Golden Pond School

43940 Farmwell Hunt Plaza

Ashburn, VA 20147

26 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-K
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 31, 2023

When we moved to the Ashburn/Leesburg area in 2021, we were certain we would not replace our previous preschool/teachers that we had in Herndon. GPS was recommended to us by our then director. From the moment we stepped in the school, we knew we could stop searching for that perfect fit; we were home! The dedication the administrators and teachers have to the students is unmatched. We immediately felt like we were dropping off our girls to family and that level of comfort continued throughout their education at GPS. The variety of skills our girls learned at Golden Pond set them up for success when entering public school; which was evident when our eldest entered Kindergarten. As our younger one graduates this spring, we are certain she’ll have the same confidence transitioning. We are so grateful for our time at Golden Pond. The teachers, administers and supportive parents create a productive, yet loving environment that allows children to truly thrive. Thank you! -George Family
Submitted by parent on April 21, 2022

Sending our boys to Golden Pond was one of the best decisions we ever made! The entire staff there, teachers, admins, principal, they ALL remember all the kids names and are so welcoming. The Golden Pond Way is one of a kind and I wish all schools would use their hands on learning approach. The love for learning that my kids developed because of Golden Pond is priceless! They're in Middle and High School now and still talk about Golden Pond and their amazing teachers. And we have met some wonderful families we still keep in touch with.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2022

I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Golden Pond. My daughter has loved going to school each day and excitedly tells me all the fun things she did that day! I love the assessments provided at parent teacher conferences. The pictures and summaries of the activities of the week are a highlight!
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2022

My son is an alumni of GPS. He still talks about the teachers and programs and how much fun he had while he was there. Highly recommend GPS!!
Submitted by parent on December 13, 2021

As a kindergarten teacher myself, (not at this school) I had strong feelings about the type of school I was looking for. A preschool experience should be fun and engaging, and allow children to grow into their best selves. With only one year left before kindergarten, we enrolled at GPS. My child is happy and thriving! The lessons are creative and hands-on, and the curriculum is rich and challenging. Each week we get wonderful newsletters with pictures and great detail about each lesson and child development. The teachers/staff are warm and welcoming and the parent group is a lot of fun! I have no doubt, my child will leave here with a love of learning, a positive image of school and be fully ready for Kindergarten! I highly recommend GPS!
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2021

I have loved Golden Pond from the moment I stepped foot inside! The feeling of family and the level of caring that goes into every single child is unmatched! My daughter spent three amazing years there, my son is in his second year, and I have a third child that will be going to summer camp followed by preschool next fall! My children have learned so much and are glowing with excitement everyday at pick up! It warms my heart to know they are in great hands every single day! Can’t recommend the school enough!
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2021

I have trusted Golden Pond School with both of my children; my son having been a student there starting at the age of 3 and attending GPS through kindergarten - he still goes to their after-school program. My daughter just started her first year at GPS in the 3's class. Both of them have thrived in the environment, and Golden Pond has done an amazing job with each of them despite their very different personalities! They take the time to see what each child needs to succeed and have a good experience. The curriculum for the kindergarten was so advanced, that when my eldest got to first grade, he was already ahead and comfortable with the material they were learning. Ms. Horton and Ms. Kareem are especially near and dear to our family's hearts, as they've taken care of our kids in the after-school program for years, which they LOVE. Ms. Gill, Ms. Briggs, and Ms. Aviles have also been amazing teachers to my son. Ms. Dudley is always there to make sure everything runs smoothly, and is a great communicator with parents; and of course a shout out to Ms. Brummett, who dons many hats besides director, and is involved with the kids in the school. Ms. Dudley and Ms. Brummett's initiative in making sure the school has been able to safely run by taking care of much of the check-ins, temperature readings, etc. during COVID should also be commended. COVID hasn't been an easy time for anyone with kids, or any schools providing care for kids, and Golden Pond has really excelled at making this a safe place, and communicating with parents to put our minds at ease. This is just a smidgen of what we love about Golden Pond, as I am sure all the teachers and staff are as lovely as the ones our children have spent so much time with. I highly recommend them for anyone looking for the perfect place for your child to start pre-school!
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2021

The Golden Pond School has exceeded my expectations for a preschool! They create a hands-on learning experience and a warm, nurturing environment. Their programs and themes are creative and unique, and foster a love of learning in the children. You can tell they are absolutely passionate about teaching children and I can’t imagine sending my child anyplace else!
Submitted by parent on July 26, 2021

This is now my family’s 8th year at Golden Pond School and it has taken me awhile to write this review because I cannot think of the right words to explain how much we love this place. I have three kids, two boys and one girl. My kids have pretty much been in all the classes ages three to Kindergarten as well as summer camps. I tried to be as involved a parent as I could be so I was lucky to witness the relationship my kids developed with the teachers each year. Golden Pond has been like a second family to us. My kids have severe nut allergies and another medical condition yet I always knew they were safe and loved. The teachers were great about communicating with parents. I was amazed at how much and how quickly my kids would learn things. I wondered how our family’s last and final year at Golden Pond would be given the pandemic but it was still amazing and the admin and teachers rose to the occasion. Huge thanks especially this past year to my daughter’s wonderful Kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Kathy Sestak & Mrs. Kim Eng. I am so grateful my child was able to go to a school in person full time where she felt safe, could have fun learning, develop great memories and stay healthy. Finally, through all eight years, I have had the pleasure to get to know the amazing Señora Aviles (first as my child’s teacher and then as the Spanish teacher) and also the awesome assistant director Mrs. Ingrid Dudley. Thank you both for everything you do! For anybody who is looking for a place where their child will be safe, loved, nurtured and grow both academically and socially, AND a place where parents are welcomed with open arms and communication is a priority, Golden Pond School is the place for you. I will miss this school!
Submitted by parent on April 06, 2021

