What is VHBC Preschool?

A competent and affordable early childhood education facility in our suburban community is a high priority need. Our first program was launched more than 50 years ago to meet the important desire of mothers for a safe place for their children while they enjoyed some “child-free” hours each week. While our motive at the inception of the program was to provide a day out for mothers, we have consistently set our goals to have an increasingly rich and varied age-appropriate curriculum for the children.
This program is set in an environment where children can experiment and make choices. There are many avenues for creativity and stimulation for the child’s curiosity.
 
Virginia Hills Baptist Church has traditionally been a church seeking new ways of serving its community. This program was established as a means of enlarging the scope of that ministry. The facilities and equipment are furnished almost entirely by the church, while the program itself is self-supporting and non-profit.
 
For all of our detailed information, please refer to our Family Handbook:

Parent & Family Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions:

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about our program:

Do Your Teachers Have Degrees? Our Pre-Kindergarten (4 year olds) and Junior Kindergarten teachers all have degrees. Many of our younger children’s teachers also have degrees or are working toward their Early Childhood Certification.  Our Director has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Early Childhood Certification, and recently completed her Master’s in Early Childhood Education.

What Are The Class Times? All classes meet daily from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Beforecare is offered starting at 7 a.m. Aftercare is offered until 6 p.m.
 
What is a Teacher Created Curriculum? While our Pre-K and Jr. K use Handwriting Without Tears curriculum, the main focus of our preschool is that children meet spiritual, social & emotional, language & literacy, cognitive and physical objectives through an assortment of teacher-created activities (individual, small group, large group, projects, play, music, etc.) to meet the children’s needs.
 
What Are The Class Sizes? We are pleased to say we maintain well under state standards.  Our one’s program is a ratio of 2:8; two’s is 2:10; threes 2:14; fours and fives 2:16.  Our classroom sizes also play a role in the number of children placed in each class.
 
How Are Classes Formed? Classes are formed by birth date of the children.  As the children progress through our classes, additional prayerful consideration is given to group dynamics, boy/girl ratio, and size of the classroom. 
 
Do You Offer Summer Camp? Our themed summer camp runs the first week of June until FCPS schools complete their school year and some years we will offer additional camps as well.  Information and registration will be available in March.
 
What About Special Classes? All of our classes receive music and/or creative movement for 20 minutes each day.  This is in addition to our recess/playground time.
 
What About Parent Participation? We encourage parent participation anytime a parent is able, but it is not required as we understand the demands on working parents.
 
What is the weather cancellation policy? While our mailing address is Alexandria, we are technically in Fairfax County.  We follow their weather delays and closings, but typically do not follow their early releases due to our school day being complete before any upper schools release may happen.  
 
How do you announce weather delays/closings? Any time you see a FCPS delay/closing, know that will affect us as well.  We also immediately post on the ‘Announcement’ page of our website and we utilize the Remind text alert system that we hope you will subscribe to and you will receive a text alert notification.  You will most likely also receive an email.  (directions to subscribe to Remind are in the Family Handbook and a link is available on our website.)
 
Do You Go On Field Trips? Field trips are a part of our pre-k and junior kindergarten curriculum.  These trips and the t-shirts we like for them to wear for easy identification are included in the activity fee collected at the beginning of the year.  The younger classes typically do not go on field trips with the exception of our older 3’s.

Do You Provide Snacks? Our one’s and two’s classes will ask for contributions for snacks and will let parents know when their supply is running low and of any allergies in the class.  The three’s, Pre-K and Jr. K has a student of the day who is responsible for snack each day.

Do You Provide Lunch? We do not provide lunch with the exception of our Thanksgiving lunch, Pizza Day, and perhaps another special occasion that your teacher will make you aware of.  

What Our Families Are Saying:

“I just wanted to thank you and the staff for creating a wonderful first day for my boys (and the rest of the kids)! As we walked through the hallways, my boys were greeted with hellos, hugs and kisses from teachers and staff!  They were sent home with the same affection. We are grateful for all the love and hard work the staff pours into the school! Our boys have grown socially, emotionally, academically AND spiritually with the help of VHBC preschool.  

Thank you to the staff for loving our boys over the years! We’re excited for another fun-filled year!!”

~Amy 

 

“We have loved having our son at VHBC Preschool and are so sad that he cannot attend next year as we are transferring.  His teachers have been wonderful. They have taught him so much, and he loves them so much and goes on and on about how silly and fun they are.  When they are out sick he tells me he misses them. It’s been an amazing feeling to send him to school knowing how much he’s loved and how well he is cared for.  Thanks to all of you!”

~Candy