A Conversation with Verona
Let’s take a few moments to find out who Verona Keating is, how her practice, Keating Educational Consultants, came to be, and what qualifies her to help families along the path to finding the right school for their children.
Who is Verona?
First and foremost, Verona is a parent, having raised three children in a combination of public and private school environments, and proud to say her children are all making their way in school and life. This is a frightfully short sentence to describe a lifetime of learning and caring. All the more reason to call Verona to learn more. Moving on!
Verona has a strong independent school background, focusing on admissions, as well as her work as an international public relations and marketing professional. She took the best parts of her experience working on the other side of the desk as admissions and school counseling directors, as well as their first-hand understanding of what families are looking for, and resolved to share this expertise to help families find the best-fit schools for their children.
The Keating Education Raison d’Être
Verona shares her knowledge of the education landscape — which stretches from preschool through higher education — with her clients. She understands a family’s anxieties and goals as they embark on the search for a school that will challenge and enrich their child while also providing a well-rounded, joyful, and developmentally-appropriate education.
Through her boutique-style consulting practice, she recognizes that no two children are alike. She creates a tailored admission process expressly for each student, and accomplishes this through transparent discussions with families, students, and schools, to demystify the process. Families can be confident she has the information she needs to make informed decisions.
Some Specifics – How Do She Do That?
- Admissions support for families with children entering preschool through high school
- Essay development and guidance
- Enrichment support
- Social-emotional and academic workshops for parents and student
- Relocation assistance
Let’s Hear from Verona
Verona Keating
- Individual approach
- Partnership
- Community
- Student Profile
Verona has worked in the school environment for many years and has found there are a few things to keep in mind to find the “best-fit” school. Verona states “I realize that no two children learn the same way. Each child has their personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes, curiosities, and a long list of other attributes to consider in planning how to reach the best outcome. The school search process is therefore like a giant jigsaw puzzle. My job is to help families and students fit all the pieces together.” Otherwise said, there is no ‘one size fits all approach’.
Verona shared good advice for parents who are considering switching their child/children to another school, “An optimal learning environment is crucial in the foundational years. This is what sets a child up to be a curious, lifelong engaged learner. Look for a school that places emphasis on character, learning style, and extracurricular interests, as well as academics. Look for a school where your child will be seen and heard. The sense of community your child finds in their best-fit school will be a key to their success.”
Why Work with Keating Education?
Verona has successfully led many families through school searches. Her experience working as admissions director — combined with her own experience as a parent searching for educational opportunities for her own three children — allows her to share her expertise with families and help to find best-fit schools and solutions.
She have also provided valuable guidance to students who are working on admissions essays and preparing for interviews. These one-on-one consultations, based on parent input, organic conversations, student profiles, and years of experience conducting these reviews from a school’s perspective, are what make Keating Education experts in the school search field.
Verona takes great pride in the relationships she builds with the parents and students they place. Open and clear communication, sincere passion for the well-being of the children she assists, and years of experience in the field of school admissions all come together to help families along that path to successful school placements.