Our District
Eastern Lancaster County School District is located in the northeast quadrant of Lancaster County. Surrounding school districts include: Cocalico to the northwest, Conestoga Valley to the west, Pequea Valley to the south, Twin Valley in Berks County to the east and Governor Mifflin in Berks County to the northeast. Situated within the 95 geographic square miles of the District are the boroughs of New Holland and Terre Hill accompanied by a host of quaint villages and historic crossroads. There are four townships located within the boundaries of the school district; they are Brecknock, Caernarvon, East Earl and Earl. The community has a population of 30,000 residents and a District student population of approximately 3,200 students, K-12. The present school district was formed on September 1, 1954, when six smaller districts were combined in a joint agreement after more than seven years of meetings and discussions. The name Eastern Lancaster County was selected as it was felt that the name of the jointure reflected the area where it was located and would be easily identifiable. The current school colors were chosen by selecting one color each from two of the original school district high school colors; blue from Terre Hill and gray from New Holland.
The area, originally settled by German farmers, has transformed primarily from a rural area to a rural area with urban and modern technological influences. While boasting several large international corporations including Case New Holland, Tyson Foods, and Conestoga Wood Technologies, it also has a backbone of hundreds of large and small family-owned businesses. The area is a popular retirement location at Garden Spot Village and tourist stop with several famous destinations including Shady Maple Smorgasbord, the Blue Ball Flower Warehouse, and numerous bed and breakfasts scattered throughout the rolling hills and farmsteads. Major access arteries include the historical route 23 which runs east and west through the district and route 322 which runs roughly northwest/southeast. Other major transportation arteries include route 625 and route 897 with close access to route 222. The secondary schools are located in New Holland and make up the Garden Spot Campus which is about a 30-minute drive to center city Lancaster.
For a more complete description of local history, please visit the New Historical Society website at: www.nhhistorical.com.