Early Childhood Development


School Spotlight: The Gardner School of Herndon

Early Childhood Development | December 5, 2018
Exterior of preschool in Herndon, VA

Deciding on a preschool is an important decision for parents. At The Gardner School, we strive to set the standards high and be the best preschool in Herndon, Virginia for children and their families. Created as a state-of-the-art facility, The Gardner School of Herndon is intentionally designed to provide a safe and interactive environment for children to learn and grow. Our goal is to provide the best experience to help preschoolers developmentally mentally, emotionally, and socially. We also value the partnership with our parents—making sure parents are constantly updated about students activities, mood, and meals throughout the day through our parent communications app.

The Gardner School of Herndon offers families more than a traditional preschool or childcare facility approach to early childhood education. Here’s a look at some of our Herndon preschool’s offerings, as well as an introduction to the school’s leadership team. 

What The Gardner School of Herndon Offers

The Gardner School of Herndon offers year-round full and part-time childcare with early childhood education programs for children six weeks old through private Pre-K. Attention to detail both inside and outside the classroom is what makes The Gardner School of Herndon a very special place for young children. All our lead teachers have four-year degrees in early childhood education, elementary education or a closely-related field. Our stimulating, creative, and academically-focused curriculum has been designed to meet the needs of our most important client—the children. With indoor and outdoor playground facilities, our campus is uniquely equipped to allow children to enjoy physical activity year-round. In addition, we also offer a full suite of enrichment classes and our 10-week summer camp program, Camp Gardner.

Meet The Gardner School of Herndon’s Leadership Team

The Gardner School of Herndon is led by Director Sara Shoulars and Assistant Director Marilynn Cooke. Sara has served as Director since February 2017. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Sara has always had a passion for setting a strong foundation for children to be successful and confident as they go through their journey of life. She is passionate about inspiring, leading, and developing a strong teaching team to ensure The Gardner School is giving the best experience for the children in their class, and meeting the needs of each individual family are her educational passions. Sara’s favorite part of the day is interacting directly with the children, families, and teachers.

Marilynne Cooke has been with The Gardner School of Herndon since October 2014 and served as an Enrichment Coordinator before taking on her current role. Marilynn began volunteering at daycare facilitates in high school. That’s when she knew educating and being a role model for preschoolers was the path for her, causing her to get her degree in interdisciplinary studies (Education) with a minor in Community-based Education. Marilynn’s favorite part of the day is to greet the families in the morning during drop-off time—where she does an incredible job of positively impacting every parent or child she encounters.

Searching for a Preschool in Herndon?

 If you live or commute to work near The Gardner School of Herndon, are considering a move to a nearby community, or know other area families on the search for the best DC-area preschool for their children, we hope you’ll see for yourself why families love The Gardner School of Herndon. Schedule a tour today to see our stunning, state-of-the-art school and meet our enthusiastic team.

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