kim provided my family with developmental reports on how Noah was growing and learning. She also provided invaluable information on how we could use our time at home to create a learning continuum. I am a believer and advocate for small home learning environments, especially when children are young. It was a rare and awesome experience to find Kim and The Vine Preschool. Even to this day, I have a sense of "family" with the special group of people that we have been afforded the opportunity to share this very important time in our lives with. When people comment on how articulate and smart Noah is, I smile and remind myself it's because he was one of "Kim's Kids".