Communique October 2010 by Amy Jordan

Communiqué Th e N e w s pa p e r o f t h e N a t i o n a l A s s o c i a t i o n o f S c h o o l P s y c h o l o g i s t s

October 2010

Volume 39, Number 2

Research-Based Practice

Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics in Children With Tourette Syndrome

ourette syndrome (TS) is one of three separate tic disorders. By definition, children with TS must have at least two motor (movement) tics and one vocal (or sound tic) for at least a year. The other tic disorders are chronic tic disorder (motor or vocal tics, but not both for at least one year) and transient tic disorder (motor and/or vocal tics for at least 4 weeks, but less than one year). TS is the most written about and studied of the tic disorders, but TS and the other tic disorders probably occur on a spectrum of complexity and severity. Causes of TS

TS is a genetically based neurological disorder that begins in childhood. Tics wax and wane in severity and change over time. The many genes that combine to cause TS lead to problems in the development of brain regions involved in the inhibition of unwanted movements. Because these brain regions also govern our interactions with the environment, the movements and sounds children with TS make may be related to what is happening around the child. So tics are predictably worse when children are under stress or excited (e.g., before a test or before an exciting play activity), and [ continued on page 20 ]

Nancy Louie/istockphoto

B y D o u g l a s W. W o o d s , J o h n C . P i a c e n t i n i , & J o h n T. Wa l k u p

Students and Their Schooling: Does Happiness Matter? B y S cot t H u e b n e r

ith the increased emphasis on measuring school success primarily through academic outcomes, some might argue that school professionals cannot afford to pay much attention to students’ well-being, especially to such a frivolous component as happiness. Indeed, even some positive psychologists who encourage greater attention to research and promotion of “optimal function-

Implementing RTI

Toward True Integration of Academic and Behavior Response to Intervention Systems Part One: Tier 1 Support B y K e n t M c I n to s h , S t e v e G o o d m a n , & H a n k B o h a n o n

i n s i d e

ncreasingly, schools have been adopting comprehensive, three-tiered response to intervention (RTI) systems to support students in both academics and social behavior (McKinney, Bartholomew, & Gray, 2010). But with each new systems change initiative comes separate teams, data, and training and coaching systems.

ing” in adults and children are careful to discourage psychologists and other professionals from equating positive psychology with “happyiology” as though the promotion of happiness is less important than the promotion of other positive psychology constructs (e.g., meaning in life, virtuous behavior, etc.). Although this author agrees with the notion that the promotion of happiness is a limited goal and does not represent the full array of in- [ continued on page 24 ]

Given the intensity of resources required to implement and sustain such systems, there has been increasing interest in integrating academic and behavior support into one system (Stewart, Benner, Martella, & Marchand-Martella, 2007; Stollar, Poth, Curtis, & Cohen, 2006). The focus on RTI provides an opportunity to blend academic and behavior systems into an integrated school-wide system of support for students. There are well-documented RTI systems for addressing both academics (Simmons et al., 2002; Vaughn & Fuchs, 2003) and behavior (school-wide positive behavior support, or SWPBS; Sugai & Horner, 2009), but less direction on how to integrate these systems effectively. The purpose of this three-part article is to provide a framework for the integration of academic and behavior support for each tier of intervention in an RTI model. The first article will include a rationale for integrating academic and behavior support and a discussion of integrating universal academic and behavior support at the Tier 1 level. The second and third articles will describe the integration of support for students who do not respond to Tier 1 academic and/or behavior support [ continued on page 14 ]

04 | School Psychology Awareness:

Helping Every Student SHINE 10 | Making the Transition From Practitioner to Academic 30 | NASP-Approved/Nationally Recognized Graduate Programs in School Psychology

28 | 2011 Convention news

Visit “The Rock,”Alcatraz in San Francisco

President’s Message Schools and Families— A Vital Partnership

B y K at h l e e n M . M i n k e

ou are hurting my child!” He was red-faced, shouting, and pointing his finger within an inch of my face. I thought he was going to hit me. And I was angry, too. Lots of people had hurt this child, including his father, but why blame me? I was just the messenger that the boy still needed special education services. And I certainly wasn’t in the business of hurting children! How could he even think such a thing? Not surprisingly, the meeting ended poorly and due process proceedings were inevitable. This incident occurred at an IEP meeting about 25 years ago. I remember it well because it was something of a turning point in my young career. At the time, I couldn’t figure out how things could have gone so badly when everyone in the room wanted what was best for the student. And I never wanted to have a similar experience again. I became interested in how these kinds of difficulties arise and how they can be avoided. These questions continue to guide my work today and are reflected in the presidential theme this year: “Positive Relationships – School Success.” Looking back, one root of the problem was that none of us trusted the others to know what was “best.” The parents distrusted the motives of the school administrators, the teachers distrusted the parents’ ability to act in the child’s best interests, the administrators distrusted the competence of both the teachers and the parents, and I thought that everyone involved was completely irrational. Not exactly a good basis for working together. But it brought home to me how important trusting relationships are in our work and that we need to attend to these relationships well before difficulties arise with a student. What do trusting relationships look like? The literature suggests that respect, competence, warmth and regard, and integrity are key elements. Because these relationships can only develop over time and with repeated contact, we need to find ways to reach out to families, learn from them, and communicate effectively with them. A comprehensive approach that attends to the values, views, and beliefs of both families and educators is needed. How can we as school psychologists help build these relationships? A crucial first step is to examine our own approaches to families (and teachers as well). Although we recognize the importance of taking a strength-based approach, it is all too easy to focus on deficits and what is wrong with the child, the family, and the school rather than trying to figure out what strengths and resources each brings to the situation. I once worked with a family that had just about every strike against them that you can imagine and I was making no progress. Frustrated, I went to a supervisor for help. He asked me a simple question: “Do you believe this family can change?” I had to answer no. He responded, “If you don’t think they can change, why should they believe it?” I never forgot that lesson. Respectful, but persistent questioning almost always yields information that will guide a positive approach. Drawing from the brief, solutionoriented counseling literature, we can routinely ask parents, teachers, and students about how a student learns best, what his or her most positive quality is, and what their hopes and dreams are for the student. We can ask what each person has already tried to address the problem. Have they discovered anything that helped even a little or for a short period of time? What ideas do they have that they haven’t tried yet? This kind of questioning conveys respect for the knowledge that each individual brings to the situation and conveys a belief that positive outcomes can be achieved. It is also important that we model (and teach) good communication skills. School psychologists know how to listen empathically, construct clear messages, question effectively, and defuse conflict. Teachers rarely receive training in these areas but we still expect them to be able manage difficult, emotional interactions with parents. Sharing our knowledge of helpful communication and problem-solving strategies through inservices or newsletters may assist in the development of positive family–school relationships. Finally, we can examine the existing practices in our schools designed to encourage parent engagement and seek ways to make these more effective as relationship building opportunities. Christenson and Sheridan (2001) offer numerous examples of ways to modify typical “parent involvement” efforts so that they contribute to a collaborative family–school relationship. I wish I had been more skilled in these areas back at that IEP meeting. Many of the problems could have been prevented and a more positive outcome could have been obtained. I am grateful to that family for what they taught me, and the path of continuing professional development that our interactions set in motion. If you are interested in learning more, here are a couple of resources that might help: ■■ Christenson, S. L., & Sheridan, S. M. (2001). Schools and families: Creating essential connections for learning. New York: Guilford Press. ■■ Murphy, J. J., & Duncan, B. L. (2007). Brief interventions for school problems: Outcome-informed strategies. New York: Guilford. n

