Why Merritt

Parent Testimonials

Discover what parents are saying about their Merritt Academy Experience.

We felt our son would flourish in a small class size, hands-on curriculum and community-oriented school, and we have seen that hold true with Merritt all along during the normal every day and everything that wasn’t normal during the Pandemic. We always knew that he was in good hands; we were in it together as a team, that he would thrive.

It’s not just his teachers that know just his name. Most of the school knows him – as an individual – the principal, other teachers, the admin staff and on and on. He’s learned so much within the well-constructed lesson plans, but also due to the enrichment from specials, modified/actual programming and field trips and events. I also didn’t realize how important getting outside was for him when we started in kindergarten, but Merritt prioritizes being outside and learning from our surroundings as well. We are in the middle of third grade and recommend Merritt to other families.     

–2022-23 Merritt Academy K-8 School parent

Thank you so much for a very informative Kindergarten Information Night. We appreciate the leadership team at Merritt Academy — for always being transparent in all communications and being proactive in making every opportunity to help students succeed! 

Also, I’d like to share an anecdote about our magnificent teachers at Merritt. Our son came home this Monday with a powerful statement: “I love school because Ms. Esther loves me!” My husband and I immediately started crying after hearing about this, with heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Esther, her teaching crew, and Merritt. This statement has been rooted in our hearts since then, and we feel so blessed that our son joined the Merritt family a year ago when we relocated to Virginia. 

Again, thank you so much for all your impactful efforts to make every child feel loved at school, this really means a lot to us.                  

– 2022-23 Merritt Academy Preschool parents 

I wanted to take a minute and tell you how thankful we are that our children were able to attend Merritt’s middle school program. We were very impressed with the program and the variety of ways our children were supported and challenged in their education. The teachers and staff are wonderful, kind, and caring; focusing on helping the students be successful each day in the classroom, as well as preparing them for their future after Merritt. 

The smaller class sizes and high teacher involvement helped my kids thrive in ways that they would not have in a larger program. Merritt went above and beyond to support our entire family and we will always be so grateful for the role they played in our children’s lives. I can’t say enough good things about the middle school program and the entire staff at Merritt Middle School. We were very happy while we attended Merritt and we look back on that time with fond memories.

 -2019-2020 parent of Merritt Academy graduate and two elementary students 

My 3-year-old has been attending for the past 2 years, and our 1-year-old has been in the infant class for several months. We cannot say enough great things about Merritt! The curriculum for infant/toddlers is outstanding – my 3-year-old knows the alphabet very well and has started writing her name. She comes home singing new songs, and shares about her many activities and friends.

The classrooms are spacious, and playgrounds/fields allow tons of space for field day! They do so many organized fun activities and water play. I love that we get updates on Tadpoles and photos. The teacher’s communication and enthusiasm have been great, and we know our kids are extremely well cared for, as well as taught so many things. It truly is an incredibly caring community. There is a reason there’s a waitlist! I also want to commend the school and director for their transparency during the past 2 years of Covid and the incredible safety precautions they took. We are so happy our kids are thriving here!    

– 2022-23 Merritt Academy parent of two Early Childhood students 

As a military family, we were living out of state and had just received orders to Northern Virginia when we began our search for a new school for our kids. For us, education is paramount. I’m that mom that has a clipboard of 30 questions and grills admissions directors on topics such as security, academics, extra-curriculars, and in this current environment, the handling of COVID-19. After initial introductions to five schools, we had our first conversation with Ms. Autor and knew immediately that Merritt Academy was where we wanted to send our kids.

Merritt’s emphasis on academics and exposure to languages starting at age 3 was very attractive to us. The school puts a premium on the children exploring the outdoors daily, whether that’s to play, receive teacher-led instruction, or in the summer, to swim in their lifeguard-supervised pool! Merritt’s leadership is approachable, receptive to each family’s needs, and cares about developing every child. Our children have been at Merritt for nearly two years, and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. 

–  2022-23 Merritt Academy Preschool parent 

My daughter attended Merritt Academy since (her) first grade. She is always happy and thriving at school. We are grateful for all the support that we have received in the last 5 years. All the staff members are amiable and easy-going. Merritt Academy provides support and encouragement based on the student’s strengths and weaknesses. The teachers always communicate with us in time if there are any issues. In particular, the principal Mrs. Potts keeps providing generous help with finding the problems in my daughter’s study and gives us constructive suggestions to solve them. With her help, my daughter finally conquered these challenges and has made huge progress. We really appreciate all the staff at the Merritt Academy!     

– 2022-23 Merritt Academy K-8 School parent