Why hire a consultant for schooling transitions? 

Schooling Doula can be your schooling expert so you don’t have to! No need to take on a second career as you search for schools (like we did). We can save you hours of time. Enrolling in Preschool, Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, High School and College has changed dramatically over the past decades. Brynnen has been through it all with her unique-in-the-field experience as a preK-through-university teacher, administrator, professor, and parent. Consequently, the Schooling Doula has all the information needed to find and apply to great-fit schools for your family today. Perhaps most importantly, Brynnen is a good listener and an excellent advocate for students getting their learning needs met. 

Seattle-Area PreK-12

When we are making big schooling decisions for our children, we need neutral parties to support our discernment process. Those school comparison websites don’t give us much information beyond counts and test scores which do not help us evaluate the culture and quality of a learning community. Who has time to go to every school and to track down faculty, leadership and parents to get the information needed? The Schooling Doula aims to be that impartial resource for families’ school decision-making in the Seattle area. With thirty years as an education professional, 26 years of those working in the Seattle area in a range of schools as a practitioner, researcher, and parent, we are uniquely equipped to help you navigate the school-choice waters.

As a professional educator and researcher, when it came to selecting schools for her own children, Brynnen did extensive research into all of the options, and as luck would have it, her kids have attended or she has worked or studied at almost every “kind” of school out there. Recently, Brynnen needed to find an alternate middle school for her son (pulling him out mid-year—he LOVED that, not). Luckily, she had recently taken a leave from her administrator position, because that search became a full time job. She spent hours during the week and on weekends going to every public and private school that had a possibility for an opening—going to their tours and information sessions, going to meetings with faculty, administrators and parents, and all while reading the websites, doing the applications, and talking with the enrollment offices.

College and University

If you or your family could use someone with whom you can talk through these decisions, Brynnen would love to partner with you. Guidance counseling is really rare in high schools these days. Most students get just a few minutes with a counselor as they make huge decisions about which course of study to pursue or which activities to try. Brynnen had to do the research herself for her kids and her friends’ and family’s kids, and you can benefit from this! College counseling is included for many private high schoolers; our public school kids are no less deserving of support. 

From her own experience as a parent of a college-bound young person, Brynnen knows how valuable it is for all involved to have someone outside the family unit to serve as a neutral guide, an accountability partner, and a cheerleader-coach who can help the young person discern what they are looking for, and set goals and timelines to get there. That said, this is a family process and parents and caregivers are welcomed to join most meetings and work sessions if desired. Brynnen enjoys working with parents, as well, and has coached parents to do the active support of their child’s discernment, essay-writing or applications in situations where the student didn’t want the direct support but the family wanted support.

Every family is different and we are here to support you with whatever you need.

Let’s find those great-fit schools for you, or let’s work together to get your needs met at your current school.