Because these relationships can only develop over time and with repeated contact, we need to find ways to reach out to families, learn from them, and communicate effectively with them. A comprehensive approach is needed….

Kathleen M. Minke, PhD, NCSP, is a professor of education at the University of Delaware.

2 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

Editor’s Note

have begun teaching an introductory course in school psychology this semester: Issues in Professional Practice. I have taught courses before, but usually more advanced ones, when the students were close to completing their graduate education. I am really excited about doing this, but I have been struck with what a responsibility it is to introduce all these bright, enthusiastic students to their new profession. I want so much to convey to them what an exciting time this is to be a school psychologist, how much opportunity this profession affords its members, and that while this is not an easy job, how rewarding it really can be. I want them to understand how important it is to continue to grow professionally long after they graduate. As I’ve been reflecting on these things, I have acquired a renewed appreciation for the courage it takes to embark on something entirely new, like these students are doing today. And they do it with a smile, and energy, and hope. They are inspiring me. School Psychology Awareness Week is just around the corner (November 8–12) and if you want a sense of what I am talking about, read the Student Connections column and see how some of our students are bringing their energy and creativity to promoting and celebrating our field—and these folks are just getting started! NASP has a lot of student and early career members, and many of them are reading this column right now. If you are one of them, please accept my tip of the hat: The future of our profession is in your hands, and right now I’m feeling pretty good about that! Communiqué has a lot to offer this month. Along with our regular features, we have very informative articles on treating Tourette syndrome, violence in video games, transitioning from practitioner to academic, and the first of a major three-part series on integrating academic and behavioral RTI. We also have an article by Scott Huebner, one of our newest contributing editors, on the important connection between students’ happiness and their success in school. A stranger could take one glance at the front page of this paper and appreciate that this profession covers a lot of territory and has room for a lot of different points of view. Coming back to School Psychology Awareness Week, the theme is Today is a great day to … SHINE! This is a positive message for all students that places school psychology in the middle of what schooling is all about. I encourage you to read the articles about School Psychology Awareness Week (pp. 4 & 6) as well as the handout about the Gratitude Works program to see how some of us more veteran school psychologists might follow the example of the newest members of our profession in helping people understand how much we have to offer. Finally—and I have to share this—I came back to school this fall and found stuffed in my mailbox one of those “You are one of the teachers I will always remember” letters, complete with labeled drawings of the ships from the Battleship game and “two important lessons that you taught me….” A wonderful reminder of why I got into this business in the first place. I hope you have a great year. —John Desrochers © 2 0 1 0 , Nat io nal A sso c iat io n o f Sc ho o l P syc ho lo g ist s

Contents Volume 39, Number 2

FRON T P AGE Research-Based Practice Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics in Children With Tourette Syndrome By Douglas W. Woods, John C. Piacentini, & John T. Walkup Research-Based Practice Students and Their Schooling: Does Happiness Matter? By Scott Huebner Implementing RTI Toward True Integration of Academic and Behavior Response to Intervention Systems— Part One: Tier 1 Support By Kent McIntosh, Steve Goodman, & Hank Bohanon

President’s Message By Kathleen M. Minke

2 Editor’s Note Communication Matters School Psychology Awareness: Helping Every Student SHINE By Katherine C. Cowan & Andrea Cohn

Today Is a Good Day to … SHINE!: More Than Just Wall Candy

IDEA in Practice By Mary Beth Klotz

Advocacy in Action NASP and GW Public Policy Institute Participants Advocate on Capitol Hill By Anastasia Kalamaros Skalski

Meeting the Needs of Students and Families From Poverty: A Handbook for School and Mental Health Professionals Reviewed by Jennifer Barr Dehaan

Financial Update By Ron Benner

Statement of Ownership

Handout Gratitude Works: Program Guidelines

Join Us in San Francisco and Learn How Positive Relationships Create School Success By Michael C. Forcade

The Short List: An Abbreviated Guide to San Francisco Attractions By Cari Tom

Children’s Fund Offers Grant Opportunities By Abby Gottsegen, Mark Roth, & Beverly Winter

NASP-Approved/Nationally Recognized Graduate Programs in School Psychology

Editor

Reviewers

A r t D i r e ct i o n / D e s i g n

John Desrochers

Gena Barnhill, VA Terry Bontrager, MA Phil Bowser, OR Andrea Canter, MN Mary Chittoran, MO Carlo Cucarro, NY Stefan Dombrowski, NJ Ron Dumont, NJ Barbara Fischetti, CT Robyn Hess, CO Laurice Joseph, OH Paula Laidig, MN Matthew Lau, MN Cammy Lehr, MN Betty Lenehan, NH Beth Kolb, NY Richard Lieberman, CA Rebecca Mandal, L A Rebecca Martinez, IN James McDougal, NY Amanda Nickerson, NY Leslie Paige, KS Nancy Peterson, IL Cathy Paine, OR Martha Rosen, MN Roberta Slavin, NY Susan Smith, ME Mary Tomblin, T X Arcella Trimble, GA Diane Wilen, FL

