Founded in 1982Â by a dedicated group of parents and educators and currently accredited by the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE), Touchstone Community School has grown and flourished by remaining true to a core set of principles, our “touchstones”:
A balanced and integrated curriculum
The skills and strategies of literacy, mathematics, social and physical sciences, and the arts are taught in an integrated manner that enables students to engage deeply in the content and processes of learning.
The child as an active learner
We encourage students to engage actively in their learning in order to create meaning. Students interact with each other and their environment in both concrete and abstract ways. They are encouraged to take initiative and make authentic choices in the active pursuit of knowledge.
A competent and caring staff
We empower teachers to develop meaningful curriculum and methods of assessment consistent with the school’s commitment to excellence in developmental teaching practice.
A challenging and supportive environment for learning
We believe that education must be transformative and that the educational process should reveal to all students both their unique qualities and capabilities as individuals and their responsibility to put their uniqueness to work for the good of society and the earth. We value the range of diversity found within the social world – from individual learning styles, to differing family structures, to the varieties of cultural expression.
A meaningful partnership between parents and teachers
We cherish and seek to build on the inherent motivation for learning that children bring from home to school. Teachers, parents, and staff share their respective knowledge of the child and view each other as partners in the child’s educational development. In addition, the generous and active involvement of many community members in volunteer roles sustains and develops this educational community.
Quick Facts
- Founded in 1982
- Average enrollment of 130
- Serves children ages 3.5-14, from preschool through 8th grade
- There are nine classrooms and children are grouped in multi-age groups rather than by grade.
- The school day is from 8:30 – 3:00
- The Extended Day Program runs from 7:45 – 8:30 a.m. 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. each day
- Our 3.5-year-old program is available for half day and full day
- Our 4-and 5-year-old programs are full day
- Children in the 3.5 – 4-year-old program may attend 3, 4 or 5 days
- Touchstone’s middle school opened in September 2004
- Touchstone is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the Association for Independent Schools in New England
- Touchstone is accredited by the Association for Independent Schools of New England
- Financial Aid is available for all age levels and is based solely on demonstrated financial need.
Where our children go after Touchstone Community School
Upon leaving Touchstone Community School, our students have attended public schools in every district in the area, as well as the following middle schools and high schools:
- Bancroft School
- Cambridge School of Weston
- Christa McAuliffe Charter School
- Fay School
- Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School
- Holy Name School
- Marianapolis Preparatory School
- Moses Brown School
- Mount Saint Charles Academy
- Mount Saint Michael Academy
- Norfolk County Agricultural High School
- Rivers School
- St. John’s High School
- St. Peter Marian
- Solomon Schecter Day School
- Sudbury Valley School
- Whitinville Christian School
- Worcester Academy
Some of the colleges and universities our graduates have attended include:
- Bard College
- Barnard College
- Bennington College
- Boston University
- Brandeis University
- Colby College
- Eastman School of Music
- Framingham State College
- George Washington University
- Georgetown University
- Hampshire College
- Harvard University
- Haverford College
- Hofstra University
- Johnson & Wales University
- McGill University
- Mount Holyoke College
- New York University/Gallatin
- Northeastern University
- Oberlin College
- Quinsigamond Community College
- Princeton University
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Rhode Island School of Design
- St. Michael’s College
- Skidmore College
- Smith College
- Stanford University
- State University of New York/Morrisville
- Swarthmore College
- Syracuse University
- Trinity College
- Tufts University
- University of Massachusetts/Amherst
- University of Denver
- University of Maine
- University of Rochester
- Wesleyan University
- Worcester Polytechnic Institute