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CHS Middletown Nearing Completion of Professional Development Onboarding, Prepared to Open Doors

One of the unique aspects of the Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS) approach is the fully paid professional development programming that teachers and staff take part in before each Center opens.

The team at CHS Middletown, our third location, is the most recent team to participate in the program – Seeds to Lead – which began with a convocation kick-off last September beginning the full-time employment for teachers and staff. The nearly year-long training program is a key foundational component that has equipped staff for the opening of the Center this fall, serving 150 children from six weeks to age 5 with all costs covered.

Some of the CHS Middletown team during its final day of practicums at CHS Harrisburg.

“One thing that has inspired me is that I learned how important early experiences shape the architecture of a developing brain,” shared Lead Teacher Amber Kostelnik, who graduated from Milton Hershey School in 2020 and Millersville University in 2024.

“I learned empathetic, healthy, and effective ways to help children develop in all areas, especially socially and emotionally,” Lead Teacher Brandi Kerstetter added.

Seeds to Lead offers an innovative onboarding process that enables staff, including leaders, teachers, and family liaisons, to integrate into the CHS mission. The program expands on teachers’ and staff’s existing skills and blends coursework including ECE foundations, curriculum and assessment, family success, and health and safety.

The program is a culmination of the teaching, family success, health services, human resources, and operations teams all working together to launch a high-quality learning center on a foundation with strong team dynamics.

Some of the CHS Middletown staff during its final day of practicums at CHS Hershey.

“Never before have I felt so close to my colleagues,” explained Lead Teacher Christopher Palmeri. “I think this is the greatest strength of Seeds to Lead. After so much team building, I feel I can fully rely on my co-workers.”

It also enables staff, both experienced ECE professionals and those beginning their careers in the field, to build strong team chemistry and relationships.

“As an experienced ECE professional, it was exciting learning with co-workers beginning their ECE careers,” said Kerstetter, who has worked in the field for over 20 years.

“I enjoyed sharing wisdom with them while also receiving wisdom from them. Working with the younger generation energized me and inspired me to try new things and see things from a fresh perspective.”

As part of the program, the CHS Middletown team also learned about the local community the Center will serve through volunteering and community events, including hosting monthly (quarterly beginning in June) Sensory Story Times at the Middletown Public Library. These free events include a sensory activity, a read-aloud story, and a take-home activity for children from infancy through age 8.

The professional development acquired through Seeds to Lead continues once the staff move on to their operating Center.

In addition to structured coursework including individual and group learning and trainings from guest speakers, the CHS Middletown team had opportunities to:

  • Explore the history and legacy of Milton and Catherine Hershey
  • Tour the eventual Center multiple times throughout the construction process
  • Shadow teachers and staff at CHS Hershey and CHS Harrisburg during immersive months-long practicums, applying their learnings through hands-on experience
  • Attend the CHS ECE Leaders Summit, an annual professional development events that brings together CHS staff and leaders in early childhood education

“My favorite part of this experience was being able to be a part of practicums, learning firsthand from the teachers in an operating center and using the tools we learned in training with the children in the classroom,” Kostelnik said.

“I loved getting to know the children at the Harrisburg center,” Palmeri added. “Working with them in that amazing facility gave me a glimpse of how much fun it is going to be when my team and I are building relationships in Middletown.

“My favorite part of the program was becoming a part of a team that genuinely cares for each other and is willing to step in and support whenever needed,” said Kerstetter.

With the opening of CHS Middletown on the horizon, the team is eager to welcome 150 children and families with shared values, strong relationships, and a deep understanding of how to implement best practices in early learning, together.

If you are interested in making a difference at CHS, check our careers page for open opportunities.

Catherine Hershey Schools

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning are subsidiaries of Milton Hershey School and will be staffed and operated independently of the Milton Hershey School core model.

Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

© 2025 Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning