Whether you run the institution or you're trying to get an answer out of one, the first job is the same: working out what's actually happening beneath the question you brought me.
Leadership teams usually need to know whether what's getting in the way is a person, a system, or a policy, because the response is entirely different depending on which it is.
Families usually need to know what a school must do, what it's choosing to do, and where that difference gives them leverage. In both cases, the first version of the story is rarely the whole one.
Different chairs, same table.
For schools and programs
School improvement and turnaround
Diagnostic first, then a plan your team can actually run. I've moved a school three levels on a five-level rating scale and taken reading growth from the 1st percentile to the 90th.
Instructional quality and curriculum
Standards alignment, coaching frameworks, and evaluation systems that hold up when you're not in the room. Particularly relevant for project and inquiry-based programs.
Culture, discipline, and student support
MTSS grounded in trauma-informed practice, restorative approaches, and PBIS. At one school, this cut suspensions by 25% overall and 35% for Black male students, without loosening expectations.
Leadership development
Building senior teams, defining accountability that people accept, and preparing leaders to run sites you can't be at. Includes coaching for principals and heads carrying decisions they can't discuss internally.
Accreditation
WASC and IB, from application through artifact submission. I've closed a full cycle with no gaps in documentation, and built the evidence base for a fully online, globally distributed program.
For families
When a school's policy collides with your child's actual life, you're expected to argue in a language nobody taught you. Meetings move fast, the institution knows its own procedures, and you often leave without understanding what just happened.
I've written those policies and sat on the other side of those meetings. I can tell you what a school is legally required to do, what it's merely choosing to do, and where the difference gives you leverage.
Common situations: name and pronoun policies · records and disclosure · facilities access · curriculum challenges and book removals · bullying responses · disability accommodations and support plans · disciplinary proceedings
I've done this from the other side too: pushing for inclusive policy at my own children's schools, without the authority I had as a principal. It's a different kind of conversation, and I know how it feels.
How it works: we start with a call to understand the situation and what you want. From there, it might be a single strategy session, help preparing for a specific meeting, review of correspondence and documents, or ongoing support through a longer process. You don't need to commit to anything before we talk.
Begin the conversation.
Submit an inquiry today, and I will follow up promptly to see how I can help. All initial consultations are free and last 30-40 minutes.