David Herbick Design

A s s o c i at e E d i t o r s

Steven Landau selandau@ilstu.edu

Mark Roth mmroth1@myfairpoint.net

Karen Stoiber kstoiber@uwm.edu Contributing Editors

Pamela Beeman, CA Stephen Brock, CA Merryl Bushansky, NY Katherine C. Cowan, MD Tony Crespi, CT Kathy DeOrnellas, T X Susan Gorin, MD Scott Huebner, SC Janine Jones, WA Mary Beth Klotz, MD Paul McCabe, NY Breeda McGrath, IL Bob Lichtenstein, MA Anna Peña, MD Bill Pfohl, KY Steven Shaw, QC Stacy Skalski, MD

Diagnosing Learning Disorders: A Neurological Framework Reviewed by Arlene B. Crandall Social Competence Intervention Program: A Drama-Based Intervention for Youth on the Autism Spectrum Reviewed by Marianne Thomas

Communiqué Phone/fax: (203) 255-0854 desroc@optonline.net

Viewpoint Drawing the Line By Frank L. Miller

NAS P N e w s

Transitions Making the Transition From Practitioner to Academic By P. Dawn Tysinger, Terry D. Diamanduros, & Jeffrey A. Tysinger

Reviews

2011 Convention News

By John Desrochers

Research-Based Practice Youth Access to Violent Video Games on Trial: The U.S. Supreme Court Takes the Case By Rebekah S. Bickford

P r o d u ct i o n D i r e ct o r

Linda Morgan lmorgan@naspweb.org NAS P E x e c u t i v e D i r e ct o r

Susan Gorin sgorin@naspweb.org Advertising

Student Connections Looking Ahead: School Psychology Awareness Week 2010 By Janeann Lineman

Spotlight: CLD Ambassadors of Recruitment Initiative

Tech Corner By Bill Pfohl

Just a Click Away By Dan Florell

Off Task By Pamela Beeman

Employment Notices

C o mm u n i q u é O n l i n e E x c l u s i v e Mental Health Work: An Essential Role for School Psychologists By Dennis J. Simon

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E d i t o r i a l D e a d l i n e s , Volume 39

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October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | Communiqué | 3

Communication Matters School Psychology Awareness: Helping Every Student SHINE B y K at h e r i n e C . Co wa n & A n d r e a Co h n

he role of the school psychologist is strategically placed at the epicenter of a child’s life. Not only do we provide direct services to the students at our schools, but we also work and collaborate with teachers, parents, peers, administrators, and community providers. Consequently, the potential impact that we can have on our students is boundless. However, when we talk about our impact, we frequently detail specific problems and how we facilitate intervention to reach a goal. We focus on data, numbers, aim lines, and test scores to demonstrate the efficacy of our services. But what about those aspects of our students that are difficult to operationalize? Their smile when an adult greets them when they get off the bus, their relief when a peer shows them the correct place in the book, or their amusement at a joke. These daily positive experiences are essential to student success. Positive experiences with peers and adults contribute to a child’s resilience and ability to withstand personal challenges. Helping Students SHINE Through Small Steps

As a result of ongoing communications efforts for the expanding role of the school psychologist at the personal, local, and national levels, many individuals in the school community are starting to see the impact that we can have on the broad school population. Consulting with teachers, implementing prevention programs, conducting professional development, supporting school-wide programming such as PBIS and RTI, and attending to the entire continuum of intervention increases the efficiency of our services and the scope of our impact. A crucial component of building resilience in our students and school community is helping individuals see the real benefits that simple positive actions can have on themselves and others. We can strengthen children by increasing the number of positive experiences they have throughout the school day. We can do this by modeling positive acts, challenging teachers and other school staff to build positive relationships with students, and teaching students directly how to engage in positive behaviors towards others. And they don’t have to be major endeavors. Simple acts such as saying “thank you,” smiling at a new person, or taking a few minutes to play with someone can make a big difference in a bad, mediocre, or ordinary day. They can, in fact, build on one another to help develop a student’s competence, confidence, resilience, positive outlook, and connectedness with others. Imbedding such positive “habits” in children’s daily lives can contribute to the overall school community and climate, and promote the kinds of positive interactions and relationships that are so critical to school and life success. Helping our students and school focus on strengthening positive relationships and increasing positive experiences is at the heart of national School Psychology Awareness Week, November 8–12, 2010. The theme, “Today is a good day to … SHINE!” is directed to students more than to other adults in the building. The program involves a series of resources and activities that school psychologists can use to reach out to school staff, students, and parents to help students achieve their individual goals. We are continuing a number of components introduced last year: a certificate for recognizing students, the Student POWER Award; a certificate recognizing colleagues, the Possibilities in Action Partner program; and Gratitude Works, a program to help foster gratitude in students. We also encourage school psychologists to use School Psychology Awareness Week as an opportunity to increase positive acts among students and staff throughout the broad school community. Suggested Activities

School Psychology Awareness Week is one opportunity to concentrate activities among school psychologists across the country, but the activities suggested here are worthwhile any time. Ideally, effective communications should occur throughout the year. We urge you not to reinvent the wheel. Start by using the downloadable and adaptable resources under School Psychology Awareness at www.nasponline.org /communications. Display the “Today is a good day to … SHINE” poster in student common areas. The poster enclosed in the October issue of Communiqué is an easy way to convey this key message and raise your visibility in your school(s). Since the message is directed primarily at students, be sure to display it in a place where students spend time. The poster does not reference School Psychology Awareness Week intentionally so that you can keep it up all year. Download 8½ x 11 PDF versions to hang in even more areas. Use the “Today is a good day to … SHINE” poster as a counseling or teaching tool. The poster was created with the intention to provide school psychologists with Katherine C. Cowan is NASP Director of Communications. Andrea Cohn, NCSP, is chair of the Communications Workgroup and a school psychologist with the Howard County Public School System in Maryland.

