School Psychologist

MARION COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Marion, Indiana

Job Description

Position Title: School Psychologist FLSA Status: Exempt Responsible to: Director of Special Services Supervises: Students Evaluated by: Director of Special Services

Terms of Employment: 183 days

Evaluation Period:

• Formative evaluations throughout the school year as per MCS Performance and Assessment procedures.
• Annual summative evaluation prior to July 1 as per Non-TAP teacher evaluation process.

Purpose of the Position: A school psychologist has the primary responsibility for evaluating individual students referred for testing through a building's student study team. Additional duties include in-servicing staff, meeting with parents, and providing information and advice to student study teams and to individual staff members in each assigned building.

Classified as Confidential Employee: Functional responsibilities or knowledge in connection with the issues involved in dealings between the school corporation and its employees require strict adherence to confidentiality.

Minimum Requirements: The following qualifications represent the minimum requirements necessary for an individual to perform this position effectively.

• A school psychologist must hold a current Indiana license in the area of school psychology.

Essential Functions of the Position: The following functions have been determined by Marion Community Schools to be essential to the successful performance of this position.

• Contacts classroom teachers and parents once a referral for evaluation has been received.
• Meets with parents of students referred for evaluation and develops a social and medical history of that individual student.
• Investigates individual student's backgrounds, medical history, and classroom concerns.
• Remains current regarding latest testing measurements, research, and initiatives in the field of school psychology.
• Provides in-service to staff in buildings regarding latest research and best practices in serving students with special needs.
• Administers tests and provides a written report on individual students within the timelines established by state and federal law.
• Establishes rapport with building staff, students, and parents in order to provide the best possible evaluation of individual students.
• Responds to requests to provide required data to Director of Special Services as needed.
• Maintains a daily and weekly schedule and communicates the schedule with the secretaries in Special Services.
• Provides suggestions and recommendations to classroom teachers in verbal or written form as needed.
• Conducts systematic observations of students experiencing behavioral and academic problems.
• Obtains required releases and contacts therapists or other service agencies as needed on students being evaluated.

Secondary Functions of the Position: The following functions, while important and necessary to the position, have been determined by Marion Community Schools to be marginal to the successful performance of this position.

• Dealing with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors in a tactful, congenial, personal manner so as not to alienate or antagonize them.
• Examining and evaluating data.
• Prioritizing multiple responsibilities.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Use independent judgment and initiative in making sound decisions and in developing solutions to problems.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with school officials, students, parents, teachers and staff.
• Tactfully and courteously respond to requests and inquiries.
• Read, analyze, and interpret procedures.
• Effectively present information.
• Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw conclusions.

Knowledge and Skills: Knowledge of:

• Policies, procedures, and functions of Marion Community School Board of Trustees.
• Indiana’s Article 7: Special Education Laws and Policies
• Response to Intervention (RtI) processes and intervention options
• Indiana Association of School Psychology guidelines and practices

Ability to:

• Plan, organize and schedule priorities.
• Use independent judgment and initiative in making sound decisions and in developing solutions to problems.
• Discreetly handle confidential and politically sensitive matters.
• Make independent decisions in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Tactfully and courteously respond to requests and inquiries/complaints from the general public and staff.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, staff and the community.

Equipment Used:

• Established on an individual basis.

Place Where Work is performed:

• Established on an individual basis.

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to sit/stand/run for long periods of time.
• Must be able to kneel, stoop and crouch.
• Must be able to hear and speak clearly.
• Must be able to lift items associated with being a Student Study Team Chair.

How this Job Description was developed: This job description was developed by the HR Department in conjunction with the Director of Special Services.

Marion Community Schools assures Equal Employment Opportunities for job candidates and employees. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks. This job description is intended to accurately reflect the position activities and requirements. However, management and administration reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and assign other duties as necessary. It is not intended to be and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of all the responsibilities, skills, or working conditions associated with the position