Winter Family Weekend 2025

What are Family Weekends?

• Family Weekends are special weekends designed just for MHS students and families.
• Winter Family Weekend 2025 will begin on Friday, Feb. 28 and end on Sunday, March 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.
• Some events are in person and some events are virtual. If you cannot attend in person, please take advantage of the virtual options.

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 in-person activity on campus and have a staff member sign your passport. Turn it 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 Winter Family Weekend and must be used Feb. 28-March 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 registration 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 manage and 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 is where you’ll get an inside look at your student’s grades in school, activities, and life in the student home. You received your username and password for the Parent Portal on Enrollment Day—email [email protected] if you need help remembering your login credentials. Please keep your contact information up to date to continue receiving communication from the school.

Access the Parent PortalSteps for Signing In to the Parent Portal

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

Do you have a new student and want to learn the best ways to get involved with the MHS community? Join MHS Family Relations Manager Jay Garvey at the Gertrude Gurt Family Center along with other parents/sponsors who will share their family’s experience at MHS and offer advice.

Sign UpJoin on Zoom

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meet with an Elementary Divison Home Life Administrator

Parents/sponsors are invited to schedule a meeting with a Home Life Administrator at Memorial Hall.

Contact Wendy Fahnestock at 717-520-2410 to schedule a meeting.

9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Sponsor Shadowing

Parents/sponsors are invited to visit their student’s classroom from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Memorial Hall, including lunch with your child.

Sign up to attend using this RSVP form or by emailing [email protected]. 

Please note:

• All parents/sponsors will be required to present a valid state driver’s license or photo ID upon entering the school building. Failure to present proper identification will result in the denial of access to the school building. 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 the school building.
• All cell phones must be turned off.

2 p.m. Band and Choir Concert

Join us at 2 p.m. in the Memorial Hall Auditorium for the Elementary Division Band & Choir concert.

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meet with a Middle Divison Home Life Administrator

Parents/sponsors are invited to schedule a meeting with a Home Life Administrator at Catherine Hall.

Contact your student’s HLA to schedule a meeting.

9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sponsor Shadowing

Parents/sponsors are invited to shadow their student at Catherine Hall starting at 9 a.m. No RSVP is required.

Parking is available at the bottom of the hill of Catherine Hall. A shuttle will run continuously to the Ceremonial Entrance.

Please note:

• All parents/sponsors will be required to present a valid state driver’s license or photo ID upon entering the school building. Failure to present proper identification will result in the denial of access to the school building. 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 the school building.
• All cell phones must be turned off.

8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sponsor Shadowing

Parents/sponsors are invited to shadow their student(s) throughout the school day in Senior Division buildings and follow them to their classes. Parents/sponsors should report to the front office of Fisher Hall.

RSVP to the main office at 717-520-2803 at least 24 hours in advance.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

Please note:

• All parents/sponsors will be required to present a valid state driver’s license or photo ID upon entering the school building. Failure to present proper identification will result in the denial of access to the school building. 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 the school building.
• All cell phones must be turned off.

9 a.m. to 2 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 2 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 in Fisher Hall:

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

The following counselor is located in Hammond Hall:

• Mrs. Wascovich

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meet with a Senior Divison Home Life Administrator

Parents/sponsors are invited to schedule a meeting with a Home Life Administrator. Parents/sponsors should enter through the front of Fisher Hall.

Contact Cynthia Wamsher at 717-520-2901 to schedule a meeting.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

10:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Life After MHS: Information Fair on Support Services for your MHS Graduate

MHS Graduate Programs for Success, Alumni Relations, Career Services, and Social Work staff will be available during all Senior Division lunches, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., in the Founders Hall Dining Room to talk about support services offered after graduating from MHS.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

2-3:15 p.m. Graduate Programs for Success In-Person Meetings for Parents/Sponsors of Seniors

Do you have questions about the Continuing Education Scholarship or support offered by our Higher Education Support Specialists while your student is attending college? Contact GPS at 717-520-2037 to set up a meeting with a GPS team member.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

Take a closer look at more than 115 years of MHS history within the stately monument dedicated to Milton and Catherine Hershey. Tour Founders Hall Visitors Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Spartan spirit apparel, created by Senior Division students, will be sold from our Spartan Spirit Store run by students from various career pathways and their advisors.

Visit the store in Fisher Hall by the front office.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

Enjoy a great meal with your family, and interact with MHS staff and community partners from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Copenhaver Gym.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

Activities in Copenhaver Gym:

• Photo booth
• Meet Catherine Hershey Schools for Early Learning staff
• Crafts with Human and Health Services students
• Learn about alumni professionals’ businesses

Visit the Spartan Styles team at the haircare center on the second floor of Copenhaver Center. Meet staff and learn more about how they provide haircare for your student.

Parents/sponsors should park behind Copenhaver Center.

Join us in Founders Hall Auditorium for the Senior Division Visual and Performing Arts production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.”

This show is free, and tickets are not required.

Visit Project Market, an Agricultural and Environmental Education program student-run business, for fresh produce, Spartan Ice Cream, goat milk soap, fragrance rollers, beeswax wraps, student art, and more! Families can also participate in a houseplant potting activity for a small cost.

Join us at the Environmental Center to delve into the mysterious world of animal pelts, skulls, tracks, and traces. There will also be an opportunity for families to take a self-led nature walk.

Take a closer look at more than 115 years of MHS history within the stately monument dedicated to Milton and Catherine Hershey. Tour Founders Hall Visitors Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Join us in the Founders Hall Dining Room for a family lunch.

While there, meet school-wide health services staff and learn more about the many facets of student well-being at MHS through engaging activities!

Enjoy your lunch and stay for a game of bingo hosted by the Student Health Services team.

Parents/sponsors and their families are invited to spend time at the Gertrude Gurt Family Center where you can also create thank you notes for MHS teachers during your visit.

Join us in Founders Hall Auditorium for the Senior Division Visual and Performing Arts production of Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.”

This show is free, and tickets are not required.

You are welcome to sit with your student’s student home or utilize our visitor seating during our weekly chapel services on Sunday. A reminder that everyone is supposed to be seated 10 minutes prior to 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 noon in the Founders Hall Dining Room.

Take a closer look at more than 115 years of MHS history within the stately monument dedicated to Milton and Catherine Hershey. Tour Founders Hall Visitors Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Parents/sponsors and their families are invited to spend a memorable afternoon at the Gertrude Gurt Family Center where you can also create thank you notes for MHS teachers during your visit.