Winter 2012(3)

Transcription

Winter 2012(3)
New York
2012: Volume XXX, Number 3
school psYchologist
A publication of the New York Association of School Psychologists
Serving children, their families, and the school community
An affiliate of NASP
From
the
editor
The New York School Psychologist Staff:
I hope this issue finds you and your students well. Welcome to a new
school year!
In this issue, you will find articles on a variety of topics, including an
update on the efforts of school psychologists to gain licensure in New
York, as well as targeted focus on adolescent aggression and youth suicide.
Further, in this issue we welcome the new Executive Board members who
took office this summer.
Keep an eye out for the next issue, which will summarize many of the
workshops presented at the 2012 NYASP Conference in Niagara Falls.
As always, articles for The New York School Psychologist are reviewed on
a rolling basis, so consider submitting an article for a future issue.
Questions and comments can be directed towards
Lynette.Maheu@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Lynette
Editor:
Publications Chair:
Staff: John Kelly
Kim D’Imperio
Arielle D’Aprile
Lynette D. Maheu
Ruth Steegmann
Tom Kulaga
Sara Douglas
Mary Kay Hafer
The New York School Psychologist is the official
publication of the New York Association of
School Psychologists and is distributed to
NYASP members as a member benefit. The
contents of this publication do not necessarily
represent the views or policies of NYASP,
NASP, or their elected or appointed officials.
Submission Guidelines: NYASP members are
strongly encouraged to submit articles for consideration in this publication. Preferred document size is 750 words (review) or 1500 words
(article). Submissions are accepted in .doc or
.docx format, via email attachment or on CD,
with revisions and corrections already made.
Please include a short bio about the author.
Photos, cartoons, and drawings should be submitted as a .pdf, .bmp, or .tiff file. We will make
every attempt to return hard copy submissions
of art and photography.
Editorial policy: All articles and reports of factual information may be edited to conform to
space and format specifications and to improve
clarity, without permission of writers, so long as
no changes are made to the writer’s overall
objective. NYASP and the Editor reserve the
right to edit or reject submissions based on
legal, social, professional, and ethical considerations. We will assume consent to publish correspondence addressed to the Editor unless specifically noted by the sender. Letters and e-mail
addressed to NYASP Executive Board members, along with the response, may be published
with the consent of both parties. Expressions of
opinion in editorials and letters to the Editor
may be edited only with the writer’s consent.
NYASP members are encouraged to
submit articles for consideration in
The New York School Psychologist!
Deadlines for Submission:
i
Issue
Deadline
Fall (No. 1)
Winter (No. 2)
Spring (No. 3)
August 15th
November 15th
February 15th
Reprint Authorization: Editors of state school
psychology association newsletters, NASP publications, and other psychology organization
newsletters are authorized to reproduce only
uncopyrighted articles in the NYASP newsletter
provided the author and newsletter are credited.
State editors please note: if you modify or condense a reprinted article, please report that to
your readers. Permission to reprint copyrighted
articles must be obtained directly from the
copyright holder.
Advertisements: Rates for advertising are $500
for a quarter page, $750 for a half-page, and
$1000 for a full page. Special discounts are provided for multi-issue commitments and other
unique needs. Ads that are run in The New York
School Psychologist do not necessarily indicate
official sanction, promotion, or endorsement by
NYASP. However, ads will be accepted based
on legal, social, professional, and ethical considerations.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 32
table
oF
Contents
Feature Articles
Summary of Efforts to Gain Licensure, Independent Practice for Masters Level
Certified School Psychologists
By Ruth Steegmann.......................................................................................................................................................................3
Intervention Strategies for Adolescent Aggression
By Barbara Levesque....................................................................................................................................................................6
Remembering Bill Sivers, 1917-2012
By Tom Fagan & Sabrina Jack....................................................................................................................................................8
Collaborative Problem-Solving: A Workshop Presented by Ross Greene, Ph.D.
By Eliane Hack...........................................................................................................................................................................10
Getting and Keeping Your First Job as a School Psychologist
By Sara Haugli...........................................................................................................................................................................11
Youth Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Planning:
“Creating Suicide Safety in Schools” Training Opportunities for School Districts
By Pat Breux and Jacquelyn O’Connor.....................................................................................................................................12
Conducting Research in the Schools
By John Garruto.........................................................................................................................................................................14
In Every Issue
From the Editor..........................................i
President’s Message...................................2
Research Grant Application...................15
News from NYASP...................................16
History of NYASP....................................23
Student Forum.........................................24
Faculty Lounge........................................25
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
The Ethics Corner...................................26
NASP Notes..............................................27
Tom’s Tech Talk.......................................28
Book Review.............................................29
Chapter Representatives.........................30
Executive Board Directory.....................32
Membership Application........................33
President’s message
As I write this article, I realize it
is my last as President of THE
New York Association of School
Psychologists. My two years at
the helm were awesome, in large
part because of the amazing professionals I was surrounded by on
the NYASP Board and all the
wonderful people that I had the
chance to meet.
THE New York Association
of School Psychologists
I can say that I have been a member of NYASP since graduate
school and have renewed my membership every year. I have
attended every conference since that time. I return to my district
and tell my administrators and colleagues about what I learned at
NYASP. It helps the Association, and by virtue of my role, it helps
me be more valuable to my district!
I find that at least once a month, someone rushes in to tell me
about something they heard impacting the profession. I reply, with
a smile, “NYASP informed me of that last week and here is what
they are doing…or recommend we do.”
I am sure that you have heard me
say this before, but NYASP is an
Association run by volunteers.
All the conferences, newsletters,
phone calls, emails, chapter
events, collaborations, and website
are managed and created by school psychologists. It’s pretty
astonishing! And because everything is done by school psychologists, we constantly have you in mind.
I can tell you that I was honored to be a chapter representative for
my area before running for Secretary. I can share that I was
ambivalent to take on a position as important as President of the
State Association, but that I received a lot of encouragement. And
that after leading NYASP for two years, I can say that we are in a
healthy and vibrant position. Our future is bright and leaders in
the field are stepping up all the time to carry the load.
That is why I proudly say that no other organization is working
harder to represent school psychology in New York than THE
New York Association of School Psychologists.
So am I loyal to NYASP... you bet I am! While I tried to motivate
the field with the statement about “Together We Can Do Great
Things,” the truth is that we did accomplish some wonderful
things. However, I leave you with this question... How loyal are
you? Y
I was recently surveyed by the local gym to which I belong. They
asked questions about whether I was pleased with services and
what I would change. However, one question caught my interest.
It asked, “How loyal are you to our organization?” I thought that
an unusual question, but profoundly poignant and relevant to our
Association. How loyal are you?
Sincerely,
Peter Faustino
nYasP mission statement
The New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP) is the
statewide organization that represents the profession of school psychology.
NYASP serves children, their families, and the school community
by promoting psychological well being, excellence in education,
and sensitivity to diversity through best practices in school psychology.
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NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
Summary of Efforts to Gain Licensure,
Independent Practice for Masters Level
Certified School Psychologists
By Ruth Steegmann
BACKGROUND
The issue of licensing for psychology has been formally explored
in New York State since 1937 and possibly even earlier. Prior to
1936 the field of psychology in New York State had had a system
of self certification. In the period between 1946 and 1948 State
Senator Desmond proposed two certification bills to the State
Legislature, both being unsuccessful, having died in committee
because of objections from the State Department of Education.
Practice was defined as including observation, description, evaluation, interpretation and modification of behavior, for the purpose
of eliminating symptomatic or undesired behavior, enhancing personal adjustment, mental health, etc. Practice includes but is not
limited to psychological testing and counseling, psychoanalysis,
psychotherapy, diagnosis and treatment of mental, cognitive and
behavioral disorders, alcohol and substance abuse, psychological
aspects of learning and the use of accepted classification systems.
There were myriad organizations within the State, representing
various divisions of psychology (general psychology, teaching,
research, applied social psychology, personnel psychology, clinical and abnormal psychology). In 1947 they collaborated in writing a licensing bill which they submitted to the Division of
Licensure of the State Department of Education. Their response
was that it was “too soon for the psychologists to seek a licensing
bill” and advised the committee to seek a certification bill instead.
The following year (1948-49) a certification bill was presented to
State Ed.; however, that department had changed its mind and
stated that a certification bill would not adequately protect the
public or make prosecution of questionable practitioners possible.
They directed the psychologists to develop a licensing bill “with
teeth in it”.
“Diagnosis and treatment” were defined as the appropriate psychological diagnosis and the ordering or providing of treatment
according to need, which included (but not limited to) counseling,
psychotherapy, marital or family therapy, psychoanalysis and
other psychological interventions, including verbal, behavioral,
etc.
A bill presented late in the 1950 legislative session died in committee, largely because of the opposition of a number of psychology groups. The following year another bill was introduced but
was vetoed by Governor Dewey, based on the perceived danger
that the public (and even some of the practitioners) would not
understand the distinction between psychologists and psychiatrists (and the opposition of a large number of physicians and psychiatrists).
In 1953 a bill, backed by the American Medical Association, was
introduced without prior knowledge of psychologists, limiting
psychotherapy to the exclusive domain of medical practice. This
bill also died in committee. It was not until 1956 that a psychology licensing bill was signed into law by Governor Harriman. By
this time, following extensive negotiations, the American
Psychiatric Association, supported the bill.
CURRENT STATUS
This bill, known as Article 153 of Education Law, officially established the profession of psychology in New York State, and is still
basically in effect. It addresses the use of the title “psychologist”
and to the practice of psychology. Its basic provisions are:
Use of the title and practice in the field are limited to persons
licensed or otherwise authorized under this article.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
A state board of psychology was established to assist the board of
regents with licensing and professional conduct issues.
Licensure requirements were established. These include a doctoral degree from a program registered with the NY State Education
Department (or the substantial equivalent) and two years supervised employment in appropriate psychological activities or the
substantial equivalent, in accordance with the commissioner’s
regulations. Additionally, applicants for licensure must pass an
examination satisfactory to the board, must be at least 21 years of
age, be of good moral character, as determined by the department
and pay a fee for admission to the examination and for an initial
license and an additional fee for each triennial registration period.
There are no citizenship requirements.
Limited permits were available to persons licensed in other states
or countries, which were valid for a year, after which, the applicant had to pass the NY state examination. These were also available to persons who had completed their doctoral degree requirements and were gaining the experience requirements.
Exemptions to all of the above requirements are outlined and
include persons in the employ of a federal, state, county or municipal agency or other political subdivision, or a chartered elementary or secondary school or degree-granting educational institution, insofar as such activities and services are part of the duties of
his salaried position.
Basically, non-doctoral level certified school psychologists are
restricted to practice only in their school or other exempt settings,
and are prohibited from engaging in independent contracting,
either with individuals or with schools, hospitals or agencies. This
restriction was not well understood – many school psychologists
were not aware of these provisions of the education law. The same
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applied to school districts and agencies. Or they chose to ignore
them. Some districts adopted the practice of contracting with
school psychologists from other districts for help cleaning up
backlogs of triennial re-evaluations, particularly during the summers. A number of school psychologists earned extra income by
contracting with pre-school assessment or other agencies on a part
time basis. A number of attempts to obtain clarification of the precise definition and interpretation of what constitutes “salaried
employment” have failed to result in definitive information
In May, 1992, NYASP published a position paper on independent
practice, prepared by the organization’s government relations
committee and the legal firm of O’Connell and Aronowitz in
Albany. Members of the committee who contributed to this paper
were Debra Handel, Chairperson; Jack Kamins, NYASP president, Dirk Hightower, past president; Kevin Bacher, Kevin Coats,
David Giannascoli, Robert Johnston, Paul Meller, Peggy
Plumeau, Marcia Schaeffer and Cherie Tyler. Counsel members
were Peter Danziger, Esq. (who was also NYASP’s lobbyist) and
Robert E. Biggerstaff, Esq.
Major arguments put forth included:
1. Independent practice would enable school psychologists to provide services under their professional title, to school age children
and families after the school day and the school year, enhancing
the availability of services and the profession of school psychology.
2. Based on their education and training, the current law allows
school psychologists to provide services outside the school system under a different title, such as “therapist”, “counselor”, or
“educational consultant”. This is misleading to the public and a
disservice to the profession.
3. School psychologists have extensive education, training, experience and understanding of the school as a social system, and
family structure which shapes a child’s educational and emotional development. We are uniquely qualified to deal directly and
effectively with school-age children’s learning disabilities, emotional, and developmental difficulties.
4. A child in need of psychological services during the day is most
likely to have that need after the school day. While the family may
hire a teacher to tutor a student after school hours, it cannot seek
additional counseling from a school psychologist.
5. Unlike the Masters level speech therapists, social workers,
occupational therapists, etc., school psychologists are the only
professionals to be prohibited from using their earned title privately.
6. School psychologists are under-utilized in New York State and
there is a severe shortage of school psychologists throughout the
4
state. Independent practice would enhance both the availability of
services and the attractiveness of the profession.
