FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
“Due to my spouse’s job, we moved to Seattle during the height of Covid and online learning. All I can say, it was made 1000x easier once we began working with Jeanne. She was referred by my husband’s employer and our realtor.”
HOW MUCH IS A CONSULTATION?
You can find detailed information on pricing in the pricing section of my website.
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED?
Many families need only 1-2 hours of consultation time, especially if they are already familiar with the Seattle area. The average consultation is 3-4 hours and I charge hourly to make sure you are only paying for the time you need to have a balanced list of school options.
HOW DO WE BOOK AN APPOINTMENT?
There is GET IN TOUCH button on each page of the website including the pricing page. I respond to most inquiries within 24 hours.
WHAT DO YOU COVER IN THE INITIAL CONSULTATION?
An initial consultation takes place over Zoom and the first contact usually works best with just the adults on the call. We will review specifics to your family including job location, information on your children, current school, interests, academic track record and curriculum requests. We will spend the rest of the consultation speaking about school districts and/or independent school options and usually have time to get even more specific. I always recommend you take notes, as we can cover a lot in the initial meeting.
DO YOU PREFER INDEPENDENT (PRIVATE) SCHOOLS TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
I feel that Seattle has a wide range of strong public and independent schools. Like many cities, the schools vary by area and even with the individual district. When we meet, we will discuss best fit for the student, your commute, budget, and family values to determine options for your family.
DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHILDREN IDENTIFIED WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES?
Yes. I will review your students IEP and/or 504 reports and dive deeper into a best fit learning environment. The Seattle area offers support services across public schools, and they will differ by district and school. There are also several independent schools addressing specific learning needs that may be an option. If I can not be of assistance, I will refer you to an IECA that specializes in this area.
DO YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH A CHILD THAT IS A GIFTED LEARNER?
Yes. I can review current evaluations including the CogAT, Weschler (Wisc-V) and Stanford Binet and will use that information to gauge if your child qualifies for a program or will need to sit for additional testing. The Seattle area offers highly capable services in many of the public schools beginning in elementary school and is home to several highly capable independent schools too.
CAN YOU GET US A TOUR OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL?
I can never guarantee a tour and it is not common for public schools to allow tours outside of their planned Open House events. In some cases, a public school will allow a family to visit, and I am happy to facilitate. If a visit is not allowed, we will talk through other strategies to get to know the school and community.
CAN YOU GET US A TOUR OF A PRIVATE SCHOOL?
Many times, it makes sense for the family to reach out directly to the admissions director to arrange a visit. This is not always possible for families relocating internationally or off the admissions cycle and I am here to assist you. We will identify right fit schools and craft a plan for your visits. In some cases, families would like me to attend the visits with them (when applying off cycle) and this can easily be arranged but is not necessary.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING BOARDING SCHOOL — CAN YOU HELP?
I would be happy to provide you a list of IECA consultants that specialize in boarding schools across North America.
OUR CHILD IS A STRONG ATHLETE — CAN YOU RECOMMEND SPORTS PROGRAMS? WHAT ABOUT THE ARTS?
Yes, being a Seattle local and having raised my own children here, I am very well versed in sports, the arts and camp opportunities. I am happy to research and provide recommendations across all extra-curricular activities.
WHY DO I NEED A CONSULTANT? CAN’T WE JUST USE GREAT SCHOOLS?
Hiring a consultant is an option and tends to work well defining what a family is looking for in a school and can save a family a lot of research time. It is not necessary to hire an IECA and Great Schools can be accurate tool when evaluating school demographics. Beyond school demographics, the test score area doesn’t indicate what students were tested. The special programs the school offers may impact the scores (gifted, ELL, learning services) and not paint an accurate picture of the education occurring in that school. I have also found many of the parent reviews to be dated and not reflecting the current administration.