The Butterfly House is our on-campus child care facility, licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia, serving the children of Seminary students, faculty, staff, and the wider community for over 30 years.
The Butterfly House provides a safe, healthy, nurturing environment for children ages six weeks to six years.
We create opportunities for each child to grow in these key developmental areas:
Social-Emotional
Cognitive
Linguistic
Physical
Creative
Our Philosophy
We integrate emergent, child-centered, play-based curricula, and the theories of Loris Malaguzzi, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, Howard Gardner, and Arnold Gesell, into a holistic approach to early childhood education. Based on these principles, we offer children a path to self-expression, communication, logical thinking, and problem-solving.
We encourage diversity in all aspects of our program, invite family participation, and foster positive community relationships.
Our Program
At The Butterfly House (ages two to five years) and Caterpillar Club (ages six weeks to 24 months), children interact daily, not only with children their own age but with older and younger children. A diverse, mixed-age grouping gives every child an opportunity to successfully interact and allows for a gradual transition from one age group to another, thus minimizing anxiety by maintaining caregiver consistency.
Each week, we expose children to language, math, media, geography, science, and social studies, as well as opportunities to participate in drama, music, art, and physical education activities.
We operate our program both indoors and out, as outside play essential to healthy physical and mental development. Children spend a minimum of one hour outdoors every day except for in inclement weather.
Enrollment
VTS applicants wishing to enroll their children at TBH are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis as determined by the receipt date of their registration deposit. The number of TBH spaces available varies annually, with priority given to the children of full-time or degree program VTS students and employees of VTS and Episcopal High School. Every effort is made to accommodate eligible children, especially the children of parents with full-time employment.
Nature Explore Certified Outdoor Classroom
Children engage in unstructured gross motor experiences, teachers facilitate open-ended learning opportunities, children engage in both parallel and cooperative play, and the larger community collaborates together in order to take care of our natural space.
Because there are no pre-established rules to these activities, children often use creativity and problem-solving skills to create them. The regular use of creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in an unstructured outside setting helps children build critical skills and abilities that will serve them in the classroom and in future careers.
Forms and Information
To apply, fill out the Waitlist Application at the link below. Priority is given to VTS students and VTS/EHS employees. Admission to VTS does not result in automatic admission to TBH. Admission is determined by August of each year.
Waitlist Application TBH Menu*
*Menu subject to change. Please be in touch with the director for allergen-related questions.
For the 2022-2023 school year
Annual Registration Fee: $100
Annual Supply Fee: $200
Annual Activity Fee: $200
PreK 4 Graduation Fee: $60
(Due March 2023)
The Caterpillar Club
Infant Classroom (6 weeks – 16 months): $2,200 per month
Toddler Classroom (16 months – 28 months): $1,950 per month
The Butterfly House
Blue Butterflies/2-Year Olds: $1,850 per month
Green Butterflies/Rising 3s: $1,850 per month
Orange Butterflies/PreK-3 & Purple Butterflies/PreK-4
3-6 years old: $1,800 per month
*A sibling discount is available
*Tuition includes breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack
*Tuition rates are classroom-based.
For the 2022-2023 school year
2022
Monday, September 5 – Closed in observance of Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6 – Academic year begins
Thursday, September 15 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Monday, October 10 – Closed for Professional Development Day
Thursday, October 21 – Back to School Night (starts at 5:15 p.m.; “A Family Event”) *
Friday, October 31 – Halloween Parade (starts at 10:00 a.m.; “A Family Event”)*
Tuesday, November 1 and Wednesday, November 2 – Picture Day*
Thursday, November 9 – Closed for fall parent/teacher conferences and staff
meeting
Thursday, November 11 – Veterans Day | OPEN
Wednesday, November 23 – Closed at 12 noon (Thanksgiving break begins)
Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 – Closed for Thanksgiving break
Thursday, December 15 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Friday, December 16 – Caroling (starts at 10:00 a.m.; “A Family Event”)*
Thursday, December 22 – Close at 12 noon (Christmas break begins)
Friday, December 23-Friday, December 30 – Closed for Christmas Break
2023
Monday, January 2 – The Butterfly House re-opens
Monday, January 16 – Closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Thursday, January 19 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Friday, January 28 – Vision screening for ages 3-5 by the Prevention of Blindness Society*
Monday, February 14 – Love Who We Are (“A Family Event”)
Thursday, February 16 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Monday, February 20 – Closed in observance of Presidents’ Day
Monday, March 13 – Closed for Teacher Workday
Thursday, April 16 – TBH Easter Egg Hunt* (“A Family Event”)
Friday, April 7 – Closed in observance of Good Friday
Monday, April 10 – Closed in observance of Easter Monday
Thursday, April 20 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Tuesday, April 25 and Wednesday, April 26 – Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences (by appointment)
Monday, May 1-Friday, May 5 – Teacher Appreciation Week
Thursday, May 11 – VTS Commencement; TBH open
Friday, May 12 – Muffins for Moms (“A Family Event”)
Wednesday, May 17 – Closed for VTS Employee Appreciation Day
Friday, May 26 – Migration Picnic (starts at 5:15 p.m.; “A Family Event”) *
Monday, May 29 – Closed in observance of Memorial Day
Thursday, June 15 – Donuts for Dads/End of School Year (“A Family Event”)*
Friday, June 16 – Closed to Students for Teacher Workday
Summer Camp
Session I
Monday, June 19-Friday, July 21
(for Infants through 2 year-old children)
Tuesday, July 4 – Closed in observance of Independence Day
July 24-July 28 – Closed for Summer Break
Session II
Monday, July 31-Friday, September 1
Friday, September 1 – Closed for Professional Development Day
Details for “A Family Event” will follow closer to the event date.
*Please be advised that all dates are subject to change.
Contact
For more information, please email Director Juanita Sanchez or call us at (703) 461-1786.