As a first time mom I was looking the best for my childs education as early as possible. After looking different educational entities FULL CIRCLE MONTESSORI is the best that happen to our family. Now with 3 kids at school I can said firmly that I get to know them as a community, I could be more bless. Always making easy accessible for scholarships it couldnt be better. raising 3 smart independent kids makes me happy.

After many years at FCMS we were sad to take our kids away, but our careers took us out of state to Chapel Hill, NC. After less than a year in our new location Covid 19 swept the continent, and schools across the country went virtual. At that time reality set in that in-person schooling was not returning anytime soon, so we reached back out to our friends at FCMS, and they welcomed our 10 year old back into their school virtually from North Carolina with open arms, because why not school in Virginia, since we are all virtual. Well, as we suspected FCMS approached the virtual world just like they did those many years in the pre-pandemic times - with great energy, enthusiasm, compassion, and thoughtfulness, creating the best environment possible for any child at any stage in life under any circumstances. We cant thank FCMS enough for making this year special for ALL of their students. Really something to behold, and we will forever look back fondly on these unprecedented times as a result. Thank you FCMS.

(Washington Blvd location)Been great for my baby! We have been taking Mommy & Me classes here for about a year off and on. Its great to have a place to go and talk to experts and get advice. They have really helped me with raising my now 2 year old daughter. They cover topics like eating (when she wont eat and throws food), discipline (how to handle situations), and independence (pushing me to allow my baby to do more than I realize she is capable). Its been a wonderful experience for both of us! Highly recommend looking into their classes.We also just did a cooking class which was fun for both of us!

When we begin looking into public schools for first grade, we were not considering Montessori at all. Our son had spent pre-school and kindergarten at another Montessori and I just decided to go to the Full Circle open house on a whim. My husband and I were pleasantly surprised by how elementary class was conducted and the initiative shown by the kids. Thats when our relationship with Full Circle began.After the observation day, the administration team and especially Christie Yang really spent a lot of time and effort answering our questions and addressing our concerns. She was following our thought process very closely and put us in touch with the parents to help clarify our values when it came to education for our son. This was close to the beginning of summer and with all the chaos, we were very impressed with how good the administration was in following-up and we thought that if this is the care and professionalism they show to kids education, then chances are our son would be in the right place.Since our son has begun at Full Circle, we have been extremely happy. Its a unique environment where we also feel like we are going through our education again, but with a different perspective. Its very positive and while its pure Montessori, its a very entrepreneurial environment where they try new things and adapt to kids educations needs. Its definitely not traditional and we put a lot of trust in the teachers - but the entire group of elementary teachers is amazingly smart, positive and collaborative.Our son has been so happy here and loves learning what he does, because it usually stems from his own interests. He loves his teachers and also the group of kids and parents are very easy going and nice. Even the entire administration is wonderful to work with. Overall, Full Circle has made our sons elementary education a very pleasant, rewarding, and fun experience.Delete review

Like most parents I constantly question whether Im doing the right thing for my child. After attending a parent workshop with the school tonight, I know I made the right choice. The best thing about Full Circle are the wonderful teachers. Under the teachers loving care and guidance (with a special shout out to the amazing, amazing Ms. Vicens), my little guy has become a thoughtful, productive, and proactive member of his young childrens community. The second best thing is the schools determination to help parents be the most effective they can be -- hence, the parent workshops. Ive come a long way from being nervous and high strung to being calmer, now armed with the strategies needed to overcome both the daily and long term challenges of raising a child. Honestly, I have so much more to say about why Full Circle is wonderful, but you should just check out the school for yourself.

Beyond the regular curriculum, Stephanie Kurnava (our daughters teacher) ran a Parenting Project for a group of us in the evenings. As a parent, I was struggling: If my kid is so good at school, how come shes such a rascal at home? What am I doing wrong? No one understands what it is really like! -- Wrong!!! Being part of the Parenting Project allowed me not only to see that what Im dealing with is common and vent with other parents, but it is also showed me how important and natural this is. It equipped me with some tools to cope with these challenges and actually enjoy them.

