My child thrived here! The small class sizes are magic for many students. Parent teacher communication is great.

Homework Does this school have an effective approach to homework? There is no homework. I don't have a problem with this if there were clear communication channels around progress. There is not. Teachers Are teachers at this school effective? The school admits students with clear identifiable needs without putting in place the proper supports for them. As such there are strong behavioral outbursts that are a consistent distraction from learning and create unsafe environments for peers. Teachers are left dealing with behavioral issues instead of teaching. Character Does this school develop strong character in its students? Our son was relentlessly bullied by a student who is still there. When the student moved into another classroom the following year the same situation began with those students. Half the board pulled their kids out of school as did we. This child was threatening to bring a gun to school and was pointing at who he planned on shooting. The administration was notified and he was back at school the next morning as if nothing happened. That was one of many incidents. The fact that 5 families pulled their children, families who were active board members and large donors should tell you enough. Save yourself the aggravation. When you are looking for a quality private school I encourage you to pass this one over. Leadership Does this school have effective leadership? The leadership accepts students as they apply. They are looking to fill seats as the school itself is under financial strains. They have combined classes and eliminated "specials" to attempt to remedy this. The multi age classroom will be sold to you as a model they stand behind but I assure you it is simply because enrollment is down because of its reputation and they have had no choice but to combine classes. Learning Differences Does this school effectively support students with learning differences? They will admit students with any learning difference but that is where it ends. No supports are put in place that are specific to any need. The lack of supports leads to frustrated students and distracting behavioral outbursts that are not only distracting to other students but they detract from the learning process. Bullying Does this school effectively deal with bullying? Please see my above statement. It is outrageous what happens in this school around bullying. Children were staying home and missing school because of the severe anxiety that was induced by the behaviors of other children that were explained away and minimized. It has been 2 years since we left and I am still working to undo the emotional damage my son went through while attending that school. The other numerous families that left are all in the same boat. Systemic bullying changes the fabric of who you are. School should be a safe space. Particularly a private school that states clear guidelines around bullying. The issue is they don't stand behind them. read more

Touchstone Alum here! I have to give my years at Touchstone a five star review! OSP did not yet exist during my days at Touchstone, so following TCS I went to middle school in Framingham, followed by public HS and then college in NYC. Some of my most cherished memories (and lifelong friends) were created under the roof of TCS. Being a high energy and social student I thrived with a learning approach that focused on hands on projects and collaboration. By approaching each topic in depth, I was able to relish in the messy days, but also adapt and learn to love the quieter moments of reflection, reading, and understanding. Classes consisted of all learning paces so as a team/class we learned how to work through each topic together by encouraging and supporting one another. It felt like we had hours in the playground each day, diving into deep narratives of creative play... However, in retrospect I'm sure it was more like 30 minutes. While reflecting, it's amazing how all ages were always involved in play together while breaking from class; there was no judgment and pressure that I later experienced in other schools I attended. In the core of it all, I am truly thankful to my years at Touchstone as it provided me with an immersive education from its evolving ecosystem focused on innovation, creativity, passion and inclusivity. Thank you TCS! read more

I am a TCS grad of 2012. I am writing this review as a form of support to the new leadership taking place at TCS, along with my excitement of the school's recent revamp to return to the incredible place it once was. When I was at Touchstone, not only did I receive an incredible education in terms of the necessary math, science, and literary skills to go on to be extremely successful in higher level courses in High School, but also every skill necessary to take on the inevitable academic adversities that have come my way further on in my doctorate program at Northeastern University. I find myself still recalling the study skills I once learned at Touchstone, the ability to problem solve new situations that I may not have had to overcome in my more traditional high school education. One of the most important things I have come to appreciate as I get further into Higher Education is the knowledge of how to learn and apply yourself related to my own abilities and preferences.The skills I learned at Touchstone allowed me to tackle the rest of my schooling with confidence and a level head, one of the hardest things to maintain throughout schooling these days. Socially, the model at Touchstone allows for kids to grow as individuals, while building relationships along the way. There is no room for degradation of others due to deviating from the norm and becoming one's best self. I was able to explore all of my interests, and find out areas I could prosper moving forward. Overall, Touchstone was by far the most wholistic aspect of my education thus far. It gave me the skills to tackle every aspect of life with enthusiasm, determination, and general fulfillment, constantly staying in touch with my long term goals while enjoying all the moments along the way. read more

