house parent

youth specialist

relocation assistant

teacher

assistant

Milton Hershey School

There is so much to say about what festers behind the scenes at Milton Hershey School. Management is so out of touch and well overpaid. They pay lip service to Houseparents as "The Golden Thread", "Essential Staff", Key to running the school" etc... but the reality is they overwork and burn us out with extra meetings, events, activities, on top of a 90+ hour work week that Houseparents have been leaving in droves. We are here for the students yet are hands are tied with Admins ridiculous demands instead of just letting us parent by investing in these kids the best we know how (after all they hired us knowing our desires to take care of these kids). Admin is out of touch with what goes on in the student home and how it should be run. Many of the kids that are accepted come from broken/troubled/ inner city areas with many children in need of medication because of their mental state as well as many lacking respect for any adult figure and many others have terrible behavior issues that should not be tollerated yet because of retention bonuses for those above our pay grade the students are kept at the school to the detriment of the other students (if parents of the good kids only knew). Some students break, throw, damage  items in the home, smack adults or fellow students (if only their parents were told), others defecate (purposefully) in their beds, closets, living room floors and we are discouraged from entering it in their record (or it's somehow deleted). Deductibles were issued this year and more and more is taken from us yet we need the medical benefits to be very good because our health is declining do to lack of sleep and being overworked. Yet you look around the campus and see how beautiful the campus is but it's rotting within. Spare no expense on appearances (New security barn, concrete signs on major road through campus) but nickel & dime houseparents. Admin strong arms it's employees and it comes from the top thus creating a fearful, angry, divisive culture. Teachers, Security staff receive good salary increases yet houseparents who spend the majority of the time with students (snow days, long weekends, major breaks, on top of regular working duties!) yet houseparents are shafted and as a result are slowly leaving. Money is offered for houseparent referrals and they have trouble filling those positions. Instead money should be offered to retain good houseparents. They should receive any retention bonus since they are working with the students.  Life with your own children is also difficult to manage because of the demanding schedule and supervisors/directors could care less. Admin may mention how much time we may get off for summer/holiday breaks but forget to mention the 90+ hours per week we put in during the rest of the year that we need those breaks just to recoup. They get more time off than houseparents and put in less hours. Houseparents are also afraid to speak up for fears of retaliation. "Open door" policies are implied but they just pretend to listen to any concerns and so rarely used. "Break out" groups during meetings are encouraged to give the appearance that Admin is and wants to listen but, as is usually the case, they do not. One last thing. Many houseparents have a church going background. Yet are given a difficult time if they want to attend their own place of worship ( Where is the Judeo-Christian values the school displays on its website) So why do houseparents stay? Those that have 15 + years or close to retirement age can not afford to retire (rightfully so) and those that are fairly new are slowly finding other work as the economy does well. "One of the best places to work in PA" maybe 10 years ago. Now, NO! But I'm sure $$$ can put your name on the list. Milton Hershey would close this place down if he could see what it's become.

There is so much to say about what festers behind the scenes at Milton Hershey School. Management is so out of touch and well overpaid. They pay lip service to Houseparents as "The Golden Thread", "Essential Staff", Key to running the school" etc... but the reality is they overwork and burn us out with extra meetings, events, activities, on top of a 90+ hour work week that Houseparents have been leaving in droves. We are here for the students yet are hands are tied with Admins ridiculous demands instead of just letting us parent by investing in these kids the best we know how (after all they hired us knowing our desires to take care of these kids). Admin is out of touch with what goes on in the student home and how it should be run. Many of the kids that are accepted come from broken/troubled/ inner city areas with many children in need of medication because of their mental state as well as many lacking respect for any adult figure and many others have terrible behavior issues that should not be tollerated yet because of retention bonuses for those above our pay grade the students are kept at the school to the detriment of the other students (if parents of the good kids only knew). Some students break, throw, damage  items in the home, smack adults or fellow students (if only their parents were told), others defecate (purposefully) in their beds, closets, living room floors and we are discouraged from entering it in their record (or it's somehow deleted). Deductibles were issued this year and more and more is taken from us yet we need the medical benefits to be very good because our health is declining do to lack of sleep and being overworked. Yet you look around the campus and see how beautiful the campus is but it's rotting within. Spare no expense on appearances (New security barn, concrete signs on major road through campus) but nickel & dime houseparents. Admin strong arms it's employees and it comes from the top thus creating a fearful, angry, divisive culture. Teachers, Security receive good salary increases yet houseparents who spend the majority of the time with students (snow days, long weekends, major breaks, on top of regular working duties!) yet houseparents are shafted and as a result are slowly leaving. Life with your own children is also difficult to manage because of the demanding schedule and supervisors could care less. Admin may mention how much time we may get off for summer/holiday breaks but forget to mention the 90+ hours per week we put in during the rest of the year that we need those breaks just to recoup. They get more time off than houseparents and put in less hours. Houseparents are also afraid to speak up for fears of retaliation. "Open door" policies are implied but they just pretend to listen to any concerns and so rarely used. "Break out" groups during meetings are encouraged to give the appearance that Admin is and wants to listen but, as is usually the case, they do not. One last thing. Many houseparents have a church going background. Yet are given a difficult time if they want to attend their own place of worship ( Where is the Judeo-Christian values the school displays on its website) So why do houseparents stay? Those that have 15 + years or close to retirement age can not afford to retire (rightfully so) and those that are fairly new are slowly finding other work as the economy does well. "One of the best places to work in PA" maybe 10 years ago. Now, NO! But I'm sure $$$ can put your name on the list. Milton Hershey would close this place down if he could see what it's become. ​