4 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

a potential counseling or teaching tool for working with students. In individual or group counseling, a school psychologist might have students role-play different behaviors, assign students to try out a new positive experience for homework, or help them brainstorm additional ideas for how to shine. Connect ideas on the poster to school-wide positive behavior supports. Have students consider the impact of such positive experiences on the student doing them or the person receiving the behavior. Encourage teachers to have students write a paragraph or short story that highlights the impact of a positive act. Finally, this information would be useful to share with parents to help them focus on building positive experiences within the home. Be sure to adapt the activity to the students’ developmental level. See “Today is a great day to … SHINE!: More Than Just Wall Candy” for more specific information on the use of the poster as a counseling tool. Distribute “Today is a good day to … SHINE” bookmarks. This bookmark reflects the School Psychology Awareness Week theme as well as key reminders of how we can recognize the possibilities in our students. These bookmarks are an excellent giveaway for parents attending back-to-school nights or conferences. They are also a creative way to leave your message when you meet with stakeholders such as administrators, school board members, or even local and state representatives. You can order bookmarks for a small cost through the NASP website. Participate in the Student POWER Award program. This award fits extremely well with the SHINE theme and activities suggested for the poster. It is designed to recognize one or more students of any age for exceptional efforts and individual achievements and is focused on personal goals and achievements. It was created with the purpose of honoring students who through the support of others and their own effort make a difference in their own lives or the lives of others. Specifically, the award recognizes students for progress towards goals, personal optimism, willing problem solving, eagerness to work hard, and dedication to others. Program details are available online with the School Psychology Awareness Week materials. Participate in the Gratitude Works program. This program was extremely popular last year and provides some terrific activities that reinforce positive relationships and relate well to the SHINE concepts. School psychologists can work with staff to organize a small group of students, a classroom, a grade level, or even the whole school to engage in activities to express gratitude to individuals who have made a difference in children’s lives or in the lives of others. NASP is providing downloadable age-appropriate letterhead or stationery, as well as materials to help introduce the topic of gratitude to students. General guidelines are included in the handout section of this issue of Communiqué. Additional information is available online with the School Psychology Awareness Week materials. Participate in the Possibilities in Action Partner program. Adults matter, too. We are asking NASP members to identify one or more colleagues who, either through their own efforts or by encouraging the efforts of others, make an exceptional difference in the lives of students and families by supporting the possibilities within each student. This could be a teacher, administrator, coach, community provider, parent mentor, or any other individual who stands out in your mind as going above and beyond the call of duty to help students achieve their best. The goal is to publicly recognize their special contribution to students’ positive outcomes, highlight the importance of meeting the needs of the whole child, and foster continued collaboration and advocacy on behalf of students. Members can further detail their Partner nomination by specifying the area in which they have made a significant difference. Program details are available online with the School Psychology Awareness Week materials. Let others know you appreciate their partnership in your work. As in past years, NASP is making available a downloadable note card and an e-postcard for you to use. Send a thank you note to a colleague. Send a note to your administrator commending your colleagues’ work. Write a brief note to a parent. Say “thanks” to colleagues by giving small comfort items such as herbal tea or chocolates. Reach out to parents with positive strategies. Traditionally, we have not incorporated direct outreach to parents as part of School Psychology Awareness Week. The Student POWER Award, Gratitude Works, and “Today is a good day to … SHINE” poster offer great vehicles for sharing positive, helpful information with parents in the broader school community. Consider photocopying one of the handouts on positive psychology listed in School Psychology Awareness materials or contributing to your school’s monthly newsletter on such a topic. Create your own webpage. Many school districts allow personnel to create a web-

page to post information relevant to parents and students. NASP has created a set of brief how-to and content materials in html format that NASP members can use to easily create a professional webpage. Just cut and paste the copy and you are ready to go. Visit www.nasponline.org/communications/webpage for suggestions, instructions, and available topics. Raise your visibility with policy makers. Schedule a meeting with local stakeholders such as a school board members or local representatives to discuss your services. Ask your state legislator to introduce a proclamation specifically designating School Psychology Awareness Week or simply recognizing the important role the profession plays in childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education and development. A sample proclamation is available on the NASP website in both the advocacy and School Psychology Awareness Week resources. Contact your state or local school psychology association, NASP delegate, or SPAN coordinator if you are not sure how to get this process started. Start planning now so you are ready to go when November comes along. We are excited to hear about your activities; be sure to let us know what you do (angec99@ hotmail.com or kcowan@naspweb.org). Have fun and thank you for helping to improve outcomes for the children you serve and for being a NASP member! Remember, today is a great day for you to SHINE as well!

Today Is a Good Day to â&#x20AC;Ś SHINE!: More Than Just Wall Candy

he annual NASP School Psychology Awareness Week posters look great on the wall of your office, school hallway, or door. They are colorful, witty, and eyecatching. They relate important messages meant to inspire our students, colleagues, and, of course, us. But this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poster has something moreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the possibility to multitask as a counseling or teaching tool. When you hang this poster up on the wall, consider placing it in a strategic location so that you can refer to it as needed when providing direct services to students. Or hang the poster in a public space near your office and print out a PDF version to hang in your work area or carry with you in your brief case. (Note: a limited quantity of additional posters is available upon request.) Some suggestions for how to use the poster appear below. Friendships and social skills. The poster provides a good beginning list of prosocial behaviors that can help students develop and maintain friendships. Discuss the activi-

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6 | CommuniquĂŠ | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

