Learn, make, move, play, improve, explore, taste and more...NCE has a class for you!
NCE Middle School Programs
Needham Community Education’s NCE Elementary program offers a wide array of after school classes at each elementary school at the end of the school day.
Summer Explorations 2026
Health and Wellness
Exercise and recreation classes
Fine arts and crafts
DYI, home, garden and skills classes
Humanities and science programs
Investment and financial planning classes
Parenting programs
Learn to play a game or improve your game skills
SSAT, SAT prep, PSAT prep, and prep school, college and grad school application related programs for students and parents.
Special events
NCE Elementary After School Classes for Broadmeadow Students
NCE Elementary After School Classes for Eliot Students
NCE Elementary After School Classes for Mitchell Students
NCE Elementary After School Classes for Newman Students
NCE Elementary After School Classes at Sunita WIlliams
NCE Kids' Late Afternoon and Evening Classes
NCE Kids Virtual Classes
Private Music Lessons
Were you disappointed with last year’s garden? Do you need to update your overgrown landscape? Most importantly, do you feel you are spending too much time and money on landscape maintenance? If you answered yes to any of these questions, join us for this two-session class to learn how to cultivate a beautiful but low maintenance garden. We will focus on techniques for designing, planting, and maintaining an inexpensive and environmentally responsible garden. In addition, you will be introduced to some new plants to enhance your garden this spring, including lesser-known, easy-care trees, evergreens, flowering shrubs, bulbs, perennials, and ground covers for sun or shade, wet or dry sites. This course includes a photo-presentation of plants, useful handouts to take home, and time for specific questions.
Joanne Neale is a former attorney and the owner of Needham-based Garden MentorSM. Since 2000, she has provided over 600 Metrowest homeowners with garden designs, consulting on plant identification and care, and personal plant shopping services. Her gardening philosophy is based on low maintenance, sustainability and organic methods, with an emphasis on native plants which support pollinators. Joanne was a speaker at the 2017 Boston Flower and Garden Show and has taught at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. She has published articles on gardening and won awards for her garden photography. Joanne is an active member of Green Needham, Ecological Landscape Alliance, Native Plant Trust, Grow Native Massachusetts and many other environmental and horticultural organizations. Her Needham landscape, with woodland garden, mini-meadow, raised perennial beds and extensive bulb plantings, was included on the first Needham Women’s Club Garden Tour in 2012. Her website is at www.gardenmentor.net.
Joanne Neale
