Skipwith Academy @ Westchester (#65)

Skipwith Academy at Westchester should be ashamed of themselves. They are closed for the third day this week for a snow event that occurred on 1/24-1/25/26. Although the storm resulted in residual affects including icy conditions, more than 98% of the surrounding businesses (including a Pediatric Physician Office, restaurants, Target, Chick Fi La, Panera Bread, a major Gym, Banks, etc.) are open with access to the high traffic of their parking lot and foot areas clear. So, why is Skipwith not open? Although parents seek Day Care Services for various reasons, they primarily choose it because they have to work and the children are either not of school age or need supervision after school or when school is closed because again, they have to work. Safety FIRST should always be the focus and the goal. I have worked in operations for 32 years so I know what that is like and that it can be difficult to balance at times. However, I would expect Managers and Leadership to be more “Proactive vs Reactive”, to think more “out the box” and come up with a better contingency plan for their clients than to simply “close” for multiple days. Would it be too much to consider maybe late openings and early evening closures for a couple of days in a time like this? That way, parents could still meet work obligations (everyone does not have the luxury or ability to work from home) vs missing the day all together. Children would be safe while still learning/having fun and all participants (teachers, parents, children, etc.,) would be able to arrive and depart to their designations safely. I am not trying to down Skipwith Academy or think that the establishment should never close in inclement weather. With Virginia’s weather being as Bipolar as it is, there will certainly be times that option is most appropriate. With that said, for the most part, the staff do a good job. My little one enjoys going there and has excelled greatly under their teaching and supervision. However, you have to do better. Your parents are your clients too and if you are closed often, this defeats the purpose of them patronizing your business.

A new director was put in place in October 2025 and our loving second home turned cold quick and corporate isn't much better! They can no longer keep staff and you can feel the long term staff ready to head out. The only reason I am giving 1 star is for the handful of teachers that give loving care and had for two years. Management ignores records requests and custody paperwork after you leave. Just be very aware. It's really sad how quickly this place was no longer the daily place we loved to attend.

Skipwith Academy is extremely unorganized and unprofessional. If you have billing issues that are inaccurate and false, don't even bother attempting to handle it, they won't discuss it with you or provide you with corporate's information! I attempted to discuss my billing issues and during the "discussion", "Ms. Kay" wouldn't even let me talk because "she's been doing this for years" apparently, which I can't tell due to her lack of professionalism! I ultimately hung up during this "discussion" and sent my fiancé to retrieve our child from the center, where they had her belongings packed and told him she could know longer attend due to the "back and forth" with "the assistant director" - last I checked "Ms. Kay" is not the assistant director, and then it changed too "I have a past due balance so my child can no longer attend" even though I formally disputed the debt and this was an ongoing situation. This information of unenrollment wasn't even relayed to my fiancé by the admin team, it was told to him by the Kitchen Cook. If you chose to enroll your child here, keep in mind they have no sense of professionalism or organization and state that its their "corporate office's" fault. Some issues I faced were - Told wrong price of tuition, billed for care for June when my child didn't start until July, attempting to bill for attendance swipes but didn't even follow social services manual attendance form process they are legally required to follow, convivence fees being charged 2-3 days later after already paying one online, Enrollment fee of $200 that was due in August 2025 wasn't even added to my account until November 21st 2025, and the list goes on. If you're going to put your child here keep up with your records and frequently check your account before you are a victim of their money hungry business practices. *Edited to add - The corporate office loves to respond these reviews but can't even answer or return a call! Talk about money hungry!

We transitioned from another local childcare center to Skipwith Westchester with only a month left of Pre-K and needing summer care before our son started kindergarten. Having been at our previous center for over 3½ years, we were nervous about the change, but I can honestly say Skipwith Westchester was an absolute godsend for our son and our family. I wished we would have made the transition sooner. From our very first tour, the staff were warm, personable, and genuinely supportive. The childcare center itself is clean, open, organized, and filled with an unmistakable sense of love. The teachers are seasoned professionals who truly enjoy being around children. I was especially impressed by the enrollment paperwork, which asked thoughtful questions we had never encountered before—such as our child’s goals, strengths, and areas for growth. This immediately showed us how intentional and personalized their approach is. The classroom sizes exceeded our expectations compared to other childcare centers, especially the one we had left. Skipwith Westchester also offered activities outside of daily care that were nothing short of amazing. The graduation ceremony and the mother-son dance were so well-orchestrated and meaningful that I will cherish those memories forever. The communication from the teachers was outstanding, always timely, clear, and personal. The summer program was phenomenal, and we credit our son’s weekly pool trips with helping him learn to swim. In addition to exceptional care and programming, Skipwith Westchester also provided a great community. We met wonderful families, and our son made great friends we will stay in touch with for years to come. Our time at Skipwith Westchester was short, and I wish it had been longer. If you are looking for a caring, well-run, clean, fun, and reputable childcare center that will treat your child like one of their own, I cannot recommend Skipwith Westchester enough.

Our coaches love working with the children at Skipwith Academy at Westchester Commons! The staff is so communicative and helps ensure that every soccer session goes smoothly! We truly appreciate being included in the fun at Skipwith-Westchester.