The following month (June, 1992) a bill was introduced in the
state Senate by Senator Stafford, to amend the education law in
regard to school psychologists. Listed as TITLE BILL FOR
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS (S. 8633, A. 12282) the bill proposed amending section 7605 of the education law by adding a
new subdivision 5 to read as follows: “The activities, services, and
use of the title school psychologist on the part of a person who has
a permanent certificate as a school psychologist issued pursuant to
the regulations of the commissioner.” Section 7605 deals with
exempt persons, beginning with the statement: “Nothing in this
article shall be construed to affect or prevent”, then has eight sections covering different categories of exempt persons. School psychologists as salaried employees of public schools, municipalities,
etc., are cited in subdivision 1 of section 7605. The original subdivision 5 states: “The conduct, activities or services of the clergy
or Christian Science practitioner, in the provision of pastoral
counseling services within the context of his or her ministerial
charge or obligation”. The bill proposes to add the above statement to cover certified school psychologists practicing outside of
our exempt settings.
With passage of the title legislation, permanently certified New
York State school psychologists would be able to use the title and
to practice as school psychologists outside of school hours. This
bill reached the Higher Education Committees of the Senate and
Assembly but remained there at the end of the legislative session,
and was not brought to a vote by the entire bodies. There was a
concerted effort by the APA state affiliate, NYSPA, to block the
bill from being acted upon.
As the 21st century began, APA/NYSPA, which primarily represents licensed psychologists, attempted to impose restrictions
which would narrowly define the practice of psychology to doctoral level persons. A number of other professional groups (social
workers, marriage and family therapists, creative art therapists,
psychoanalysts.) developed their own initiatives to define and
implement scope of practice in their professions. State Ed
responded by stating its unwillingness to work with that number
of disparate groups and instructed them to collaborate on an
omnibus bill which would cover all of them. School psychology
was not represented in the discussions. APA (and its NY affiliate,
NYSPA), have always maintained that the entry level for practice
in any of the sub-disciplines of psychology is the doctorate.
Discussion, commentary and debate ensued for several years, at
length resulting in the passage of the omnibus bill in 2002. It
restricted the practice of psychology, set requirements for Master
Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Marriage and
Family Therapist, Creative Arts Therapist and Licensed
Psychoanalyst, along with establishing the new profession of
Licensed Mental Health Counselor.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
NYASP had attempted to gain our own scope of practice regulation along with licensure through a bill introduced into the NY
legislature in May, 1999. This bill was drafted by Peter Mannella
of CARR Public Affairs, NYASP’s legislative consultant and lobbyist, with Lynne Thies and Tom Kulaga providing advisement.
Senator Dale Volker sponsored the bill in the Senate and
Representative Steve Sanders in the Assembly. (S. 8391 / A.5747).
The bill provided a statutory definition of “school psychology”
and “school psychologist” and prescribed the requirements for
individuals to become licensed as school psychologists. These
were: (1) filing an application with the State Education
Department, (2) having a master’s degree and/or a certificate of
advanced studies or the substantial equivalent thereof, (3) two
years supervised employment as a certified school psychologist or
engagement in appropriate school psychology activities satisfactory to the state committee for school psychologists and in accordance with the commissioner’s regulations, (4) pass an examination satisfactory to the state committee (described above) (5) be at
least 21 years of age (6) meet no requirements as to United states
Citizenship, (7) be of good moral character as determined by the
department (8) Pay a fee of $115 to the department for admission
to a department conducted examination, and a fee of $155 for
license renewal after each triennial registration period, (9) continuing professional education: as a condition of renewal of licensure, complete not less than 20 hours of continuing competency
activities annually during each registration period.
chology in schools, (10) completion of a 1200 hour supervised
internship in school psychology, with no less than 600 hours completed within a school setting.
Experience requirements are specified in the current bill as completion of a minimum of 2400 hours of post-master’s supervised
experience relevant to the practice of school psychology satisfactory to the board and in accordance with the commissioner’s regulations, such supervised experience which may include 1200
hours completed as part of a program in school psychology.
Current fees are $240 for the examination and initial license,
along with $85 for each reexamination.
The current bill spells out boundaries of professional competency.
Outside of these boundaries are the provision of services for serious mental illnesses on a continuous basis without a medical evaluation of the illness by, and consultation with a physician.
“Serious mental illness” is defined as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, panic
disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Persons licensed under provisions of this bill are also prohibited
from (a) prescribing or administering drugs, (b) using invasive
procedures, or (c) being granted hospital privileges.
The exemption under which certified, non-licensed school psychologists are permitted to work remains essentially the same as
in the original Article 153 of Education Law, enacted in1956.
Once again, NYASP’s bill was referred to the Higher Education
Committees, but was not acted upon before the end of the legislative session. It was reintroduced in subsequent legislative sessions, again remaining in the Higher Education Committees at the
close of each year’s session. In 2007 George Lattimer came on as
the major sponsor of our bill in the Assembly. In the elections of
2009 Democrats won control of the New York State Senate and
Senator Volker was no longer in a position to be the primary sponsor of our bill. He announced his retirement from public office in
May, 2010. The current sponsor of the bill in the Senate is John
Flanagan (R, Suffolk County), while George Lattimer (D,
Westchester Co.) remains the sponsor in the Assembly. The bill
was most recently reintroduced in January, 2012, where it is in the
Higher Education Committees, awaiting further action.
Increasing importance and urgency for certified school psychologists to gain licensure was APA’s proposal in 2007 of a Model Act
for State Licensure of Psychologists. This included removal of the
exemption from licensure regulations for school psychologists
(which the APA governance had actually adopted in 1977). Two
periods of public commentary were held during which both
NYASP and NASP were key players. Ultimately, APA dropped the
part of the proposal that would have eliminated the exemption. An
update of the Model Licensure Act was again proposed in 2010,
this time not including the removal of the exemption.
Requirements for licensure have become more specific than in the
original bill, with the added stipulation that education must
include a minimum of 60 graduate hours. The course of study
must cover the areas of (1) biological, social and cultural bases of
development, (2) psychopathology and exceptionality in learning
and behavior, (3) assessment and appraisal of learners in home
and school contexts, (4) consultation and collaboration in family,
school and community systems, (5) effective instruction and
development of cognitive and academic skills, (6) prevention and
treatment of behavioral and emotional disorders and deficits, (7)
school organization, curriculum, policy and law, (8) research and
program evaluation (9) professional and ethical practice of psy-
Ruth Steegmann is a twice retired school psychologist; in 2001 from the
West Seneca Central school district and just recently, from the faculty of
the school psychology training program at University at Buffalo. Along
with Judy Harwood, she is working on a “History of NYASP”.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
(I’ll explore the issue of the MLA and the details of our response
in a separate section of The History of NYASP, to be included in
the next issue of The New York School Psychologist.)Y
5
Intervention Strategies for Adolescent Aggression
By Barbara Levesque
Incidences of adolescent aggression are a cause for concern, as
they lead to maladjustment and difficulties both at home and at
school. According to a 2007 study conducted by the National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in 2005, 36% of students
surveyed in grades 9-12 reported having been in a physical altercation in the last year. Fourteen percent of these incidences
occurred on school grounds, and a shocking 28% involved female
students. These numbers are rising annually. Videos of “teen
fights” have gone viral, creating a popular culture around adolescent violence and aggression. (Larson, 2010).
Adolescents usually display one of two broad types of aggression.
Proactive aggression is the initiation of aggressive behavior to
achieve a goal. Reactive aggression is an aggressive response to a
real or perceived threat. Identifying the type of aggression can
help determine the best intervention strategy. Prevention is always
the best form of intervention. Prevention techniques include role
modeling appropriate anger responses, teaching problem solving
and healthy interpersonal skills, and providing appropriate outlets
for anger. (Larson, 2010). When prevention strategies are absent
or ineffective, more proactive intervention strategies become necessary. In recent years, research has been conducted on several
individual and school-wide intervention strategies aimed at curbing aggressive behavior patterns that have already emerged in
adolescents. Although the amount of research thus far has been
limited, existing research shows support for several intervention
strategies, indicating that quite often, even a modest effort at intervention is beneficial.
Feindler and Engel (2011) developed a psychoeducational anger
management program for at-risk high school students based on the
prevention technique which targets deficits in problem solving
skills. They used the cognitive behavioral anger management
training model (AMT). The AMT identifies aggressive behavior
as a response to a trigger. Students are taught self control skills
targeting their physiological, cognitive, and behavioral reactions
to the trigger. The researchers offer step by step implementation
strategies for this intervention in addition to supplementary programs which have proven effective. Their successful intervention
gives credence to the idea that by teaching prosocial, conflict resolution skills, we can alter adolescents’ aggressive reaction behaviors.
The Second Step, Middle School/Junior High program is a published and widely available program which fosters prosocial skill
building, with the goal of reducing aggressive behaviors. An evaluation of this popular program demonstrated the program’s efficacy in older students (Van Schoiack-Edstrom, Frey and Beland,
2002). The intervention targets both aggressors and bystanders.
The study involved 714 students and showed lower tolerance for
6
aggressive behaviors and social exclusion, following program
completion, as compared to students who did not participate in the
intervention. Students also reported feeling that prosocial, interpersonal, and self-control skills did not sound as difficult to carry
out post-intervention as they had previously. These effects were
greater and more significant in second year students than they
were in first year students. This indicates that additional intervention techniques targeting first year students may be beneficial, and
begs further research into other variables associated with program
efficacy. Variables including age, year in school and gender may
all be relevant in choosing an intervention strategy.
Another name brand intervention is the Student Created
Aggression Replacement Education (SCARE) program. This
intervention program was evaluated by researchers Herrmann and
McWhirter (2003) to determine its effects on adolescents at risk
for anger related problems, such as criminal activity. The
researchers found that exposure to the SCARE program lead to
significantly lower levels of anger and aggression and slightly
higher levels of anger control, though not significant. These
results were maintained at a one year follow up, as compared to
students who did not undergo the intervention. These successful
results serve as further evidence to support the implementation of
aggression interventions in the public school system.
Nixon and Werner, (2010) conducted a study on the efficacy of the
Creating a Safe School (CASS) program. The goal of the CASS
program is to reduce levels of relation aggression and relational
victimization in middle school students. Relational aggression
(RA) can be proactive or reactive in nature, and involves verbal
aggression including gossip, rumors and name calling. There is
very little research to date on how to effectively manage this form
of aggression in adolescents. Relational victimization (RV) is
linked with suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and substance
abuse. Relational victimization refers to the effects of victims of
aggression. The study of 406 sixth graders showed that there were
significant reductions in RA and RV levels. These significant
reductions were seen in adolescents who reported high involvement levels initially, as compared to students who also reported
high levels of involvement but did not receive the CASS intervention. These results provide evidence for the efficacy of the
CASS program. However, there is no indication as to whether
these positive reductions in aggression are persistent over time or
whether they apply to all age groups. Further research is needed
in order to develop a program that can maintain these results as
the adolescents move on to high school.
Interventions to diminish incidences of adolescent aggression can
be made more successful by targeting the adult staff members
with which the children interact, as well as the children them-
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
selves. A staff-based intervention was conducted in an adolescent
psychiatric unit (Delaney, 2009). The program promotes five key
staff behaviors which can reduce incidences of reactive aggression in adolescents. The same principles can be applied to a school
setting. Reactive aggression is a response to a situation or stimulus. The first suggested staff behavior is empathic attunement.
Empathic attunement means having more staff on hand to monitor situations, provide problem resolution, and help promote selfregulation. The staff should be trained in reading adolescents
physical and verbal cues and practice being attuned to their feelings; heading off an incident at its first warning signs.
Maintaining a positive tone is the second behavior. The third is
decreasing the threat while increasing control. De-escalating the
adolescent without taking away their sense of control in essential.
This can be achieved by removing them from an aggressive situation in the hallway, but giving them choice over which office or
classroom they go to. Structure and consistency in rule enforcement among staff can help avoid confusion and anger, and so creating a predictable milieu is the fourth key behavior. The final
suggested behavior is to set expectations that are in line with the
adolescent’s attention control and processing ability (Delaney,
2009). Anger in a school setting can be sparked by frustration and
confusion. Risk for this type of reactive aggression can be diminished through staff involvement and psychoeducation.
Leff and Crick (2010) reviewed the research and identified key
elements of the most successful school-wide interventions
addressing adolescent aggression. The first is awareness of gender
differences as they relate to acts of aggression, as well as awareness of recent cultural shifts in these gender differences.
Previously, physical aggression was associated with boys, while
verbal (or reactive) aggression was associated with girls.
However, physical fights involving female students are on the
rise, and it is becoming more acceptable for boys to be aggressive
verbally. The second key element is inclusion of relational aggression and bullying into the intervention. Many schools focus their
efforts on overt acts of physical aggression, but few until recently
have put weight to the effects of relational aggression on both the
victim and the bully. The third element is inclusion of the school
psychologist or other clinician. The school psychologist and all
other staff should be involved in every step of the intervention
process.
As incidences of teen violence have increased in recent years,
there has been an influx in research on prevention and intervention strategies targeting aggression in adolescents. Although the
research is still limited at this time, there are several intervention
and prevention practices which have proven to be effective in
school settings. Interventions can be implemented for both
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
aggressive youth and educators alike. Psychoeducation and prosocial skill building is the core of many intervention techniques.
