School Psychologist. Can Help! School Psychology Training 9/2/15. What is a School Psychologist?

Transcription

1 Do You Have Students That Struggle with Academic, Behavior, or Social Emotional Skills? A School Psychologist Can Help! Presenters: Breanna Dykes, Ed.S. School Psychologist Independence School District breanna_dykes@isdsch oo ls.org Pamela August, Ph.D. Coordinator - School Psychology North Kansas City Schools [email protected] rg What is a School Psychologist? School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community for all students. School Psychology Training School psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education. Typically complete either a specialist- level degree program or a doctoral degree, both of which include a year- long 1,200- hour supervised internship. 1

2 School Psychology Training Focuses On Data collection and analysis Assessment Progress monitoring School- wide practices to promote learning Resilience and risk factors Consultation and collaboration Academic/learning interventions Mental health interventions Behavioral interventions School Psychology Training Focuses On Instructional support Prevention and intervention services Special education services Crisis preparedness, response, and recovery Family school community collaboration Diversity in development and learning Research and program evaluation Professional ethics, school law, and systems Certification and/or Licensure School Psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they work, and cannot hold the title School Psychologist without this certification or licensure. National certification may also be attained. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) sets standards for graduate preparation, credentialing, professional practice, and ethics. The NASP Practice Model (2010) outlines the services that school psychologists are encouraged to provide. 2

3 Graduate Training Programs in Missouri University of Missouri, Columbia (MU): offers Ed.S. and Ph.D. programming University of Missouri, St. Louis (UMSL): offers Ed.S. programming The Missouri Association of School Psychologists is currently advocating and encouraging the development of additional School Psychology programs across the state. School Psychologists vs. School Psychological Examiners School Psychologist Ed.S degree or higher 60 hours coursework 1,200 + hours supervised internship Focus is on 10 practice domains Applicant must also pass a comprehensive competency assessment School Psychological Examiner M.A. degree or higher 24 hours coursework 150 hours supervised field experience Focus is strictly on standardized assessment A Week in the Life......of a School Psychologist in North Kansas City Travel between 1-2 schools (approx students) Run RtI meetings and lead data teams Participate in PBIS supports Participate in building PST, SAT, Care, or other teams Consult with teachers on behavior, develop behavior plans Consult with teachers on academics and interventions Individual and group therapy Meet with teams to consider special education referrals Case manage special education evaluations Complete all testing for evaluations 3

4 A Week in the Life......of a School Psychologist in Independence: Serve 14 buildings across district (approx students) Provide district- wide PD on various topics Train and implement trauma sensitive school practices Provide behavior consultation Participate on problem- solving teams Guide buildings on conducting functional behavior assessments and developing behavior intervention plans Conduct and interpret social/emotional/behavior assessment for special education evaluations Consult on special education evaluations and IEPs Collaboration with staff on prevention services for students Provide crisis response and conduct threat assessments What can a School Psychologist do for your School District? School Psychologists Work with Students to... Provide individual or small group counseling, instruction, and mentoring Provide crisis intervention for students Increase achievement by assessing barriers to learning Determine the best instructional strategies to improve learning Promote wellness and resilience Enhance understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures and backgrounds 4

5 Students and Their Families to: Identify and address learning and behavior problems Evaluate eligibility for special education services Explain results of educational evaluations and data used to assess student progress Support students' social, emotional, and behavioral health Assist in coordinating school and community support services Provide continuing education and parenting workshops on topics such as behavior management, homework strategies and self- advocacy Teachers to: Facilitate problem- solving/data teams and other school- based teams in implementing three- tiered models of student support Identify and resolve academic barriers to learning Design and implement student progress monitoring systems Design and implement academic and behavioral interventions Support effective individualized instruction Create positive classroom environments Teachers to: Analyze student data to determine the effectiveness of interventions provided and to evaluate growth in student learning Complete comprehensive educational assessments to identify students with special education needs and to address programming needs Assist special educators in translating evaluation results into meaningful educational recommendations and IEP goals Facilitate the development of measurable IEP goals and use of data- based measurement to evaluate student progress 5

6 School Psychologists Work with Teachers to: Facilitate understanding of community mental health, medical, and psycho- educational evaluation reports, including understanding the implications of various DSM diagnoses Conduct functional behavioral assessments Develop positive behavioral intervention plans Coordinate and present staff in- service training Conduct threat assessments and provide crisis response assistance, when necessary Administrators to: Assist in identifying, developing, and adopting effective district- wide screening assessments Collect and analyze data related to school improvement, student outcomes, and accountability requirements Implement school- wide prevention programs that help maintain positive school climates Promote school policies and practices that ensure the safety of all students Respond to crises by providing leadership and direct services Design, implement, and gather support for comprehensive school mental health programming School Psychologists work with Administrators to: Develop and Implement Response to Intervention Programs or other Tiered Supports School Psychologists have specific training in the RtI model They can support RtI programs by Developing methods for school- wide screening Training teachers and administrators to use the data and group students Collecting additional data to identify specific academic concerns Identifying evidence based interventions Assisting teachers in analyzing data to monitor student response to intervention Advising teams on when to increase or decrease intervention Using RtI data to made decisions about special education eligibility 6

7 Community Providers to: Coordinate the delivery of services to students and their families in and outside of school Help students transition to and from school and community learning environments, such as residential treatment or juvenile justice programs How can you get the most out of your School Psychologist? Caseload recommendation- currently the National Association of School Psychologists recommends 1 School Psychologist to every students. Many districts have specialized the School Psychologist role to meet their needs, at this time. Behavior/Mental Health specialists Academic specialists Assessment/RtI specialists Interested in hiring a School Psychologist? If you are interested in having a School Psychologist in your district or would like more information, please contact either presenter, visit the Missouri Association of School Psychologists (MASP) at or MASP at [email protected]. We look forward to supporting or continuing to support students and districts within the state of Missouri! 7

8 Credit/Recognition Information provided was adapted from the National Association of School Psychologists, What is a School Psychologist and Who are School Psychologists articles located on as well as from the Missouri Association of School Psychologists, What can a School Psychologist do for a School District? article on 8