Hershey Montessori School

What Hershey Montessori School does

Hershey Montessori School is an independent, non-profit private school operating two campuses in Northeast Ohio: the 13-acre Concord Campus in Concord Township (serving children from birth through 6th grade) and the 97-acre Huntsburg Campus in Huntsburg (serving adolescents ages 12-18, including boarding). The school was founded in 1978 as Western Reserve Montessori School and renamed in 1989 following a grant from The Hershey Foundation; today it enrolls approximately 270 students across programs spanning Parent-Infant, Young Child Community (12-36 months), Children's House (3-6), Elementary (6-12), and Adolescent Community (12-18), with a residential boarding option at Huntsburg that includes international students.

The school's core methodology is Dr. Maria Montessori's time-tested, scientifically validated educational approach, delivered through AMI-trained teachers using hands-on, developmentally appropriate learning materials in multi-age classrooms spanning three years. The Huntsburg Campus uniquely implements the full Erdkinder model with a working farm, microeconomy, bio-shelter, and residential housing — described as the first school of its kind to do so. The product portfolio also includes a Microeconomy Program, College Counseling, Summer Camp, and Morning/Aftercare services. All programs are AMI-recognized (for ages 0-3, 6-12, and 12-18) and the school holds ISACS accreditation.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition subscriptions, ranging from $822 per year for Parent-Infant (2 hours/week) to $73,349 per year for Upper School 7-Day Boarding (International), plus classroom fees. Ancillary revenue streams include summer camp, additional care services, retail fundraising via Shop Hershey, donations, and Ohio Adoption Incentive Scholarship (OAIS) tax-credit contributions. The school markets directly to families through a website, blog, social media, email newsletters, campus tours, open houses, and shadow days, with applications processed through the Transparent Classroom portal.

Name

Hershey Montessori School

Legal name

Hershey Montessori School

Website

https://hershey-montessori.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hershey Montessori School is an independent non-profit private school operating two Northeast Ohio campuses serving ~270 students from birth to 18 through AMI-recognized Montessori programs, including a distinctive farm-based Erdkinder adolescent program and boarding option.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Montessori Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Montessori K–12 Schools (EDAJABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Montessori Early Learning Academies (EDACADAA)

Keywords

• Montessori education
• Private school
• Early childhood education
• Boarding school
• K-12 education

Headquarters

HQ city

Concord

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for educational programs ranging from Parent-Infant to Upper School boarding. Tuition varies by program level (Parent-Infant, Young Child Community, Children's House, Elementary, Middle School, Upper School) and enrollment type (day student vs. boarding). Additional classroom fees apply for materials, field trips, and activities.
2. Summer Camp Programs: Summer camp programming offered at Concord Campus generating additional revenue during summer months.
3. Additional Care Services: Morning and aftercare services available at additional cost. Extended care options at 7:30 a.m. and until 4:40 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. depending on program.
4. Retail Fundraising Programs: Shop Hershey retail fundraising programs where supporters can purchase spirit wear and participate in retail fundraising initiatives to support the school.
5. Donations and OAIS Tax Credit Scholarships: Philanthropic contributions and Ohio Adoption Incentive Scholarship tax credit program where donors can direct scholarship funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hershey Montessori School delivers Montessori education from birth through 18 years across two Ohio campuses. The Concord Campus serves children from infancy through 6th grade, and the Huntsburg Campus serves adolescents ages 12-18 with a working-farm Erdkinder model, residential boarding options, and college-preparatory academics. The institution follows AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) standards and offers add-on services such as summer camp, additional care, college counseling, and microeconomy programming.