Across the research, studies indicate that although more research
is required for interventions under varying conditions, most intervention practices are beneficial in school settings and make a significant difference in diminishing the acts of- and tolerance for
adolescent aggression.
References
Delaney, K. (2009). Reducing reactive aggression by lowering
coping demands and boosting regulation: Five key staff behaviors. Journal Of Child And Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 22(4),
211-219. doi:10.1111/j.1744-6171.2009.00201.x
Feindler, E., & Engel, E. (2011). Assessment and intervention for
adolescents with anger and aggression difficulties in school settings. Psychology in the Schools, 48(3), 243-253.
doi:10.1002/pits.20550
Herrmann, D., & McWhirter, J. (2003). Anger & aggression management in young adolescents: An experimental validation of the
SCARE program. Education & Treatment Of Children, 26(3),
273-302.
Larson, J. (2010). Agression in Adolescents: Strategies for
Parents. National Association of School Psychologists.
Leff, S., & Crick, N. (2010). Interventions for relational aggression: Innovative programming and next steps in research and
practice. School Psychology Review, 39(4), 504-507.
Nixon, C., & Werner, N. (2010). Reducing adolescents' involvement with relational aggression: Evaluating the effectiveness of
the Creating A Safe School (CASS) intervention. Psychology in
the Schools, 47(6), 606-620. doi:10.1002/pits.20494
Van Schoiack-Edstrom, L., Frey, K., & Beland, K. (2002).
Changing adolescents' attitudes about relational and physical
aggression: An early evaluation of a school-based intervention.
School Psychology Review, 31(2), 201-216. Y
Barbara Levesque graduated from Marist in May of this year with her
MA in psychology. She is working as a service planning coordinator for
the Mental Health Association and pursuing her MSW.
7
Remembering Bill Sivers, 1917-2012
By Tom Fagan & Sabrina Jack, University of Memphis
A recent listing of deceased APA members included the name of
William Sivers. The name is familiar to me because I was aware
of some things he had written many years ago in his position with
the New York Education Department. William Albert (“Bill”)
Sivers, Jr. was born on March 17, 1917 in Albany, NY, and died
on January 16, 2012 in Albany. Few people in school psychology
history live to be almost 95; and most school psychologists would
not be familiar with their careers. The following information was
gathered from his obituary, past membership directories of the
American Psychological Association, and
my personal historical records.
Education: The APA directory listings and
his obituary are inconsistent, but it appears
that he received two master’s degrees and
that his degrees were awarded as follows:
BS (1939) and MS in educational administration (1947) at New York State College
for Teachers (now SUNY-Albany); and MS
(1951) and PhD (1953) in school psychology from Syracuse University. His obituary
indicates his PhD was in “clinical” psychology. In his self-prepared listing for the 1973
APA Directory, he identifies “school psychology” as the major field of his PhD. A
survey of school psychology programs for
the 1954 Thayer Conference indicated only
five formal doctoral programs at that time
but they are not listed by name (Cutts, 1955);
it is probable that only Teachers College-Columbia U., and NYU
were offering formal doctoral programs in New York State. An
earlier report on school psychology in New York (Cornell, 1942)
suggested appropriate areas and experiences for school psychologist training but noted: “As of September, 1941, no university had
set up exactly such a program of training, but it was possible to
secure all of the work suggested at Columbia University (by a
combination of work in the graduate faculty of psychology and in
Teachers College) at New York University, at Fordham
University, at the University of Rochester, and at Syracuse
University” (p. 44). Thus, it seems likely that Sivers’ PhD from
Syracuse University was closely connected to school psychology
even though most doctoral programs of that period were a mix of
educational, clinical, and experimental psychology content
(Fagan, 1986). There was no nationally recognized doctoral program curriculum or accreditation in school psychology when
Sivers earned his PhD (Fagan & Wise, 2007).
Employment: His entries starting with the 1963 APA directory
indicate his service as a teacher 1939-1941, then director of guidance and vice principal (1946-1949) for the Wellsville (NY)
8
Board of Education. His years in Wellsville were interrupted by
his service in the U. S. Navy (1942-1946). He was engaged in
counseling services for veterans at the Psychological Services
Center until the early 1950s. Apparently while working on his
PhD he served as a research assistant for the Institute for
Industrial Research at Syracuse University; the project was connected to the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research. He served as
professor of child development at SUNY-Oneonta (1953-1954),
and then director of psychological services for the Rochester
Board of Education (1954-1955). Most of
his career was as Chief of the Bureau of
Psychological Services, New York State
Education Department (1955-1983). Bill
appears to have taken over the work of the
previous Chief, Ethel Cornell, who
worked there from 1920-1954 (French,
1996). He also was an evening lecturer at
Russell Sage College (1960-1969) and at
Siena College (1969-1972), and he was
engaged in private practice much of his
career.
Contributions: Sivers was associated
with the following publications, The
School Psychologist in Action (Sivers &
Salman, 1961), and Parent Notification,
Parent Consent, and School Psychological
Services (Sivers, 1969). The latter discussed the pros and cons of requesting
and/or requiring parental consent for psychological services in the
schools. For those school psychologists who have lived through
several decades of federal regulation in education (e.g., FERPA
and IDEA) it is instructive to read the conclusion to this report:
The pros and cons which characterize the complexity of parent
notification and parent consent considerations have been stated.
After reading them, and perhaps adding others, it should be difficult for anyone to make an unconditional statement that ‘parent
consent must be obtained,’ or ‘parent notification is required.’
Under the total circumstances described in this article, it would
be difficult to conclude that a sweeping rule, law, or regulation on
parent notification, much less parent consent could be either
appropriate or effective. In the last analysis, the professional
judgment of the school psychologist is an essential determinant in
those instances where his services are involved.
In general, parents usually should be told whenever other than
simple and routine school psychological services focus on a specific child. Such notification, by whatever form, should precede
the rendering of services, whenever practicable. Parent notifica-
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
tion does not mean a simple statement in a letter to the effect that
a child has been referred for school psychological services. It
requires two-way communication, preferably before services are
rendered.
If the school psychologist’s services are of an emergency nature,
then parent notification can be accomplished within a reasonable
time after services are provided. In most cases, parents should
learn that their child ‘has been referred to’ rather than ‘has been
seen by’ the school psychologist. When parents are not informed
at the outset of a complicated problem involving their child,
school-community relationships can be impaired. Even worse,
resistance or resentment can operate to the disadvantage of the
child who needs assistance.
Parents who are informed adequately and appropriately tend to
support the school program and are appreciative of the help
offered. Considerate parent notification procedures are good professional practice and work to everyone’s advantage. (pp. 4-5).
The SEA’s statement appears to have been an attempt to resolve
strong differences of opinion on the matter of notification and
consent that were expressed for several years, perhaps in response
to an earlier statement that did not endorse such action (Parent
Consent, 1965).
A third article (Sivers, 1974) discussed the range of services
school psychologists can provide and some cautions regarding
privacy as practitioners entered the age of computers and was
based on a presentation he made to the New York Academy of
Sciences Section on Psychology. I suspect his reputation as a
strong contributor to school psychological services was best
known to people in New York State although at least one of his
publications (Sivers & Salman, 1961) received broader recognition in school psychology books (Eiserer, 1963; Elkin, 1963).
Dr. Sivers held the Diplomate in school psychology from the
American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology and
was licensed in clinical psychology in New York State. He served
the state of New York during a period when chief psychologists
and state consultants for school psychology were highly visible
and in the forefront of our field. The publications listed above are
typical of products provided by the psychology units of the State
Education Agency (SEA) in several states, including California,
Illinois, New York, and Ohio. The chief psychologist served as a
sounding board and guide in an era of far less federal regulation.
The quote above reflects the wisdom that Bill Sivers brought to
the field in New York. Bill Sivers was one among many who contributed to the historical legacy of New York State in the overall
history of school psychology (Fagan, 1987; Trachtman, 1985).
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
For his contributions he received awards from the New York State
Psychological Association and New York University.
Dr. Sivers was not a member of the National Association of
School Psychologists, but was an APA associate member (1952),
member (1958), and a fellow in Division 16 (1959). To my
knowledge he never held office in New York or national school
psychology groups, but he was probably active in the New York
State Psychological Association. This was not unusual for SEA
representatives whose primary function was to represent the interests of state government and not necessarily those of professional
organizations. In that period it was typical for chief psychologists
of the SEA to attend professional conferences, and review new
regulations and practices as a two-way communication between
the field and the SEA. He was, however, an official member of a
small but important organization for state consultants, the
National Association of State Consultants for School
Psychological Services, which was organized in 1976 (Fagan,
1993; State Consultants, 1983).
His obituary mentions his active involvement in several dancing
groups during his retirement, and a strong sense of family. I never
met Bill Sivers but I am sure I knew many New York school psychologists who did (e.g., Ted Bernstein, former associate of Sivers
in Albany). I suspect Dr. Sivers was well liked by colleagues and
practitioners across the state. I’ve only known a few people who
were born on St. Patrick’s Day. They were all my kind of folks.
References
Cornell, E. L. (1942). The work of the school psychologist.
Albany, NY: Division of Research, New York State Education
Department (Bulletin No. 1238, June 15, 1942).
Cutts, N. E. (Ed.). (1955). School psychology at mid-century.
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Eiserer, P. E. (1963). The school psychologist. Washington, DC:
Center for Applied Research in Education, Inc.
(Continued on page 14)
Tom Fagan is professor of psychology and Coordinator of
School Psychology Programs at the University of Memphis,
Memphis, TN. tfagan@memphis.edu
Sabrina Jack is a research assistant with the
School Psychology Program at the University of Memphis.
9
Collaborative Problem Solving:
A Workshop Presented by Ross Greene, Ph.D.
Reviewed by Eliane Hack
On October 5, 2012, Ross Greene, Ph.D. presented to a packed
audience at the Century House in Latham, New York. The topic:
Collaborative Problem Solving. Dr. Greene is the author of The
Explosive Child and Lost at School, which both detail the application of the Collaborative Problem Solving model of understanding and helping children with social, emotional, and behavioral challenges.
that truly it is our instinct to jump in and help, however this does
not assist in improving challenging behavior in the long run. All
people have times when they “look bad”. Our “frequent flyers”
are those students who have not properly developed the skills
needed to handle challenging situations: executive skills, emotional regulation skills, cognitive flexibility skills, and overarching social skills.
The audience of over 200 participants comprised a mix of mental The single sheet, single-sided paper to which Dr. Greene refers is
health professionals, educational professionals, and parents of the ALSUP - The Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved
children with challenging behaviors. Dr. Greene’s description of Problems. This is not a checklist or rating scale, rather it serves as
the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) model was digestible a discussion guide to determine the “lagging skills” and “unsolved
for the diverse audience. It was clear that each person in the room problems” that are perpetuating behavior.
had at least one person in mind as he spoke, be it their own child
or a student in school. Dr. Greene’s framework provided practical Greene posits that if you solve the problem, the behavior will right
applications that could be
itself. When asked how one would
applied immediately in all setintegrate the ALSUP into an FBA,
To learn more about Dr. Greene and
tings. Many of them fly in the
Dr. Greene responded that the
the Collaborative Problem Solving
face of conventional thinking for
ALSUP would be the FBA. His
the way we handle challenging
model
does not focus on the
model, including access to the ALSUP,
behaviors.
antecedents - he feels antecedents
visit www.livesinthebalance.org.
are only a snapshot of a situation
The crux of the CPS model is
that cause behaviors on the “specthat kids do well if they can. Historically we have operated under trum of looking bad”. He does not focus on the immediate consea premise that kids do well if they want to (thus why we spend quence or reward - those align with the idea that kids do well if
much of our time seeking ways to motivate children to behave they want to. In fact, he feels the function of the behavior is not
well - think: sticker charts, behavior plans, myriad incentive pro- the important focus and too much time is spent on a plan that ultigrams). Dr. Greene emphasized the simplicity of the model and mately arrives at a generic function of attention-seeking or avoidreiterated that the basis of problem solving can be summed up on ance. Rarely is this new information to those involved. Dr. Greene
a "single sheet, single-sided piece of paper", which is available for emphasized that quantification (through FBA) comes third to
free on his website.
understanding behaviors, and second to helping well.
The basic tenets of the CPS framework hinge on three themes:
1. The emphasis is on PROBLEM SOLVING rather than extinguishing or replacing behaviors. This, he acknowledged, is a shift
in the way he and many of us were trained.
2. Problem solving is done in a COLLABORATIVE way, between
the child and adult. He posits that it is easier to make things better in collaboration, which results in empowerment of the child.
Unilateral decision-making (punishment, consequences) generally perpetuates the cycle of problem behaviors because the “problem” is never solved. Dr. Greene stated that, “When the problems
get solved, the challenging behaviors associated with the problem
subside”.
I presented on Dr. Greene’s CPS model to staff at my school a few
years ago, and it was clear that this was a major shift in thinking
for educators. Dr. Greene acknowledged that this is a tough pill
for many professionals to swallow. When you consider how much
of your day is consumed by creating behavior plans, sticker
charts, and other motivational tools to help kids “want” to behave
better, it feels like shifting to the CPS model brings you back to
square one. Dr. Green argues that it should, especially when those
charts, plans, and motivators are only effective for a few days or
weeks at best.