I typically dont take the time to write a review, let alone a positive one. Its real simple. Seeing my childs growth and development throughout this school season has been incredible.

Now in our sons second year in the Young Children’s Community, “how much and why we love Full Circle Montessori School” is likely a speech some of our friends and family could recite by memory!Like many first time parents, we were nervous about sending Sammy to school. We were also completely overwhelmed by the competitive nature, number of options, and different philosophies of schools in the area.After touring different schools – none of which seemed “just right” – we immediately felt at home when we walked in to Full Circle Montessori School. FCMS ticked every box on what we were looking for in a school – teaching based on child development, a focus on fostering the love of learning, emphasis on promoting independence, and the creation of community at the very center.When we joined the FCMS community we were surprised – and thrilled – by the wide array of opportunities to plug in -- from community volunteering to socials with fellow parents. Most of all, our family has benefited from the many events the school hosts that dive in to child development and how to navigate some of the typical parenting challenges.New to Montessori, we also took advantage of the additional FCMS Home Consultation program. I have to admit, the idea of someone coming into our home and telling us how it needed to be changed made me feel uncomfortable. But from the first meeting with Mariana, all of that unease disappeared! Mariana helped us look at our home through our sons eyes and patiently worked with us to make adjustments to foster his independence and curiosity. One of the best parts of Home Consultation is that it’s not a “one time and done” program. Our work with Mariana to make changes to our home and approach with our son was incremental – making adjustments, revising strategies, and working together to find exactly what works for our family.FCMS has been a blessing to our family; our son is excited about school every day, we have seen him blossom and thrive thanks to his incredible teachers, and we have found a community and partner as we travel through our parenting journey.

I tell all my friends and family that I feel like we won the lottery when I think about FCMS. Our son started at their YCC when he was almost two years old and our lives were changed forever. The warm, loving, hard working, supportive, encouraging directness, Mariana, was the best first teacher we could ever ask for. She taught our son and our family so many valuable lessons. Our son’s transition to primary was very smooth. The class Directress, Amy, was also an incredible teacher. She is gifted and passionate about educating young children. She understands who every child is and knows exactly how to approach, encourage and challenge them. Our son blossomed under her care. We could not be happier with our experience. We get so many complements about our son’s social skills, behavior and kindness towards others. Our son just started FCMS’s elementary program and we are thrilled to see how excited he is about learning new things.Thank you to the entire FCMS team for all your hard work, care, support and encouragement. Our son is lucky to be part of such an incredible community.

Definitely the best decision we have made for our son’s education!We were very hesitant about sending our son to school at such a young age (he was 16 months when he started attending FCMS) but he just flourishes there!He loves school and we do too. They observe our child and help him achieve his full potential. They work around his needs, not the other way round!The teachers, the administrative staff, the director, everybody is knowledgeable, professional, warm and willing to work with you on every aspect of your child’s life.I can’t say enough good things about this place. We love FCMS

Every child deserves an opportunity to spend their toddler days in an environment as supportive and enriching as Full Circle Montessori School. We feel like our daughter has hit the school jackpot by being able to learn at FCMS. Since she began in the primary class a year and a half ago she has had the opportunity to work on building strong character traits that we hope will guide her through life with a sense of confidence, integrity and authenticity. I never put much weight on academics for preschool aged children, but I have to admit the thrill I felt when she came home wanting to practice her handwriting and reading. As parents, FCMS has been a critical piece to our own confidence that we can do this...raising a child thing! The staff - both administrative and classroom - have helped us navigate some of the more challenging parenting moments. Each day I pick my daughter up from school and she says her day was great I do a little victory dance in my head. And, from someone who grew up in a more traditional preschool and then public schooling, I never imagined Montessori would be a part of my familys path. But, thank goodness it is!