ties on the poster and consider why they might be good suggestions for the students in your group. Help them brainstorm other activities that will help them build friendships. Have them role-play specific behaviors with you or other members of the group and discuss when would be ideal times to try to engage in these behaviors. Consider sending each student with a homework assignment to try one new or challenging behavior from the list and report back at your next meeting. Make it interactive. The phrases and words on the poster are available in downloadable sheets on the website. Cut these out and put them in an envelope taped to the wall next to the poster along with a large poster board or sheet of paper. Ask students to pick an action they have taken that week or one they have seen someone else do and tape it to the blank sheet. Include small blank sheets of paper for students to write in their own words as well. Connect with school-wide PBIS. Consider your school rules and how these behaviors support them. Help students see how engaging in these behaviors will help them meet personal or classroom goals. Encourage teachers to provide intermittent positive reinforcement in the form of verbal comments, thumbs up, or even schoolwide tokens (e.g., Bear Bucks, etc.) for engaging in these types of behaviors. Include the words and explanations in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s morning announcement. Consider using the poster as a kick-off to a year-long focus on positive social behaviors. For example, create a bulletin board that changes weekly or monthly to highlight different behaviors and other aspects of positive school psychology. Create your own ways to shine. Work with the art teacher or individually with students to have them create personal posters depicting the ways they shine. Perspective taking. Engage students in a discussion or activity about what it would feel like to be on the giving and receiving end of the activities. Use role-playing to help them understand anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. Start the day in a positive light. During morning class meetings, the teacher can pick one item that represents a positive social interaction. That would be the theme of the morning meeting. As they share, each student takes a turn to do or say something that reflects the general idea. Classroom lesson. Work with teachers to design a writing, social studies, or health lesson on small acts that can have a larger impact on peers, adults, and students themselves. Have students pick different suggestions from the list or develop one of their own to relate how even small behaviors, particularly interpersonal ones, can leave a lasting impression on others and change the course of your day and that of others. Have students write about the behavior and why it is important to them or to others. Talk about how kind acts â&#x20AC;&#x153;rippleâ&#x20AC;? and change how everyone is feeling and acting. Work with speech pathologists to include the words in vocabulary and concept formation lessons. Individual goal setting. The poster includes behaviors that will help any student or adult shine. Help students consider specific behaviors that would help them to shine. If you are using the interactive poster option above, let them pick their word for the day and take them with them to be brought back and posted on the wall later (or on a personal poster they have developed). Share information with parents. Just as children can benefit from engaging in or receiving small positive acts at school, such behaviors can also work to strengthen family and home relationships. Encourage parents to have more positive interactions with their children using the words from the poster to better connect home and school learning. Suggest they ask their children daily about one thing that the child did to make themselves or someone else feel better. Hold a scavenger hunt.Â Have students work as a class-wide team to each find someone throughout the day who is demonstrating one of the concepts or behaviors from the poster.Â See if together the class can identify all of the concepts. Or have students select five concepts to find that day and see if each student can find people demonstrating these concepts. Provide an opportunity to share at the end of the day. Link to the Gratitude Works program. Identify one of the actions that embody gratitude and select one of the Gratitude Works activities (http://www.nasponline.org /communications/spawareness/index.aspx) to do. This can include completing a class serviceÂ project for someone or a group outside of their classroom. Shine. Have a discussion about what that means and what it feels like to shine. Have students share an activity, skill, or trait that makes them feel as if they shine. As a class activity, you or teachers can give the students slips of paper so that they can spread the sunshine by writing a little note to someone about why or how someone shines. For example, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You shine because you always make sure I get a turn.â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;You shine because of your friendly smile.â&#x20AC;? Consider using colored or cut-out shaped paper or Post-It notes. Give out â&#x20AC;&#x153;SHINEâ&#x20AC;? bookmarks to provide a regular visual reminder. This bookmark reflects the School Psychology Awareness Week theme as well as key reminders of how students and staff can shine. These bookmarks are an excellent giveaway for parents attending Back-to-School nights or conferences. They are also excellent data collection tools for students. Have them tally on an attached paper how many behaviors they engage in during the course of a week. You can order bookmarks through the NASP website at www.nasponline.org/publications. Be sure to adapt the above activities to meet the developmental level of the students. n ÂŠ 2 0 1 0 , Nat io nal A sso c iat io n o f Sc ho o l P syc ho lo g ist s

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Americans with Disabilities Act: Advocates Mark 20th Anniversary

after the date on which they were published in the Federal Register. See http:// www.ada.gov/regs2010/ADAregs2010 .htm to access the new regulations.

NASP recently participated in the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by witnessing Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI) become the first member of Congress in a wheelchair to preside over the House of Representatives. Congressman Langevin, who in 2000 was the first quadriplegic elected to the House, used a newly installed mechanical lift system to gain access to the speakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s podium in his motorized wheelchair. President Obama later reflected on the ADA as legislation that provided â&#x20AC;&#x153;Equal accessâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to the classroom, the workplace, and the transportation required to get there. Equal opportunityâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to live full and independent lives the way we choose. Not dependenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but independence. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the ADA was all about.â&#x20AC;? The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H. Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; the first federal legislation specifically designed to protect the civil rights of people with disabilities. It established a national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Over the last 20 years, the ADA has greatly expanded opportunities for individuals in the community by reducing barriers, changing perceptions, and increasing participation in all aspects of community life, including education. The law has since been reauthorized, effective January 1, 2009, as the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act with changes that include expansions to the interpretive standards for the definition of disability.

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Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act: Title II, III Regulations

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8 | CommuniquĂŠ | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

Attorney General Eric Holder recently signed into law two final rules amending the Justice Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regulations implementing Title II and Title III of the ADA. Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by state and local government entities, which includes schools. Title III prohibits such discrimination by places of public accommodation and commercial facilities, such as restaurants and movie theaters. These final rules may affect accommodations for students with disabilities in several ways. They define service animals and note that they may be used to assist individuals who have allergies and seizures, among other impairments. They also draw distinctions between wheelchairs and other mobility devices and adopt the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. These final rules will become effective 6 months

Legislation to eliminate the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Râ&#x20AC;? word continues to move forward in Congress. Recently, the Senate passed Rosaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Law, legislation that would remove the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mental Retardationâ&#x20AC;? from all federal laws and replace it with the more commonly used term â&#x20AC;&#x153;Intellectual Disability.â&#x20AC;? Rosaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s law is named after Rosa Marcellino, a Maryland girl with Down syndrome. Identical legislation proposed in the House is known as the Elizabeth A. Connelly Act in honor of the longstanding member of the New York Assembly who successfully advocated in an effort to make New York State a leader in providing high-quality services and programs for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.Â The change in terminology to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Intellectual Disabilityâ&#x20AC;? would not alter the eligibility requirements for any services and supports and would ensure that current language in all federal legislation was consistent.Â The Senate and House bills are the same, except for their titles. Follow the progress of the bills at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin /query/z?c111:S.2781.

Behavioral Resources The Project ACHIEVE website (http:// www.projectachieve.info) has been redesigned with improved navigation functions and updated with information on different approaches to effective schooling, resources, links, and educational perspectives. Project ACHIEVE helps schools develop and implement positive behavioral support systems (PBSS) and response-to-intervention processes providing evidence-based academic and behavioral interventions to at-risk and underachieving students.

