One of our most important jobs as parents is finding a school where our kids are able to flourish intellectually and emotionally.

Working as a school administrator, I've seen firsthand how finding such a school can bring families immeasurable peace and happiness. I've also seen how deeply stressful it can be for families when their school ends up being a poor fit.

But finding a great-fit school is not a simple task.

First, there's the problem of discovery. Austin has many schools; some are widely known, others you've never heard of. Some schools have a slick website, tour, and admissions process, while others are hard to get ahold of and may seem indifferent to attracting new families. It can take hours of talking to neighbors, scouring search results, reading Facebook parenting forums, and so on, to simply compile a list of interesting options.

Once you've created your list, you will then spend a dozen or more hours attending open houses, tours, admissions events, and other info sessions designed to market the school. Some of these will be helpful sessions that give you a glimpse into a school you love. Most will provide limited information on a school that you didn’t realize was a poor fit until you walked in the door.

Once your list is narrowed, there's the matter of getting in. For some schools, a spot is guaranteed (public schools), or somewhat guaranteed (public school transfers), or a game of chance (charter school lotteries), or shrouded in mystery (private school admissions). Staying on top of these different processes to put your child in the best possible position to get in can feel like a full-time job.

Many families simply do not have the time to give this process the thoroughness they know it needs.

That's where I come in.

I'm an expert on Central Austin's K-12 schools. Over the past two years, I've toured every private and charter school in Central Austin. I'm deeply familiar with Austin ISD and Eanes ISD schools, as well as their relevant transfer policies. Prior to becoming obsessed with Central Austin's education landscape, I spent four years as the Head of K-8 at Alpha, one of Austin's private schools, and worked at the Texas Education Agency, which oversees all public education in Texas.

I partner with your family to do the following:

• Get to know your child and your family, including your values, preferences, and educational needs

• Prepare a short list of good-fit school options for your family to tour, assist with the logistics of scheduling tours and open house visits, and equip you with a list of questions to ask to get the most out of your visits

• Provide support for the application process, including essay review and editing and referrals to specialists when applicable

• Assist in your final selection of a school

Overall, my goal is to de-stress, de-complicate, and de-mystify the K-12 school admissions process for Austin families. A great-fit school is out there. We will find it.