Anticipated Vacancy
Position: School Psychologist
Reports to: Building Principal and Director of Student Services/District Psychologist
FLSA Status: ExemptEmployment: Full Time
Position Summary:
The School Psychologist serves as a member of the district's multidisciplinary student services team and provides comprehensive psychological services that promote students' academic achievement, social-emotional well-being, behavioral success, and access to educational opportunities. The School Psychologist collaborates with administrators, teachers, families, related service providers, and community agencies to support data-based decision making, identify student strengths and needs, and develop evidence-based interventions that improve student outcomes.
Responsibilities include conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations; determining eligibility for special education services; participating in the development and implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs); consulting with school teams regarding academic, behavioral, and mental health interventions; supporting Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS); providing crisis prevention, intervention, and risk assessments; facilitating collaboration between school, home, and community resources; and promoting safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environments. The School Psychologist also contributes to district initiatives through professional development, program evaluation, policy implementation, school improvement efforts, and compliance with federal and state special education regulations while adhering to the ethical standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements.
Professional Qualifications:
- Education: Master’s degree in Child or School Psychology, or a related field.
- Certification: Valid Pennsylvania CSPG 81 - School Psychologist (PK-12) Certification required
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Evaluations/Data Based Decision Making and Accountability
- Coordinate evaluation referrals for students
- Communicate with office staff regarding issuing PTE and ensure the dissemination of required data collection forms to parent and teacher
- Conduct the evaluation to include: observations, summary of parent and teacher input, review of intervention data, strengths/weaknesses, learning potential, diagnostics, FBA (when needed),
- Determine eligibility
- Disseminate evaluation (via email and/or hard copy) to school staff for review prior to 60 day timeline
- Email evaluation to special education clerical staff for dissemination to parent prior to 60 day timeline
- Follow-up and document communication with parent to review evaluation results prior to IEP.
- Conduct new testing for reevaluation reports as requested by the IEP team:
- Communicate with office staff regarding issuing PTE/PTR and ensure the dissemination of required data collection forms to parent and teacher
- Conduct the evaluation to include: observations, rating scales, strengths/weaknesses, learning potential, diagnostics, FBA (when needed),
- Determine eligibility
- Disseminate evaluation (via email and/or hard copy) to school staff for review prior to 60 day timeline
- Email evaluation to special education clerical staff for dissemination to parent prior to 60 day timeline
- Follow-up and document communication with parent to review evaluation results prior to IEP.
Consultation and Collaboration
- Consult with staff and families to communicate assessment results
- Attend and assist in the development of Individual Education Plans when contributing as the evaluator for an initial evaluation or for new testing on a reevaluation.
- Serve as a resource for staff in the development of techniques and interventions for individual student behaviors
- Participate in the development and provision of in-service and professional development training for staff
- Participate in parent/teacher and/or principal/teacher conferences regarding individual
- students to facilitate discussion of relevant interventions and provide resources
- Attend special education and student service meetings
- Attend administration meetings as requested by the superintendent
Interventions - Academic
- Contribute as a member of building level academic data teams
- Share information with team about age-appropriate developmental expectations, using effective communication skills for a diverse audience (individual, family, group, system)
- Analysis of data
- Complete academic screeners when needed and use information to inform intervention
- Make recommendations regarding interventions
- Document interventions delivered and communicate results with team
- Contribute/serve as LEA at IEP meetings
- Help guide the IEP team to determine the learning goals/objectives
- Lead the discussion of educational placement/LRE
Interventions - Social, Emotional, Life Skills
- Share information with team about age-appropriate developmental expectations
- Contribute as a member of building level SAP teams
- When in possession of relevant knowledge of a student, contribute to the team review of information
- Provide information about the continuum of developmentally appropriate behavioral and mental health interventions and/or mental health diagnoses
- Make referrals to appropriate agencies
- Serve as a liaison between behavioral supports and mental health supports to enhance academic progress of children
- At the highest tier, provide short-term counseling to students.
- Coordinate the district's crisis response plan, participate on the district crisis intervention team and provide crisis counseling
- Conduct risk/suicide assessments when necessary and provide necessary updates to parents, building level admin and supervisors.
- Document intervention delivered and communicate relevant information to teams
School-Wide Practices to Promote Learning
- Lead district-wide bully prevention programs
- Assist in child-find process including assisting in the development/implementation of the district policies and procedures for evaluation, remediation to applicable agencies
- Provide professional development, when requested by admin team to teachers/aides at faculty meetings and/or in-services
- Contribute to the development/revisions of district policies and procedures
- Attend meetings and workshops and share information with staff to improve psychological services program
- Support the development and implementation of district wide guidance plan
- Participate in development and implementation of school improvement and special education plans
Family/School Collaboration
- Report individual evaluation results and recommendations via telephone calls or individual parent conferences (when relevant prior to IEP meeting).
