FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Date: July 8, 2026 

Media Contact: 

Annette Searfoss Ph.D., CEO 

First Start Partnerships for Children and Families 

(717) 263-8019 | asearfoss@firststartpartnerships.org 

 

Waynesboro will end its Pre-K Counts Partnership with First Start. Pre-K Counts partnerships continue with other Franklin County school districts. 

 In April 2026, WASD ended its partnership with First Start to operate its Pre-K Counts program, beginning with the 2026 – 2027 school year . First Start is grateful to all of the school district administrators, board members, teachers and staff members that created the program over the years. 

 First Start continues our exceptional partnerships with Greencastle-Antrim School District, Tuscarora School District, and Chambersburg Area School District. Franklin County is fortunate to have school districts that are committed to offering Pre-K to its future kindergarteners through the Pre-K Counts Partnership grants. 

The Early Childhood Center at WASD was First Start’s first Community Hub. 

First Start is very grateful for WASD’s partnership in developing a Pre-K Counts program in Waynesboro. Together, in 2017, we envisioned a program at the Waynesboro Area High School that would transform the community’s value of early childhood education.  

Each year since then, the Pre-K Counts grants enabled our partnership to do just that – create an exceptional Early Learning Center in a re-envisioned wing of Waynesboro Area High School. 

Pre-K Counts grants, from PA’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning, are five-year competitive grants that are offered to child care centers, Head Start programs, school districts and other non-profit organizations. 

WASD chose the best possible way to bring Pre-K Counts funds to a community – partnering with existing early childhood experts to leverage the strengths of all organizations. First Start is extremely grateful to be one of those founding early childhood experts upon which the school district relied in developing its Pre-K Counts program. 

The Waynesboro Early Childhood Center was built using Pre-K Counts funding over several years. It includes in-classroom bathrooms, security systems, an indoor and outdoor playground, and inspirational classrooms for Waynesboro’s youngest learners. WASD moved its Family and Consumer Science high school classroom into the wing, providing hand-on experiences for both the high school students and the preschool-aged children. 

WASD and First Start celebrated its ribbon cutting in 2019, as part of First Start’s Annual Meeting. Leaders from across PA converged on the Center, touring its facilities, and listening to the story of its development.  

This partnership was enhanced with First Start’s role as the Early Childhood Apprenticeship Intermediary in 2019, with funding from the Office of Child Development’s Professional Development Organization (PDO) at PASSHE. The Early Childhood Apprentice Intermediary, administered by Shippensburg University, provides free college coursework for practicing early childhood educators and high school students dually enrolled in high school and Shippensburg University courses. 

For the past eight years, First Start has been a proud partner in providing high-quality early learning opportunities for children and families in the Waynesboro community. Throughout this partnership, First Start led the daily operations of the Pre-K Counts classrooms, consistently exceeding expectations through annual state monitoring visits and achieving NAEYC Accreditation+ in 2025. NAEYC A+ is the highest level of accountability and quality recognition from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  

We are proud of the work our staff, leadership, families, and partners have done together to build a strong foundation for children in Waynesboro. As this transition moves forward, First Start remains committed to supporting children, families, and staff and working collaboratively to support a smooth transition.  

To learn more about enrolling in one of our Chambersburg Area, Greencastle-Antrim, or Tuscarora School District Pre-K Counts Partnership classrooms, visit our website at www.firststartpartnerships.org.