GPS is a fantastic school! We’ve had experience with a few of the programs that the school offers and all have been great! The teachers are amazing and really care about the kids. Our child that is currently a student looks forward to waking up each day and learning something new. Car rides home are always full of talk about the school day. We have even learned a few things!
Submitted by parent on February 18, 2021

We love Golden Pond! This past year has been a scary year with COVID and it has been such a blessing to be able to send my son to preschool. I am very happy with the precautions and procedures in place to protect students and teachers at Golden Pond. Just yesterday he came home full of so much excitement, telling me all about the "dancing candy hearts" experiment he conducted. He couldn't get his words out fast enough as he told me about the reaction of the baking soda and vinegar and walked me through each step. There is nothing like having your child glow with joy from learning! We also sent our older daughter to Golden Pond for four years and the friends and community we found are still among our closest friends today! It is truly a special place.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2020

Our overall experience has been wonderful here. Our daughter just loves getting up and going to school. She is always excited to see what the next day brings with the theme based curriculum. The teachers are fabulous! They are kind, nurturing and extremely knowledgeable. We are so impressed and would have no problem recommending or referring this school.
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2019

GPS is amazing! We tried other schools, but Golden Pond is far superior to all of them! Our daughter attended for two years and once in public school, was clearly thriving as a direct result of the high quality, personal education she received at Golden Pond! Our son will attend for three years and at just 2 1/2 yrs old, is already understanding how school works! He is having fun and learning so much! The teachers are incredible! The administration is amazing! I recommend Golden Pond to everyone I know and give it the highest marks possible for absolutely every element of their program!
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2018

Golden Pond School is a very special place where teaching young children is treated as a vocation and a privilege. This is not a daycare - it is a school and a community. Teachers are committed, hardworking, caring, and knowledgable. Facilities and amenities are well stocked and well maintained. I can't overstate what a positive and warm environment it is. A high standard of community-centric behavior is set by the teachers and administration, absorbed and adopted by the students, and even impacts the welcoming parents' group. Our family feels so lucky to have our child enrolled at Golden Pond; we have seen her flourish in everything from cognitive skills to emotional intelligence to table manners.
Submitted by parent on June 14, 2017

I ADORE this school and all of the wonderful teachers and administrators. From play-based learning to the 3 great playgrounds to the fabulous parent group, this school is the best choice for anyone looking for a preschool or kindergarten for their child.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2016

The theme based curriculum at Golden Pond School is layered, integrated and hands-on through music, art, Spanish, science, math and language making learning fun. My children still talk about activities and their teachers at GPS and how much they loved going to school there. It is top notch!
Submitted by parent on August 27, 2015

Golden Pond is a dream for both parents and children! I have a child who has graduated from GP and another that is entering the 3's program. The teachers are creative and energetic. The staff is loving and kind. The facility is clean and bright. The parents are involved and there is a sense of community. All around a wonderful learning and social environment. I feel good dropping them off there and the children look forward to going. It's everything you would want in a Pre-School!
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2014

Our family has been with Golden Pond since 2010. Our sons have had the best experience and I can't say enough good things about the school. The environment is family-oriented and even teachers who haven't had my kids, still know them by name! A Nurturing, safe, great education and a fun place for all. My oldest son also attended full day Kindergarten which was worth every penny and then some. I am looking forward to my youngest son attending next year when he is old enough to start. Some of my best mommy friends are from previous classes and we still keep in touch. :) Love love love this school!
Submitted by parent on March 26, 2014

Golden Pond School was the perfect solution for both of my children. The teachers are so well-trained, energetic, creative, friendly, and probably the hardest-working preschool teachers I have ever seen. They truly care about children and believe in their ability to learn even at a very young age. Golden Pond's mission is that learning can be both fun and meaningful, and every single activity they create for the children is done so with this thought in mind. In addition to the academic education, which is wonderful and unlike any I have ever seen in this area, my children truly felt cared for by their teachers and the entire staff. I appreciated that the students were assigned classroom "jobs" on a rotating basis, as I believe it helped instill a sense of pride and ownership in their classroom as well as emphasized individual responsibility. The teachers are equally respectful of the parents and never hesitate to share their expertise and communicate openly about all aspects of the child's day. I highly recommend this school to anyone who would like to see their child enter kindergarten academically prepared, with self-confidence, and with a love of learning.
Submitted by parent on March 24, 2014

My daughter went to Golden Pond for full day kindergarten for the 2012-2013 school year. It was a wonderful experience, and I am so happy we chose Golden Pond. It is a place of sunshine and creativity. Each month they studied different themes and all of their curriculum work related to the theme so that the children were subject matter experts by the end of the month. The field trips to places like DC and Great Country Farms were fabulous. Everything about the school is incredibly well run and organized. The car pool line is super organized, and each staff member helps get the children in the cars. By doing so not only do you get to know them all, but the whole school ends up knowing your child. My daughter is currently in first grade in public school and while there is now a heavier dose of institutionalization than sunshine, she was well prepared and doing great. I also want to agree with another reviewer that while I definitely knew we were having a wonderful experience while we were enrolled in Golden Pond, I appreciate the experience even more now with hind sight. Thank you Golden Pond!!