Fall Family Weekend 2025

What are Family Weekends?

• Family Weekends are special weekends designed just for MHS students and families.
• Fall Family Weekend 2025 will begin on Friday, Oct. 31, and end on Sunday, Nov. 2. Students must return to their student homes by 5 p.m.
• All MHS families are invited to join teachers and staff on campus to experience fun activities with their students, visit school buildings, see amazing student performances, eat meals together, and more!
• Family Weekends are an excellent opportunity to connect with your student on campus and meet MHS community members who are important to them.

Do we need to participate in all of the events?

• Families are encouraged to participate in the activities they choose. There are no mandatory events.
• We encourage our families to get involved, meet staff, and experience campus with their student. We also understand that schedules and distance may prevent some of our families from joining.

How do I qualify for a free weekend?

• The passport system is an opportunity for families to earn a free overnight weekend visit by attending an on-campus event.
• Download the passport (PDF) from the Family Weekend website, see your houseparents for a passport, or get a copy from an MHS staff member at an event.
• Attend any two in-person activities on campus on two separate days and have a staff member sign your passport. Example: attend one event on Friday and one event on Saturday. Turn the completed passport in to your student’s houseparent to have an overnight visitation that does not count as one of your allotted weekends.
• Reminder: Passports only qualify families for a free weekend during Fall Family Weekend and must be used Oct.31-Nov. 2, 2025. Passports are not valid for any other dates.

Watch this instructional video:

Can I bring other family members or family friends along for the weekend events?

• Yes, we welcome families to bring others along to visit with your student. It is a great way to show off your student’s educational and Home Life experiences.
• Although we encourage family participation in most Family Weekend events, please note that sponsor shadowing is limited to adult parents/sponsors only.

Do all events require an RSVP?

• Many Family Weekend events do not require an RSVP.
• If an RSVP is needed, it will be clearly marked within the event description.
• Read each event description carefully to find out if RSVPs are needed.

Can I RSVP to MHS staff for all events or do I need to RSVP separately for each event online?

• You must RSVP to all events you want to attend separately.
• Many different departments on campus host their own events, so it is important that you RSVP or register for each event.

We know that our campus can be overwhelming with directions. We are providing Google Maps directions to parking lots of the main locations for Winter Family Weekend events.

Catherine Hall – Middle Division

Parking Lot Directions

Memorial Hall – Elementary Division

Parking Lot Directions

Gertrude Gurt Family Center

Parking Lot Directions

Founders Hall

Parking Lot Directions

Copenhaver Gym

Parking Lot Directions

Project Market

Parking Lot Directions

The Parent Portal lets you view your student’s grades, activities, and life in the student home. You received your username and password for the Parent Portal on Enrollment Day. Please email [email protected] for assistance with your login credentials. Be sure to keep your contact information updated to continue receiving communication from the school.

Access the Parent PortalSteps for Signing In to the Parent PortalEmail MHS IT for Login Credentials

The portal also has a smartphone app to help you stay connected when you’re on the go.

Is your student new to MHS, and you want to learn the best ways to get involved with the community? Watch our virtual New Sponsor Seminar for tips and tricks for new parents/sponsors.

Browse the online store and snag some swag to show your MHS pride!

Do you have a new student and want to learn the best ways to get involved with the MHS community? Join MHS Family Relations at the Gertrude Gurt Family Center, along with other parents/sponsors, to learn more about how you can support your student’s journey at MHS.

8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parent/Sponsor Shadowing

Parents/sponsors are invited to shadow their student(s) during the school day in Senior Division buildings from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and follow them to their classes. Parents/sponsors should report to the front office of Fisher Hall with their driver’s license to check in and meet their student(s).

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

Please note:

• All parents/sponsors must present a valid state driver’s license or photo ID upon entering the school building. Failure to present proper identification will deny access to school buildings. Contact the main office with questions regarding this policy.
• Shadowing is for parents/sponsors only (no children, friends, or extended family).
• Please do not bring flowers, balloons, or other gifts into school buildings.
• All cell phones must be turned off.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. College and Career Counselor Appointments

Schedule an appointment to meet your Senior Division student’s college and career counselor from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is a good time to ask questions about academic performance, postsecondary planning, or course selection.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

The following counselors are located on the second floor of the Learning Resource Center:

• Dr. Farrar-Freeman
• Mr. Speese
• Mr. Zapata-Morales
• Mrs. Kopp
• Mr. Rafferty

The following counselor is located on the second floor of Hammond Hall:

• Mrs. Wascovich

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Graduate Programs for Success Drop-In Conversations

Drop by the Learning Resource Center to meet the Continuing Education Scholarship (CES) and Higher Education Support Specialist staff from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to learn more about our programs and how staff will support your student after graduating from MHS.