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working with the children and other house parents.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There is so much expected of you. Your number one goal is to take care of 12 children in your home, but there is so much more that you have to do. MHS expects you to go to trainings and meetings every week on your "off" time. There is so much paperwork that has to be done daily. One of the house parents usually has to camp out in the office taking care of emails, budgeting, food ordering,  and other various reports required. This leaves the other house parent alone with the children. It should be more about working with the children instead of all the required paperwork. Also, if there is a problem house parents don't have the support of administration.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It could be the best place to work, but you usually don't have the support of the higher administration. Some of the supervisors treat you with respect and help you, but they don't get the support of the higher administration. House parents are not respected, but they do have a community with the support of other house parents. House parents often rely on each other when they have questions or need help.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
You wake the children up in the morning and get them off to school on campus. If you don't have a meeting/training then you have off through the day from 8:30-2:00 (this is approximate). If you have training or meetings then you only have a few hours of down time. At 2:00 you are back on duty checking emails or having a meeting until the children get out of school.  After school you take the children to after school activities if needed and then have dinner and showers and hang out with the children.  Then bedtime routine with the children and when you feel everyone is asleep you can go to your side of the house.  You are on call through the night. Then repeat again through the week. Weekends you have the children all day long and have to find things to do as a family and chapel on Sunday.

Lost potential. A school with the money, legacy and opportunity that is squandered on ego, power, fame, money and control.
Any pros are short term gains. The admin tolerates houseparents and acts like they don’t want or like them.  Salary and benefits are a hook for employment and do not reflect actual hours works, the burden of the work, the lack of administrative support, the endless trainings and meetings used to control and keep houseparents in submission and the poor pay increases. For a school that is vision driven and not income driven, they run a win-lose institutional culture. Admin wins, houseparent loses. Admin gets the pay raised and benefits. Houseparents have them stripped away. Constant strong arming and emotional manipulation to keep houseparents submissive.  Anyone here longer term is here for reasons that work for them, but expect most to leave here 1-3 years after hire. Upper admin out of touch with reality of the job- making decisions others have the burden to carry, even if they are unreasonable, unnecessary or inconsiderate. 

There’s been a mass exodus of mental health providers (psychologists, therapists, and behavioral support staff) in the past year - more than 10/18 because the overall workload expectations have become just unacceptable and achieving a sense of personal satisfaction with any aspect of the job has been completely unattainable! Throw in the toxic building culture between departments and the TOTALLY ABSENT managers, it’s become a “sinking ship” that most people are trying to get off! Misaligned DEI initiatives have hampered growth and advancement for many individuals. The culture of the department and school have changed and not for the better. Despite ongoing critical and constructive feedback and the high turnover citing management as a major factor, the same two managers have been able to maintain their jobs, so that should tell you that the upper administration- who is equally out of touch- does not value input from highly qualified professionals! Management blames the Union and the Union blames management, so not one person in a position to offer any changes to alleviate the stressful working conditions will step up to do it. Employees are beyond frustrated and using their resignations as a way to make a statement- “No, it is definitely NOT the best place to work!” If you’re considering MHS, please reflect on recent reviews.

