Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Alexandria

Reviews

• JF

  Jessica F

  Jul 1, 2026
  1.0
  Our experience at Chesterbrook Academy was extremely disappointing, and ultimately the reason we decided to withdraw our child from the school. The biggest issue was the lack of leadership and accountability from Principal Ashley. On numerous occasions, I found her difficult to reach and unavailable when concerns needed to be addressed. As a parent, I expect a principal to be present, approachable, and willing to provide direct answers. Instead, I often felt that concerns were brushed aside or met with vague responses rather than meaningful solutions. It is impossible to build trust with families when leadership is consistently unavailable. Communication throughout the school was consistently poor. Ms. Bianca, who is often the first person parents interact with, was rarely at her desk during pickup. On the occasions when I did speak with her, she was unable to answer even basic questions and would refer me to someone else. As a parent, it was frustrating to repeatedly leave without the information I needed because no one seemed informed or available. Ms. Martina was equally frustrating to work with regarding my account. Whenever I had questions about billing or my account, I could never get a clear or concrete answer. The response was almost always that she needed to wait for Principal Ashley to assist or provide the information. If staff members are responsible for assisting parents, they should be knowledgeable enough to answer routine questions instead of constantly deferring to someone who is rarely available. One of the newer teachers, Ms. Yvette, repeatedly asked me to write a Google review specifically about her. Rather than focusing on building a relationship with my child and demonstrating the quality of her teaching, she seemed far more concerned about receiving positive online reviews. I found this highly inappropriate and unprofessional, especially considering I barely knew her and had little opportunity to evaluate her as a teacher. When I wanted information about my child’s progress, learning activities, or classroom experience, Ms. Yvette was often unavailable. As a parent, I should not be repeatedly asked for a review when I cannot even get basic information about my child’s development and daily experiences. I also found her tendency to ask personal questions about my family uncomfortable and unnecessary. There is a difference between building rapport with families and crossing professional boundaries. Many of the questions felt intrusive and unrelated to my child’s education. Additionally, I personally witnessed Ms. Yvette on her cell phone during drop-off while she was responsible for supervising children. That left a very poor impression and raised concerns about where her attention was focused during the school day. There were also interactions that made my family uncomfortable regarding my husband. Certain comments and questions from staff felt inappropriate and unprofessional, making us feel that professional boundaries were not always being maintained. We chose Chesterbrook Academy because of its curriculum and reputation, but the lack of leadership, poor communication, lack of accountability, and repeated unprofessional experiences completely overshadowed any positives. We no longer felt confident leaving our child in an environment where leadership was unavailable, staff communication was inadequate, and parents’ concerns did not appear to be taken seriously. I cannot recommend this location to other families. Parents deserve a school with visible leadership, knowledgeable staff, professional communication, and a genuine commitment to children and their families—not a school where parents have to chase answers while being pressured to leave positive Google reviews.
• CR

  Courtney Reynolds

  May 10, 2026
  5.0
  We were so nervous about starting our 6 month old at daycare but Chesterbrook has made the transition smooth. We have been super happy and we trust all her teachers! Each one of her infant classroom teachers is happy to see her each day and makes sure she is cared for to our preferences as well! All of the staff is friendly, happy and polite! Our overall experience has been great and we can’t wait to see her grow at Chesterbrook!
• HS

  Hannah Stoneburner

  May 5, 2026
  5.0
  We've trusted Chesterbrook with our baby boy who started in the Infant class close to 4mo old. His primary teachers Ms. Kim and Ms. Jenique are wonderful and we can tell they truly care about each baby and take pride in their work and our baby's growth and progress. As first time parents it was (and still is) hard to trust others with our baby and be apart for so many hours but the entire Infants team - including Ms. Saliha, Ms. Tiara, and Ms. Brenda, help make it easier. Our experience has been great so far. The administrative staff are attentive and make an effort to greet everyone as you drop off and pick up. They help keep the environment welcoming and positive.
• YZ

  Ye Zhu

  May 5, 2026
  4.0
  My two boys enjoyed their academic year at Chesterbrook. They both had separation anxieties but with teachers’ support, managed to wave me goodbye calmly. They especially enjoyed the STEM experiments and hatching chickens, which are just a few of the many wonderful experiential learning happening here. I would like to specifically shout out to Ms. Martina, who stepped in so professionally and timely during an unexpected turnover, Ms. Winchelle & Ms. Diane for their sincere care and love for the Beginners class (my little one loves to start the day by hugging them), Ms. Erica and Ms. Yvett for their patience and loving guidance, Ms. Bianca for always being helpful and friendly around school.
• SL

  Soma Liam

  Apr 22, 2026
  5.0
  Finding a daycare where you feel completely at peace is a rare gift, and I cannot say enough good things about the experience my son has had here. The level of genuine care and tireless hard work the caregivers pour into their students every single day is truly remarkable. I want to specifically recognize Ms. Yvette, Ms. Saliha, Ms. Erica, Ms. Jeanette, and Ms. Danyelle for the incredible impact they have had on my son’s growth and happiness. It is so evident that they don’t just see this as a job; they truly love these children. They bring so much patience, energy, and heart into the classroom, and it gives me such comfort knowing he is surrounded by women who are as invested in his well-being as I am. That sense of community starts the moment you walk through the door, thanks to Bianca at the front desk. She is always so welcoming and helpful, and having her friendly face there to greet us makes the morning drop-off much easier. The high standards and positive culture of the center are a direct reflection of Ms. Ashley’s leadership. As a manager, her professionalism and dedication to excellence are clear in every interaction. She is always approachable and organized, ensuring that everything runs smoothly while maintaining a warm environment for all the families. It’s rare to find a team where the leadership, the front office, and the teachers are so perfectly in sync, and I am deeply grateful to this entire group for everything they do for my son.

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