Investigation of Abuse at Chester Community Charter School

Berger Montague is investigating disturbing allegations of abuse at Chester Community Charter School in Upland, Pennsylvania.

According to a press release issued by Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, twenty (20) individuals who worked in the Chester Community Charter School have been charged with multiple counts related to child abuse against twenty six (26) children in grades K-5 who were enrolled in the school’s Team Approach to Achieving Academic Success (TAAS) program. These charges come after a police investigation began after two parents complained to school officials in January of 2025 that their children reported being afraid to attend school due to fears of being placed in “holds” by school staff.

“This case is every parents’ nightmare. We send our children to school expecting the adults will keep them safe, not abuse them physically and emotionally,” said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. “Our investigation showed some staffers physically abusing children while others sat passively and watched. All the adults charged are equally guilty in failing to protect these children, some as young as 5 years old.” Stollsteimer continued.

The press release also stated that these charges come after an investigation by Chester Township police revealed nine of the charged defendants using techniques to restrain and punish children in grades K-5 who were enrolled in the school’s positive emotional support program. The investigation revealed that the defendants used painful techniques such as pinching students on pressure points near their necks, holding them in restraints, and threatening them with what the students called “shoulder work”. Shoulder work involved pinching students on pressure points near their necks, placing them in holds with their arms crossed in front of them, and having a knee applied to their back until the student was brought to the ground. Many of these abuses were captured on surveillance camera footage obtained and reviewed by investigators.

The press release further stated that during the investigation, it was learned that several of the individuals who abused these children were employees of a company called Peak Performers Staffing, LLC, co-founded by Jennifer Woodhouse and Emmanuel Gilbert of Chester, Pa.

According to its website, Chester Community Charter School serves students in grades K-8 on four campuses in nine school buildings in the Chester-Upland community. The school serves more than 4,000 students — two-thirds of the district.

If you have any further information about the alleged abuse, we encourage you to contact Lane Vines, lvines@bm.net, or phone us at 215-432-4782.

Read more about this investigation:

• 20 Delco school employees charged in connection with child abuse case, 6 Action News, March 31, 2025.
• DA charges 20 people who worked at CCCS with child abuse (full story), The Delco Times, March 31, 2025.
• 20 Delaware County, Pennsylvania, school employees facing child abuse charges against students, DA says, CBS News, March 31, 2025.

About Berger Montague

Berger Montague is one of the nation’s preeminent law firms focusing on complex civil litigation, class actions, and mass torts in federal and state courts throughout the United States. The firm is active in the fields of antitrust, commercial litigation, consumer protection, defective products, environmental law, employment law, securities, and whistleblower cases, among many other practice areas. For more than 50 years, Berger Montague has played lead roles in precedent-setting cases and has recovered over $50 billion for its clients and the classes they have represented. Berger Montague is headquartered in Philadelphia and has offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, DE.