When we moved back to NoVA, we needed a preschool program for our oldest son who was 3 at the time. We toured plenty of preschools and none of them felt right -- we usually rely on our instincts :). We met Christie at Full Circle and we immediately felt it offered the right instruction, environment, and care for our son even though we were new to the Montessori philosophy. Fast forward 3 years, both of our boys are at Full Circle and it has been the best experience for them with their very different personalities and drivers.Full Circle has instilled in both our boys the love of learning, a sense of exploration, and a way of thinking and problem solving that has been amazing to watch, especially as it matures and strengthens every year. Furthermore, we attribute the boys independence, self-motivation, and self-awareness to the wonderful directresses who are supportive, encouraging, and attentive to each boys needs. Additionally, our boys are always mindful of their community and the people around them, which again is attributed to Full Circles effort to educate children to be considerate and contribute as a member of the community.Not only has Full Circle been great for our boys, Full Circle has also taught us how to support the boys from home. Full Circle provides multiple opportunities for parents -- Inseimes and Studio -- to learn about the Montessori method/philosophy and the importance of equal support from parents and school to help children grow. Not only did we thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to learn, it also gave us time to ask questions to further solidify that Full Circle is the standard for Montessori Schools.

My daughter has been attending full circle for 2 years now (since she was 16 months old - one of the only montessori programs in the area that accepts under 3) and i can barely keep up with her at home. at 3.5 years old, she takes care of herself and our environment. things she does (without me asking, hinting, or even THINKING about): undress/dress herself fully, hang her clothes, use the bathroom (she was potty trained by full circle by the age of 2), get her own snacks (including peeling fruit)/pour her own water, feed the dog, train the dog, walk the dog (with me trailing behind her - i pick up the poop), wash the tables, windows, counters, floors, vacuum, dust, set the table, serve food to the family, wash/cut vegetables, help me bake, stir fry food, move her stool around (ergonomically) so she can access the counters to do work, wash dishes and put them in the dishwasher (really), water the plants, and puts things away (like puzzles, her shoes). we do not own toys because she doesnt play with them, she spends her time working on things around the house that she feels needs working on (like washing the windows). we own a small business and when shes there, she will immediately get to work (without us asking mind you), sweeping the floor, washing the windows/mirrors, and welcoming our clients as they come into the door. the bottom line is, she behaves as any adult in full command of her environment and things.i credit full circle montessori for how my daughter has flourished as a human being! they taught me how to set up the home environment for her, how to speak (and listen) more effectively as a parent, and how to help my daughter thrive in general. full circle has many after school programs for parents to help us understand the method and how to apply it at home. i now understand why maria montessoris goal was world peace: her method instills high self esteem in children so they grow up to be aware of their environment and the people around them, equipped with the motivation to learn and grow (which is a hard one to teach someone), so that they may change the world for the better.other schools might call themselves montessori but i highly recommend you dig a little deeper, schools might look like montessori with wooden materials but do not practice the actual method (which involves how a teacher subtlety interacts with the children in body language and words). a true montessori school should be quiet, calm, slow tech, with children in deep concentration working independently on something.oh, one other thing i LOVE about full circle and this might not matter to other parents, but they dont allow branding. so no frozen or thomas on clothing. full circle has thought through every detail about a childs experience while at school and this one is super important i believe. children are so susceptible to advertisement and branding and genderizing, full circle has made it easy to keep the children focused on working and building their brains and not distracted by consumerism.i have many more wonderful things to say about full circle, but honestly you should just schedule a tour and youll see what i mean. :)****UPDATE: four years later, Jan 2021***We moved away from the VA area otherwise we’d still be attending Full Circle. Since leaving our kiddo has attended three different schools and I can tell you: Full Circle Montessori is still the best school we’ve been to. My kiddo who is now 8 STILL exhibits behavior learned from FCMS even though we don’t go to a Montessori school now. Things I miss:1. The value on food. I wish all schools followed suit on not allowing junk in the kiddos lunchbox.2. Keeping kids away from branding3. Teaching about our diverse world (this is built into the FCMS curriculum)4. How the teachers speak to the children without trying to shame, coerce or with hidden agendas.5. The beauty of the classroom which isn’t just the materials but in the thoughtfulness of the layout

