Welcome to our preschool! We are excited for the opportunity to work with your child and family. Our registration process is outlined below.

Registration/Application

We are now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 school year!

The first step in our Admissions process is completing the following ELA application and submitting it with a $150 non-refundable application fee:

The Marymount ELA admits preschool-aged children regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or other protected class or characteristics established under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Enrollment at the Early Learning Academy is offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Enrollment

Once you have been notified that your child has been accepted into one of our ELA classes, an enrollment package will be sent to you for completion.

The Early Learning Academy will have a total of 64 preschoolers. Due to anticipated high demand and limited availability, we encourage early applications.

The 2023-24 classes are as follows:

The ELA is open M-F from 7:30 am-6 pm. Please see the calendar for dates the ELA is scheduled to be closed. A nutritional lunch and two snacks are provided daily.

Each Marymount ELA classroom is staffed with a Lead Teacher and an Assistant Teacher.

All teachers meet Virginia and Arlington licensing qualifications, have obtained all required background checks, and are trained in CPR and First Aid. Staff also attend professional development and continuing education courses throughout the year.

In addition to the classroom teachers, administrative and support staff are here to make your experience at the ELA successful. We believe the most important qualities of the staff is their experience, warmth, and sensitivity to the needs of young children and their families.

Director – Kristen Cunningham

Kristen Cunningham has a history as an elementary school educator and an administrator. Most recently, she served as the Director at Rock Spring Cooperative Preschool. Prior to that, she was an Assistant Principal in Falls Church City and Fairfax County. She has taught preschool, kindergarten, and second grade and is passionate about working with children and families to ensure that social, emotional, and academic learning takes place for every child while they have fun and develop a love of learning.

She and her husband have three children, all in college, and a dog. They stay busy watching their kids play sports and enjoying all kinds of physical activity on their own. Kristen remembers preschool as one of her favorite times with her own kids, and can’t wait to establish the Early Learning Academy at Marymount.

Faculty and staff, to be announced, will include:

Assistant Director

Administrative Assistant

3’s Lead Teacher

3’s Lead Teacher

4’s Lead Teacher

4’s Lead Teacher

Five Assistant Teachers 

Early Learning Academy Calendar
2023-2024

Inclement Weather Note

The ELA follows Arlington County Public Schools for most weather related closures and delays.  Updates and closures will be announced and posted in the Brightwheel App and are also available on major news channels and websites.

Administration

Kristen Cunningham, Director kcunning@marymount.edu

Contact Us

ELA@marymount.edu

Floor Plan

Marymount University, a nationally ranked institution of higher learning, was founded in 1950 and is the first Catholic college to be established in Virginia. Through the years, it has grown from a two-year college for women into a comprehensive, coeducational Catholic university serving approximately 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students.

Today and always, MU has stood for intellectual curiosity and the ethical and spiritual development of each individual. We are a student-centered learning community that provides opportunities for personal and professional growth and service to others, while maintaining a global perspective. With students from 49 states and 75 countries, Marymount welcomes people of all backgrounds.

The Gerard Majella Child Care Center opened on the Marymount Campus in 1974 and served Arlington families for many years. The new Early Learning Academy opening Fall 2023 is designed to fill a critical, and deepening, local workforce need as those with young children return to the office.

Mission

To serve the family with a focus on high quality and innovative early childhood education where preschoolers experience learning through imagination, creativity, and individualized opportunities and interventions while allowing the next generation of educators to observe, apply, and research best practices in ECE.

Guided by research in child development, our goal is to provide a safe, dynamic play-based environment where children discover and reach their full potential in a diverse and engaging university setting.

Vision

To positively impact the lives of each child and family and the field of ECE through research based best practices and to be recognized for our commitment to the professional development of current and future educators.

The Marymount ELA is a private preschool program located on the campus of Marymount University. The ELA strives to deliver a dynamic and nurturing educational environment where all children develop a love of learning.

The Marymount ELA is an equal opportunity organization and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or national origin in the administration of its programs, policies, and procedures.

Please send your resume to ELA@marymount.edu if you are interested in applying for teaching or administrative positions.