(Continued on page 14)
Eliane Hack is a graduate of the school psychology program at
Marist College. She currently works as a school psychologist
in the Queensbury Union Free School District and
is the NYASP Chapter F Representative.
3. Understanding comes before helping, and is considered to be
the most important piece of the equation. Dr. Greene conceded
10
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
Getting and Keeping Your First Job
as a School Psychologist
Reviewed by Sara Haugli
“Getting and Keeping Your First Job as a School Psychologist”
was presented at NASP 2012 in Philadelphia, to a room full of
graduate students and new professionals. There was excitement,
as well as nerves in the packed room, as audience members could
see a fraction of how many people will be applying for school
psychology positions in the close upcoming years.
Brian Hill, Rob Kubick, and Jeff York work as school psychologists in Akron, Ohio. They have presented this conference for several years, and have stated they will continue to present and help
at NASP for years to come. They kicked off their informative
presentation with some refreshing statistics. According to a
February 2007, Communiqué article, more than 50% of existing
school psychologists are retiring in the period of 2000-2015. In
addition, more than 70% of existing school psychologists are
retiring in the period from 2000-2020. You could feel some tension subside in the room as they moved into presenting on how to
enter the field.
Presenters surveyed 72 school districts from 40 states and presented the information gathered from their 33-question study. Mr.
Hill suggested that before you begin drafting your resume, you
should assess yourself, your experiences, accomplishments, skills,
interests, and your goals. Most school districts are looking for a
resume that is geared for job application, versus a curriculum vita
that serves to document your entire professional history. Resumes
should not include experiences that are not relevant for the job in
which you are applying; rather they should focus on the key selling points. The writer should avoid using psychology jargon
(including NYASP or NASP). Excessive underlining or bolding,
histrionic fonts and sizes, and abnormal spaces should be avoided. Interestingly, you should not label the document and include
the words Resume or Curriculum Vita at the top. The reader
should not be distracted from your name clearly typed at the top,
in the largest font, and not italicized.
If you are sending a physical copy of your resume and cover letter, they should be printed on the same quality paper and you
should not fold the document. Because the average resume is only
viewed for approximately 30 seconds, the important items need to
be readily visible and the high priority items should be up top
and/or to the left side of the page. Limit the phone numbers you
list on your resume and make sure to change your voicemails to
appropriate messages.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
The basic resume format includes your objective, education, certification, professional experience, related experience,
honors/awards, publications, presentations, professional memberships, activities, skills, and references in preceding order. If your
GPA is over 3.5 it is appropriate to list. Professional experience
should include a short description using action verbs, such as
evaluated, counseled, intervened, and supervised. Additionally, it
is important to quantify significant experiences. For example,
“independently conducted over 45 psycho-educational evaluations of students referred for significant learning and/or emotional concerns” is much more meaningful than “evaluated students
referred for testing.” School Psychology resumes should include
evaluation involvement, IEP involvement, specific ages, specific
disabilities, intervention, problem solving teams, counseling, parent training, crisis intervention, pre-k involvement, in-services,
functional behavior assessments, etc. Any publications or presentations should be listed in APA format. Resumes should not
include personal information unrelated to the job, lack of clear
qualifications, use of personal pronouns, long paragraphs, poor
formatting, or irrelevant information.
Presenters also focused on cover letters. The cover letter should be
the same type of paper as the resume with the same font and font
size. Cover letters are predominantly narrative format and should
be limited to one page. Paragraph 1 indicates interest, paragraph 2
highlights qualifications, and paragraph 3 requests an interview.
Portfolios are helpful to bring to an interview. Essential elements
to include in a good portfolio are your resume, certification, transcripts, letters of reference, sample reports, lists of experiences,
evidence of coursework, and list of in-services and workshops.
Sample protocols, intervention case studys, research experience,
and grant writing knowledge are helpful, but non-essential elements.
Presenters covered the interview process, gave out sample questions, and went over worthwhile questions to ask the interviewer.
The Ohio group will be presenting again at NASP 2013 in Seattle
and suggest that participants bring their resumes. The presenters
have offered to look over resumes and discuss cover letters after
the presentation. They also suggest looking over the NASP Career
Center resources. Y
Sara Haugli is a fourth year school psychology doctoral student at the
University at Buffalo. Her practicum placements this year include
Jacobs Neurological Institute and West Seneca Central School District.
11
Youth Suicide
Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Planning:
“Creating Suicide Safety in Schools”
Training Opportunities for School Districts
By Pat Breux, R.N. and Jacquelyn O’Connor, M.S., C.A.S.
A number of factors have moved youth suicide onto the radar of
administrators and school-based planning teams in recent years,
including several high profile youth suicide deaths in New York
State and an increase in student referrals for depressive symptoms
and suicidal ideation in recent years (Lieberman, Poland, &
Cassel, 2008). In the United States, suicide is the third leading
cause of death for youth ages 10 to 19, with about 12 youth deaths
to suicide each day (CDC, 2009). The latest national Youth Risk
Behavior Surveillance System data evidences the continued
prevalence of this public health problem, finding that nearly 16%
of high school students reported seriously considering suicide in
the past year, 12% said they had made a suicide plan, and 8% said
they had attempted suicide (CDC, 2012).
School psychologists are often members of school-based teams
faced with the vital task of developing their school’s comprehensive suicide safety plan. While there is growing recognition of the
opportunity schools have to prevent and respond to youth suicide
and suicidal behavior (Strein & Koehler, 2008), school-based
mental health professionals have reported feeling underprepared
to effectively organize and engage in such efforts (Berman 2009;
Debski, Dubord Spadofore, Jacob, Poole, & Hixon, 2007). Even
with access to best practice recommendations, training programs,
handbooks, and toolkits, developing a suicide safety plan can
evoke feelings of fear and uncertainty. The one-day Creating
Suicide Safety in Schools (CSSS) Workshop, developed over the
past couple of years by the NYS Office of Mental Health’s
Suicide Prevention Center (PreventSuicideNY.org), uses a problem-solving approach to build teams’ confidence and facilitate
improved readiness for the unthinkable. Schools are encouraged
to send an interdisciplinary team with at least one school-based
mental health professional, such as the school psychologist, represented. Ideally, this team will come to the workshop with some
administrative approval and empowerment for improving the
school’s suicide prevention planning process.
The CSSS Workshop meets school-based teams where they are in
the suicide prevention and response planning process, empower-
12
ing them to establish realistic short-term plans that bring them
closer to achieving a broad, long-term vision. The ecological
model and public health perspective are used as a framework for
presenting information about the problem of youth suicide and the
facts about effective prevention program characteristics.
Recommendations for school-based suicide prevention practices
that have been put forth by various youth suicide prevention
researchers and organizations (Berman, Jobes, & Silverman,
2006; Miller, 2011; Poland, 1989; SAMHSA, 2012) are reflected
in the workshop’s discussion of six broad categories of schoolbased suicide safety: (1) policies, procedures, and standardized
protocols; (2) staff trainings; (3) promotion of student protective
factors; (4) identification and reduction of student risk factors, (5)
plans for after a suicide death, and (6) engagement of family and
community resources and support. Participants spend time problem solving and action-planning about next steps needed in each
of these categories through the workshop’s use of small and large
group discussions, checklists and group planning documents,
exposure to free and low cost resources that meet best practice
recommendations and/or EBP standards, and a three-ring resource
binder organized by categories of school-based suicide safety.
Cultural relevance and acceptability of various programs are highlighted as key variables for promoting intervention sustainability.
School-based teams across NYS have participated in the CSSS
Workshop within the past year. Between September 2011 and July
2012, workshop evaluation surveys were collected from 133 participants in a preliminary look at the workshop’s successfulness.
Items used a five-point Likert scale, with higher ratings being
more positive. Survey results indicated that 98.5% of participants’
overall ratings of the CSSS Workshop were positive (M= 4.5,
SD= .82), that 98.5% of participants rated the workshop as relevant to their job (M= 4.8; SD= .43), and that 97.8% of participants
were in agreement that they were likely to apply what they had
learned to their jobs (M= 4.6, SD= .54). Qualitative responses also
indicated high levels of global satisfaction with the workshop,
with resounding appreciation reported for the “three-ring binder,”
“resources,” “wonderful handouts,” and especially the “planning
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
time.” One participant stated, “Today has been incredibly valuable
for me. Having spent the last year working on procedures, it validated many concepts and suggested room for improvement.” It
was also remarked that the workshop reinforced “importance of
working as a team.” Some workshop attendees found the organization of the material most helpful, and others noted that discussion of “realities and challenges” was most valuable. In response
to a three-month follow up survey, participants noted that the most
valuable parts of the workshop were “the binder and the planning
time,” and that the “planning sheet we filled out at the end has
helped our team remain focused on what we wanted to accomplish.” Others remembered “the opportunity for group discussion
and sharing valuable information” as most valuable.
The NYS Office of Mental Health Suicide Prevention Initiative
has one of the most comprehensive and respected initiatives in the
country with ties to researchers and leaders in the field and to
national policy initiatives. Staff work closely with grassroots
organizers and advocates on the local level as well. Initiative staff
have worked to gain access to an array of training opportunities,
programs, templates, and resource sheets to meet the needs of all
kinds of organizations and communities across the state, including
staff dedicated to investigating the specific needs of schools. For
more information about the NYSOMH Suicide Prevention
Initiative, contact Melanie Puorto-Conte at Melanie.Puorto@
omh.ny.gov or visit our website at http://www.omh.ny.gov/omhweb/suicide_prevention/. To learn more about the workshop contact Pat Breux.
Pat Breux
Youth Prevention Specialist
Suicide Prevention Center of New York
150 Broadway Suite 301
Menands, NY 12204
Pat.breux@omh.ny.gov
www.PreventSuicideNY.org
(518) 402-1156
References
Berman, A. L., (2009). School-based suicide prevention: Research
advances and practice implications. School Psychology Review,
38, 233-238.
Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (2006).
Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention. Washington,
DC: American Psychological Association.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009). Ten leading
causes of death – United States, 2009, all races, both sexes.
Retrieved from http://webappa.cdc.gov/ sasweb/ncipc/leadcaus10_us.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Youth risk
behavior surveillance – United States, 2011. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/ pdf/ss/ss6104.pdf
Debski, J., Dubord Spadafore, C., Jacob, S., Poole, D. A., &
Hixson, M. D. (2007). Suicide intervention: Training, roles, and
knowledge of school psychologists. Psychology in the Schools,
44, doi: 10.1002/pits.20213
Lieberman, R., Poland, S., & Cassel, R. (2008). Best practices in
suicide intervention. In A. Thomas & J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V (pp. 1457-1472). Bethesda, MD:
National Association of School Psychologists.
Miller, D. N., (2011). Child and adolescent suicidal behavior:
School-based prevention, assessment, and intervention. New
York: The Guilford Press.
Poland, S. (1989). Suicide Intervention in the schools. New York:
The Guilford Press.
Strein, W., & Koehler, J. (2008). Best practices in developing prevention strategies for school psychology practice. In A. Thomas &
J. Grimes (Eds.), Best Practices in School Psychology V. (pp.
1309-1322). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School
Psychologists.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools. HHS Publication
No. SMA-12-4669. Rockville, MD: Center for Mental Health
Services, Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Services
Administration, 2012. Retrieved from http://store.samhsa.gov/
shin/content/ SMA12-4669/SMA12 Y
Pat Breux is a Youth Prevention Specialist with the
Suicide Prevention Center of New York. She has worked with the
NYS Office of Mental Health to develop the Creating Suicide Safety
in Schools program. Jacqueline O’Connor is a graduate student
in school psychology at SUNY Albany.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
13
Conducting Research in the Schools
By John Garruto, D.Ed., NCSP-NYASP Research Chair
Some things never change. Whether you have been in the field ten
months or ten years, you probably have noticed consistent realities. There are those parts of our jobs that are rewarding-such as
the feeling we get when a child leaves our offices saying "Thank
you" for helping them, or when we discover why a child might be
struggling to learn. There are those parts of our jobs that can be
frustrating, such as the amount of administrative paperwork that
we are often asked to complete.
One thing that has also held consistent is the limited amount of
research conducted by actual practitioners. You might remember
having to do a research proposal or learning how to analyze data
via statistical tests. School psychologists might think that the volume of work to conduct this research may mirror what they
remember from graduate school. The irony is-there is no better
person to conduct this research than school psychologists!
Think about it-you're sitting on a pile of data. You have test
scores, evaluations conducted, you might conduct surveys for systems level analysis, etc. You have a real opportunity to turn that
into something real. It's not as hard as you think! The most important thing in any research that you wish to conduct is to have it
Remembering Bill Sivers...
Whether you're looking to compare state test scores to your CBM
data so that you can share this information with your school community or you want to see if your Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports (PBIS) initiative has reduced discipline referrals, you can use your skills to answer important questions and inform best practices in your school.
Finally, it's important to remind New York School Psychologists
that there is a research grant that is available to one member every
year. One thousand dollars is awarded to the winner (five hundred
before the research takes place and five hundred when it sees
completion). Perhaps this is the year that you decide to pilot a new
program in your school to see if it truly helps enhance the social
skills of children with autism, or you create a survey for parents
to determine which practices have helped their kids the most.