1 p.m. GPS Engagement Training

Join GPS staff in the upper level of the Founders Hall dining room for an interactive seminar to learn more about the GPS and CES matrix.

2 p.m. Review of the Milton Hershey Way Progress Report

Learn more about the Milton Hershey Way Progress Report and what you can expect during conferences with your student’s houseparents/TL staff.  The presentation will take place in the Founders Hall Auditorium.

3-4 p.m. Home Life Conferences

Schedule time to meet one-on-one with your student’s Home Life Administrator to review their progress during the 2025-26 school year.

Please schedule a conference in advance by contacting Cindy Wamsher at 717-520-2901 or 717-520-2064.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parent/Sponsor Shadowing

Parents/sponsors can shadow their Middle Division students at Catherine Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Parking is available at the bottom of Catherine Hall’s hill in the airstrip. A shuttle will provide access to the building. The final shuttle back to the airstrip will run at 2:45 p.m. 

Please note:

• All parents/sponsors must present a valid state driver’s license or photo ID upon entering the school building. Failure to show proper identification will deny access to the school building. Contact the main office at 717-520-2600 with questions regarding this policy.
• Shadowing is for parents/sponsors only (no children, friends, or extended family).
• Please do not bring flowers, balloons, or other gifts into the school building.
• All cell phones must be turned off.

1 p.m. Presentation from Graduate Programs for Success, Visual and Performing Arts, and Athletics

All parents/sponsors and their students will join the GPS, VPA, and Athletics team in the Catherine Hall Auditorium to learn more about the programs available to Middle Division students at MHS.

1:30 p.m. Band Demonstration

Parents/sponsors of students interested in joining the band are invited to the Catherine Hall small theatre for a demonstration by our Middle Division jazz band to learn more about the program.

Parents/sponsors of students currently in the jazz band are also invited to watch the demonstration.

2 p.m. Review of the Milton Hershey Way Progress Report

Learn more about the Milton Hershey Way Progress Report and what you can expect during conferences with your student’s houseparents. The presentation will take place in the Catherine Hall Auditorium.

3-4 p.m. Home Life Conferences

Schedule time to meet one-on-one with your student’s Home Life Administrator to review their progress during the 2025-26 school year.

Please schedule a conference in advance by contacting Tracy Teahl at 717-520-2402. Please park in the back parking lot; shuttles from the airstrip to Catherine Hall will stop prior to the conferences.

Parent/Sponsor Shadowing from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Parents/sponsors can visit their Elementary Division student’s classroom from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Memorial Hall.

To sign up, complete this RSVP form or email [email protected].

Please note:

• All parents/sponsors must present a valid state driver’s license or photo ID upon entering the school building. Failure to show proper identification will deny access to the school building. Contact the main office at 717-520-2400 with questions regarding this policy.
• Shadowing is for parents/sponsors only.
• Please do not bring flowers, balloons, or other gifts into the school building.
• All cell phones must be turned off.

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Visual Art Display

Enjoy a display of art created by Elementary Division students hanging in the Memorial Hall lobby.

12 p.m. Elementary Division Leadership Presentation

Meet the Elementary Division leadership team and get updates on your students’ experience. The presentation will take place in the Memorial Hall auditorium.

12:30-1 p.m. Costume Parade

Students will parade around the outside of Memorial Hall in costumes for families and staff. Parents/sponsors are welcome to dress up in family-friendly costumes. No gory costumes, please.

1 p.m. Maintaining Connections with Your Student

Meet Psychology and Behavioral Services staff in the Memorial Hall Cafeteria to participate in crafts and conversations to help you maintain connection with your student while apart.

2 p.m. Review of the Milton Hershey Way Progress Report

Learn more about the Milton Hershey Way Progress Report and what you can expect during conferences with your student’s houseparents. The presentation will take place in the Memorial Hall Auditorium.

