Who We Are
There is something incredibly special about watching your child run into school without looking back because they feel completely comfortable, happy, and at home. This is the feeling and welcoming environment we want for every family at Village Green Day School. Here, your child is encouraged to be curious, messy, creative, thoughtful, and fully themselves while being guided by people who genuinely care about who they are becoming, not just what they are learning. Some children thrive with the independence of a Montessori education, while others shine through creative projects, collaboration, and imaginative exploration. That is why we thoughtfully offer both approaches, meeting children where they are and helping them grow with confidence, kindness, and a true love of learning. Somewhere between the outdoor adventures, warm lunches, meaningful friendships, and comforting daily routines, our school begins to feel a little like an extension of home for your whole family.
Our Story
Since opening our doors in 1979, Village Green Day School has been part of the lives of families in Great Falls, VA. What began as a small community school has grown into a place filled with deep relationships, lasting memories, and families who return year after year because of how this school makes them feel. Former students now walk these halls as parents, teachers grow into leaders, and children are still met each morning with the same warmth, care, and sense of belonging that has always defined Village Green Day School.
This feeling of connection is at the heart of our school and the reason so many families say it feels like a loving home away from home. Our classrooms are where your child builds confidence, forms their very first friendships, and discovers the excitement of learning through play, exploration, and time spent outdoors on our beautiful five-acre Campus. Just as importantly, your family will find community here, often building friendships that last long after preschool graduation.
As part of the Endeavor Schools network, Village Green Day School combines the warmth of a close-knit local school with the strength and resources of a nationally respected education community. This partnership helps us grow, learn, and deliver the very best early childhood experiences for the families we serve, while staying deeply connected to the Great Falls community that has trusted us for generations.
Our mission, where learning feels like family, is simple and deeply felt. Every decision we make inside Village Green Day School, from how classrooms are arranged to how our teachers greet your child each morning, is made in service of that mission. We want your little one to wake up excited to come to school. We want your family to feel known, informed, and genuinely part of what we are building here together.
We envision a school where your child builds a solid foundation, not just academic skills. We want them to develop the confidence, emotional intelligence, and love of learning they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. School Leader Anna Corley, who has spent her entire life connected to Village Green, describes the best schools not as places that teach children, but as places that become part of a family's story. Your family's story is one we would be honored to be part of.
One of the things that makes Village Green genuinely distinctive is the choice your family has in how your child learns. Starting with toddlers from age two, you can choose between our Montessori classrooms or our Creative Curriculum project-based approach. Both pathways are grounded in hands-on learning, independence, and social-emotional development through Conscious Discipline. Each is led by experienced, caring teachers who know how to meet your child exactly where they are. The difference is in the structure and style, and we want your family to find the fit that feels right.
Across all of our programs, your child's day includes a balance of small group instruction, independent exploration, and collaborative learning. Weekly special classes in art, music, library, and fitness are led by dedicated instructors who bring genuine passion to each session. Your little learner will spend at least an hour outside each day on our campus, where outdoor learning is not a break from the school day but a meaningful extension of it. Every child at Village Green sits down to a hot lunch and afternoon snack prepared fresh in-house, because we believe that how a child feels physically shapes how they learn.
For children who need additional support, our Inclusion Support Specialist works directly with teachers to observe, develop individualized strategies, and ensure that every child receives what they need to succeed. We also collaborate with local county programs when appropriate, so your family never has to navigate that process alone.
What Makes Our School Different?
Many schools will tell you their teachers are caring. At Village Green Day School, we can prove it: our teachers have stayed for five, ten, fifteen, even twenty-five years because this community got into their hearts and never left. When your child's teacher has been here for a decade, they bring something no credential can fully teach. They know the rhythms of this school. They know what children in Great Falls need, and they know, often within the first few weeks, exactly what your little one needs.
Research from Harvard's Center on the Developing Child shows that simple, responsive back-and-forth interactions between children and caring adults strengthen the neural connections essential for communication, emotional development, and social skills. At Village Green, these interactions happen hundreds of times a day. A teacher gets down to a child's level, helps them find the word for how they feel, and sits with them through something hard. These are not small moments. They are the ones that shape how your child sees themselves and the world.
The Campus your child will learn and play on every day is another difference you will feel before you can put it into words. Outdoor time at Village Green is not just recess. It is outdoor learning, physical development, and the kind of unstructured exploration that research consistently links to stronger cognitive and emotional outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms that regular physical activity improves children's attention, memory, and overall brain health, supporting stronger academic performance and learning outcomes. Your child gets at least an hour of that every single day, weather permitting, and our teachers look for ways to bring learning outside whenever the opportunity presents itself.
At the end of the day, what makes Village Green different is not just one program, philosophy, or feature. It is the feeling your child carries home with them. Safe enough to try something new, known by the people around them, and excited to come back tomorrow. These early experiences matter deeply because when your child feels secure, supported, and loved, confidence naturally follows.
Early Childhood Leadership and Staff
When parents tour Village Green Day School, they almost always leave talking about the people, not just what they saw in the classrooms, but how it felt to talk with our teachers. They are trained in CLASS observations, Creative Curriculum, Montessori practices, and Conscious Discipline, but the thing that sets them apart most is the way they will show up for your child every single day.
Anna Corley
Head of School, Village Green Day School
Anna Corley brings more than 20 years of educational experience to Village Green Day School, along with a lifelong connection to the school itself. She was once a student, later a camp counselor and guide, and now sends her own three children here, giving her a unique understanding of Village Green as both an educator and a parent.
LinkedInAchievements and Accreditations
At Village Green Day School, we proudly provide high-quality early childhood education for families in Great Falls, VA, creating a nurturing school where every individual child can grow with confidence. Our commitment to quality is reflected in our results, as 96% of our students meet or exceed the GOLD Readiness Benchmark, the national standard used by preschools to measure kindergarten readiness. Village Green Day School also meets all Virginia Department of Education licensing requirements, with teachers holding CPR, First Aid, and MAT certification, along with a minimum of 16 hours of annual professional development.
"The best schools do not just teach children. They become part of a family's story. At Village Green, we see this come full circle when former students return to tour for their own children, and they tell us they want their child to see where their own educational journey began. In a community like Great Falls, that lasting impact is something we are incredibly proud to be part of." - Anna Corley, Head of School, Village Green Day School
Endeavor Schools is a community of more than 100 schools across the country, brought together by a shared commitment to caring for children during the most important years of their lives. Each school is thoughtfully connected to its local community, creating environments where children feel safe, supported, and encouraged to grow. Behind every classroom is a team of educators and parents who understand how much these early experiences matter and are dedicated to helping children build confidence, develop essential skills, and find a genuine love of learning. At the heart of Endeavor Schools is a focus on one simple goal: to give every child the support and foundation they need to thrive, both in school and in life.