Fort Hunt Preschool Inc

BEGINNINGS

A steadfast commitment to learning and discovery has been at the heart of Fort Hunt Preschool (FHP) since its humble beginnings over 50 years ago. In the school’s early years, parents organized classes for three-year-olds under the auspices of the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church (MVUC). In 1962, parents partnered with MVUC to establish a cooperative preschool, then named Fort Hunt Nursery School, with classes for three-, four-, and five-year- olds. The first school year began with an enrollment of 28 students. For 20 years, classes gathered in various MVUC properties.

 

In 1983, the preschool moved to its present location—the historic Carriage House on the beautiful grounds of MVUC. Parents worked together to ready the Carriage House for its first students—painting walls, laying tiles, and installing carpets. Prior to 1999, the school’s name was changed a second time—this time to Fort Hunt Cooperative Preschool to reflect the integral role of parental partnerships in the school.

 

In 2002, in agreement with MVUC, the preschool began the process of becoming a fully and independently licensed preschool—no longer under the domain of the church. The school’s name was changed to Fort Hunt Preschool and, in October 2003, the school was granted its full license by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

ENDURING PHILOSOPHIES

The walls of FHP’s classrooms have evolved over the past 50 years, but the school’s core philosophy has endured: the celebration of learning through play.  Learning through play is a common denominator across FHP’s vibrant programs, which recognize that it is through play that children explore, investigate, and understand the world around them. Discovering and appreciating the natural world also drives FHP curriculum.

 

VISION    

FHP will continue to cultivate children’s natural curiosity, creative problem-solving, and love of learning. The school also will continue to foster children’s respect and empathy for others, their ideas, and their differences. FHP educators and parents will carry on the inspired, roll-up-your-sleeves spirit that enabled the school’s founding, and will work together to ensure that the school continues to provide a lasting legacy for future generations.