Visit the Founders Hall Visitors Center where more than a century of MHS history comes to life. The renovated Visitors Center features interactive exhibits, historical albums, and alumni awards/collections.

3:30 p.m. New Horizons and Spartan Dancers Snapshot

Enjoy a short performance by New Horizons and our Spartan Dancers in a snapshot concert in the Fisher Hall forum.

4 p.m. Band Snapshot

Enjoy a short performance by the Senior Division band in a snapshot concert on the steps of Copenhaver Center.

From 4:30-6 p.m., enjoy a meal with your family and interact with MHS staff and community partners in the Founders Hall dining room.

Activities in Founders Hall: 

• Display of caffeine content in drinks by MHS Medical staff
• Seasonal activity with MHS Psychology staff
• Meet the MHS Social Work staff
• Crafts with Education and Human Services students
• Photobooth
• Discounted Hersheypark tickets for $40 while supplies last. Cash only, no card. These tickets are valid for the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2 only.

Join Senior Division drama students and crew in the End Stage Theater in Copenhaver Center as they act out the fantasy quest of a lifetime.

No tickets are required; entry is free.

Meet one-on-one with your student’s Houseparents or Transitional Living staff to review their progress in the student home. If your student is in Middle or Senior Division, this is a great time to review your student’s Milton Hershey Way Progress Report.

Please contact your student’s Houseparents/TL staff to schedule a meeting.

Join us for a cozy autumn afternoon at Project Market to enjoy a scenic hayride through campus. While you’re there, stop by our student-run Project Market, featuring fresh-picked produce, Spartan Ice Cream, plants, handmade body care products, and unique home goods all created by MHS students.

Visit the Founders Hall Visitors Center where more than a century of MHS history comes to life. The renovated Visitors Center features interactive exhibits, historical albums, and alumni awards/collections.

Join us for a gathering of MHS students and their families who formerly attended Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning in the MHS Admissions Welcome Center.

Contact Margaret Rich at [email protected] or Robin Brantley-Case at [email protected] to RSVP.

Enjoy lunch at a student home/TL building luncheon with your student(s). Contact your student’s houseparents or TL staff to RSVP.

Families are invited to spend time at the Gertrude Gurt Family Center to unwind and enjoy time as a family.

You can purchase discounted Hersheypark tickets for $40 while supplies last. Cash only, no card. These tickets are valid for the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2 only.

Join Senior Division drama students and crew in the End Stage Theater in Copenhaver Center as they act out the fantasy quest of a lifetime.

No tickets are required; entry is free.

Join us for Spartan Fall Fest, a celebration for our entire MHS community, at Henry Hershey Field.

Enjoy an afternoon filled with festive fun with a trunk-or-treat, face painting, fall activities for every age, and a costume parade. Please bring your own bag for the trunk-or-treat.

Come dressed in your best costume, bring your Spartan spirit, and let’s make it a night to remember!

Spartan Spirit apparel, created by Senior Division students, will be sold in the Spartan Gym. The store is run by students from various Career and Technical Education pathways and their advisors.

Shop Spartan Spirit items in Spartan Gym in Copenhaver Center.

You are welcome to attend our weekly chapel services on Sunday. Sit with your child and their student home or Transitional Living building, or utilize our visitor seating. You must be seated 10 minutes before the start of each service.

Services by Division

• Elementary Division: 9 a.m. in the Memorial Hall Auditorium
• Middle and Senior Division: 9 a.m. in the Founders Hall Auditorium

Join us for a delicious family brunch from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Founders Hall dining room.

You can purchase discounted Hersheypark tickets for $40 while supplies last. Cash only, no card. These tickets are valid for the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2 only.

Parents/sponsors and their families are invited to spend time at the Gertrude Gurt Family Center.

You can purchase discounted Hersheypark tickets for $40 while supplies last. Cash only, no card. These tickets are valid for the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 2 only.

Join Senior Division drama students and crew in the End Stage Theater in Copenhaver Center as they act out the fantasy quest of a lifetime.

No tickets are required; entry is free.

Meet one-on-one with your student’s Houseparents or Transitional Living staff to review their progress in the student home. If your student is in Middle and Senior Division, this is a great time to review your student’s Milton Hershey Way Progress Report.

Please contact your student’s Houseparents/TL staff to schedule a meeting.