However you do it is up to you. Research...it's not just for graduate school. Y
(continued from p. 9)
Sivers, W. A. (1974). The delivery of psychological services in the school setting.
Highlights. 53(1), 9-12. This was a publication of the New York League for the
Hard of Hearing.
Elkin, V. B. (1963). Structuring school psychological services: Internal and interdisciplinary considerations. In M. G. Gottsegen and G. B. Gottsegen (Eds.),
Professional school psychology Vol. II (pp. 200-226). New York: Grune &
Stratton.
Sivers, W. A., & Salman, R. D. (1961). The school psychologist in action: A report
of the activities of school psychologists in New York State public schools. Albany,
NY: Bureau of Psychological Services, New York State Department of Education.
Fagan, T. K. (1986). The historical origins and growth of programs to prepare
school psychologists in the United States. Journal of School Psychology, 24(1),
9-22.
State Consultants or Primary Contact Persons for School Psychological Services
Within State Educational Agencies. (1983, January). National Association of State
Consultants for School Psychological Services, Inc. Unpublished list available
from the historical materials in Tom Fagan’s possession.
Fagan, T. (1987). New York’s significance to the development of school psychology. NYASP Newsletter, 5(2), 17-18.
Fagan, T. K. (1993). Separate but equal: School psychology’s search for organizational identity. Journal of School Psychology, 31(1), 3-90.
Trachtman, G. M. (1985, March). School psychology in New York State:
Fragments of a history. In L. K. Grimley, (Ed.)., Historical perspectives on school
psychology (pp. 28-32). Terre Haute, IN: Curriculum Research and Development
Center, School of Education, Indiana State University. See also, NYASP
Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 1 (winter, 1985), and No. 2, (spring, 1985). Y
Fagan, T. K., & Wise, P. S. (2007). School psychology: Past, present, and future.
Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Colaborative Problem Solving...
French, J. L. (1996). Cornell, Ethel L. In T. K. Fagan & P. G. Warden, (Eds.),
Historical encyclopedia of school psychology (pp. 91-92). Westport, CT:
Greenwood Press.
Parent Consent and School Psychological Services. (1965). Journal of School
Psychology, 3(4), 42. This is a published excerpt from a published bulletin of the
Bureau of Psychological Services, State Education Department of New York.
Sivers, W. A. (1969, April). Parent notification, parent consent, and school psychological services. Albany, NY: Bureau of Psychological Services. New York
State Department of Education.
14
approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). Often, Boards
of Education can help serve this purpose. If this is troublesome,
you can look to link up to a local college-professors are always
looking to conduct research.
(continued from p. 10)
The seven-hour training was packed with information, though I wish there had
been more time to address the use of this model for children who lack verbal
skills. In addition, the majority of the examples that Dr. Greene provided centered
on a directly identifiable academic issue. I find this is not always the case with my
students. There certainly are some things that can be worked on collaboratively;
however, in my experience it is not always as simple as realizing that the only
time the child exhibits a particular behavior is when there is a writing demand during a science lesson, for example. Dr. Greene cites reviews of his work on his
website. He also encouraged participants to attend a free conference in Portland,
Maine, which is sponsored by the Maine Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.
Conference speakers will include several administrators from school districts in
Maine that have implemented a CPS model. I would not say that I am a CPS convert, but it is always nice to be able to expand my toolbox! Y
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
New York Association of School Psychologists
Research Grant Application
The NYASP Research Committee
invites you to apply for a research grant.
Eligibility Requirements are as follows:
1. Employed school psychologists
2. Members in good standing of NYASP
Grants will be awarded in amounts up to $1,000.00.
Half the amount of the grant will be given upon
selection. The second half of the grant will be distributed upon presentation of the resulting study at
a future NYASP conference.
The closing date for applications is May 15, 2013
for the initial NYASP research grants. Winners will
be notified by August 1, 2013.
Please submit 1 copy of the application (below) and
2 copies of the proposal (up to 750 words) to:
John Garruto
17 Ellen Street
Fulton, NY 13069
Outline of Guidelines for Research Proposal
I. Introduction
A. Briefly summarize your hypothesis
B. Provide a brief review of the literature to
support your hypothesis
II. Method
A. Briefly describe the subjects
B. Briefly describe the setting
C. Variables
1. Briefly describe the dependent and
independent variables
2. Briefly describe the methods for
demonstrating the reliability and
validity of the variables
D. Experimental Design - briefly describe
and explain
E. Procedure - concretely summarize
III. Results - describe plan for your analysis of
your data
IV. Discussion - briefly state the potential signifi
cance of the study
Also, submit your proposal by e-mail to
jgarrut2@twcny.rr.com
aPPliCation Form
Name_______________________________ Current Position__________________________
Email Address________________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________________________
City/Town___________________________ State & Zip Code_________________________
Office Phone_________________________ Home Phone_____________________________
Title of Research Proposal_______________________________________________________
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
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news
From
nYasP
Your NYASP Board in Action!
Submitted by Mary Kay Hafer, NYASP Secretary
The NYASP Board had its third and final meeting of the 20112012 school year on May 5 and 6, 2012 at the Hilton Garden InnAlbany Medical Center in Albany. Board meetings are aligned
with our priority areas which include:
a. Mission – activities that are aligned with the mission of NYASP
and designed to promote school psychology in New York. This
priority area includes developing or maintaining affiliations and
relationships with other organizations and associations of shared
mission.
b. Membership – activities designed to address the needs and
diversity of our members including professional development that
improves areas of competence.
c. Operation – activities designed to improve the functioning of
NYASP. These activities include public relations, advocacy, and
other means of communication regarding the activities of NYASP.
• We have worked hard to advocate for the continuation of the
school psychologist as a member of the CSE; as well as the continued inclusion of the psycho-educational assessment (if determined as being necessary by the school psychologist) as one part
of a comprehensive initial evaluation by the CSE. At this time,
SED’s “Mandate Relief” proposals to eliminate these areas have
not been adopted. NYSUT and the School Boards Association
have both supported our efforts in maintaining these provisions in
the state regulations. It seems this issue keeps cropping up whenever “mandate relief” is mentioned. We will continue being vigilant in our support of school psychologists on the CSE.
Celebrations:
• Ruth Steegmann is putting her creative talents to work by creating a NYASP Cookbook. The book will contain a treasure trove of
favorites contributed by Board members. She hopes to make it
available on our website upon completion. Ruth has also been
busy working with her team on writing a “History of NYASP”
document. This too, will eventually find its way to our website.
• Dues for members will remain at the current level! There are
currently 957 NYASP members and we hope to reach our goal of
1,000 members. We have 538 Facebook members now, and are
currently the largest school psychology organization on
Facebook.
• Our website continues to receive high marks from other state
organizations and by NASP. Please be sure to check it out regularly. We have some new features including: “Blog News”,
“Legislative Updates” and “Mandate Relief” among others.
Kudos to Tom Kulaga our webmaster extraordinaire!
• We continue to be a fiscally sound organization and made a profit at our Turning Stone conference which will be used to further
the NYASP mission and goals. The conference was one of our
best yet, and received rave reviews by many primarily due to the
high caliber of our presenters. Thanks to all on the conference
committee and especially to Chairs Larry Pelkey and Michelle
Storie.
• Our Conference Committees for the next three conferences are
up and running. This fall 2012, our Conference will take place in
beautiful Niagara Falls. Don’t forget to bring your passport, in
order to see this natural wonder from the Canadian side. Stay
tuned to our website for a complete agenda and list of speakers.
Conference 2013 will be held in White Plains, NY at the Crowne
Plaza, and Conference 2014 will be in the Saratoga/Albany/
Capital District area.
Read on, to discover the highlights of the meeting.
• Our “Warriors Toolkit” and “Bullying Toolkit” have continued
to receive recognition at the state and national level, as witnessed
by First Lady Michelle Obama writing President-Elect Kelly Caci
to thank her for her efforts in developing the Warriors Toolkit.
• Transition of leadership positions beginning summer 2012:
Kelly Caci will be our new President; Andrew Shanock will be
our President-Elect, Peter Faustino will be Past-President,
Treasurer will be Cindy Burns-McDonald, Treasurer-Elect will be
Michelle Storie and Secretary will be Arielle D’Aprile. Welcome
to your new positions everyone!
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• NYASP will offer an on-line course on Ethics and Professional
Practice that will satisfy CPD credits and be free to members. This
course is to be rolled out in the summer of 2012.
• The Board will be represented at the Summer Public Policy
Institute in Washington, DC. This presents a great leadership
development opportunity for our group. Andrew Shanock (and
possibly one other person) is slated to attend this year.
• Heather Meddaugh reported that the Young Child Expo was
recently held in the NYC metropolitan area. It was a nice opportunity for NYASP to collaborate, and was well attended.
• We have two new student representatives to the Board: Elizabeth
Tiffany (from SUNY Oswego) and Craig Hanthorn (from Long
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
news
Island University). Congratulations on winning these leadership
positions, and welcome to the Board!
• We continue to advocate for passage of our licensure bill (A233)
which is currently being considered by the legislature (Higher
Education Committee).
Challenges and Call to Action:
• We wish to increase our membership in order to better represent
all school psychologists in the state. Encourage your friends, colleagues and graduate students to join us! We are the group advocating for school psychologists in the state.
• NYASP continues to welcome submissions to the newsletter, in
order to represent a broader spectrum of the field.
•Presently, there is no APPR (Annual Professional Performance
Review) required of school psychologists, but this may be coming
soon. We encourage all school psychologists to become involved
in any efforts to create such an evaluation by districts and/or at the
state level.
•We continue to solicit nominations for the local, Chapter level,
“School Psychologist Practitioner of the Year” awards. We know
there are great candidates out there at the Chapter level! School
Psychologists can now nominate a worthy colleague at the local
level of competition.
From
nYasP
• All of us need to continue to contact our legislators, state education officials and other key decision makers in regard to any new,
or future, “Mandate Relief” proposals and licensure.
• We are collecting ideas and responses to the new “Skills
Achievement Credential” (SAC) that is going to replace the IEP
Diploma. Please send your comments and opinions to your
Chapter rep. They will be forwarded on to our leadership and lobbyist for consideration.
• Recently, legislation passed that deals with concussion management. Schools will now be required to do certain things after a student suffers a concussion. The regulation calls for a management
team, which could provide an opportunity for school psychologists to be involved in this important service to students.
On behalf of all the Board members and Committee Chairs, I wish
to thank everyone for your support over the past year. We are your
Board; we work to advance the profession of school psychology
and to further improve service to the schools and communities we
serve. Please feel free to contact Board members and Chapter
Reps with any suggestions that could improve our service to you,
our membership. Writing this article is my last duty as your
NYASP Secretary. A sincere thank you to everyone for allowing
me this privilege. I want to wish our new Secretary, Arielle
D’Aprile, best wishes as well. “Together We Can Do Great
Things”! Y
•Things move slowly at the legislative level. This only means we
need to keep our focus on advocating for passage of our licensure
bill.
NYASP board members decided to wear their college apparel at the May board meeting.
Whether they were representing their own undergraduate or graduate school,
place of employment, or college of a family member, everyone was showing some school pride!
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
17
news
From
nYasP
Chapter A News
Submitted by Mary Kay Hafer
Chapter A had another successful school year. My co-rep (Cindy
Burns-McDonald) and I represent NYASP at each of three yearly
“School Psychologist Network” meetings. These meetings are
usually held on a Friday at Cheel Campus Center at Clarkson
University in Potsdam, NY. We are fortunate to have our RSETASC colleague, Gerry Swalnick, support these meetings and
help us arrange for speakers and a meeting site. One of our continuing challenges is to have more people from our neighboring
counties attend our meetings. It has been great to see new faces
over the past few years!
Meetings this year were held on September 16, January 26 and
May 18. Topics and speakers included: Dan Dodge (SLC
Community Services), Collene Alexander (Family Counseling
Service of Northern NY), NYSED updates by Gerry Swalnick,
FBA Procedures (Gerry Swalnick), NYASP Updates (myself, presenter), STAR Reading Assessment and Interpretation by Amy
Bartell (National Consultant, Renaissance Learning), NYSARC
Services for Students with Autism (Nancy Davis, Associate
Executive Director), and Local Updates (Gerry Swalnick). This
year, we were also very fortunate to have our local
Assemblywoman from District 118 (“River District”) – Addie J.
Russell – attend one of our meetings. She demonstrated a good
understanding of many of the issues SP’s face especially in light
of this era of “mandate relief”, and seems to be a strong supporter of many of these issues. Thank you, Addie!
In St. Lawrence County, we have also had a nice show of leadership and involvement come out of the network meetings. Dave
Stevens and Lee Scaggs provided two workshops for interested
parties on “Using Technology in Report Writing” and “Reviewing
the CHC Theory of Cognitive Abilities and How to Apply it to a
Cross-battery Approach”. They also demonstrated techniques for
organizing psycho-educational assessments to take on a more neuropsychological approach. Both workshops were well attended
and executed. More such opportunities are being planned for next
year. We have also had a member, Stephanie Gilbert, take the lead
in organizing a summer work session with a focus on developing
procedures and techniques for conducting more useful FBA’s and
BIP’s. It has been really great to see our colleagues getting so
involved over the past two years!