In Court: Reliance on Single Assessment Not Sufficient A district improperly exited a 13-year-old girl with specific learning disabilities from special education, the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, held. Reversing an administration law judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision reported at 53 IDELR 134, the court noted that the district improperly relied on a single assessment in determining that the teenager was no longer eligible for IDEA services. The court postponed a decision on remedies to enable the parents to submit information supporting their request for tuition reimbursement. M.B. and K.H. ex rel. J.B. v. South Orange/Maplewood Bd. of Educ., 110 LRP 44825 (D.N.J. 08/03/10, unpublished). n

Mary Beth Klotz, PhD, NCSP, is NASP Director, IDEA Projects and Technical Assistance. Sources include Special Ed e-News from LRP and CECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Policy Insider e-newsletter. ÂŠ 2 0 1 0 , Nat io nal A sso c iat io n o f Sc ho o l P syc ho lo g ist s

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Transitions

Making the Transition From Practitioner to Academic B y P. Daw n T ys i n g e r , T e r ry D. D i a m a n d u r o s , & J e f f r e y A . T ys i n g e r

ccording to recent literature, the field of school psychology is facing a major shortage of trainers at present and in the near future (AkinLittle & Little, 2004; Clopton & Haselhuhn, 2009; Kratochwill, Shernoff, & Sanetti, 2004). Although this is not a new issue facing the field, faculty retirements are increasing, and fewer doctoral candidates in school psychology are choosing an academic path for their careers, resulting in many faculty openings going unfilled (Clopton & Haselhuhn, 2009). With the obvious need for more trainers in school psychology, there is certainly opportunity for the early-, mid-, or late-career doctoral-level school psychologist in practice to make the transition into an academic career. If you are an individual considering such a career move, the following information should help to prepare you for a successful transition. High Quality Professional Practice

sion at the university level and the ability to coordinate with field-based supervisors. If you have previously worked in the role of the field-based supervisor, then university training programs are well aware that your experience can translate easily into their supervision expectations for faculty. Finally, if you have not already earned it, you may consider seeking the Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential. It is currently listed in many academic position announcements as a preferred qualification. Holding the NCSP is a further demonstration to training programs that you have benefitted from high-quality training, practice in a competent manner, and stay current with changes in the field through the professional development requirement. Teaching

The first of the three job expectations in an academic position is teaching. In the course of your doctoral training, you may have had the opportunity to serve as instructor or teaching assistant for undergraduate or graduate classes at your training institution. This is certainly valuable experience that you would want to highlight to an academic search committee, but it is important to continue gaining teaching experience while engaged in your position as a practicing school psychologist. If you are seeking further experience with teaching, start by contacting local colleges and universities to explore adjunct instruction opportunities. With your background in school psychology, remember that you may be uniquely suited to teach classes with either an education or psychology focus. If a nearby school psychology training program had need for adjunct instruction, then that experience would be most highly valued by a search committee, but any experience with higher education instruction is likely to be seen as a desirable qualification. In an effort to be student-centered, most universities are offering undergraduate and graduate courses in the evening, which could complement your typical working hours nicely. Additionally, colleges and universities are increasing their online course offerings. You may need to become familiar with the university’s online teaching platform, but you could then teach from your own home. This option might be particularly attractive to individuals living in rural areas who wish to prepare themselves for a future in training school psychologists.

Just imagine how many lives you can positively impact by training the next generation of school psychologists and participating in the full reach of all the services that they provide to students, parents, teachers, and schools.

When making the transition from practitioner to academic, one of the most valued qualifications for your future job is likely to be the experience that you have garnered in the field. With increasing frequency, the position announcements for academic jobs specify experience in the field as a preferred or required qualification for applicants. University training programs are interested in those individuals who have firsthand experience in translating theory and didactic learning into practice. The successes and challenges of your career in school psychology make for excellent teaching points in the classroom. This knowledge and experience allows you to give guidance of the most practical kind, to steer school psychology candidates from potentially unsuccessful paths, and to entertain students with anecdotes from the trenches. In this regard, your years of practice are likely to give you an edge over those applicants who are seeking academic positions directly out of graduate school. Having said that, not all field experience is created equal. If you are considering a future in academia, it is important to tailor your current career in school psychology to make you as marketable as possible to future university-based employers. In your practice, you should actively promote all the roles for which your school psychology training has prepared you. Engage in both traditional and nontraditional functions Scholarship within your competency. Seek experience in working with diverse populations, and Actively participating in scholarship like research, publication, and presentations is challenge yourself to engage in the highest quality of service delivery at all times. Broad- the second integral component of the job of an academician. Again, reflect upon your based service delivery fits nicely with most training programs’ ideology, which is often doctoral training to assess the experience that you already have in these areas and commensurate with the NASP training standards. In addition to demonstrating your continue to garner that experience as a practicing school psychologist. With regard versatility and expertise, this signals to search committees that you are committed to research, look to collaborate with academics in the local university for designing and passionate about the profession, and that passion is often contagious among the and conducting research. Most academics welcome assistance in any form and at trainees with whom you are seeking to work. whatever level of commitment you can offer. Your efforts in these areas may even Beyond your own school psychology practice, join committees and seek leader- lead to a publication where you are listed among the authorship if you have made a ship roles within your schools or at the district level. In doing so, you are increasing significant contribution to the project. A record of publication demonstrates comyour awareness and knowledge of school psychology, school functioning, and decision- mitment and success in the domain of scholarship. making at a macrolevel. Participating in such groups may also demonstrate effectiveAlso, remember that there are many opportunities within your own practice to ness with communication skills, which is often listed as a required and/or preferred improve your research skills. School psychologists frequently engage in single-case qualification in academic position announcements. Again, this experience offers ad- study designs to determine intervention effectiveness, needs assessments for school vantages to those training programs seeking to hire faculty. It demonstrates your po- buildings or districts, participation in instrument standardization projects, and protential to function in coordinated efforts (like those involved in running a training gram evaluation of existing prevention/intervention efforts. These are research-based program) and also highlights that you understand the field in the context of the larger experiences that should be promoted as you seek a university training position. educational environment. Opportunities to conduct professional presentations are often abundant for the Another important consideration while working within the field is to seek super- school psychologist. Given your discipline, you likely have knowledge and skills that vision experiences. Supervising practicum students and interns allows you excellent are beneficial to those within your field and to those in closely related occupations insight into the developmental progression of those in training and further demon- such as teaching and counseling. At the local level, you could conduct inservice strates your commitment to the act of training. The act of supervision also allows you trainings for personnel within your district about some area of expertise that you to practice mentoring and advising in school psychology practice, organization, time have, or you could collaborate with local agencies to present information on topics management, and life-balance skills among the trainees. This often mimics the role such as school functioning, special education law, or interagency collaboration. At of the university trainer. Additionally, university training programs value supervision the state level, you could submit proposals to present at your state school psycholexperience in their faculty, because much of the job of the academic involves supervi- ogy association conference or to another discipline’s state conference. Likewise, you may seek opportunities to present at regional and national conferences. Often, P. Dawn Tysinger, PhD, NCSP, recently made the transition from practitioner to academic and is an assistant professor of school psychology at Georgia Southern University. Terry D. Diamanduros, some of the most highly valuable presentations come from those who are implePhD, is an associate professor and program coordinator for the school psychology program at Georgia menting the practice of school psychology. Not all presentations have to be based Southern University. Jeffrey A. Tysinger, PhD, NCSP, is an assistant professor of school psychology at Georgia Southern University and also worked as a practitioner before entering academia. on a research project; presenting information that provides any form of profes10 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

sional development to others will demonstrate to search committees your comfort, confidence, and competence with professional presentations.

