Touchstone Community School

Don currently serves as head of school at The Park School of Buffalo in Snyder, NY, a Pre-K-through-12 progressive day school. He has a total of 35 years of experience in a variety of schools including leading the Hammonasset School in Madison, CT, the Glen Urquhart School in Beverly Farms, MA, McLean School of Maryland in Potomac, MD, and Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall School in Waltham, MA.

Don holds a B.A. from Harvard College, an M.A.T. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, a C.A.S. from Fairfield University and has undertaken graduate work in early childhood education at Wheelock College. Susan E.W. Spencer, chair of Touchstone's Board of Trustees, said in a recent letter to parents, "Don received universally positive feedback from all with whom he met at Touchstone, including parents, faculty, administrative staff, students, trustees, and members of the Search Committee. The Transition Committee and trustees found Don's 25 years of experience leading progressive schools of various sizes, his work with Mel Levine and the All Kinds of Minds national institute, and his publications, including articles in Independent School Magazine, to be an ideal match for Touchstone."

Don and his wife Catherine O'Neill Grace, an author and editor, plan to relocate to the Grafton area during the summer. Among other titles, Catherine has published two children's books with Plimoth Plantation. Don grew up in Athol, and is excited about returning to Central Massachusetts.