Psyched About School

Did you know the WS/FCS School Psychology Department publishes a newsletter several times a year?  In the current issue, you will meet our interns, learn about which staff members serve on the school psychology leadership collaborative team at the state level, read a re-cap of School Psychology Awareness Week, and meet one of our staff members who has a side gig as a pole vaulting coach.  Check it out at  Psych Speak

Dr. Corliss Thompson Drew- the leader of all of us crazy, passionate and driven people is celebrating 35 years as a School Psychologist this year. When reflecting on the years she remarked that " There are a host of people, a village, that have supported, encouraged, and helped me to get where I am today." With feeling the support of others, Dr. Thompson Drew also wants to support and impact our students. She writes " I feel a responsibility to pay that forward and lend a hand to others. I have been a mentor to high school students for several years and find that I learn as much from them as they do from me. Sometimes it’s challenging but it’s always rewarding, especially when I see them accomplish goals that they set."  When discussing what small steps are needed to change our students lives, she believes forming relationships and having communication with families is key. "   In my career, it has always been important to spend time meeting with and talking

It's easy to get caught up in what is wrong rather than focusing on what is right.  But research has shown that having a grateful attitude can reduce stress, both in students and in the teachers who care for them every day. At this time of year, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to think about the good things that we have in our lives. Many resources are available to help to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude" in the classroom.We have posted links to a couple right here: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/classroom-activities-character-development-thankful-gratitude.shtml http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/gratitude_activities_for_the_classroom

As we close out the 2016 School Psychology Awareness Week, it seems appropriate to re-post a video Dr. Emory did for us last year to celebrate.  We are fortunate to have such a supportive Superintendent in the WS/FCS! 2015 School Psychology Awareness Week Video

Alison Sharp has many insightful experiences with life. As a School Psychologist for 10 years, she offers us a look into how our schools have adapted to our changing world. She believes that a student having their basic needs met (food, clothing, shelter) impacts our students the most. Along with that, she has seen that "p overty and academic standards have both risen.  Students need more support to have their basic needs met to focus on their learning.    A local church has supported my elementary school with a backpack program and has provided our children with warm coats.     Our school has a grant so both breakfast and lunch are provided for free to all students. Teachers are rising to the academic challenge by grouping the kids to provide support, and we have revamped our reading program as well." Along with basic needs being met, she believes that offering students quality interventions to assist them in filling those academic gaps, opens a path for them to be successf

Many thanks to Jennifer Grabski, School Psychologist extraordinaire, along with Chris Runge and Zack "TJ" James, for pulling all of these clips together! The video spotlights many of the things we do and why we do them. School Psychology Awareness Week is all about sharing the things we love about our job with others.  To watch the video, visit School Psychology Awareness Week Video

"After more than thirty years as a school psychologist, some days I feel as if I have more questions than  answers.  While many, many things have changed in schools, some things are still the same.  We aim for success and, like a gardener, we tend our plants, providing all the nutrients that our young kindergarten seedlings need to develop a strong root system.  Sometimes our plants are drowning because of too much water. Some of our plants don't get enough sunlight because they are shaded by the faster growing varieties.  Some plants grow better in bright light, some in sandy soil.  It's a simple analogy.  It could be enlarged to describe the innumerable types of plants, each with their own function and worth: in that way a school  is a  garden with vegetables, flowers, trees, bushes, all valuable in their own way.  When a garden is left to chance, when it is left untended, then its future is doomed.  A plant may be a climber that needs a lattice.  Branches may need pruni

As school psychologists, we have to balance many different roles and functions (see our recent blogs on A Day in the Life of a School Psychologist).  I doubt you could find any school psychologist who went into the field because they love all the paperwork, yet we end up doing massive amounts of it.  Because we care about children and believe in what we are doing, school psychologists have become experts at juggling paperwork and deadlines while still engaging in a variety of activities to support the educational and mental health needs of our students.  To learn more about the hidden talents of school psychologists, visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-hidden-talents-of-school-psychologists_us_57957234e4b0e339c23f3390

Alana continues to be a shining light for her schools. She has over 20 years experience as a School Psychologist. When discussing students she feels having positive interactions with students are the best medicine for an ever changing world and a small step we can all take. Here are some of her words of wisdom: "I have seen teachers and staff take time to recognize personal as well as academic achievements of students.  Students thrive with positive interacts with adults.  Small daily recognition of effort, for example, over time tends to produce good relationships among teachers and students.  What may seem like a small step in actuality can be very positively impactful.  This type of recognition happens all of the time in the schools I serve.  Teachers and staff members get to know so many students and use their names when they talk with them.  This has helped to create community and belonging." Thank you Alana for your support and effort to change the world through rec

