North Street Elementary School

Due to my children's closeness in age, I've been dealing with NGES for six years now. My oldest joined NGES at three years old. He did two years of pre-k, completed kindergarten and 1st grade, and then moved on to NSES. My other child will be moving to NSES as well. He also attended NGES for two years of pre-K, completed kindergarten, and is now completing 1st grade. Covid was part of our experience regarding NGES, and I have to say that the teachers did the best they could. Every morning, there were videos, songs, and classwork; they all tried their very best. Fast forward to 2024, and I can't thank them enough for how wonderful they all have been in helping my kids succeed and catching up on the skills missed during COVID-19. The teachers are entirely involved in the children's education. One of my kids has special needs, and they have bent over backward for him to progress and learn. It isn't easy, but they have taken on the challenge. Every staff member is fantastic at NGES.

My son was there for a short time at the end of the school year. He finished 1st grade there and had an excellent teacher. The staff was helpful and accommodating. The school is very inclusive and diverse. For the short time he was there, we were very happy with his experience.

Touchstone has experienced a lot of change over the past five years, not to mention Covid. The new head of school has a long history with Touchstone, as a parent then a teacher, and has worked tirelessly (and I mean TIRELESSLY) to bring TCS back to its roots in progressive, joyful, challenging, emotionally sound education. We were already thrilled with our child's experience in the Nest (prek/k - Sheryl and Nancy are the best!) and then Covid hit, and we have felt so cared for by the head of school and the entire faculty and staff. They adjusted so quickly to continue to provide education in line with the school's mission and have discovered so many new ways to help children thrive, both because of and in spite of a pandemic. I think the school has experienced some growing pains, but have truly been able to be reflective on what needs improvement and is actively working to make TCS the best school that it can be. This includes professional development for teachers, more supports for students in need, and a renewed commitment to eco-literacy. If you have any thoughts or wonders about Touchstone for your child, I would highly recommend to just come and see for yourself! Take a tour, hear children laughing, see teachers connecting with students, feel the joy. You'll be so glad you did.