Since its founding, Soaring Starts has been a dream come true in many ways. We opened quickly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 and have brought our playful, arts-infused classes to you ever since. Our community needed us, and as of today, we have proudly served over 350 children ages 1-7. That means more than 300 of you, as families, have entrusted us with your child during their most precious developmental years. Thank you so much for sharing those moments with us. It's been an honor to witness every one of their smiles and "a-ha" moments in our program.

Holding that in my heart, I am sad to share that Soaring Starts will be closing soon. It is hard news to hold, but I know it is the right choice.  For me to best serve the community I have come to love so deeply, I must close this chapter and prepare for the next.  I am so immensely grateful to everyone that has put their trust in Soaring Starts, and in me, in these last 4+ years.  

While this may come as a surprise, it’s important to note that our current programming is not coming to an immediate stop.

We will continue all programming with our wonderful community partner, Faith Lutheran Preschool, through the end of their academic year. Our Arts Integrated Aftercare Program and our Music Residency will end with the last day of school on Friday, June 13th.

Our weekly class offerings (Curious Creators, Drama Discoveries, and Family Arts & Play) will end with our current semester, with all public programming ending on Saturday, April 12th.

We invite you to join us at the Mothers of North Arlington (MONA) Monthly Social at 11am on Saturday, April 12th at Faith Lutheran Church to say "see you later" to our team and celebrate all we have done together. This free event is happily hosted by MONA for its members. MONA has been integral to our success, as well as an incredible and well-respected resource for Arlington parents for decades. We highly encourage you to check them out.

I'd like to send a special thank you to Trinity Presbyterian Church for creating a kind and welcoming space for us to host our first classes, even as we both navigated new territory during the pandemic and in our post-pandemic world.

I'd like to especially thank Faith Lutheran Preschool and Faith Lutheran Church, the place that we lovingly call home, and where together we have grown several immensely successful educational programs.

I of course would also be absolutely nowhere without my wonderful team of teaching artists, both past and present. Every teacher that has joined my team has been a brilliant artist in their own right. They made magic for their students, and made the work light even when the days were hard. I will never underestimate the beautiful imprint they have made on my and our students' lives.   

And to everyone that has ever walked into our classrooms, thank you for helping me create a space where our community's youngest could soar.

This may not be the last time you hear from Soaring Starts, and certainly is not the last time you'll see me working with young families in the NOVA area. Soaring Starts was always successful in what I built it to do from inception. Yet timing is everything, and I've been working within several monumental changes since our founding. These changes did not show up all at once, but have happened at every level - from the large scale, federal level, all the way down to the deeply personal. With these changes, I am now in a place where continuing Soaring Starts' current model would not well serve our families, including my own family, and unfortunately I cannot in good conscience and health continue. 

Should you like to talk through this closure, have any questions, or would like to know what's next, my door and email inbox is open at ssteyaert@soaringstarts.com.

I hope to connect with all of you, or at least say "see you later" very soon. Thank you again for being a part of Soaring Starts' magical 4+ years in Arlington. 

With Love and Gratitude,

Stacy Steyaert

(she/her/hers)

Founding Director

Soaring Starts Early Learning & Arts

202-964-0860

ssteyaert@soaringstarts.com