About Horizon Education Consulting
Our Mission
To help parents make informed decisions in educational matters.
Our Vision
Horizon Education Consulting strives to empower parents in decision making to achieve short and long term educational goals for their children, helping them move forward with objectives to achieve success on their journey of learning.
Monika Ferenczy, Senior Consultant & Owner
An Education Consultant for over a decade, Monika helps students and parents make decisions regarding learning and education. Her practice focuses on finding the best solution to meet the needs of students, young or mature, to help them reach their full potential, providing relevant and timely information for sound decision-making.
Considered an expert in the education sector, with certificates in Education Law and Human Rights for Education Professionals from Osgoode Hall, York University, principal’s qualifications, a Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of Ottawa and over 25 years of educator experience in elementary and secondary special education positions, Monika effectively supports families with special needs children and youth.
She served as an elected member of the governing Council of the Ontario College of Teachers (the regulatory body of the teaching profession in Ontario) as Vice-Chair of the Discipline Committee, and the Editorial Board for the publication Professionally Speaking. She has also served on panels of the Fitness to Practice and Teacher Program Accreditation Committees.
Monika offers education expertise in separation and divorce proceedings, presents workshops for parents and advocates for improved educational practices, policies and legislation.
Through an analysis of systemic gaps in the students’ best interest and recommendations to government, her contributions to advocacy and social justice initiatives are growing.
Monika is often invited to comment in print, radio and television media about education related trends and issues in Ontario and across Canada, and she was commissioned to write a comprehensive report on rural education in 2021.
As an author, she has published four books:
- How to Advocate for your Child in Public Education ( spring release, 2024)
- The Guide to Hosting International Students in Canada (2020)
- 12 Tips for International Students Living and Studying in Canada (2019)
- Lillian and Noah’s Great Moving Adventure (2018)
Romy Yourex, Parent Advisor and Government Policy and Affairs Liaison
Romy, originally from the Netherlands, holds a degree in International Relations from her homeland. Since relocating to Canada in 2007, she has pursued further education, culminating in the completion of a Master’s degree in Public Policy. Her professional background encompasses diverse roles in administration, research, and writing, with experience in the Alberta Legislature, private enterprises, and a think tank.
Residing in Calgary, Alberta alongside her husband and three children, two of whom have additional needs, Romy is proficient in both Dutch and English, with some knowledge of German and French. Serving as a Parent Advisor in Education, she offers assistance to families, aiding them in navigating available resources tailored to support children with special needs.
Stefania Kolesarova, Social Media Communications Lead/Administrative Assistant
In 2002, Stefania’s parents bravely immigrated to Canada from Slovakia when she was just four years old, leaving behind their familiar lives to seek a brighter future for their daughters. This journey instilled in Stefania a deep appreciation for their sacrifices and resilience. Her immigrant experience has shaped her understanding of educational challenges and the necessity of addressing diverse student needs. As a new mother, she is particularly concerned about her child’s school entry, recognizing the significance of these formative years in fostering academic and holistic development. Stefania is committed to collaborating with educators to meet her daughter’s unique needs and promote inclusive practices that honour diversity. At Horizon Consulting Inc., she focuses on enhancing educational accessibility through social communication, leveraging her background in conflict studies and human rights to advocate effectively for students and parents.
Deanna Perry, Associate Consultant/Policy & Research
With over thirty years of service in the Ontario public education system, Deanna’s career has spanned roles from classroom teacher and principal, to superintendent of education. Her extensive experience covers Kindergarten to grade 12 levels, including district-level responsibilities in Special Education, Mental Health and Wellness, Early Years Education, Safe Schools and school operations.
Deanna has a Master’s degree in Work, Organizations and Leadership as well as in Adult Education. She holds a Certificate in Education Law from Osgoode Hall Law School (York University ) and facilitator certification in Self-Regulation from the Mehrit Centre.
Emphasizing a student-centred approach, Deanna prioritizes the needs of each student and the educational environment. She envisions a responsive education system where the learning needs of each student are thoroughly understood, and met, and where families are fully welcomed as integral members of the team supporting their child’s education.
Professional Network
Caryn Bursch
Doctor of Audiology – APD Ottawa
Caryn Bursch has been working as an Audiologist for over 25 years, and focuses solely on Auditory Processing Disorders. Auditory processing testing investigates the integrity of the entire hearing system, and what arrives at the brain when listening. Children with auditory processing disorders have normal hearing, but do not always follow or understand what they hear.
Caryn works in conjunction with other medical professionals: Psychologists, Speech Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and an Optometrist who has a specialty in visual processing. This allows her to give your child a well-rounded assessment. Diagnosis and referral to other necessary professionals combine to find the keys to unlock your child’s potential. Recommendations are tailored to the child’s needs in school and at home.
Please check APDOttawa.ca for more information on Auditory Processing Disorders. Inquiries by email are always welcome.
Erin Parkes, Ph.D.
Lotus Centre for Special Music Education
- teaching to the student’s learning strengths to allow maximum learning potential and build self-confidence
- using fun remedial activities to help build skills in areas that need development to allow further growth
- designing a fun and engaging program for each student to encourage motivation
Our goal and educational philosophy is reflected by the symbol of the lotus flower–to help all students to blossom into their full potential . We believe that every child has a right to appropriate education in any endeavour they choose to pursue. Contact us! lotuscentre.net
Ken Pope Law
Practice focused on families with special needs dependents
Kenneth Pope offers specialized support to individuals with disabilities and their families in Ontario and across Canada. He is dedicated to providing legal, tax and estate planning services . Through his experience in working with special needs families, Ken has become expert in writing wills with Henson Trusts. These trusts ensure that parents of children with disabilities can protect inheritances while preserving provincial disability benefits.