Research-Based Practice

Service

The third professional expectation for a university trainer is active participation in service to the profession. Fortunately, the opportunities for service are often just as open to the practicing school psychologist as they are to individuals already serving in an academic position. School psychology associations at both the state and national level are frequently starved for professionals willing to take on a service and/ or leadership role. Whatever your interest, expertise, or commitment level, there is likely to be a position for you. You may consider first joining a service oriented committee within a school psychology association, and then working your way up to a leadership role as your confidence and familiarity with the association improves. If you are already serving on committees when you enter the search for a university training position, then you have demonstrated proficiency in the service and communication components of an academicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job. Making the Transition

Within the current context of your position as a practicing school psychologist, there are simple steps that you may take to prepare yourself for a future in academia. These steps may not only give you a competitive edge in the job search but are likely to lead to greater knowledge, skills, and fulfillment in your present position. Strive for high quality practice and involve yourself in the three tiers of teaching, scholarship, and service to demonstrate the foundational skills needed as a university trainer. By serving as a university trainer, you are shaping the future of the field one school psychologist at a time. As school psychologists, we like to think that we are positively impacting the lives of individuals even beyond our reach as we engage in services like consultation and prevention. Just imagine how many lives you can positively impact by training the next generation of school psychologists and participating in the full reach of all the services that they provide to students, parents, teachers, and schools. n References Akin-Little, K. A., & Little, S. G. (2004). Introduction to the mini-series: The state of developing university faculty in school psychology: Current status and perspectives on the future. School Psychology Quarterly, 19(4), 295â&#x20AC;&#x201C;298. Clopton, K. L., & Haselhuhn, C. W. (2009). School psychology trainer shortage in the

USA: Current status and projections for the future. School Psychology International, 30(1), 24â&#x20AC;&#x201C;42. Kratochwill, T. R., Shernoff, E. S., & Sanetti, L. (2004). Promotion of academic careers in school psychology: A conceptual framework of impact points, recommended strategies, and hopeful outcomes. School Psychology Quarterly, 19(4), 342â&#x20AC;&#x201C;364.

Youth Access to Violent Video Games on Trial: The U.S. Supreme Court Takes the Case By Rebekah S. Bickford

his fall, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that promises to affect the lives of many children. Up for debate is whether a law aimed at curbing childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s access to violent video games violates their constitutional right to free speech. Signed 5 years ago by Governor Schwarzenegger, the California statute, which has yet to take effect pending legal review, would prohibit the sale or rental of violent video gamesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;games that include images of physical or sexual assault to humansâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to anyone under the age of 18. The law would include a fine of $1,000 to be assessed to retailers violating these restrictions and add labeling requirements regarding video game violence. Video games have been increasingly available to children and adolescents for more than 3 decades (Carnagey, Anderson, & Bushman, 2007). They were introduced to the American, Japanese, and European publics for home use in the early 1970s (Anderson, Gentile, & Buckley, 2007). Commercial viability was established with the advent of Atari and its premier game, Pong (Gentile, Lynch, Linder, & Walsh, 2004). In the almost 40 years since that slow paced, tennis-like game attracted the attention of teenagers across the globe, the availability and appeal of video games have skyrocketed. Video games have gone from very simple sport-oriented games to the current state of virtual reality, war, and avatars. Video games are now in the homes of most American youth (Roberts, Foehr, & Rideout, 2005), and the social, realistic, and futuristic caliber of the games is alluring to children and adults alike. Rebekah S. Bickford is a doctoral student in school psychology at the University of Southern Maine.

GraduateÂ ProgramsÂ inÂ SchoolÂ Psychology Expand your expertise and credentials. Increase your supervisory and leadership capabilities. To learn more, contact us today at admissions @mspp.edu or visit us on the web at www.mspp.edu/school.

PsyD in School Psychology Advanced Standing option and flexible curriculum for full-time professionals. Accepting Applications for Summer 2011 Application Deadline: November 17, 2010 s )NTENSIVE SUMMER COURSES AND LATE AFTERNOON EVENING school year courses (on-site, supplemented by online). s )NTEGRATED CURRICULUM WITH FIELD EDUCATION s %XPERIENCED 0RACTITIONER &ACULTY s 3TUDENT CENTERED TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT s -300 ALSO OFFERS A .!30 APPROVED 3PECIALIST ,EVEL 3CHOOL 0SYCHOLOGY PROGRAM

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ÂŠ 2 0 1 0 , N at io n a l A s s o ci atio n o f S cho o l P s ycho l o gis ts

October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | CommuniquĂŠ | 11

As video games have become more engaging, children have become more engaged, spending ever-increasing amounts of time playing them (Gentile, 2009). The negative impact on children’s academic lives with increased time spent playing video games is two-fold: school performance can suffer, and children can become more aggressive (Gentile et al., 2004). Concern about the effects of video games centers on both the time spent playing video games and the time not spent in more constructive activities, as well as the ever-increasing violence witnessed in video games. Time Spent Playing Video Games and the Displacement Hypothesis

Tyler Stalman/istockphoto

As the availability and quality of video games has risen, so has the amount of time that children and adolescents spend playing them (Wight, Price, Bianchi, & Hunt, 2009). Time spent playing video games has been inversely correlated with the ways past generations of children and adolescents spent time: reading, doing homework, interacting with family, and playing outside. The suspected impact of this replacement in time expenditure, known as the displacement hypothesis, is that, regardless of the content of the video game, children’s learning and health are impacted by the loss of time spent on other activities (Gentile et al., 2009; Gentile et al., 2004). It is worth noting that the inverse relationship between time spent playing video games and academic performance is specific to gaming; time spent using computers to do schoolwork is associated with improved school performance (Gentile et al., 2004). The difference in these relationships demonstrates that it is not screen time per se that results in poorer grades, but how that screen time is used. The shift in the way time is spent has meant a corresponding shift in the cognitive socialization of our youth. Whereas media such as the written word and radio promote such qualities as “reflection, inductive analysis, critical thinking, mindful thought, and imagination,” video games tend to penalize those qualities and promote impulsivity (Greenfield, 2009, p. 71). Likewise, video gaming is a largely sedentary activity, and time spent playing video games rather than in outdoor play is implicated in the national, and burgeoning global, childhood obesity epidemic (Gordon-Larsen, Nelson, & Popkin, 2004). The Case Against Violent Video Games

