At the Brooksfield School, we understand that our responsibility as educators extends to aspects of our students’ lives that take place outside of our classrooms. We do all we can to make sure our methodology is flexible for both parents and students. After all, as Montessori educators, we know that education is more than just imparting knowledge; it’s growing a person. Therefore, it’s our responsibility as early childhood educators to be aware of the many different choices, concerns, and issues that parents face during their young student’s early education journey. Ensuring our young students have access to quality after-school care is as important to us as it is for our parents.
Due to the difficulty of synching weekday work and school schedules, managing pickup and dropoff times for students can be a rather imposing responsibility for parents. As an assist in this regard, we assembled an after-school care program, known as the Dragonfly Club. We run this program to help our parents manage their obligations without sacrificing quality care for their child. Children’s school schedules and parents’ work schedules rarely line up without a little effort and a little help. Dropoffs and pickups on a 9 to 5 work schedule usually require lots of re-prioritizing and small tweaks to make it all work out. We know that figuring it out requires a little help, and as educators who are also parents and people ourselves, we started the Dragonfly Club to help you out with pickups, dropoffs, and after-school care for your child.
A stimulating and social after-school environment for young students!
The Dragonfly Club is our effort to provide parents with help lining up their work schedules with their children’s school schedules. More than just after-care, however, we choose to see the program as a continuation of our primary care program and a continuation of our overall philosophy. The Dragonfly Club incorporates the same values, beliefs, and methodology that we have been offering for years.
Finding an after-care program for a young child can be a daunting task. You want your child to have a well-rounded experience with an emphasis on mindfulness and social interactions. You want them to see the time as a time to interact and engage with their classmates, teachers, and environment. These are all aspects of after-care that the Dragonfly Club chooses to emphasize. Many programs don’t share this philosophy. They keep kids cloistered and subdued in an environment that feels neither caring nor fun. Our goal is to encourage students to care for and nurture one another and give them the space to learn things for themselves. A controlled and stimulating environment is an emphasis for our after-care program as well. We know how important cultivating a home-like environment is to impart a love for learning that fosters lifelong friendships between children, families, teachers, and the McLean community. In these regards, we see the Dragonfly Club as an extension and practice of our basic values.
We offer both AM and PM care. In both time slots, one of our top priorities is ensuring parents feel at ease while their children are in our care. One way we do this is by making sure the students at the Dragonfly Club receive opportunities to put their time to use in a way that is stimulating for them. In a sense, this emphasis on engagement with the world is an extension of our basic philosophy. The years from toddler to kindergarten are the most important for a child’s development, and they shouldn’t struggle in an environment that can’t adapt to them.
Our caregivers at the Dragonfly Club prioritize safety transportation as well as lots of activities to make sure both parents and students feel great about the time spent with us. In other words, our after-care program at the Dragonfly Club is about more than simple logistics. The Dragonfly Club emphasizes the cultivation of a home-like setting while also providing fun, stimulating activities and playtimes that stress the social element. We also have time set aside for homework, and snacks, of course, will be provided. As parents of elementary students, you can expect Dragonfly Club to give a lower-stress environment for young kids to explore and grow.
The Dragonfly Club + McLean Community = Great Fit!
With Brooksfield’s before and after care, your child’s schedule can more closely match your own. You won’t have to worry about leaving early to pick your child up from school or plan your morning around dropping them off at precisely the right time. The Dragonfly Club takes the friction out of your life and lets you settle into a more standard routine. Don’t spend your time waiting in the pickup or dropoff lanes. Get rid of the hassle of traffic. Let us handle it for you. Take a look at our scheduling below:
For Brooksfield Students:
Monday through Friday
- 7:30 am – 8:45 am
- 7:30 am – 5:55 pm
FCPS Elementary Students:
For students enrolled in Chesterbrook, Haycock, Lemon Road and Kent Gardens Elementary Schools:
Monday through Friday
- 7:30am – 9:00 am (Chesterbrook, Haycock, Kent Gardens)
- 3:00pm – 5:55 pm (Chesterbrook, Haycock, Kent Gardens, Lemon Road)
Brooksfield provides transportation to and from Brooksfield for certain FCPS schools each day.
AM includes bus service to Chesterbrook, Kent Gardens and Haycock Elementary schools.
PM includes bus service from Kent Gardens, Lemon Road and Haycock Elementary schools.
Space is limited!
Reach out to learn more!
You can visit our admissions page here to learn more about tuition costs for all of our programs including the Dragonfly Club. We would also love to hear from you to field any and all questions about these programs. We are proud of our standing in the McLean community, and we love working with parents, children, and the community for a bright future. We are located on five acres at 1830 Kirby Road, McLean VA, 22101. Please contact the admissions director for more information by calling 703-356-KIDS (5437), ext. 2, or by e-mailing sarah@brooksfieldschool.org.. We look forward to being in touch!