My husband and I paid thousands and thousands of dollars to this school, only to be treated, in the end, like we were the guilty party. Since the first review EVER for this school was posted two months ago, they have had to start soliciting 5-star reviews from current and former employees, students and board members via Yelp, Facebook and GreatSchools, all in a desperate attempt to balance a few negative reviews from us, a group of parents who pulled their children after years of enrollment. Obviously, the flop-sweat is real. Granted, this school was a lifesaver for our family for two solid years, fostering a nurturing environment and strong sense of community. But upon meeting with parents of four students being targeted by a classmate who, for months, was making vicious, hateful comments ("White people are better than black people", "You were adopted because your birth parents abandoned you", "If you can't read you must be stupid") the head of school lost control of her ability to censor herself, spiraled into a complete rage and told us to let the staff do their "fu**ing job!" In any public school in this state, she would've been fired on the spot. However, the school's executive board tried to excuse her outburst, placing blame on her stress level because of the school's rapidly declining student enrollment over the last several years and the fact the school was operating on a gargantuan budget deficit this past year. In the end, she was permitted to stay on for the remainder of the school year and is currently set to spend the upcoming school year steering her sinking ship. To date, eight families and more than a dozen children have left the school, directly and indirectly, because of this situation. If she is permitted to stay on much longer, the school's demise looks to be inevitable. read more

What started wonderfully turned into a Kafkaesque nightmare in which, in the age of Parkland and Newtown, the school dismissed the concerns of worried parents who reported that a child was making threats to kill classmates and himself. Rather than take the threats and concerns seriously, the school met those concerns with anger and actually retaliated against the students whose families reported the threats. In looking for a new school for our child, we subsequently learned of how inadequate the education at Touchstone was. Our daughter, who has no learning difficulties and is actually academically gifted, is a year behind in math and apparently did not have a single science class in over 6 months. In order to matriculate at a new school, we will be paying a small fortune in private tutoring so that she will be able to keep up with her peers. We find ourselves in disbelief that we payed tuition for our child to receive a sub-par "education" while being emotionally abused by a student and faculty. The school claims to care about the social and emotional well being of students, but it does not really understand the literature. They have one tool that they use for every situation ("let's *process* this") whether or not the tool is appropriate. Some situations can and should be handled by children, but some need situations require the insights and guidance of adults. Sadly, there are no "adults" in the room at Touchstone. Avoid this school at all costs. read more

I went to Touchstone and it was one of the most supportive environments I can imagine. As a nerdy, smart kid who was bullied a lot, I needed an environment where I could thrive, be myself, and learn in my own best ways. I felt that Touchstone provided the skills, creativity, and socialization I needed to grow into my best self. I just wish I could have stayed there through high school! read more

Touchstone is undergoing amazing changes. During this school year, the school incorporated anti-discrimination and anti-bullying content in the curriculum and classroom discussions. They pro-actively handled any situations that needed to be handled to ensure a safe and learning focused environment. As the prior Head prepares to leave and the new Head has already begun, there is an extraordinary sense of excitement for her vision. The prior head set the stage, noting that other reviewers had a different experience in prior school yearsfor the new head to catapult the school to it's next stage. We couldn't be more excited to see what is to come in the next few years! The curriculum, which has always been excellent, is poised to further it's cutting edge, research, child development based into the next stage. read more

I can not discourage you from looking at this school in strong enough terms. Our experience was terrible and we finally left along with a number of other families who felt as we did. The school is dangerous and not a place for children. read more

My son has been a student at Touchstone for four years and my daughter is in her fIrst year. AdministratIon and teachers are educated, experienced, welcoming, and open to the needs of parents and students. Under a new Head of School, they are implementing project learning across the grades encouraging collaboration and teamwork. With a variety of subject specialists and small class sizes, students get individualized instruction and attention. My second grader has developed a love of reading which is encouraged in the classroom. My four year old is making friends, working on social skills, and fostering creativity and curiosity. Touchstone provides an excellent education. read more