Patsy Barrett continues to offer insight and wisdom to her schools and colleagues. With 30 years of experience as a School Psychologist she is a valuable resource to us all. She witnesses people making small steps to help shape and change students lives everyday. Over the years, she observed that    "just a simple hug or a smile makes the biggest impact on a students day.  That little thing that makes a student know that you care, that you see them as a person. They will do anything to please you once you touch their hearts." Patsy spends time reaching out to students and touching their hearts, by being a mentor. " I have I     mentored numerous students over the years and enjoy making that connection. I often use this opportunity to reach students on a more personal level and talk to them as a mother would to her child….giving that unconditional love.Student s will test you to see if you are going to leave if they misbehave or fail but when you don’t  you can someti

To continue our goal of increasing awareness of the various roles of school psychologists, I am sharing the second “day in the life” snapshot to give readers another perspective.  Like the first author noted, I find that many people do not understand what we do.  To be fair, roles vary by psychologist and by needs of the different populations we serve, making it hard to define.  My family thinks I do individual counseling sessions all day, often using the phrase, “And how does that make you feel?” :) Truthfully, I’m not sure I’ve asked that question once in my 17 years of practice.  I rarely engage in individual counseling sessions with students – not because I don’t see this is as a need (I DO!), but because it’s hard to commit to this when you serve four schools and may be called away at any time for a crisis.  Fortunately, I work with truly exceptional school counselors and social workers who help support that direct services need.  We school psychologists do LOTS of collaboration

Happy 10 years Sherry Todd in the School Psychology profession. Outside of the day to day assistance she offers teachers, parents and students, Sherry volunteers at a local therapeutic horse riding farm and works with children with special needs. She is also a senior mentor and works one on one with a student to help encourage her to graduate.Sherry believes that confidence is an underlying factor in student success and works with children to achieve this. Thank you for your continued efforts taking small steps to change our students lives!

Sonya Stiles is 15 years veteran to the School Psychology profession. Over her past 15 years of experience she has observed a shift in the complex world our children live in. Family dynamics have changed, heightened sense of peer pressure with social media/technology changes, feeling of isolation and being misunderstood are a few of the issues she has observed. Below is her response to the questions of" what changes and challenges have you observed our students experiencing since you began working?" "The curriculum has moved forward so much over time, with increased academic pressure and evaluations/standards of success.  Classrooms are very busy with a wealth of information that can seem overwhelming at times.  Additionally, students extra curricular lives are not just filled with fun activities anymore, they are instead highly competitive and focused upon success.  While extracurricular activities can be very rewarding and help to develop a social network, they also

Last week, I spoke to the staff at my elementary school about suicide prevention.  The school psychologists in the WS/FCS have been asked to speak to all of our schools about this topic.  At the elementary level, I'm sure some teachers were puzzled about why we were talking to them.  To explain, you have to look at the statistics.  They show that the suicide rate among U.S. youth ages 10-14 has doubled from 2007 to 2014.  Just as frightening, 425 young people in this age group died by suicide in 2014.  That number really drives this issue home.  This article from NPR explains more about the increase and describes six myths about suicide every educator should know.  One of those myths is that young children cannot be suicidal. In order to reverse this trend, we must understand why it is happening and begin to have those difficult conversations.  To learn more, visit NPR middle school suicide

For years, schools have been using computers to accommodate some of the needs of dyslexic students. But with the rapid changes in technology, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest and greatest.  For many of these students, technology has helped them overcome obstacles in order to reach their potential.  This article from Time Magazine provides some of the latest technology available for struggling readers. They break it down by elementary, middle, and high school since there are great options available at all levels.  To learn more, visit http://time.com/10-tech-hacks-to-help-a-struggling-reader/

I find that many people do not really understand the role of a school psychologist.  Even my own mother thinks I mostly conduct psychological evaluations for special education programs. Some people believe we are kind of like school counselors and see kids for individual and group sessions all day.  The truth is that we can serve both of those functions and much more.  To explain the various roles of a school psychologist, it might be helpful to walk you through a fairly typical day.  School psychologists find it difficult to keep a regular schedule because you never know when you will be needed.  Since most of us serve three to four schools, we have to be available to many people, sometimes all in the same day. Fortunately, all of our days are not quite this hectic but this one gives you an idea of the various activities we do. 7:20-Arrive at one of my schools, turn on computer, return emails, check schedule 7:50-A teacher stops by to ask about a student I'm evaluating 8:10-Th