Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning celebrates 149 children moving on to kindergarten

After months and years of learning, growing, and building friendships, 149 children across Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS) are taking their next big step.

CHS Hershey, CHS Harrisburg, and CHS Middletown recently celebrated important milestones with ceremonies signifying their preschoolers who are moving on to kindergarten.

Families, teachers, and staff at CHS Hershey, CHS Harrisburg, and CHS Middletown gathered to celebrate the children’s growth, accomplishments, and transition to their next chapter.

The celebrations marked end-of-year milestones for each of the three operating CHS Centers to conclude the 2025-26 school year. CHS Hershey held its third ceremony, CHS Harrisburg celebrated its second, and CHS Middletown hosted its first Moving On celebration since opening in August 2025.

A total of 43 children from CHS Hershey, 62 from CHS Harrisburg, and 44 from CHS Middletown were recognized during this year’s celebrations. Since CHS welcomed its first children in 2023, 289 children have now moved on from CHS to kindergarten.

A meaningful milestone at each CHS Center

At each Moving On celebration, Center Directors welcome families and share remarks about their children’s journeys before the soon-to-be kindergarteners trek across a symbolic bridge, representing their transition from CHS to their next school. Teachers are waiting on the other side of the bridge with a certificate signifying the growth and accomplishments of each child.

CHS Middletown celebrates its first Moving On ceremony

For CHS Middletown, this year’s celebration held particular significance as the Center recognized its first class of children moving on to kindergarten.

“There’s only one first time, so it was very emotional for me,” said Jessica Knaub, Center Director at CHS Middletown. “We’ve watched these children grow over the year and got to see them learn, got to see them make these beautiful friendships, and now we hand them off to the next chapter.”

For families, the day offered an opportunity to see just how much their children had grown since first arriving at CHS.

“He’s definitely ready for kindergarten,” said CHS Middletown family member Trishtan Ross. “He’s just learned so much, and I feel like he’s blossomed so much.”

Tristinann Lindsay, whose family also celebrated at CHS Middletown, said her brother’s enthusiasm for CHS was evident even on days when they had to leave the Center.

“I think he’s going to miss all of his teachers,” Lindsay said. “He loves the school. He always wants to go to school. Even after a dentist or a doctor’s appointment, he always asks, ‘Can I go back to school?’ He loves the school so much.”

Preparing children for kindergarten and beyond

For many of these children, CHS has provided their first formal early childhood education (ECE) experience. Through a model designed to remove barriers to high-quality ECE, CHS supports children and families with comprehensive services from infancy through the transition to kindergarten.

CHS serves children from six weeks to age 5, with all costs covered for qualifying families. Through year-round, weekday, non-residential care and education, CHS provides a nurturing environment and play-based curriculum designed to support children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Supporting the whole child and family

That education is complemented by the CHS whole child approach, which addresses the broad range of needs that can affect a child’s development and a family’s success. Services include physical, occupational, and speech therapy; mental and physical health supports; healthy meals; and personal care items.

For CHS Middletown family member Flor Ramirez, the impact of that approach was evident in her daughter’s development.

“She was behind in speaking, and when she came to the school, she really started to speak more in English and Spanish,” Ramirez said. “I see that school has helped her a lot.”

Families also receive support through the CHS family success model, which pairs each family with a dedicated Family Success Advocate. That partnership continues as children prepare for kindergarten, with Family Success Advocates working with families to identify the right local school and make a smooth transition. The transition to kindergarten also reflects the partnerships CHS builds with local school districts.

Building bridges to local schools

“These children that are the very first graduates from CHS (Middletown), some of them will come to Middletown and be part of the inaugural class at Middletown Area Primary School,” said Middletown Area Primary School Principal Jodi Jackson, who attended CHS Middletown’s Moving On ceremony. “So, they’re breaking down barriers here, and then they get to continue that legacy with me next year.”

The children moving on from CHS this year will continue their education in communities throughout Central Pennsylvania. Many of the children will transition to Derry Township, Lower Dauphin, Palmyra Area, Harrisburg School, Middletown Area, and Steelton-Highspire School Districts. Across the three Centers, several children will also attend Milton Hershey School for kindergarten.

A new chapter begins

As the preschoolers crossed the bridge during their Moving On celebrations, they marked the end of one chapter at CHS and the beginning of another. Surrounded by their families, teachers, and the staff who helped prepare them for what comes next, each child left with a certificate and a community of people cheering them on.

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