School Psychologist

School Psychologist

Work Schedule: School Age: 10 months OR Early Intervention: see calendar Monday – Friday 191 work days/year (new hire on declining scale starting at 194) Minimum Starting Salary: $55,000 Negotiable at the time of job offer.

Position Definition: The person filling this position will have the primary responsibility for providing appropriate psychological services to exceptional and thought-to-be students within the Intermediate Unit.

Relationship: The School Psychologist is directly responsible to the Assistant Director of Special Programs and Services.

Qualifications: Education/Experience PDE Certification as a School Psychologist, required. Demonstrates a proficient understanding and utilization of Microsoft Office Suite and other software packages for use in the Special Program and Services Department. Demonstrates the ability to work collaboratively with external and internal stakeholders. Demonstrates the ability to maintain complete confidentiality. Demonstrates excellent interpersonal skills, demonstrated by patience, understanding, and congeniality. Demonstrates excellent oral and written communication skills. Demonstrates organizational skills and time management skills, providing for productivity, accuracy, and attention to detail in the carrying out of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities with minimal supervision. Demonstrates the ability to implement and comply with PA Individual Education Program process. Demonstrates the ability to prioritize assigned tasks. Completes task with attention to detail and accuracy. Demonstrates the ability to work independently and maintain departmental deadlines. Demonstrates the ability to make professional decisions. Demonstrates the ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. Demonstrates philosophy of lifelong learning. Proficient in the use of technology to communicate with students, parents, staff, administrators, and community members. Possesses the skills to provide the highest level of customer service, with patience and knowledge of the Department's services. Ability to attend work regularly at assigned work hours subject to lawful leave rights and responsibilities. Maintains current knowledge of programs/services, such as surrogate parenting, health care options, local services providers, and other relevant PDE initiatives.

Physical: Ability to stand, bend, stoop, sit, lift, reach, and communicate (vision, hearing, and speech) to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities. Ability to independently ambulate in and around work areas. Ability to travel to and from assigned work locations without employer support. Ability to exhibit appropriate manual dexterity to effectively carry out functions, duties, and responsibilities. Ability to conduct a safety restraint protocol which requires: a normal degree of flexibility; the ability to stand, walk, run, and shuffle for at least several minutes; the ability to kneel on one and two knees and then stand up; the ability to bend the trunk at 45 degrees and twist to either side; the ability to grasp firmly and raise hands above the head; the ability to learn and correctly demonstrate multi-step physical skills.

Authority: The School Psychologist will have the authority to perform all functions listed below in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Functions/Duties/Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function/duty/responsibility at acceptable standards. In accordance with both state and/or federal law, reasonable accommodations will be considered upon employee request. Essential: Improves academic and behavioral achievement by conducting psychological and academic assessments that inform interventions which improve student outcomes. Promotes and facilitates effective management of student and classroom behavior. Assists school teams in monitoring student progress through the collection and interpretation of student and classroom data. Promotes positive behavior and mental health practices in resolving individual, group, and system level challenges in school behavior and mental health related areas. Assesses student emotional and behavioral needs and designs appropriate supports. Chairs and/or attends Multidisciplinary Team meetings. Provides individual and group counseling as a related service, as needed, to address student needs. Consults with CLIU and district teachers, parents, counselors, administrators, and other district personnel regarding the academic and emotional needs of students. Follows-up with students evaluated to determine if they are receiving appropriate education and mental health services. Collaborates with Program Supervisors in the review of referrals for new placements. Promotes understanding of developmental expectations of children with diverse characteristics, cultures, linguistics, and economic backgrounds. Creates safe, positive school climates by providing crisis prevention, intervention, and postvention services, as needed, along with consultation and direct services to promote social-emotional functioning and learning for students with or without disabilities from diverse backgrounds. Be knowledgeable of Federal and State guidelines for Special Education. Assists parents, teachers, agency representatives, and other staff in facilitating positive emotional growth of students. Participates in and/or conducts training in-service programs. Provides input regarding planning to agency representatives, parents, and the Intermediate Unit. Assists in IEP development. Assists in developing behavior management system. Attends IST, CASSP, and SAP meetings when necessary. Coordinates additional mental health services in emergency situations as needed. Works collaboratively with agencies. This Job Description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform other duties as assigned.