Monday, Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Leaning, a subsidiary of Milton
Hershey School, announced they have purchased a new property at, 241 N. Plum St., in Lancaster City for its Early Childhood Education Center. This location and three additional locations at 240 N. Plum St., 242 N. Plum St., and 3 Tobacco Ave., are set to become the future campus of Catherine Hershey Schools. Construction has already begun at the 3 previously purchased locations.
Catherine Hershey Schools intends to open three locations in Lancaster County beginning in 2026. These buildings will be reinvented to help Catherine Hershey Schools implement family success support.
Catherine Hershey Schools of Lancaster City is part of a $350 million initiative by Milton Hershey School to develop six early childhood education centers in Pennsylvania. Each location will support the whole child, with stimulating spaces encouraging hands-on play and exploration in a home-like environment. In addition to the Family Success Center, all Catherine Hershey Schools Centers will include updated classroom equipment, a sensory room, outdoor play areas, design studio, and a STEM Garden.
“With this additional space, we will be even better positioned to deliver our family success approach, designed to support Catherine Hershey Schools families in establishing safe, strong, financially stable homes so children can thrive both in school and at home.” Said Catherine Hershey Schools Executive Director Senate Alexander. “We were excited to join the Lancaster city community before, and this new development amplifies that excitement, as it offers the potential for us to collaborate with the local community so families can access resources in an accessible location.”
The Catherine Hershey Schools family success program provides families with a family success advocate, to help them develop goals and find areas of need for the child. Key focus areas include housing, employment, health, education, food, etc. Family success advocates meet with families on-site to go over progress and connect families with resources or education experiences needed to achieve goals, often including collaboration with local organizations and resources, offering on-site workshops, and information sessions.
Catherine Hershey Schools has selected James Snyder as the Catherine Hershey Schools Lancaster City Center Director. Snyder has acquired over 15 years of experience at all levels of education, with a large portion of that in Central Pennsylvania. Other planned locations in Lancaster County are Catherine Hershey Schools Elizabethtown and New Danville, which are expected to begin opening in 2026. Multiple Catherine Hershey Schools have opened in Hershey and Harrisburg. A Catherine Hershey Schools Middletown is expected to open in 2025.
• Related: Catherine Hershey Schools leader outlines its vision for early childhood education (video)
• Catherine Hershey Schools acquire former Rheems Elementary School for early learning center