Why Full CircleIts hard to remember back seven years ago when we were touring schools for our first-born, when we chose Full Circle. But three children and countless school tours later, I can tell you why we would choose it all over again. There are tons of books and articles about why the Montessori philosophy is such an amazing way for children to learn, so Ill focus here on why Full Circle is so special in particular - three ways its really in a league of its own.Authentic environmentThe founders of Full Circle have succeeded in creating an authentic environment. FCMS stays true to the Montessori philosophy - you wont find a watered down approach here - which gives a real clarity of purpose to the school, the teachers, and the students. The principles of a Montessori education guide every heart, head, and hand from strategic decisions all the way down to helping a classmate tie a shoe or clean up a spill. Youll find strong values interwoven into the Full Circle experience - some of my favorites are empathy, child-centeredness, cultural awareness, and environmental stewardship. An example of child-centeredness... When my youngest son was two-years-old in the Young Childrens Community, the class needed some pantry items for snack that day. Instead of the teacher going to the store by herself during her planning time, she turned it into a learning experience for two of the toddlers (and we all know how much longer it takes to bring two toddlers to the store!) They changed into their outdoor shoes, zipped up their coats, and brought reusable bags and money with them. The teacher walked them hand-in-hand (with huge smiles!) down the block to the market. Once inside, she asked them questions to help find the popcorn kernels, eggs, and flour they needed. The children even handled the money and bags during checkout. There were so many lessons on this small adventure - walking down the sidewalk carefully, using observation skills, counting money... All because the teacher took the time to make it so. And my son still talks about buying popcorn kernels at the store!Inspirational staffAs I mentioned Full Circle is pure Montessori. But that doesnt mean its stuck in the past. The leadership and staff stay innovative by reading books, exploring research studies, or watching TED talks about how children learn and they bring those ideas to the classroom. And they even bring that knowledge to us - lucky parents! - during parent education nights or coffees. I remember leaving every parent education event, or discussion with the head of school, or parent/teacher conversation thinking, Wow. Yes, of course, thats how children should learn.Unparalleled opportunitiesBecause of the Montessori approach follow the child and because of the flexible work periods, my children had unparalleled opportunities for deep work on a subject. As an example, in the lower elementary program, my oldest son had been working on a research project on rocks and minerals. He began researching the topic with materials in the classroom, then he continued his studies at the local public library (which is walking distance from the school). In order to pursue this interest further, he and another classmate developed a plan for a field trip (or going out as Montessorians call it!) to the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The two boys planned everything for the trip, from what questions they wanted to answer to which Metro stop would be best. The day of the trip, the two children along with their teacher traveled downtown via public transportation for a special opportunity to learn as much as they possibly could about their topic. And they returned with so many more lessons than would have been possible on a traditional field trip.There are so many more reasons we would choose Full Circle all over again. But these three set Full Circle apart from others, from traditional to Montessori.

I have a daughter who attends preschool at FCMS at the FRED location in Clarendon. I love this school so much that I get emotional even writing this review b/c I feel so lucky to have it in our life. Even before becoming a parent, I always had strong thoughts on what an ideal education and institution would be to me and also had exposure and confidence with the Montessori methodology. Then when it came time to think about preschool (I started early because I was not going to settle for anything less or let the NOVA area’s long waiting list reputation get in my way) I went to a FCMS open house and instantly, deeply, fell in love with the school and leadership. No other school compared after that. I found that FCMS was a true Montessori and more. The passion, commitment, vision and credentials of the Founder and Administrator were clearly genuine, thought out, meaningful, organized and impactful. This then carried over into the staff of Directresses, Assistants and others that make up the FCMS team – this was evident through the introductions each person gave about themselves and later reinforced by my interactions with the school after my daughter became a student there. The warmth, the attention to each child’s unique needs, the celebration of different backgrounds and cultures and most importantly the RESPECT given to the children makes this school an amazing environment for life long growth and learning. I am a firm believer that children have passions, interests and ideas they want to share and adults need to give them an opportunity to express them if they are to grow into confident, curious, meaningful members of society. The FCMS team looks each child in the eye and gives them that chance and voice. I am grateful for this school and intend to keep my daughter there for many years.