When I first started here it was a great job. I looked forward to coming to work and could say I actually liked my job. The last few years things started going downhill. There is way too much of a work load for the amount of people that have to do the work. Management doesn’t care about the employees...they only care about making themselves look good for the president and wife. We are burned out and more than stressed. We ask for more help since the school has grown so much and it’s too much to do, but get told that woeill never happen. But then they say do whatever it takes to get the job done! They make comments that make you feel like nothing you do is good enough and you don’t know how to do your job. One would think we ran a five star resort in New York with the meals they expect us to prepare. After you put your heart and soul into it they still say it’s not good enough. There’s so many last minute orders we don’t even know what’s going on sometimes. The communication is horrible and they always expect you do provide even if you’re trying to get the normal work finished. I think it’s the lack of respect and the fact that we feel like we’re drowninh but no one is willing to help us that makes things the worst. I don’t know how other departments are, but food service is not the department to be in. On top of everything else, some of the categories in food service got a substantial raise, while others of us in the same department did not. Not sure how the union let that fly , but boy was that a huge slap in the face to some of us!

If you hate politics on the job, then don't come! The school feels as if their money makes them above morality and ethics.Management says they want to hear what you have to say but when you say something you become a target. They over work you and give very little in return. They want house parents to give their all to the students and are quick to tell employees the students come first! They are right...the students come before your personal children and your extended family. You are called to the carpet for the smallest things. Management doesn't deal with issues they avoid them. There is a high level of frustration with staff and management don't care. The living arrangements for new house parents aren't ideal when covering a home, and the school doesn't do anything to make it better. They are building roads, plazas, erecting statues yet want to cut cost by taking away benefits from the workers, and fought to not give more than a 3% increase in pay. This isn't what we expected but we are invested in the students but soon that will not be enough. No advancement unless you are friend with someone in management. They only promote friends.  If you come, don't give up your home or your connections from your place of origin just in case you have to go back... That's how you get stuck!

Houseparents work 12 long days in a row before getting off for 3 days. God knew what he was doing when He created a Sabbath on the 7th working day. Students are also a lot more challenging this school year, 20/21, because all the activities and sports have been cancelled. This gives them way too much time with nothing to do. They cannot even visit another student home or go home on the weekend with their parents. As a result of students gaining their voice, houseparents have lost more of their voice and students plot ways to get houseparents in trouble. I could not recommend this job. The emotional, social and other needs of the students are overwhelming and houseparents often feel like zombies because they cannot keep up with the high amount of emergencies and needs of the students and also the high expectations of administration,  When a mistake is made, administration hits houseparents over the head with policies, say you put the entire school community at risk, throw and run you over with the bus. The administration is extremely authoritarian and does not treat houseparents with the respect they expect from houseparents when working with students.  

I was initially drawn to this role because of the school’s mission and the opportunity to make a difference. Unfortunately, my experience did not match the values they promote. After my entire team left suddenly, I was expected to take on all their responsibilities without additional support, training, or compensation. There was no clear management structure, and communication from leadership was inconsistent at best.

The work environment lacked guidance, stability, and accountability. Management changed frequently, and expectations were often unclear. Despite expressing willingness to grow and take on more responsibility, I received little to no direction or mentorship.

Those considering roles in sustainability or environmental work should be aware that internal initiatives are often unsupported or deprioritized, despite external messaging.

The demands of the job often extended well beyond normal hours with minimal work-life balance. While the pay may seem competitive initially, it does not reflect the workload or emotional strain that comes with the role.

I left feeling disappointed and exhausted. I hope future improvements are made to better support employees who genuinely care about the mission.

If you're looking to be a houseparent, know that you will work a minimum of 70 hours a week and be forced to work UNPAID during your unscheduled time while your students are at school. You will also be mandated to work an Extra Duty during the summer above and beyond your current hours and that too is UNPAID. Then during the year you will be mandated to work another additional duty. If you were to be paid hourly at $15/hr with overtime instead of receiving a salary, you'd literally be making over $66K a year per person. 

In the past year, there have been approximately 50 houseparent couples (100 people) leave. Administration explains this away and says that it isn't any more than any other year and that they're not alarmed by such numbers. All the while there is a huge need for assistance because of a bad shortage of help. You as a reader need to read between the lines and ask yourself why the culture at Milton Hershey is so bad that such a negative review of this sort would be written.

There is so much more to write that has created such a negative environment, but if you do decide to continue to apply for a houseparent position, ask the hard questions to the houseparents that will host you when you're going through your interview. If you accept the job, don't say you weren't warned.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
House parent 129 salaries reported	$44,912 per year
Youth specialist 37 salaries reported	$44,768 per year
Relocation assistant 17 salaries reported	$44,768 per year
Teacher 4 salaries reported	$104,625 per year
Assistant 3 salaries reported	$54,496 per year

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