School Psychologist

Location: The Dearborn Academy

Position Specific Responsibilities

Evaluation and Assessment

• Provide psychological evaluation for pupils referred as candidates for special education programs.
• Administer culturally appropriate tests which may include intelligence, achievement, personality, adaptive behavior and perceptual-motor.
• Perform systematic direct observations of pupils in collaboration with the Social Worker.
• Complete psychological reports in a timely manner and provide reports to the appropriate educational authority.

IEP Related Tasks

• Interpret the psychological and other diagnostic data for professionals, parents and appropriate others at Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team ("MET") meetings/initial IEPs and after a student has been re-evaluated.
• Provide input as to program planning on initial and annual IEPs.
• Set up all initial IEPs, send invitations and complete IEP form for all initial IEP meetings.
• Have MET form ready for initial IEPs. Also, make sure that all parties complete the appropriate portion of the MET report.
• Ensure 30 Day Temporary Enrollments are completed as soon as possible after enrollment in the Academy.
• Set up, send invitations and write all IEPs for 30 Day Temporary Enrollment students.
• Monitor all annual IEP dates and ensure that Special Education Teachers send out invites in a timely fashion. Also, make sure they complete achievement testing, including the use of the same test as the previous year.
• Review all copies of IEPs before they are released to parents, the CA-60 and related personnel.
• Make copies of initial IEPs for parent, CA-60 and related personnel.
• Give a copy of reviewed annual IEPs to the appropriate Special Education Teacher to distribute to parent, CA-60 and related personnel. Monitor the Special Education Teachers to ensure they distribute IEPs as requested.

Behavior Intervention Plans and Related Tasks

• Attend all Behavior Reviews for both Response to Intervention ("RtI") Tier III and special education students with behavior issues.
• Provide relevant input into Behavior Intervention Plans.
• Cooperate collaboratively with the Social Worker during both the Functional Behavior Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plan processes.
• Peruse the Behavior Intervention Plan list provided by the Social Worker.

RtI

• Oversee RtI process with the Administrator for Curriculum and Instruction or Principal, Special Education Teachers and ancillary support staff in regards to RtI pupils. Inform and distribute student information to Special Education Teachers, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist and Social Worker about RtI related tasks.
• Review referrals and make an appropriate determination of appropriate special education category (or categories) and related professionals to be involved in the evaluation/assessment, as well as necessary subtasks to be completed as part of the evaluation/assessment.
• Attend and provide relevant input into all Tier II and Tier III RtI meetings.
• Coordinate Tier III Meetings, which will be carried out one set day of the week with the Social Worker.
• Record all meetings on the office calendar.
• Send an Outlook message to relevant parties, contact parents and send out parent reminders for all Tier III 4-8th grade students.

Crisis Intervention

• Assist and collaborate with the Social Worker in dealing with crisis intervention as necessary. Crises must be handled immediately. Crisis intervention is defined as dealing with both mini-crises (meltdowns, bullying and work refusals) and major crises (such as suicide, bomb threats and threats of harm to others).
• Meet with the parent or guardian of crisis students (along with the Social Worker). Be aware of Crisis Intervention Forms (the Social Worker will complete the forms).

Other Tasks

• Work with Pupil Accounting staff member and/or Attendance Secretary to enter special education data into Zangle.
• Keep an updated copy of all special education students.
• Monitor the Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist to ensure the timely completion of assessment and therapy. Direct them to complete their work in the Support Room.
• Oversee transportation of Academy students to outside treatment centers.
• Attend IEP for Academy students who attend outside treatment centers.
• Review the monthly time schedules for the Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist; provide information for their payroll.
• Oversee the Continuous Improvement Monitoring System special education monitor.
• Appropriately prepare for the University's yearly special education visit.
• Ensure the Academy is in compliance with the law and state guidelines concerning special education services.
• Meet with special education staff, as needed, to update on laws and regulations.
• Obtain necessary School Psychology CEUs and maintain a record of hours to be produced upon request. Also, obtain necessary hours or classes to obtain or maintain Special Education Director/Supervisor role.
• Attend Special Education Director/Supervisor meetings at Wayne County RESA.
• Knowledge of the organization and administration of local and state agencies and their services for pupils.
• Knowledge of federal and state special education laws and other legal aspects of the role of a school psychologist.
• Consultation, collaboration and counseling skills with pupils, parents, Academy personnel and appropriate outside personnel regarding mental health, behavior and educational concerns utilizing psychological principles.
• An understanding of the rationale of testing, measurement and skills in the administration of tests, including those that measure intelligence, achievement, personality, adaptive behavior and perceptual-motor skills.
• Skills in integrating data obtained from tests and from other sources of information and the ability to communicate finding to other professionals and parents in a relevant way.
• The ability to carry out systematic direct observation of pupils.
• Knowledge of learning and learning impairments.
• Knowledge of human growth and development.
• Skilled awareness of behavior management techniques and the ability to plan techniques.
• A comprehensive understanding of personality development and the assessment of human behavior.
• Knowledge of how cultural and ethnic differences influence behavior and affect evaluation.
• Competency in the planning and prescribing of teaching and curriculum strategies for pupils.
• Knowledge of ethical standards of the profession of school psychology.

Qualifications

• Master's degree from a state board of education approved program in school psychology.
• Either a Preliminary Psychology Certificate (with the intention to work towards receiving a School Psychologist Certificate) or a School Psychologist Certificate.
• Compliance with all Michigan requirements related to Special Education Supervisors.
• Satisfactory criminal background check and unprofessional conduct check as required by School Safety Legislation.