We look forward to seeing both old (“seasoned”) and new faces at
our meetings in 2012-13! Please contact myself or Cindy if you
have ideas for agenda items or speakers. Jefferson and Lewis
Counties…we need you! Please let us know how we can be as
inclusive as possible. Thanks for a wonderful school year! Y
Chapter J News
Submitted by Shauna Maynard
Welcome back to school everyone! As of May 2012, Kate Kelly
and Shauna Maynard were appointed as the co-representatives for
Albany, Columbia, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Rensselaer counties. Both representatives attended the May NYASP Board
Meeting in Albany to kick-start their roles as the new Co-Reps.
Also in May 2012, NYASP and The College of St. Rose co-sponsored a presentation by Jim Wright, entitled “The School
Psychologist as Change Agent: Going Beyond Testing and
Mandated Meetings”. This event, which was very well attended,
was jam-packed with information regarding the school psychologist and their role in the RtI and problem-solving process.
Effective instruction and intervention was also a well-covered
topic. Additionally, Shauna and Kate were able to meet many
18
Chapter J members and had a table set up to hand out information
on becoming members of NYASP.
Since their appointment as Co-Representatives, Kate and Shauna
have set up an e-mail address specifically created for Chapter J
Members: NYASPChapterJ@gmail.com. Additionally, a
Facebook page has been set up to increase communication among
Chapter J members: www.facebook.com/NYASPChapterJ. Lastly,
Kate and Shauna are very much interested in setting up an event
in the early spring for members. Currently, we are in the works of
collaborating with Chapter F (Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer,
Montgomery, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington Counties). If you
have topic ideas, please share them with your Reps.! Y
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
news
From
nYasP
Chapter D News
Submitted by Victoria Mosetti
In April 2012, Chapter D held its first event at Roberts Wesleyan
College in Rochester, New York. As the Chapter D
Representative, I presented a 30 minute session on Mandate
Relief Recommendations. The presentation included a timeline
recording Mandate Relief news from February 2011 through April
2012. Over the past year, the NYS Board of Regents has considered mandate relief as a strategy to make education less costly,
more efficient, and more consistent with Federal Mandates. The
title of the presentation focused on asking: Will these efforts really save schools money and what effect will they have on basic student rights? Many students, professors, and School Psychologists
attended and engaged in a question and answer session after the
presentation. I encouraged Roberts Wesleyan students and
Rochester Institute of Technology students to join NYASP in conjunction with pursuing their degree in School Psychology. I would
like to thank Roberts Wesleyan for hosting this event and look forward to continued collaboration with both Roberts Wesleyan
College and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
In May 2012, Chapter D also hosted a special, private screening
of the film BULLY at the Little Theater in Rochester, New York.
It has been reported that over 13 million American kids will be
bullied this year, making it the most common form of violence
experienced by young people in the nation. The documentary film
BULLY, directed by Sundance and Emmy-award winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, brings human scale to the startling statistic,
offering an intimate, unflinching look at how bullying has touched
five kids and their families. Filmed over the course of the 20092010 school year, BULLY opens a window onto the pained and
often endangered lives of bullied kids, revealing a problem that
transcends geographic, racial, ethnic and economic borders. It
documents the responses of teachers and administrators to aggressive behaviors that defy “kids will be kids” clichés, and it captures
a growing movement among parents and youths to change how
bullying is handled in schools, in communities and in society as a
whole. The film also focuses on the deaths of two students, victims of bullying who took their own lives. The film describes in
great detail how the average American school kid cannot defend
himself or herself against ridicule. Parents play a vital role in supporting their kids, promoting upstander rather than bystander
behavior, and teaching and modeling empathy in the home. Many
Rochester City School District employees attended, along with
community members, and Chapter D School Psychologists. After
the screening, I facilitated comment and question and answer session including valuable input from the audience members. Y
NYASP Board Members Participate in the Mudman X
Submitted by Kelly Caci
On August 25, 2012, eight NYASP executive board members
competed in the Mudman X mud run on Team NYASP - "The
Freudian Slips". Competitors on Team NYASP included
Legislative co-chairs John Kelly and Beth Rizzi, Past-President
Peter Faustino, President Kelly Caci, President-Elect Andrew
Shanock, Secretary Arielle D'Aprile, Treasurer-Elect Michelle
Storie, and Public Relations Chair Andrew Livanis. John Kelly's
daughter Nicole also ran with the team. The Freudian Slips ran in
honor of John Kelly's 50th birthday, and to benefit the Wounded
Warriors Project, which serves military service members who
have incurred service-connected wounds, injuries, or illnesses on
or after September 11, 2001 and their families. Information on
how to support military families in your school district can be
found in the NYASP Children of Warriors toolkit available at
www.NYASP.org. Information about the Wounded Warriors
Project can be found at www.woundedwarriorproject.org. Y
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
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news
From
nYasP
Chapter F News
Submitted by Eliane Hack
Eliane Hack joined the NYASP Board in May 2012 as Alternate
Representative for Chapter F (which comprises Fulton, Hamilton,
Herkimer, Montgomery, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington
Counties). Eliane sought to increase membership in this geographically vast chapter by contacting all working psychologists
whose emails were readily available through school websites. We
need to continue this effort to build membership!
Chapter F will seek to partner with surrounding chapters in order
to provide professional development within reasonable traveling
distance to all of our chapter members. We are in touch with
Chapter J for a gathering in January 2013.
Eliane is now the Representative for Chapter F. She can be
reached at chapterf@nyasp.org or eliane.hack@gmail.com.
Chapter F now has a Facebook page as well: New York
Association of School Psychologists - Chapter F. Y
Meet your Newly Elected EC Officers!
This spring, NYASP members were provided the opportunity to vote for three Executive Committee positions: President-Elect,
Treasurer-Elect, and Secretary. Each position holds a two-year term (2012-2014). The President-Elect will then spend two years as
President (2014-2016) and then Past-President (2016-2018) and the Treasurer Elect will then spend two years as Treasurer (2014-2016).
These positions, along with NASP Delegate and Newsletter Editor, comprise the Executive Committee of the NYASP Board. Please
take the chance to learn more about your newly elected officers!
President-Elect Andrew Shanock has been a professor at The College of Saint Rose since 2005. He specializes in cognitive and academic assessment. Prior to his work at Saint Rose, Andrew was a school psychologist for several years within a variety of settings, including those that had high automobile traffic as
well as those that had high livestock traffic. While his main specialty area is the development and understanding of contemporary assessment techniques including the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Cross Battery
and Response to Intervention, he does a great deal of work in assisting instruction support teams. For the
last two years, Andrew has been president of the Trainers of School Psychology-New York (TSPNY, formerly SPECNYS). He has been part of the NYASP board since 2008. He has collaborated on various
NYASP position papers, been involved in our lobbying efforts, and is a recurring presenter at the NYASP
conferences for the last seven years. Andrew is also part of the Meeting of the Minds group that is working to better define the policies and procedures of identifying a learning disability.
Treasurer-Elect Michelle Storie is a school psychologist for the LaFayette Central School District. She
also serves as Director of the Syracuse University Psychoeducational Teaching Laboratory and is an
adjunct instructor, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in educational psychology, learning disabilities, and psychoeducational assessment at Syracuse University. She received her Ph.D. in School
Psychology from Syracuse University in 2001. Michelle is currently the NYASP Treasurer-Elect and
chaired the NYASP 2011 Conference. Her research interests include early literacy skills intervention, the
impact of health and wellness programs on academic achievement, and transition from high school to college.
Secretary Arielle D'Aprile is entering her 5th year as a school psychologist, currently employed by the
Bedford Central School District. She has been actively involved with NYASP for the past 6 years as she
previously served as the board's treasurer, treasurer-elect, and student representative. She also served as
a member of the White Plains conference committee for 2009 and for the upcoming 2013 conference.
As a practitioner, she holds special interests in working with children who displays a variety of behavioral issues and anxiety disorders. Y
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NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
news
From
nYasP
First Lady Michelle Obama
Dr. Jill Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20500
April 26, 2011
Dear First Lady Obama and Dr. Biden,
On behalf of the New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP) I am writing to join your
initiative to support military families. NYASP’s mission is to serve children, their families, and the
school community by promoting psychological well being, excellence in education, and sensitivity to
diversity through best practices in school psychology.
NYASP and our members recognize the challenges facing military families, and in an effort to help
school psychologists, educators, and parents deal with these challenges, we have developed our
“Children of Warriors” toolkit. This toolkit is a compilation of resources for educators and parents to
address the specific needs of children and families with a deployed family member. This toolkit is
available to individuals who visit our website at www.NYASP.org, and access the “Children of
Warriors” link. The toolkit was also introduced as a resource to New York State United Teachers
members in the March 2011 issue of NYSUT United. The article can be viewed at
http://www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/nysutunited_16241.htm.
While NYASP is a New York organization, we have chosen to make the “Children of Warriors”
toolkit available to anyone visiting our website in an effort to provide far reaching supports to
educators and military families across the country. NYASP would be honored to join your initiative to
support military families across the United States.
With warm regards,
Kelly A. Caci
NY Certified School Psychologist
NYASP President-Elect
Cc Susan Gorin, NASP Executive Director
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
21
news
22
From
nYasP
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
Remembering Ted Bernstein
historY oF nYasP
By Judy Harwood
“Who in the world is Ted Bernstein?” As co-chair of the NYASP
Awards Committee I have heard that whispered many times during the presentation of the Ted Bernstein Awards at our Annual
Conference. The Award is made to the outstanding graduate student in each of the school psychology training program across
New York State.
Ted Bernstein never saw one of approximately 500 recipients of
the TB Award, over the course of twenty-two years, walk to the
podium to receive the certificate and lapel pin as symbols of their
achievement.
He died in 1978 while serving as the president of the New York
Association of School Psychologists. I have only a vague memory of seeing him at a Fall Conference in Canandaigua or Syracuse.
He was a big man, not only in girth but in pride for the fledgling
organization representing school psychologists in New York State.
His advocacy for exceptional children was legendary. He was
instrumental in establishing classes for emotionally disturbed students within public school settings. At the time of his presidency
of NYASP the organization and practitioners of school psychology were dealing with the Model Omnibus Licensing Bill for
Mental Health Professions.
1970, Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC. NASP Convention.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
If one googled Theodore Bernstein, he/she wouldn’t find much.
His life played out before the virtual world existed. However, his
colleagues couldn’t forget him. Here is what Tom Fagan recalled:
“In 1970 Ted was the NY delegate to NASP and served on the
Ethics Committee. In 1971-73 Ted served as NE Regional
Director and chaired the 1973 Convention Committee for the convention in New York City. According to records I hold, NYASP
was affiliated with NASP in 1971. The 1970 photo includes Judy
Jackson delegate from MD, and NASP Treasurer, Patricia Hewitt
from California. The other male I don’t recognize.”
When you hear the Ted Bernstein Awards presented at the Fall
Conference remember with appreciation an early leader in the
field of school psychology. Y
Judy Harwood is a NYASP Awards Co-chair, retired school psychologist
and co-author with Ruth Steegmann of A History of NYASP.
In this 1974 picture, Ted is pictured with the late
Harold “Bud” Swanson and Jean Ramage,
then NASP President-elect.
23
student Forum
Becoming a Student Liaison
By Kim D’Imperio, Ayla Mertturk, Elizabeth Tiffany, and Craig Hanthorn,
Graduate Student Representatives
For those of you who may not know, NYASP elects Student
Representatives who serve a two-year term. The elections are held
every year so the terms are staggered. For example, Kim
D'Imperio and Ayla Mertturk's term is 2011-2013 while Elizabeth
Tiffany and Craig Hanthorn's term is 2012-2014. These four students serve on the NYASP board and represent all graduate students in school psychology in New York State.
receiving a monthly "newsletter" to send to the students in their
respective programs. What will be included in this "newsletter,”
you ask? General information, tips, upcoming conference information, chapter events, etc – anything and everything relating to
you, the graduate student!
Each graduate program is requested to have a Student Liaison
who will work in conjunction with these elected Student
Representatives. The Student Representatives will work with the
Student Liaisons in communicating important issues related to
training in school psychology in New York State, development of
conference offerings of interest to students, and promoting the
profession of school psychology and NYASP.
We encourage you to send us information as well. Are there events
going on at your college you in which you are participating? Did
you have an event where students from your program got together? For example, workshops, events like Making Strides Against
Breast Cancer, Tough Mudder - anything that you or a few of you
have done, we want to hear about it!! In fact, we would like to
include some of that in “Student Forum” in the printed newsletter
The New York School Psychologist. (This is what you are reading.
Right now.) Feel free to send us pictures!
One of the things we (Student Representatives) would like to do
is email information to the liaisons who will then disseminate the
information to the other students in their program - and even
undergraduates. Starting in November 2012, liaisons will be
So be on the lookout for an email from chapters@nyasp.org.
