First CHS Lancaster County Staff Begins Employment with Fully Paid Training Program
NEW DANVILLE, Pa. – January 9, 2026 – Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS) hosted a convocation Friday launching its fourth fully paid professional development program. The event welcomed the teachers and staff of CHS New Danville, the first CHS location in Lancaster County, who have begun their full-time employment with the program to prepare for the Center’s opening, expected in summer 2026.
This is the first time CHS staff will complete the Seeds to Lead professional development program within its own building, allowing learning to take place directly in the classrooms and learning spaces where they will serve children and families. The New Danville building, formerly home to Lancaster Mennonite School’s New Danville campus, has been thoughtfully reimagined to deliver high-quality early childhood education while honoring the site’s long-standing impact in the community.
“Seeds to Lead plays an essential role in preparing our staff to bring the CHS mission and values into their daily work,” said CHS New Danville Center Director Jessica Bailey. “The program reflects our commitment to investing in people and ensuring our team has the skills, confidence, and support needed to serve children and families from day one. This Center is special not just because of the building, but because of the people and the shared commitment to children and families. Completing this program right here, together, sets a powerful foundation for the work we are about to do in this community.”
To date, approximately 200 CHS employees have completed the innovative professional development program designed to prepare educators and staff for the opening of their Center. Since its launch, 17 teachers have earned their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential after beginning employment through the program, and the training has successfully prepared staff to serve 450 children across the initial three CHS locations.
The program combines leadership development, early childhood education coursework, and team building to ensure staff are equipped to support children, families, and each other. It expands teachers’ and staff’s existing skills while incorporating best practices in early childhood education. Coursework includes early childhood foundations, curriculum and assessment, family success, and health and safety.
The convocation included remarks from CHS Interim Executive Director Brittany Tomaso, CHS New Danville Center Director Jessica Bailey, Assistant Director Christelle Thaw-Bolton, and Lindsay Carson, former principal of Lancaster Mennonite School New Danville. The keynote address was delivered by Kedren Crosby, founder of Lancaster-based Work Wisdom, which supports leadership growth and team development.
CHS New Danville continues to hire for a variety of positions as it prepares to open. The Center will be accepting admissions applications soon for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old. Admissions information is available on the CHS website.
CHS is part of Milton Hershey School’s (MHS) $350 million initiative to initially develop six Early Childhood Education Centers in Pennsylvania. The locations include Hershey, which opened in 2023; Harrisburg, which opened in 2024; Middletown, which opened in 2025, and Lancaster County locations in New Danville (expected summer 2026), Elizabethtown (expected summer 2027), and Lancaster City (expected fall 2027).
ABOUT CATHERINE HERSHEY SCHOOLS FOR EARLY LEARNING
Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning (CHS) provides non-residential, year-round weekday care and education to children from six weeks to age 5 from under-resourced and over-burdened backgrounds, with all costs covered for qualifying families. CHS is a subsidiary of Milton Hershey School (MHS) and is part of a $350 million initiative to develop six Early Childhood Education Centers in Pennsylvania. For more information, visit chslearn.org.
ABOUT MILTON HERSHEY SCHOOL
Milton Hershey School is one of the world’s best private schools, where qualifying students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade live on campus and receive an exceptional educational experience—with all costs covered. For more information, visit mhskids.org.