Ken is knowledgeable in the application of Testamentary and Inter Vivos Trusts, asset protection, minimizing taxes on inherited assets (including income generated by those assets), Powers of Attorney, competency issues, contested and uncontested estate administration, Elder Law, and Succession Planning in general. He provides help with taxes, such as applying for new and retroactive disability tax credits, appealing Canada Revenue Agency re-assessments and tax advice consultation. Call toll-free 1-866-536-7673 or visit kpopelaw.ca
Evoke specializes in working with students (Grade One through to postsecondary) who have learning disabilities, ADHD, and ASD, or are gifted, and they understand the comorbidities that often accompany neurodiversity.
Evoke provides learning support to students through online tutoring and remediation, ADHD and executive functioning coaching, and academic strategy. Evoke helps students to build foundational skills in reading, writing, and math, as well as executive functioning and learning skills, to enable all students to access more advanced content in various academic subjects. These skills are critical to academic development.
Our tutors, academic strategists, and coaches work with students to understand and complete academic work, manage their time and stay organized, and reteach concepts and material with which they are struggling.
For a complimentary 30 minute consultation call, please contact our client experience partner, at CSpartner@evokelearning.ca.
Expanding Horizons Occupational Therapy
As service providers, occupational therapists evaluate the children in their home and other environments such as school. The initial assessment includes input from both the child as well as the caregivers. Once the assessment is complete, a full report will be provided including recommendations as well as education and feedback for families. In collaboration with the caregivers, realistic goals are created to best address the child’s needs at that time. Intervention is customized to meet those needs and to ensure that they can improve their ability to perform in their regular occupations and achieve their goals. Changes to the intervention plan and intensity of treatment can occur at any time depending on the progress of the child.
Services:
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Meeting developmental milestones for babies and toddlers
- Printing and handwriting
- Assessment for assistive technology
- Training on various software programs
- Equipment and environmental modifications
- Sensory processing
- Supporting better sleep/sleep hygiene
- Exploration of leisure activities
- Daily routine and schedule
- Strategies to improve self-care
- Attention and focus
- Organizational skills
- Classroom observations/recommendations
- Self-regulation skills
- Anxiety and stress management
- Prevocational and vocational skills
- Parent education and training
- Complete home safety assessment
Visit expandinghorizonsot.com or call 613-897-4820.
ACT Learning Centre
ACT Learning Centre is a therapy centre founded to provide evidence based, innovative and leading edge assessment and intervention for children, youth, and adults with autism spectrum disorder, developmental disabilities or developmental delays. Evidence based therapies are offered by ACT’s highly trained staff in our clinic or in your home. We provide Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), The Early Start Denver Model, The Play Project, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Speech Language Pathology, parent coaching and psychological services. Visit actlearningcentre.ca or call 613-558-0980.
NeuroLogic Physiotherapy
At NeuroLogic Physiotherapy we believe in therapy that puts compassion and quality at its forefront. Our highly skilled physiotherapists are able to treat a variety of common or rare neurological and orthopaedic conditions in adults and children. We look at the whole person, which helps us to develop a treatment plan which strives to address the cause versus solely treating the symptoms. In our approach, you are an active participant in your healing journey, rather than a passive recipient of hands-on techniques.
We offer services in English and French at two locations in Ottawa. We are proud to be working with other great health care professionals in the community, and if you’d like to reach out to us, please do so by visiting https://www.neurologicphysiotherapy.com or by calling 613-454-0121 (east end location) / 613-721-2738 (west end location).
Vision Ability
Our vision is your success.
At Vision Ability, we see vision as much more than visual acuity, as it allows us to navigate our environment, learn from our surroundings, and integrates with our vestibular and proprioceptive systems that are essential for balance and posture. Underlying deficiency in the efficacy of the visual system can impact our ability to complete day-to-day activities, our academic and/or athletic performance. We provide quality one-on-one vision therapy sessions that will allow you/your child to reach your full potential or return to your potential following a brain injury. Our highly trained vision therapists work under the direct supervision of an optometrist, and together they will develop and tailor a holistic exercise program to fit your individual needs and goals. Let us help you unlock your potential!
We happily offer our services (assessments and therapy) in both French and English. For more information, please visit our website www.visionability.ca, contact us at info@visionability.ca, or call our office at 613-695-0949. We look forward to hearing from you.
Renew Neurotherapy
Renew Neurotherapy is an interdisciplinary community and clinic-based rehabilitation practice. Services are provided in person in Eastern and Northeastern Ontario, and online, throughout the province of Ontario. Physical clinics are based in Ottawa, Pembroke and North Bay; however, a large portion of caseload is community-based and online. Access to the physical clinic is not a requirement of the position.
At Renew, our goal is to help our clients feel better, faster! We value empathy and kindness in our therapy team. We are client-focused, non-judgmental, and offer a supportive stress-free environment. We use comprehensive brain-based, science-supported therapies, techniques and resources customized to promote client recovery.
We use a neuroscience foundation to understand, explain and address mental health, learning, pain and behavioural issues. Our primary areas of practice include:
- Mental health support
- Brain injury and concussion rehabilitation
- Complex pain
- Learning disorders support
- Sleep regulation
- ADL/IADL (life skills development)
- Neurofeedback therapy
Uniquely, Renew Neurotherapy incorporates research-based neuromodulation techniques (biofeedback, neurofeedback), neuromeditation, micro-current point stimulation, etc. alongside traditional interventions to maximize client recovery.
For more information, please visit renewneurotherapy.com contact Kim Kirkwood at 613-809-1770 or by email at kim@renewneurotherapy.com.
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Make informed decisions when it comes to your children's education.Horizon Education Consulting Inc. is an Ontario-based service, but assists parents across Canada.