Remember – this is for you. If you have any ideas or questions,
please email us. We are also on Facebook! Join our group called
"NYASP Grad Students" if you haven't already done so. Y
New York State
School Psychology Graduate Training Programs
1. Adelphi University (MA)
2. Alfred University (MA/CAS; Psy.D.)
3. Brooklyn College (MS Ed/CAS)
4. College of New Rochelle (MS)
5. College of Saint Rose (MS Ed/CAS)
6. Columbia University, Teachers College (MS Ed, Ph.D., Ed.D.)
7. CUNY – Graduate Center (Ph.D.)
8. CUNY – Queens College (MS Ed/CAS)
9. Fordham University (Ph.D.; PD; BiPD)
10. Hofstra University (Ph.D.; Psy.D.)
11. Iona College (MA/CAS)
12. Long Island University – Brooklyn (MS Ed)
13. Long Island University – Westchester (MS Ed)
14. Marist College (MA/CAS)
15. Mercy College (MS/CAS)
16. Niagara University (MS/CAS)
17. Pace University (MS Ed; Psy.D.)
18. St. John’s University (MS; Psy.D.)
19. Roberts Wesleyan College (MS/CAS)
20. Rochester Institute of Technology (MS/CAS)
21. SUNY Albany (Psy.D./CAS)
22. SUNY Buffalo (MA; Ph.D.)
23. SUNY Oswego (MS/CAS)
24. SUNY Plattsburgh (MA/CAS)
25. Syracuse University (Ph.D.)
26. Touro College (MS)
27. Yeshiva University (Psy.D.)
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NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
FaCultY lounge
News from TSPNY
(Formerly SPENCNYS)
By Andrew Shanock
Well the first big news is our name change! We have changed
from the School Psychology Educators Council of New York
State (a mouthful) to the more readily understandable Trainers of
School Psychologists – New York or TSPNY. There should be no
inference that this means we are a satellite of the national Trainers
of School Psychologists (TSP). It is instead a rebranding of a great
organization that has lead the way in how New York school psychologists practice their craft. We are one of the largest school
psychology trainer organizations in the country. For several years,
our organization has partnered with NYASP on a variety of issues,
including licensure for school psychologists at the specialist level.
TSPNY includes programs and field supervisors from all regions
of our state. What is amazing is that we use this diversity of ideas,
viewpoints, and culture to forge greater alliances to better support
the varied roles and functions that school psychologists play in
New York and around the country. We continue to evolve in order
to stay ahead of the many trends in education and psychology. Our
name change and rebranding is just one small part in our continued growth and vitality.
In that same vein, members of TSPNY are working together to
spread the word about the profession of school psychology! For
the past several years, the US News and World Report has listed
school psychology as one of the top fifty career paths. What is
interesting however is that when we ask each other how we got
into school psychology, the usual answer is that “it was an accident!” (I guess School Psychologist Barbie was not the hit we
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
thought it would be). It is usually not until many of us were seniors in college or worked in the field of education for a while did
we discover this thing called “school psychology” and were soon
hooked. Quickly we understand that by becoming a school psychologist, we can be leaders in the community and within the
schools. We lead through our level of expertise, knowledge, and
passion to create healthy learning environments for all children.
Yet despite the amazing things that school psychologists do on a
daily basis, we still go unrecognized, in part due to the humility in
how we conduct ourselves as professionals. TSPNY will be making a loud, concerted effort in making school psychology a profession that is no longer “stumbled upon” but instead sought out
and desired!
If you wish to be part of this organization and help us spread the
word about school psychology, individual membership is
$20/year and group membership is $50/year. We have two meetings per year; one during the NYASP conference and one in
Albany during the month of June. Contact Andrew Shanock at
shanocka@strose.edu or 518-337-4843 if you have any further
questions or ideas that you wish to share.
Sincerely,
Andrew Shanock, PhD, NCSP
TSPNY President Y
25
the ethiCs Corner
The Top Ten Things
School Psychologists Need to
Know About Ethics and Law
(Part 2)
By Merryl Bushansky, Psy.D.
Note: This is a continuation of an article published in the Vol. XXX No. 2 of The New York School Psychologist.
6. It is ethically and legally permissible to provide school-based
consultation services to a teacher without informed consent from
the parent, as long as the interventions are under the authority of
the teacher and within the scope of typical classroom interventions. This is also true for classroom observations, reviewing
records, assisting in progress monitoring and participating in educational screenings which are part of a regular program of instruction.
9. The Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central
School District v Rowley (1982), also known as the Rowley decision, ensures only that an educational program benefits the student and does not necessarily provide the best possible or most
perfect education. This decision from New York, which went all
the way to the Supreme Court, discusses the fact that an educational program does not have to maximize the potential of the student.
7. School psychologists and other school personnel must promptly report suspected abuse and document that a call was made to
Child Protective Services. It is the responsibility of the agency to
confirm or determine unfounded the existence of suspected
abuse or neglect, not the school staff.
10. Professional organizations have no jurisdiction over school
psychologists who are not members of their organization. Last
spring, a Louisiana school psychologist was quoted in the press
making derogatory and racist comments. His actions were even
discussed on CNN. It turns out that he was not a NASP member;
however, NASP quickly sent out a press release denouncing his
comments and provided some information as to the standards of
school psychologists’ behavior. The school psychologist in question ultimately resigned from his position. Y
8. School psychologists need to distinguish between testing and
assessment, as they are not interchangeable. A test is a tool that
can be used as part of assessment in order to gather information.
Assessment is more comprehensive as it involves planning, collecting, and evaluating information as part of a psychological
evaluation.
Merryl Bushansky, Psy.D, has been the Chairperson for
NYASP’s Ethics and Professional Practice Committe for several years.
She is a school psychologist in New Rochelle, NY.
Do you have an ethical dilemna?
Contact Merryl Bushansky at spmerryl@msn.com
26
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
Updates from
Your NY NASP Delegate
nasP notes
Submitted by Vincent Alfonso
1. Registration for the NASP 2013
Annual Convention in Seattle is now
open at http://www.nasponline.org/
conventions/2013/index.aspx! Register
by October 24 to take advantage of
early registration savings and hotel discounts. Plus, you'll be entered to win
one of six prizes! The 2013 conference
takes place February 12-15 so get registered and get excited!
2. Start planning now for School
Psychology Awareness Week which is
November 12-16! The theme this year
is 'Know Your Own Strengths.' Get
ideas, resources and more information
online at http://www.nasponline.org/
communications/spaw/2012/index
.aspx. Look for this year's poster in your October issue of
Communiqué.
3. As part of your NASP membership, you have access to podcasts
on a variety of subjects. New and noteworthy topics on the page
include concussions, effects of deployment on military families,
and working effectively with principals on school change projects. Log in and listen here: http://www.nasponline.org/
resources/podcasts/index.aspx#new.
4. School is back and our member-only NASP Communities are
buzzing at http://communities.nasponline.org/Home/! Get information and ask questions on specific topics such as autism & pervasive developmental disorders, behavioral school psychology, or
crisis management. You can also visit the general NASP Member
Exchange at http://communities.nasponline.org/NASPONLINE/Communities1/ViewCommunities/CommunityDetails/?Co
mmunityKey=705b737c-8fdb-4a4a-ae4c-462f0fa076c1 to read
what other school psychologists are talking about nationwide.
6. Make sure you check out the completely revised second edition
of Best Practices in School Crisis Intervention and Prevention.
This comprehensive reference will be your go-to resource for preventing and addressing crises on an individual and school-wide
basis. Visit the NASP bookstore here http://iweb.nasponline.org/
iweb/Purchase/ProductDetail.aspx?Product_code=N1110 to get
your copy. Make sure you log in before you purchase-NASP
members save $55 on this newly released title!
7. Get social with NASP by becoming a fan of the NASP
Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/NationalAssociation-of-School-Psychologists/175984588655 or Twitter at
www.twitter.com/nasponline. Great information, photos, and
updates for you to enjoy!
8. All school psychologists are encouraged to participate in the
2012 School Psychology On-Line Futures Conference. The
Futures Conference will be held live on two more dates with different topics/speakers for each date. The following are dates/topics/speakers for the remaining sessions of the Futures Conference:
- October 26th, Critical Skills, Beth Doll;
- November 10th, Advocacy, Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor.
NYASP’s own John Kelly will be a panelist discussing school
psychologists as advocates.
Speakers will begin at 3:30 p.m. and conclude at 5:00 p.m. As a
NASP member you can participate in the Futures Conference as
an individual by registering at http://www.indiana.edu/~futures/.
You can also participate at group sites. Sites will be determined
locally within each state. This is another free member benefit of
which you should take advantage!
9. Some NASP initiatives over the past 6 months include promoting the practice model, increasing membership, formalizing a
strategic plan for the future, and reviewing our governance structure. Y
5. Dealing with a new or difficult situation with a student? Visit
the NASP Resource Library here, http://www.nasponline.org/
resources/completetopiclist.aspx to access information organized
by topic. You can find downloadable articles and handouts on topics including assessment, children's rights, mood disorders, sexuality, temper tantrums, and more to help you in your daily work.
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
27
Sexting
tom’s teCh talk
By Tom Kulaga
“Sexting” is a combination of the words “sex” and “texting” and
refers to sending sexually explicit images or messages from one
person to another. Two recent studies about sexting are outlined
below.
Jeff. R.Temple, Ph.D., of UTMB (University of Texas Medical
Branch) and colleagues sought to examine the prevalence of sexting behaviors as well as their relation to dating, sex, and risky
sexual behaviors using a large school-based sample of adolescents. As part of a three-year longitudinal study, participants
reported their history of dating, sexual behaviors, and sexting
(sent, asked, been asked, and/or bothered by being asked to send
nude photographs of themselves).
A total of 948 public high school students (55.9% female) participated. The sample consisted of African American (26.6%), white
(30.3%), Hispanic (31.7%), Asian (3.4%), and mixed/other
(8.0%) teens.
Twenty-eight percent of the sample reported having sent a naked
picture of themselves through text or e-mail (sext), and 31%
reported having asked someone for a sext. More than half (57%)
had been asked to send a sext, with most being bothered by having been asked. Adolescents who engaged in sexting behaviors
were more likely to have begun dating and to have had sex than
those who did not sext (all P < .001). For girls, sexting was also
associated with risky sexual behaviors.
The data suggested that teen sexting is prevalent and potentially
indicative of teens' sexual behaviors. Teen-focused health care
providers should consider screening for sexting behaviors to provide age-specific education about the potential consequences of
sexting and as a mechanism for discussing sexual behaviors.
Another recent study by Donald Strassberg and colleagues from
the University of Utah (US) noted that a significant number of
teenagers are sending and receiving sexually explicit cell phone
photos, often with little, if any, awareness of the possible psychological, interpersonal, and sometimes legal consequences of doing
so. For example, in many US states, those sending or receiving
nude pictures of individuals under 18 risk charges as serious as
possession or distribution of child pornography, carrying penalties
that include being listed on a sex offender register.
Nearly 20 percent of the students in Strassberg’s study, some as
young as 14, said they had sent a sexually explicit image of themselves via cell phone, and nearly twice as many said that they had
received a sexually explicit picture. Of those receiving such a picture, over 25 percent indicated that they had forwarded it to others.
In addition, of those who had sent a sexually explicit picture, over
a third had done so despite believing that there could be serious
legal and other consequences if they got caught. Students who had
sent a picture by cell phone were more likely than others to find
the activity acceptable.
References:
Jonathan A. Paul. Teen Sexting and Its Association With Sexual Behaviors Teen
Sexting and Sexual Behaviors. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine,
2012; DOI: 10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.835
Donald S. Strassberg, Ryan K. McKinnon, Michael A. Sustaíta, Jordan Rullo.
Sexting by High School Students: An Exploratory and Descriptive Study. Archives
of Sexual Behavior, 2012; DOI: 10.1007/s10508-012-9969-8 Y
Tom Kulaga is a School Psychologist in the
Marlboro Central School District, a past-president of NYASP,
and the webmaster of www.nyasp.org.
SAVE THE DATE: NYASP Conference 2013
October 24-26, 2013 Crowne Plaza Hotel: White Plains, NY
“Expanding the Role of the School Psychologist”
28
Thursday Keynote Speaker:
Friday Keynote Speaker:
Professor, Author, and School Psychology Legend
Former Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education
President/CEO of “Be the Change”
Dr. Alan Kaufman
Kevin Jennings
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
The School Psychologist’s
Survival Guide
book review
By Rebecca Branstetter, Ph.D.
Jossey-Bass Teacher, 2012
Reviewed by Aimee Lepsch, M.A./A.C.
Over the winter, I was contacted by Dr. Rebecca Branstetter to
read the manuscript for her newest “book baby” and write a promotional blurb for her publisher. For those who are unfamiliar
with her work, in addition to working in the San Francisco Bay
Area schools and maintaining a private practice, Dr. Branstetter
writes the popular “Notes from the School Psychologist” blog
(www.studentsgrow.blogspot.com). As an intern, her blog provided me with laughs, insight, intervention
ideas, and a “real” connection to life outside the university classroom. The opportunity to review the book of a quasi-mentor and role model prompted much
squealing and embarrassing dancing
around my living room before I humbly
accepted the opportunity.
