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, download, and return the Waitlist Application. Priority is given to VTS students and employees of VTS and EHS. 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 2021-2022 school year
Annual Registration Fee: $100
Annual Supply Fee: $200
Annual Activity Fee: $150
The Caterpillar Club
Infant Classroom (6 weeks – 16 months): $2,200 per month
Toddler Classroom (16 months – 24 months): $1,950 per month
The Butterfly House
Younger 2-year olds: $1,850 per month
Older 2-year olds: $1,850 per month
(all children in this classroom will be 3 years old by June 2022)
PreK-3 & PreK-4
3-6 years old: $1,800 per month
Tuition includes breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack.
For the 2021-2022 school year
2021
Monday, August 2 – Session II of Summer Camp (all ages eligible)
Wednesday, September 1-Friday September 3 – Closed for VTS Intercultural Competency Training
Monday, September 6 – Closed in observance of Labor Day
Tuesday, September 7 – Academic year begins
Thursday, September 16 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Monday, October 11 – Columbus Day: OPEN
Thursday, October 21 – Back to School Night (starts at 6:15 p.m.) *
Friday, October 29 – Halloween Parade (starts at 10:00 a.m.)*
Tuesday, November 2 and Wednesday, November 3 – Picture Day*
Thursday, November 10 – Closed for fall parent/teacher conferences and staff
meeting
Thursday, November 11 – Veterans Day: OPEN
Wednesday, November 24 – Closed at 12 noon (Thanksgiving break begins)
Thursday, November 25 and Friday, November 26 – Closed for Thanksgiving break
Friday, December 10 – Caroling (starts at 10:00 a.m.)*
Wednesday, December 22 – Close at 12 noon (Christmas break begins)
Thursday, December 24-Friday, December 31 – Closed for Christmas Break
2022
Monday, January 3 – The Butterfly House re-opens
Monday, January 17 – Closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Friday, January 28 – Vision screening for ages 3-5 by the Prevention of Blindness Society*
Thursday, February 17 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Monday, February 21 – Closed in observance of Presidents’ Day
Monday, March 14 – Closed for Teacher Workday
Thursday, April 14 – TBH Easter Egg Hunt*
Friday, April 15 – Closed in observance of Good Friday
Monday, April 18 – Closed in observance of Easter Monday
Thursday, April 21 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday, April 27 – Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences (by appointment)
Monday, May 2-Friday, May 6 – Teacher Appreciation Week
Friday, May 6 – Muffins for Moms
Friday, May 6 – Migration Picnic (starts at 6:15 p.m.)*
Thursday, May 12 – VTS Commencement; TBH open
Wednesday, May 18 – Closed for VTS Employee Appreciation Day
Thursday, May 19 – Closed at 5:00 p.m. for monthly staff meeting
Monday, May 30 – Closed in observance of Memorial Day
Thursday, June 16 – Donuts for Dads/End of School Year
Friday, June 17 Closed to Students – Teacher Workday
Summer Camp
Session I
Monday, June 20-Friday, July 22
(for Infants through 2 year-old children)
Monday, July 4 – Closed in observance of Independence Day
July 26-July 30 – Closed for Summer Break
Session II
Monday, August 1-Friday, September 2
*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.