- Provide resources to parents to support their ability to assist their children educationally (i.e. exercises, lessons, evaluation techniques, behavior strategies)
- Facilitate 4 parent education groups per year.
Leadership/Supervision
- Review all reevaluation reports completed by special education teachers and provide feedback to ensure compliance with federal/state regulations
- Coordinate with building principals to organize kindergarten registration and lead the
- registration process with regards to Kindergarten Screening, including development of score data for building level review
- Coordinate the transition process from Early Intervention to kindergarten to include:
- Attending IFSP/IEP meetings for students of transition age
- Holding a Kindergarten Transition night in conjunction with DART
- Preparing all relevant paperwork for students special education in accordance with the BEC and communicate intentions with parents
- Ensure appropriate services are in place, when applicable, for students transitioning from DART to kindergarten
- Supervise university students during practicum or internships for counseling/psychological services
Personal Development
- Participate in continual personal growth by means of professional reading and attending relevant educational programs and workshops
- Support professional associations for school psychologists at the national, state, regional, and local levels aimed at enhancing development of the profession
Additional Expectations:
- Conduct all duties the Superintendent may assign, which are deemed necessary and valuable for the benefit of the program
- Perform other tasks and assume other responsibilities typically attributed to the position, as assigned by the Superintendent.
Position Qualifications
Work Performance:
- Acknowledges individuals’ requests and handles them in a friendly and courteous manner. Promotes a positive team environment through active cooperation with others.
- Maintains awareness of the School District’s policies and procedures.
- Follows the chain of command.
- Shows initiative and works with minimal supervision.
- When appropriate, incorporates progressive ideas/concepts into daily responsibilities.
- Keeps District business confidential.
- Responds appropriately to supervision and direction.
- Dresses appropriately for job environment.
- Ability to organize office setting to efficiently accomplish tasks.
- Ability to multitask.
Temperament:
- Ability to work as a member of a team.
- Must be courteous and able to effectively manage job responsibilities.
- Must be cooperative, congenial, service oriented, and promote these qualities.
- Ability to work in an environment with frequent interruptions.
- Ability to be respectful and empathetic.
Personal Skills:
- Plans and prioritizes assignments effectively.
- Able to handle several ongoing tasks and projects at once.
- Able to adjust to changes in the work environment.
- Reports to work on time, gives a full day’s work and makes effective use of time while on the job.
- Maintains a good attitude toward administration, fellow employees and the public.
- Maintains productive working relationship with immediate supervisor
Technical Skills:
- Demonstrates the ability to acquire the skill required to operate new and existing software and hardware.
- Has working knowledge of office equipment.
- Proofreads work for grammar and spelling accuracy.
- Ability to compose clear, concise sentences and paragraphs.
- Ability to use computer technology efficiently including word processing, presentation/webpage software, PowerPoint and Excel software applications. Basic Excel: working with multiple sheets in a workbook, basic formulas, etc.
- Using as a data source for mail merges.
- Working with Microsoft Word documents: tables, fill-in forms, protecting documents, graphics, brochures, fliers, certificates, etc.
- Working with desktop publishing tools to create various documents.
Physical Demands:
- Occasional traversing throughout school building.
- Often sitting for extended periods.
- Standing for periods of time.
- Moderate lifting from 15-30 pounds.
- Some moving of various items - up to 30 pounds.
- Manual dexterity to use office equipment.
- Repetitive operation of computer keyboard.
Work Environment:
- The employee primarily works in an educational environment that includes classrooms, offices, common student areas, and school activity setting
Driver’s License:
- Must have a valid driver’s license.
Clearances:
- Every employee must submit an Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification Form as required under Pennsylvania Act 24 of 2011, Act 34 (Criminal Record Check), Act 151 (Child Abuse History Check), FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) Criminal History Check, Act 126 (Part I) Recognizing Child Abuse and Mandated Reporter Training, and Act 126 (Part II) Professional Ethics & Educator Discipline Act.
- As per Act 15 of 2015, all clearances must be renewed every five (5) years. Also, as of December 22, 2014, Act 168 of 2014 requires all newly hired employees to provide the District with the Sexual Misconduct/Abuse Disclosure Release Form for all former employers in which they had direct contact with children and any current employer/s. The District may not hire any applicant for a position until the employment history review process has been completed.
Terms of Employment:
- Work year, schedule, salary and benefits defined as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Carlynton School District and the Carlynton Federation of Teachers.
Evaluation:
- Performance will be evaluated by the Building Principal in accordance with Act 13 and the Carlynton Federation of Teachers Collective Bargaining Agreement evaluation procedures.
- This job description is subject to change as determined by the Superintendent.
- Approved by Administration and provided to the Board of School Directors
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
