Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

L-r, Daniel, Josh, George, Ben, David, Owen, Zoey, Grace, Adele, Stephen

Enjoy photos from the graduation ceremony

TCS Weekly is published most Sunday mornings during the school year.

Dear Parents,

The year has ended and we are preparing for a full summer program. This past week has been incredibly busy with the full staff participating in Orton-Gillingham training, finishing reports, packing up classrooms, and having many many many discussions and reflections.

Thank you all for your contributions this year. Your support in the classrooms, chaperoning and driving field trips, helping with AISNE, serving on the board of trustees and/or on a committee, coming to our Stewardship/Clean-up Days, or volunteering at Hopkinton Pride, Mess Fest, or the Admissions Lab, graduation, and everything else that I did not say, but you helped with. Thank you for your donations to the annual fund, to the auction, to classroom supplies, including a projector in the Burrow, and sponsoring (through a donation) additional time for Jodi to teach music. Thank you to the Parents Association for who did so much during the year for our families and faculty, and who raised $1000 through school events (the money has been directed to the playground fund). Every bit matters and every act is appreciated. (Enjoy photos of the year.)

Many of us will be around this summer, so whether you are returning or moving on to other adventures, please keep us in mind and stop by. We will miss those who are leaving. Remember, you are an alum regardless of the years spent and we are always happy to see you again.

For those of you that do not know, Elizabeth Eastwood has accepted a teaching position much closer to her home at the Campus School of Smith College, where she will be teaching third grade. She cared deeply about her students and brought a passion for the sciences and a desire to dig in deep to the anti-bias and Learning for Justice curriculum standards. This past year, she served on our Board of Trustees and on the DEI Committee. The Campus School of Smith is a progressive school with many similarities to Touchstone. Their head of school was excited to bring Elizabeth to their campus. Elizabeth will truly be missed and filling her shoes has taken many thoughtful discussions. A Letter from Elizabeth.

The faculty took this week to reflect on how to best support the social emotional and academic growth in each of our students, to make sure that every student has a home-based classroom with a lead teacher(s) that will ensure their sense of belonging, and a clear communication stream line for parents. Consequently, there are a few changes in place that we believe will best serve your child with our teachers strengths and experiences. Later in the summer you will receive a letter from your child(ren)’s head teacher(s).

This is the central organization:

• Patty will still lead the Den with the support of Erin
• Nancy and Sheryl will continue to co-lead the Nest
• Maggie will continue to lead the Burrow with the support of Laura in math and literacy and Nicole in theme (social studies and science)
• Nicole and Kate will co-lead the Meadow, with Liza teaching literacy with the support of Laura.
• Please read Kate and Nicole's letter. 
• Liza will continue to lead the Hive, with Anne and CJ teaching theme (social studies and science).
• Anne and CJ will continue to lead the OSP with Kate teaching 7th and 8th grade math.
• Matt and Tooba will still be connecting with all classes through woodworking, garden, stewardship, and art.
• Mary will be providing O-G tutoring to specific students or small groups of students outside of class time. 

I invite you to email me your thoughts and/or questions. sallyk@touchstoneschool.com.

We are excited about the year ahead, and looking forward to the next four weeks of the summer program.

Wishing you a wonderful summer,

Sally

P.S. Enjoy photos from Generations and Friends Day.

The Summer Day 

by Mary Oliver

(read by Anne to the students at the TCS Graduation)

Who made the world?

Who made the swan, and the black bear?

Who made the grasshopper?

This grasshopper, I mean —

the one who has flung herself out of the grass,

the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,

who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down —

who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.

Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.

Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.

I don't know exactly what a prayer is.

I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down

into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,

how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,

which is what I have been doing all day.

Tell me, what else should I have done?

Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?

Happy Juneteenth!

Juneteenth is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans who had been enslaved in the United States. Although the emancipation proclamation was signed almost two and a half years earlier, the news of this important decision didn’t reach Texas until June 19th, 1865. Now, Juneteenth is celebrated annually on June 19th as it represents an important turning point for our nation. It became a federal holiday in June 2021. It is an opportunity for families of all racial and ethnic heritages to acknowledge and honor Black American history. Over the last 150 years, Juneteenth has been honored in many ways:

• In the 1870s, an outdoor space in Texas was purchased to become Emancipation Park;
• In the early 1900s, families put on their best clothes to picnic and listen to celebration speeches;
• Today, families and friends gather for backyard barbecues, neighborhoods put on festivals, and some cities hold parades and close businesses for the day in respect for the occasion. 

Juneteenth is a time to celebrate stories of resilience, resistance, and liberation, and to uplift Black joy. For white families and non-Black POC families, it is also a time of reflection and a time to make actionable plans to combat racism. 

Information was gathered from these useful resources:

• National Museum of African American History and Culture Kids: Understanding Juneteenth
• How Juneteenth (and Other Celebrations) Can Be Meaningful for Your Family (pbs.org)
• allyelementary.com