School Selection Consultations
School Selection Overview
Engaged Minds offers school selection consultations to help you find the best fit elementary, middle, and high school learning environment for your child in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill NC area, including public, private, and homeschool options. She works with all learners and specializes in matching neurodivergent students to their best fit school environments, including students who are academically gifted, twice exceptional, as well as students with learning differences or developmental disabilities.
Why Seek A School Selection Consultation?
The decision of what school to enroll your child in is a tremendous one that has the potential to set your child up for success in life. By placing your child in a nurturing and supportive academic and social environment, they can grow to their full potential. In contrast, a poor fit can lead to academic setbacks and harm to your child’s self-esteem and emotional well-being.
Enlisting the advice of a skilled educational consultant saves time and highlights opportunities that are often overlooked, making the school search process easier, more enjoyable, and ultimately successful. It’s an investment well spent!
Mary Beth’s Expertise
Mary Beth has an undergraduate degree in elementary education from Duke University and a graduate degree in educational psychology with a concentration in gifted education from the University of Virginia. She spent 15 years working in the independent school sector and is the parent of a neurodivergent child. As such, she knows firsthand the importance of school culture and values in determining fit with a family.
Just like each child is unique, schools are not one size fits all. Mary Beth has knowledge of the public and private schools in the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill areas. She has attended numerous private school campus tours and has fostered relationships with many of the local admissions directors. With this knowledge and experience comes her ability to match your child’s needs to their best fit environment.
Mary Beth is an associate level member of the IECA, Independent Educational Consultants Association. She has completed IECA’s Summer Institute Training. This demonstrates her commitment to professional growth and knowledge.
Mary Beth Hes M.Ed., A/OGA
she/hers
Associate Level Member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)
Completed IECA’s Summer Institute Training
School Consultation Pricing
Engaged Mind’s hourly rate for school selection consultations is $250. Families currently enrolled in tutoring receive the discounted rate of $200 an hour. Partial hours are billed as a full hour.
We recommend 1-4 hours of consulting time, depending on the needs of the student and preference of the family.
Arrange a Consultation
Please complete the linked interest form to begin the school selection consultation process. Once completed, our team will reach out to schedule a complimentary meet and greet. Questions may be sent to marybethhes@engagedminds.net.
Legal Disclaimers
Admissions:
Engaged Minds has no influence on the admissions process. Our recommendations do not imply that the student will be accepted at any given school. Furthermore, our recommendations are not a guarantee that the child or family will be satisfied with the school selected. Engaged Mind’s school recommendations are suggestions for further investigation by the family; the responsibility for school selection ultimately rests with the parents.
Range of Schools to Consider:
Recommendations are limited by the schools available in the area, and in the case of students with complex learning and/or emotional needs, an ideal school fit may not be available. In this case, recommendations will be made based on the best-fit available, even when no perfect match can be made.
Families with a neurodivergent child may need to consider a range of learning environments including specialized schools for students with learning differences or developmental disabilities, local public schools, services with a tutor at a private school, and homeschooling as options. Additionally, families may need to consider private schools in a neighboring city (such as Durham residents considering schools in Chapel Hill or Raleigh).