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A fiddle and a violin are the same instrument but played in different styles. A piano background is very helpful for a violin player at the advanced levels because piano is a requirement for advanced music theory understanding (and test taking).
Here is our cautionary tale:
We stayed with a "wonderful" teacher that the owner of a music school referred us to (her employee). After 1.5 years with her, my son had progressed a lot, but was hitting a wall and could no longer progress. He was staying at the same level for months and struggling despite longer lessons and more practicing. I found a piano teacher referral from MTNA (music teachers association of north america) and asked her to evaluate my son. She pretty much said that many of his basic techniques were sloppy and he was playing well because he was compensating for his lack of technique with his intellect. She predicted that such kids end up dropping out of piano after a few years of lessons.
I was concerned about repetitive injuries from not being taught basic techniques correctly as well as taken aback that reputed music schools in my area did not have minimum standards for teaching or student evaluation. So, from then onwards, for all my son's music classes, I choose a teacher certified with a National Teacher's Association who also offers exams where my son can be evaluated by outside judges for his technical merit and his skills. I read all the comments from the judges and discuss them with the teacher. I make sure to ask if prospective teachers have a Master's degree in the instrument that they teach and if they have training in pedagogy for that instrument study (turns out that the person who originally taught my son did not have both of those qualifications). These have become very essential to me because I don't want to waste lesson time to find out later that some things have to be relearned.
Follow the teacher who are teaching the top instrument players in your area, request to attend their recitals, ask for a trial lesson before you take the plunge with any teacher.
A keyboard may not work well when your son gets to intermediate level piano and the teacher might even insist on an acoustic piano (they do, in my area). They will refer you to rentals if you want to wait to buy. Good luck.

While I'm not a musician myself, we do have one son who played Bassoon in symphony, upright bass and bass guitar in jazz, and percussion in the marching band. What that equated to was an uncountable amount of music lessons. Though that what I learned was the following as a parent:

1. Just like athletics, any musician needs to start developing their musical "core" That means learning to read music well, music theory, and recognizing tone. I know that our local HS requires those in percussion to take at least 2 years of piano before being allowed into the percussion group for that very reason. I'd suggest starting on the piano rather than the violin if that's possible.

2. What I personally think of a teacher other than as it relates to safety isn't nearly as important as how my child "clicks" with the teacher. How I learn isn't necessarily how my child learns, what inspires me isn't necessarily what inspires my child. Try to match your child's learning style with the teacher. Does your child respond better to a nurturer or someone that is more strict? Someone who is goal driven and takes a direct path or someone with more flexibility in their approach?

Youngest son had a old school piano teacher, a very young flexible in his approach jazz musician as a percussion instructor, and an old hippy HS symphony instructor teaching him upright bass and bass guitar. He got along with all of them wonderfully and appreciate the diversity among them. Find the right fit is the most important thing.

3. Your child WILL eventually resist practice, help them to work though it. They'll learn a great deal about how consistent practice over time equates to excellence. If nothing else learned though learning an instrument, that was the key take away for my son and a very valuable one at that.

4. The music community is much more welcoming of ages differences than the athletic community generally speaking and they nurture each other a great deal. Playing an instrument at school opens a lot of friendship doors.

Enjoy!