I cannot say enough positive things about our experience at Touchstone. We enrolled because we were seeking a more positive, enriching and supportive environment for our son, who was unhappy in our local, public middle school. Touchstone's fantastic teachers and its friendly, accepting environment transformed him from a bright but unenthusiastic student to a kid who loved to learn and could not wait to get to school each day. The small learning environment allowed him to get more one-on-one time with teachers than what was possible in the previous public school setting, and he was also able to pursue individualized projects that suited his unique interests and learning style. We easily felt like the community was family right from the outset of our time at Touchstone and our son quickly made wonderful friends. Now, as they head off to high school, I'm confident these friendships will last a lifetime. And my son is headed to a top-tier private high school in the region - a challenge the education at Touchstone has prepared him for going forward. Touchstone was life changing in the best of ways for my son and enrolling him there was one of the best decisions we ever made. read more

We sent our three children to Touchstone, and over the course of 13 years in total, our kids received a fantastic education. Our kids know how to learn, are highly self-directed and motivated, know how to work well with others, and have been very successful in high school and now college. We owe a lot to Touchstone. read more

What was once a great school, turned into a horrible experience. Our son was in a classroom where a fellow student would make racist and other traumatic comments, in addition to making physical threats. When some parents expressed concern, we were called in by the head of school and yelled and sworn at by her. And she got to keep her job. In a whole school year, there was basically no science to speak of, and the classroom ended up being a support group on how to help the classmate that harassed them. Not much was happening when it comes to academics because the children in the classroom were so concerned about what this certain classmate was going to do or say each day. My son was so upset and worried that he threw up in his backpack on his way to school. They have this idea of "inclusiveness", but only to those students that they choose should be included. I would NOT recommend sending your child here. read more

The new head of school has been a wonderful addition and we are still absolutely loving Touchstone!

A warm, caring, educationally sound school environment. Do not be discouraged by some disgruntled reviews. Students attending get exactly what they need in an open, inclusive setting with highly skilled teachers. This is a great place to send your child for their formative years. read more

My daughter (5 yo) started in the Early Childhood program at Touchstone last year. We have had a wonderful experience with the school, on all levels, and my daughter is thriving. As a therapist who has worked extensively with children of all ages, it is clear to me that the choice to send our daughter to Touchstone is about more than just the education. It is also about her overall well-being and her view of herself and the world. This school is not about perfection or getting a certain score. It is about curiosity, figuring out how things work, asking questions, making mistakes, being courageous, and learning to love learning. As a parent, one of the things I have loved most about the school is that there is a culture of "belonging" rather than a culture of trying to"fit in". Community members, whether child, adult, parent, faculty, or staff are embraced for who they are. We are very excited for the many changes that are being put into place this year including a new Head of School with great vision and strategic thinking for where we are headed. We get to look forward to project-based learning blocks and other exciting new elements of the curriculum. At this point in my daughter's educational career, the fact that she is sad to "miss" school over the summer and asks to go to the Touchstone Summer Camp in order to stay connected is music to my ears. We anticipate much growth and positive change in both our daughter and the school in the coming years and are proud to be a part of this community. read more

After taking our daughter out of the local public school we decided to check out Touchstone. After visiting the school and seeing the caring and nurturing environment and researching the teachers' credentials we enrolled her. Beside the wonderful, creative hands-on learning, responsive classroom style and the life skills the students learn, Touchstone was a lifesaver for our child's confidence and she made some excellent friends by the time she graduated. After graduating she got into a well respected private high school and will be graduating this year. She has done well and due to the confidence instilled in her by Touchstone, she has grown into a lovely person who cares about others, and was voted by her peers to be captain of her school's varsity volleyball team. Having been a teacher myself (not at Touchstone btw) I am familiar with "unhappy helicopter parents" who do not let the teachers do their jobs. I cannot stress enough how wonderful this school was for my daughter. There is a school out their for everyone, hopefully these unhappy parents will find one for their children. read more