Finding Your Child’s Perfect School Match in St. Louis, MO

PK–12 guidance for families

I’m Lisa Trout, an Independent Educational Consultant with more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, school leader, and Director of Admissions in St. Louis. I help families find PK–12 schools where their children can thrive academically, socially, and extracurricularly. Additionally, I partner with schools and parent groups to prepare students for the admissions process. With a background that includes leadership roles, service on key committees, and years of direct work with students, I bring both professional expertise and a personal passion for helping children discover the right school fit.

About Lisa

Personal Guidance. Educational Insight. Upstream Success.

Tailored Approach

As a parent, do you feel overwhelmed with all of the many school choices in the St. Louis area? Or, are you finding the admissions process too time-consuming and demanding? I can help alleviate the confusion and stress! Working collaboratively with families, I take time to understand each child’s strengths and personality, as well as each family’s values. Then, I use my knowledge of St. Louis PK-12 schools to create a tailored list of options where each student can thrive. From there, I partner with the family throughout the admissions season to simplify and streamline the process. The result… students and parents who feel prepared and confident.

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Helping Your Child Thrive

Choosing the right school for your child can feel daunting, especially in a city with so many options for PK through 12th grade. Working with an experienced educational consultant in St. Louis provides families with clarity, guidance, and confidence.

Explore Services

Local Insights and Proven Enrollment Strategy

With years of admissions leadership experience in St. Louis schools, I help families understand the local educational landscape. Whether a family is considering an independent school, a public school, a religious school or a school with specific programming such as Montessori, Reggio, or Waldorf, I guide parents in creating a clear enrollment strategy that ensures each child finds just the right environment where they can grow and thrive.

A Truly Individualized, Family-Focused Partnership

I intentionally work with only a limited number of families so I can provide the highest level of personalized guidance and dedicated attention. By keeping my focus small and meaningful, I am able to deeply understand each child’s unique strengths, challenges, and needs. This allows me to create a customized plan that nurtures growth, builds confidence, and reassures families that their child’s success and well-being will always remain the top priority.

Efficiency Meets Heart in School Placement

School searches can feel overwhelming with applications, deadlines, and tours. I provide structure, guidance, and tools to reduce stress and keep the process on track, while focusing on the whole child and helping families consider academics, social development, and school culture.

Unbiased and Expert Educational Guidance

As an independent consultant, I am not governed by any school. This allows me to provide honest, objective advice focused solely on each child’s best interests, helping families find a school where their child will be challenged, supported, and inspired.

Empowering Education

Preparation

Preparing students for school visits and interviews

Goals

Highlighting your child’s strengths, talents, and goals

Alignment

Recommending schools that align with your student’s needs

Guidance

Offering ongoing guidance and advocacy throughout the process

Focus Areas

PK-12 Education

I specialize in consulting for families navigating PK–12 education, offering tailored strategies to enhance the admissions experience and serving as an advocate and partner for parents. I also collaborate with elementary schools, providing programming for students and parents that builds confidence, develops essential skills, and prepares families for a successful admissions process.

Student Guidance

I take time to carefully review each student’s past transcripts and evaluations (if applicable) and meet with them to learn about their current strengths and challenges, and their goals for the next school. With this understanding, I create personalized recommendations that focus on finding the best fit—supporting growth, building confidence, and setting the stage for long-term success.

Admissions Timeline

I design a clear, step-by-step admissions timeline tailored to each family’s needs, outlining key milestones such as preparing for interviews, scheduling and making the most of campus visits, and organizing required materials. This structured approach helps families feel prepared, stay on track with every deadline, and approach the admissions process with confidence and ease.

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My Approach

Comprehensive Consulting and Admissions Insight

Inquiry Call

I begin with a brief introductory call to gather basic information such as your child’s age, grade, current school, and general needs or expectations. This conversation also helps us determine if my services are the right fit for your family.

Family Strategy Session

Once we’ve determined your needs and which plan you would like to move forward with, we will strategize next steps in creating your unique path for a smooth admissions process.

Guided Admissions Support

Families who work with me gain more than just a school list—they gain a trusted partner in the process. I provide personalized guidance and ongoing support so the search feels less overwhelming and more intentional. Together, we’ll explore options, identify schools where your child will thrive, and move through each stage of the journey with clarity and confidence.

Success Stories

What Families and School Leaders Say About Working with Lisa

"I cannot recommend Lisa Trout highly enough. She brings a rare combination of warmth, authenticity, and expertise to everything she does. With her engaging personality and thoughtful approach, she immediately puts families at ease while guiding them through what can often feel like an overwhelming process. I have had the privilege of working with Lisa extensively over many years, and her professionalism, care, and commitment shine through in every interaction. I trust her judgement completely. For anyone seeking guidance in navigating the independent school admissions process, Lisa is an exceptional resource and partner."

"Thank goodness for Lisa. I did not grow up in Saint Louis. Having to navigate the private school system was daunting. Our daughters needed individual special learning considerations and a great social fit for lasting friendships. Lisa was extremely personable, perceptive and skillful at helping us to choose the right schools for our girls, grade school and high school. The girls thrived at their schools and found incredible friends. We are forever grateful."

Parent

"Thank you so much for meeting with our family. It was such a pleasure to meet you. We appreciated your kindness. We felt at ease and enjoyed our talk very much."