Research Touchstone School Private Schools in West Linn, Oregon

“We were very disappointed with the school. The environment and school curriculum somehow suppress the children s imagination and creativity, the mind set and culture of the school are very traditional. The music and art programs do not give kids much benefit. Do some shopping around, you will easily find better arts and music classes/programs that help your kids passion towards arts. The playground is very poorly maintained. There is no fence to the outside road, the administration counts on the responsibility from kids that they know they would not walk outside. Save your money and find a better public school or chose another good private school.”

“We've had our 2 kids at Touchstone for several years and have always been very happy. The great strength of the school is in the teachers & other staff. They are creative, intelligent, consistent, and go beyond the call of duty. The school is intellectually rigorous without being pretentious. The school community is caring and warm. Even the school lunches are noticeably healthy, while still being kid-friendly. We also appreciate the diversity of the community.”

“I have two children at Touchstone Elementary School. We have been involved with this school for the last 4 years. The school management and teachers are exceptional. My children go to school everyday excited about school. In fact, they hate to leave and frequently want to stay in extended care. They are respected, cherished, and feel loved by the staff. My boys have very different learning styles and needs and the teachers have always addressed their different learning needs accurately and with success. This review is to address some of the complaints made in the previous reviews. Over the years some children have been asked to leave due to severe behavioral problems such as bullying or disruptive behavior. I know that the school attempts extensive teacher and management counseling for the student and their family and only with great regret is the student asked to leave. Complaints regarding the art and music program are unfounded. In LO the public elementary students have a single one-hour block of art each month, which is taught by a parent volunteer. My children have art class 1-2 times a week taught by an art teacher, they have music 2 days a week, and Spanish 3 days a week. The public school does not offer a foreign language in elementary school during the school day and music is once a week. In addition they have experiential science (my son learned parts of the periodic table in 5th grade), geography and integrated history. The third complaint is about the building. Yes, it really needs to be updated. The school has tried for the last four years to find a new school site within 5 miles of its present location. A very difficult task. They have a tentative new site that will be exciting and wonderful for the students in the future. The last complaint is student-teacher ratio. All classes are blends with a maximum of 20 or less students with additional teachers for math and a full-time assistant in the lower grades plus numerous parent volunteers. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Touchstone and all of the staff. I find it impossible to deny my boys the wonderful education they are receiving at Touchstone Elementary School.”

“Some of the confusion in these reviews stem from the fact that there are two separate Touchstone Schools: a preschool and an elementary school. I cannot speak to the preschool, but at the elementary school the class sizes are always less than twenty, and there is a substantial art and music curriculum with weekly activities in these areas. Nor is it only for 'gifted' children. Both my boys have average academic skills and have thrived at the elementary school because of the individual attention, small class sizes, and rich curriculum. I have never seen a family asked to leave the school unless there were a severe behavioral problem that had not responded to multiple interventions, which happens very rarely.”

“Touchstone provides a great balance of academic rigor and fun. The teaching staff is fantastic - they are a dedicated group of professionals who really care about and take the extra time to get to know each child. School choice is huge for parents, and I can firmly say that we couldn't have made a better choice for our children's elementary school education. Our relationship with Touchstone began in 2000. One of our kids has already graduated from Touchstone taking a solid foundation with him to junior high. Our other two kids are building a similar foundation - one that includes a love of learning, critical analysis, strong sense of self and life long friendships. Class participation and public speaking are an integral part of the curriculum allowing even the shyest kids to develop this important skill. Opportunities such as LEGO robotics and drama club are icing on the cake!”

“The ratio of teacher to student in this school approaches 30 even though they tell you it is 1:20. There is no art program. Music program is scarce. Although they say parent involvement is welcome, they actually do not welcome parents' involvement in school.”

“Poor school for the average kid. Be prepared for them to rip your child out of their school and send them to the public school system. If your child is not gifted, they will not be welcome. Teachers were not more qualified than the LOSD public schools for them to be so arrogant, pricey and choosy. They are hurting for enrollment now, which is not surprising. Please save your child the ebarrasement and look elsewhere, or I will be saying; 'told you so'.”

“Touchstone is a wonderful facility that I would recommend whole-heartedly. My first-grader is in his second year there. We have at various times in his life worried. He is gifted in math and other areas, but can be inflexible and high energy. He's also started school young (August birthday, just turned 5 when entering kindergarten). At Touchstone they have helped him be just a normal, thriving kid. The environment is comfortable and supportive. The academics are individually tailored, he's challenged in his areas of natural talent and in areas he'd prefer to ignore. Most of all, they geniunely know and care about him, and we (teacher, admin and parents) are partners in raising this wonderful boy. Importantly, he loves school, teachers and friends! The administrative side is not as tight as it could be, and the families there do tend to be busy working parents. But overall, we love it!”

“This is our son's second year at Touchstone and we couldn't be more pleased with the teachers or his progress. He was already very advanced academically when he started at Touchstone and has continued to be challenged by their program. I feel like the teachers take the time to understand each child's strengths and challenges and do everything they can to address them in positive ways. My only issue with the Touchstone environment is the seeming lack of involvement on the part of many parents. It seems like a small group consistently expends time and energy to enhance the school and its programs. While that group is effective, I wish more parents would make time to be involved.”

“As the parents of an active, intelligent, tri-lingual pre-k child we are disappointed in Touchstone's teaching practices and approach. If you would like vague comments regarding your child's social progress, a lax process improvement scale, and contradictions in what is best for your child then this is the place. A spirited, intelligent child does not fit within the Touchstone box. Touchstone 'does not have the tools' (direct staff quote) to embrace an academically superior child. Instead of taking the time to gain the tools, complacency becomes the norm. Don't rely on their teachers to be a part of the team whom help your child succeed to the best of his or her potential.”