Product overview

Hershey Montessori School is a single, unified educational institution offering a comprehensive Montessori program spanning birth to 18 years across two campuses. The Concord Campus serves children from birth to 12 years through Parent-Infant, Young Child Community, Children's House, and Elementary programs. The Huntsburg Campus serves adolescents ages 12-18 through the Adolescent Community, featuring a distinctive farm-based microeconomy program and residential boarding options. Additional services include college counseling, summer camp, and before/after care. The institution follows AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) standards and ISACS accreditation, integrating academic curriculum with practical life skills, environmental stewardship, and community responsibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parent-Infant Program A two-hour-per-week program for parents and infants from birth to 12 months, offering a guided environment for discovering, playing, and reconnecting with the baby through Montessori principles.
• Young Child Community A program for children aged 12 to 36 months offering structured Montessori learning with hands-on materials, daily routines, and multi-day attendance options.
• Children's House A Montessori program for children ages 3 to 6+ years featuring multi-age classrooms, hands-on Montessori materials, and emphasis on independence and practical life skills.
• Elementary Community A program for children ages 6 to 12 years covering Early Elementary and Upper Elementary, focused on academic exploration, collaborative learning, and Montessori materials at the Concord Campus.
• Adolescent Community A program for adolescents ages 12-18 at the Huntsburg Campus integrating college-preparatory curriculum with farm-based learning, life skills, microeconomy, and community responsibility.
• Boarding Experience A full-time residential program at the Huntsburg Campus offering 5-day or 7-day boarding options that integrate farm work, community living, and college-preparatory academics.
• Microeconomy Program A program in which adolescent students participate in small-scale production and exchange, developing entrepreneurial skills through a functioning microeconomy on the farm.
• Summer Camp Seasonal camp programs offering children and adolescents continued hands-on, farm-based learning experiences during summer months at the Concord Campus.
• College Counseling Guidance services for Upper School students preparing for college applications and future career pathways.
• Additional Care Morning care starting at 7:30 a.m. and aftercare until 4:40 p.m. or 6:00 p.m., providing extended supervision and learning opportunities at the Concord Campus.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates prepared for college and life with strong independence, emotional resilience, and leadership skills
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Whole Kids Foundation / The Bee Cause ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHershey Montessori School awarded Whole Kids Foundation Bee Grant in partnership with The Bee Cause Project, bringing new hands-on pollinator education to its Middle and Upper School programs.
• Ohio Arts CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio Arts Council approved a grant enabling teaching artist Laurel Herbold to work with 9th-12th grade students for a year-long mural project residency titled Mastering Murals.
• International Montessori Training InstituteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral source for educators interested in AMI 12-18 Diploma Course. International Montessori Training Institute provides teacher training that Hershey recommends for educators.
• Montessori Development Partnerships (MDP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 1990 by Debra Guren and David Kahn, MDP brings human and financial resources to support Montessori schools. MDP grant writer Martha Loughridge assisted with Ohio Arts Council grant application.
• Chardon Family MarketminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food program partnership where Hershey Montessori adolescents sell student-grown produce at the Chardon Family Market during summer months as part of hands-on learning experience.
• Local Hotels (Geauga County area)minorOthersPartnership with nearby hotels including Avalon Gardens Inn B&B, Bass Lake Taverne & Inn, Comfort Inn, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Old Stone House B&B, Punderson Manor Resort, and Quail Hollow Resort to accommodate visiting families.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guidepost Montessori: Large U.S. Montessori network with infant-through-adolescent programs; comparable as a competing private Montessori operator targeting similar upper-middle-class families seeking AMI-aligned education.
• Greensboro Montessori School: North Carolina private Montessori school serving infant through middle school with a working land-based adolescent program; a direct analog to Hershey's Erdkinder farm model.
• LePort Schools: Multi-campus Montessori school network offering infant through elementary programs across California; comparable as a private, multi-campus Montessori operator with similar age-spanned curriculum.
• Whitby School: Greenwich, CT private Montessori school serving infants through Grade 8 with an adolescent program, making it the closest direct U.S. analog to Hershey's age-spanning Montessori continuum.
• The Putney School: Vermont independent boarding school for Grades 9-12 with a working farm and hands-on, experiential curriculum; closely comparable to the Huntsburg Campus boarding/farm model and adolescent pricing tier.
• Lesley Ellis School: Cambridge, MA independent Montessori school serving toddlers through Grade 8; comparable as an AMI-affiliated private Montessori school with a similar age-spanned, family-focused offering.
• Spring Garden Waldorf School: Ohio independent Waldorf school offering early-childhood through Grade 8 programs; competes with Hershey for the same Northeast Ohio alternative-education families and is referenced in Hershey's management bios.

Emerging players

• Oak Meadow School: Massachusetts-based progressive K-12 school with farm and environmental programs; partial overlap as a progressive, farm-oriented alternative school but with a different pedagogy (Waldorf-influenced).

Broad incumbents

• Sidwell Friends School: Elite Washington, D.C. independent K-12 school; broader incumbent in the private K-12 alternative-education space that competes for the same high-income, college-prep-oriented families Hershey serves.
• Phillips Academy Andover: Massachusetts elite boarding school; a broader incumbent in the U.S. independent boarding market, competing for the international and domestic boarding families Hershey targets at the Huntsburg Campus.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hershey_school
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HersheyMontessori1
• Facebookfacebook.com/HersheyMontessoriSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hershey-montessori-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/hersheymontessori

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hershey Montessori School