School Psychologist

Title: School Psychologist

Reports To: Building Principal/Director - Special Education - Student Programs

Employment Status: Full Time

Terms of Employment:  186 Days

FLSA Status: Exempt

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree required

• Ohio Educator Pupil Service license required

• Passing of an Ohio BCI/FBI background check required

Definition:   

School Psychologists provide a range of service and support to their building and the district. Training includes effective instruction, how students learn, cognition and memory, problem solving, implementation of multi-tiered systems of support, data analysis, intervention design, assessment, and communication and collaboration with staff and families. With this intensive training, psychologists are able to serve many essential roles within our Forest Hills school buildings.

Essential Functions:

• Leadership in building: Part of BLT (CI) and guiding Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (RtI)

• Promote academic achievement across all tiers

  • Collaborate with staff to support students through

    • Academic intervention and enrichment supports for literacy (reading, vocabulary, etc), writing, and mathematics

• Promote positive behavior and mental health across all tiers

  • Implement Positive Behavioral Supports (PBIS)

    • Assess school climate  and identify students at risk

    • Creating safe, positive school environments

    • Reduce bullying

    • Create effective tier 2 and 3 supports based upon student needs

    • Provide crisis prevention and intervention services

    • Collaborate with staff to support students through

      • Behavior intervention supports, including social-emotional supports in collaboration with school counselor  (or with district behavior consultant for tier 3 intervention or complex cases)

      • Promoting student motivation and engagement

      • Improving students communication and social skills

      • Helping to manage student classroom behavior 

• Promote problem solving

• Provide direct intervention support including a combination of 

  • Academic intervention (math, reading, writing): Minimum of 5% and Maximum of 10% of a school psychologist’s week will be spent providing direct academic intervention

  • Individual and group counseling for behavioral or social-emotional needs

    • Examples include: anger management, conflict resolution, organization, study skills, positive coping skills and resilience, social skills

    • Coordinated in collaboration with school counselors to respond to student needs

• Conduct valid and reliable psychological and academic assessments

  • Including assessing academic achievement and growth

  • Including assessing emotional and behavioral needs

  • Conduct comprehensive evaluations (ETRs) for special education eligibility

• Individualize instruction and interventions

• Improve School-Wide Assessment and Accountability

  • Coordinate, monitor, and directly support screening and progress monitoring 

  • Monitor individual student progress in academics and behavior

  • Collect and interpret student, classroom, grade level, and building data for analysis across all tiers

• Support Diverse Learners

  • Assess diverse learning needs

  • Provide culturally responsive services to students and families from diverse backgrounds

  • Plan appropriate Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities

  • Adjust classroom facilities and routines to improve student engagement and learning

  • Monitor and effectively communicate with parents about student progress

• Strengthen Family–School Partnerships

  • Help families understand their children’s learning and mental health needs and connect to community resources

  • Assist in navigating special education processes

  • Enhance staff understanding of and responsiveness to diverse cultures and backgrounds

  • Help students transition between school and community learning environments, such as between school buildings and/or out of school placements

Expectations:

• Participation on Building Leadership Team

• Participation in monthly psychology staff meetings at district

• Collaborate with building staff to lead implementation of multi-tiered systems of support

• Organize and prioritize caseloads

• PBIS expectations: Be there, be ready.

I.  OTHER

1. Performs other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL WORKING CONDITIONS:

1.  Fast-paced environment 

2.  Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 50 pounds

3.  Possible exposure to blood and other bodily fluids