Fort George Head Start Center # 1

Fort George Head Start is a solid choice in Washington Heights, according to Lehman College early childhood expert Kym Vanderbilt. All classes are bilingual in English and Spanish. Children take field trips, and enjoy visits from places like Green Meadows Farm, during which they touch and hold animals. Kids have explored photography, according to the program's website, and study art with the respected Studio in a School program.

Fort George has two programs located in one building with different addresses: the first and larger (Fort George Head Start Center #1) is facing Saint Nicholas Avenue and has 120 seats; the West 186th Street program (Fort George Child Center 1) has 17 seats [photo is from DNAInfo].

Both pre-kindergartens operate under the umbrella of the Ft. George Community Enrichment Center, founded in 1981. It is focused on the needs of young children and their families. The Center offers medical, dental and mental health services.

Among other health initiatives, they monitor a child's height and weight twice a year to make parents aware of problems that may arise related to nutrition and to provide recommendations.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: Ten percent of seats are reserved for children with disabilities. Services include speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other services as needed year to year.

ADMISSIONS: Preference to low-income families. (Lydie Raschka, web reports, August 2016)