The School Psychologist’s Survival
Guide takes all of the high points,
resources, and practical activities featured
in Dr. Branstetter’s blog, and assembles
them into a truly helpful guide for school
psychologists, new and veteran. Early
career psychologists will find this an
excellent handbook for organizing the
many daily “hats” that a psychologist
wears, all while navigating the logistics of
working within a school district and meeting legal deadlines, mandates, and paperwork. More seasoned professionals will
find useful resources to fine-tune skills and obtain new insight on
intervention tools, counseling techniques, and managing “the
bureaucracy monster.” Dr. Branstetter’s easy humor, engaging
writing style, and on-the-job personal experiences are accessible
and provide something for everyone.
Perhaps the most immediately useable pieces of Dr. Branstetter’s
book are the reproducible charts, schedules, letters, and other
materials. As a Type-A, organizational nut, I devoured every new
idea she provided on how to make the many tasks a psychologist
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
faces more streamlined and manageable. From sample assessment
and reevaluation calendars, counseling notes, permission slips,
and handouts, to special education checklists, parent and teacher
surveys, and example threat assessments, the book is filled with
ideas that can be adapted and used by psychologists instantly.
Other noteworthy nuggets found in each chapter of The School
Psychologist’s Survival Guide are the
“Key Points,” which summarizes the most
important information in the preceding
pages, and the “Discussion Questions.”
These questions are not like those found at
the end of dry classroom textbooks, where
readers systematically review what they
have read for an exam. Instead, through
“imagine that” and “what if” scenarios,
Dr. Branstetter provides psychologists
with the opportunity to reevaluate and
reflect on their current roles, settings,
responsibilities, and skill sets. They would
be an excellent starting point for valuable
and meaningful discussion during
practicum and internship supervision
classes, as well as at departmental gatherings and in the faculty room.
School psychologists who have the fortune to read Dr. Branstetter’s book will
have access to an excellent how-to
resource that will assist them in translating theory and textbook
learning into practical applications. Grab a copy--it’s never too
early to prepare for a new school year! Y
Aimee Lepsch is a school psychologist in Western New York
and is the co-representative for NYASP Chapter C.
In her spare time, she follows in the footsteps of Dr. Branstetter
and blogs about her experiences on her blog,
“Musings of an Urban School Psychologist.”
29
ChaPter rePresentatives
C
hapter representatives are appointed officials
who, along with the executive committee,
comprise the voting members of the
NYASP board. Chapter reps serve for a two-year
term and attend three to four meetings per year.
Alternates for each chapter are selected by the
chapter representative and appointed by the president. They arrange chapter functions and attend
meetings when the elected representative is not
available. Chapter reps are encouraged to hold
regional meetings to forward the practice of school
psychology.
Any member who is interested in service as a chapter representative should contact
Andrew Shanock, President-Elect
shanocka@mail.strose.edu
7318 Vic Court
Schenectady, NY 12303
518-817-3692
for information and assistance. Y
A
B
Jefferson, Lewis, & St. Lawrence
Mary Kay Hafer
haferma@cpcs.us
315-265-9033 h / 315-265-4642 w
E
Cynthia Burns-McDonald (co-rep)
cmcdonald@ogdensburgk12.org
315-393-4992 h / 315-393-0900 x248 w
Clinton, Essex, & Franklin
Carole Holmes
carolekholmes@gmail.com
518-297-2451 h / 518-298-4031 x5 w
C
Erin Gonser
egonser@csufsd.org
716-863-1985
F
Monroe, Ontario, Seneca, & Wayne
Victoria Mosetti
vmosetti@yahoo.com
(D alternate OPEN)
Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery,
Saratoga, Warren, & Washington
Eliane Hack
eliane.hack@gmail.com
518-879-5494
(F Alternate OPEN)
G
Aimee Lepsch (co-rep)
aimeeclepsch@gmail.com
585-260-5647
D
Lawrence Pelkey
impelkey@hotmail.com
315-668-1796 h / 315-253-0361 w
Kara McCarten-May (co-rep)
KMay1@nscsd.org
315-427-6958
(B Alternate OPEN)
Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, & Wyoming
Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Oneida,
Onondaga, & Oswego
Allegany, Cattaraugus, & Chautauqua
Gregory Leonard
gleonard@windstream.net
716-499-9661
(G Alternate OPEN)
H
Chemung, Livingston, Schuyler, Steuben, &
Yates
Nancy Foreman
nancy.foreman@hornellcsd.org
607-324-7834 h / 607-324-3703 w
Rachel Scaccia (co-rep)
rs11@alfred.edu
585-739-1462 w
30
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
ChaPter rePresentatives
“Chapter representatives serve to communicate the needs and interests
of their chapter members and to advocate best practice strategies
in their geographical region.”
(NYASP Operations Handbook, 2009)
I
Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego,
Tioga, & Tompkins
(I Representative OPEN)
N
(I Alternate OPEN)
J
K
L
Shauna Maynard (co-rep)
maynards@guilderlandschools.org
518-330-6553
Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Sullivan, & Ulster
Heather Dahl
heatherdahl71@yahoo.com
845-987-9234
Tiffany Sivco (alternate)
tsivco@rhinebeckcsd.org
845-235-5830
Robert Meagher
rggm4@aol.com
917-561-8098 c
Elzbieta Black (alternate)
emilylizriverdale@yahoo.com
718-549-2714 h / 718-696-6010 x2551 w
Albany, Columbia, Schenectady, Schoharie, &
Rensselaer
Katherine Kelly
Katherine.Kelly@southcolonie.k12.ny.us
New York City (Manhattan, Brooklyn, The
Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island)
(Second alternate OPEN)
O
P
Nassau
Michael Amorgianos
Mike.Amorgianos@gmail.com
917-549-4999
(O Alternate OPEN)
Suffolk
Kimberly Behanna
kbehanna@gmail.com
631-786-6655
(P Alternate OPEN)
Putnam, Rockland, & Westchester
Rayna Shapiro
raynas@optonline.net
914-395-3742 h / 914-472-8040 w
Dawn Catucci (alternate)
catdawn1@aol.com
914-762-0779 h
student rePresentatives
Student Representatives provide reciprocal communication between the executive board of NYASP and graduate students in training programs
across the state. They serve a two year term and are elected by the NYASP board. For more information please contact Mark Terjesen, Student
Representative Liaison, at terjesem@stjohns.edu or 718-990-5860.
2011-2013 Student Reps
2012-2014 Student Reps
Kim D’Imperio
kdimperi@oswego.edu
315-664-0194
Liz Tiffany
etiffany@oswego.edu
315-558-2329
Ayla Mertturk (alternate)
ayla.mertturk@yahoo.com
917-574-3124
Craig Hanthorn (alternate)
craig.hanthorn88@gmail.com
419-236-4981
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
31
exeCutive board direCtorY
Executive Committee (2012-2014)
President
President-Elect
Andrew Shanock
shanocka@mail.strose.edu
7318 Vic Court
Schenectady, NY 12303
518-817-3692
Peter Faustino
pcfaustino@verizon.net
1 Old Orchard Rd, Rye Brook, NY 10573
914-417-7661 c / 914-241-6119 w
Treasurer
Treasurer-Elect
Lynette Maheu
lynette.maheu@gmail.com
205 Yorkshire Rd, Rochester, NY 14609
315-569-7813 c
Kelly Caci
kcaci@necsd.net
25 Shadowood Ln
New Windsor, NY 12553
845-567-4815 h / 845-563-3715 w
Cindy Burns-McDonald
cmcdonald@ogdensburgk12.org
414 Elizabeth St, Ogdensburg, NY 13669
315-393-4992 h / 315-393-0900 x248 w
Michelle Storie
mstorie@gmail.com
8772 Wedgefield Lane, Cicero, NY 13039
315-450-5269
Secretary
NASP Delegate
Arielle D’Aprile
adap929@gmail.com
216 Main Street # 301
Nyack, NY 10960
Past-President
Newsletter Editor
Vinny Alfonso
alfonso@fordham.edu
75 West End Ave R23D, NY, NY 10023
212-957-0146 h / 212-636-6433 w
Committee Chairpersons
Awards
Jeanne Gold ∙ jeannebgold@gmail.com
914-591-8634 h
Judy Harwood ∙ jhar2@aol.com
716-684-1097 h
Conference Coordinator
Britton Schnurr ∙ brittonschnurr@aol.com
518-221-7411 h
Conference 2012
Erin Gonser ∙ egonser@csufsd.org
716-863-1985
Conference 2013
Ernie Collobolletta ∙ 216eac@gmail.com
914-761-3411
Mitch Samet ∙ sametm@hastings.k12.ny.us
914-980-0722
Conference 2014
Flora Covey ∙ flora@clockworkfc.org
518-369-9803
Continuing Professional
Development
Lynne Thies ∙ lynthies@gmail.com
516-466-5477 h / 516-349-3394 w
Robin Raphael ∙ robinmr@roadrunner.com
716-632-1755 h / 716-250-1457 w
Culturally Responsive
Jennifer Arroyo
jenniferarroyo@hotmail.com
845-787-4023 h / 347-623-5290 c
Marlene Sotelo-Dynega
sotelodm@stjohns.edu
347-610-1036 c
Early Childhood
Heather Meddaugh
heathermeddaugh@hotmail.com
518-346-5360 w / 518-588-2727 c
Ethics & Professional Practices
Merryl Bushansky ∙ spmerryl@msn.com
718-548-2386 h / 914-576-4415 w
Job Information Network
Mark Terjesen ∙ terjesem@stjohns.edu
718-990-5860
Legislative
John Kelly ∙ jkelly@commack.k12.ny.us
631-912-2122
Beth Rizzi ∙ bethrizi@optonline.net
914-475-8155
Membership
Kirsten Eidle-Barkman
eidlebarkman@gmail.com
518-439-1583 h
Public Relations
Andrew Livanis
andrew.livanis@gmail.com
718-564-0237 h
Publications
Ruth Steegmann ∙ rsteeg@roadrunner.com
716-694-0719 h
Research
John Garruto ∙ jgarrut2@twcny.rr.com
315-729-7248
Rural Initiatives
Cynthia Burns-McDonald
cmcdonald@ogdensburgk12.org
315-393-4992 h / 315-393-0900 x248 w
Urban Initiatives
open position
Website
Listserves
Tom Kulaga ∙ kulaga@me.com
845-790-4382 h / 845-236-8000 x1913 w
Bullying/School Voilence
Prevention
TSP-NY to NYASP
Kelly Caci ∙ kcaci@necsd.net
845-567-4815 h / 845-563-3715 w
John Kelly ∙ jkelly@commack.k12.ny.us
631-912-2122
Liaisons & Affiliates
Archivist
Lisa Kilanowski
lak@niagara.edu
716-553-4977
RTI
Amy Piper ∙ amyppr@yahoo.com
32
Amanda Nickerson ∙ nickersa@buffalo.edu
Andrew Shanock ∙ shanocka@strose.edu
518-817-3692
NYASP to NYSCEA
Student Representatives
Bruce Weiner
betsyandbruce@taconic.net
413-738-5488 h / 518-658-2515 x222 w
Mark Terjesen ∙ terjesem@stjohns.edu
718-990-5860
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
New York Association of School Psychologists
Membership Application
First Name________________________________________
Last Name _______________________________________
Address ________________________________________
City State Zip _____________________________________
County________________________________________
Email Address _____________________________________
Home Phone _______________________________________
Work Phone ______________________________________
Employer________________________________________
Job Title _________________________________________
___ Part-Time Private Practice
___ Full-Time Private Practice
__ Certified as a school psychologist in New York
__ Provisional Certification
__ Permanent Certification
Certificate # __________________________Date:______________
___ Currently functioning as a school psychologist
___ Primarily engaged in the training of school psychologists at a
college or university
___ Trained as a school psychologist, but currently functioning in
another position
___ Student enrolled in a school psychology training program
__ Nationally certified (hold the NCSP credential)
NCSP # ________________________________________________
__ Licensed as a psychologist in New York
License # _________________________________________
___ Regular
$110
___ Retired
$55
___ Student
$55
___ Common Address
$165
(two members at same address)
Applicant’s Signature____________________________________________________________Date _________________________
Indicates agreement to abide by the ethics and standards of NYASP
Note: please verify your professional status by enclosing a copy of your state certification.
Student membership requires supervisor’s signature and program information below.
Signature of Advisor or Supervisor _________________________________________________Date_________________________
Program / Employer Name and Location _________________________________________________________________________
MAIL TO: NYASP Membership • 911 Central Avenue • Suite 118 • Albany, NY 12206
or join/renew online at www.nyasp.org
NY School Psychologist Volume XXX, Number 3
33
new York assoCiation oF
sChool PsYChologists
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
911 Central Avenue Suite 118
Abany, New York 12206
PAID
Newburgh, NY 12550
Permit No 8604
Calendar of Events
February 12-15, 2013
NASP Convention
Seattle, WA
October 24-26, 2013
NYASP Annual Conference
White Plains, NY
Looking Ahead:
February 18-23, 2014
NASP Convention
Washington, DC
November 5-7, 2014
NYASP Annual Conference
Albany, NY
February 17-21, 2015
NASP Convention
Orlando, FL
February 10-13, 2016
NASP Convention
New Orleans, LA
Visit our Website: www.nyasp.org
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Join the group ‘NYASP’
Like the page ‘NYASP Legislative Forum’
@nyasp