Nevertheless, over 85% of video games have been found to contain violence, with more than half of all games depicting serious violence (Carnagey et al., 2007). Even games rated T (for teen) have been found to contain violence, as well as blood, sexual themes, profanity, comic mischief, substances, and gambling (Haninger & Thompson, 2004). The violence found is usually intentional, usually a required element of playing the game, and usually rewarded. Equally troubling is the fact that women are frequently depicted nude or engaged in sexual behavior. Making matters worse is the finding from a recent survey of 1,178 American children between the ages of 8 and 18 that most boys in that age range have access to mature-rated video games, games specifically not intended for people their age (Gentile, 2009). Video games with a mature rating have been found to depict even more egregious violence and sexual violence than those with a teen rating, and the survey found them to be owned by 39% of children in this age group. As with teen-rated games, the violence in maturerated games is a requisite part of the game; violence is depicted as humorous and desirable, with points awarded for every kill. A longitudinal study that tracked 430 3rd through 5th grade American children found a correlation between violent video game play and aggressive behavior at school (Gentile, 2005). This study controlled for prior aggression, and used teacher and peer ratings of aggression as the dependent measure. By measuring the students at the beginning and end of the school year, they were able to determine that those children who played more violent games early in the school year became more aggressive later in the school year. In addition to developing more aggressive behavior themselves, children exposed to repeated virtual violence via video games can become desensitized to real world violence. In fact, exposure to video game violence, even for just 20 minutes, was found to cause children to experience dramatically reduced physiological arousal to real violence (Carnagey et al., 2007). In other words, violence began to feel like a normal state of affairs and ceased to be upsetting. The impact of both the amount of time spent playing video games and the content of the games themselves was addressed in a survey of 607 8th and 9th graders from four Midwestern schools (Gentile et al., 2004). Students were asked to complete an anonymous survey about their attitudes, habits, and knowledge about video games, and their school performance. The results of the survey revealed an inverse relationship between the amount of time spent playing video games and school grades, regardless of the content of the games (Gentile et al., 2004). The amount of time spent playing video games was not associated with aggressive behavior. However, the study found that exposure to violent video games was predictive of aggressive behavior, including arguments with teachers and physical fights. Trait hostility (i.e., a disposition for aggression) was directly correlated with exposure to violent video games. Path modeling indicated that trait hostility both moderated and mediated the effects of violent video game exposure on aggressive behaviors. Low-hostile students with the highest exposure to violent video games were more likely to have been involved in fights (38%) than high-hostile students with the lowest exposure to violent video games (28%). These findings support a General Aggression Model, developed by Anderson and colleagues, which suggests that violent video game play predicts short-term increases in aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and reinforces long-term aggressive attitudes, perceptions, scripts, and desensitization (Anderson, 2003; Anderson et al., 2007; Carnagey et al., 2007; Gentile et al., 2009).

The problematic effects of video game play are exacerbated by the violent content of the majority of video games that youth are playing; never before have America’s children been exposed to such a level of violent interaction (Gentile et al., 2004; Roberts et al., 2005). In his review of the case, Judge Ronald Whyte, the California judge who granted an injunction against the law signed by Schwarzenegger, did not find evidence that exposure to violent video games led children to exhibit increases in violent behavior. On the contrary, research on the troubling effects of video games is plentiful and persuasive; there is overwhelming evidence that witnessing and engaging in video game violence is predictive of increases in aggressive behavior (Anderson et al., 2010; Huesmann, 2010). In fact, the research on the effects of exposure to video game violence is in keeping with research conducted over the last half century about the effects on children’s behavior of watching television violence. This body of evidence began with Albert Bandura’s well-known research involving Bobo the Clown, in which he found that children imitated aggressive behavior that they witnessed on television (Bandura, Ross, & Ross, 1963). Bandura’s finding about children’s learning, which he labeled observational learning theory, found television to be a powerful teacher, though, in stark Video Game Addiction Apart from the concern about the effects of engaging in video game violence is the concontrast to video games, children are mere nonparticipant observers of television. This evidence against video games is especially troubling given the fact that they cern about video game addiction. Gentile (2009) assessed the extent to which video are almost as pervasive as television in American homes. In the decade since the late game players between the ages of 8 and 18 met criteria for video game addiction. He 1990s, video games have made their way into the lives of 99% of American boys and developed pathological use criteria to correspond with the Diagnostic and Statistical 94% of American girls (Lenhart et al., 2008). Moreover, video games are often more Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, violent than the television to which most children are exposed. In fact, over the last 2000) criteria for pathological gambling, as both are behavioral addictions that begin decade, video games have become 46% more violent, 8 times more sexually explicit, as forms of nonpathological entertainment. Gentile found that just over 8% of the game players surveyed met criteria for video and 30 times more likely to contain profane language (Ziegler, 2007). game addiction (Gentile, 2009). When compared with nonpathological gamers, pathoA Sampling of Evidence logical gamers were found to report having worse grades and more trouble paying attenThe issue before the Supreme Court is not whether or not children should have access tion in school. In fact, they were twice as likely to report having been diagnosed with an to video games; it is whether children should have the right to access violent video attention deficit disorder. Pathological gamers also reported more game-related health games. It is a question of the Constitutional rights of minors in relation to free speech. problems, such as hand and wrist pain. They reported having felt addicted to video games 12 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

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and having friends who thought they were addicted. Pathological gamers were also more likely to report having a video game system in their bedrooms and more likely than other gamers to have been involved in physical fights during the preceding year. Most would agree that Gentile’s identified rate of video game addiction is staggering. While adults have been concerned about substance abuse and other hazards for children and adolescents for generations, no prior addiction has affected so many youth. In fact, addiction has been relatively absent in childhood and adolescence in past generations. The rate of video game addiction identified by Gentile (2009) is on a par with the steady rate of illicit drug use by Americans 12 years and older at just about 13% (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2009). If we can assume that the rate of addiction to such substances is substantially lower than the rate of usage, it seems safe to assume that video games are the primary addiction for America’s youth. Without question, America’s youth are spending a great deal of time playing video games (Gentile, 2009). Regardless of content, time spent playing video games is time not spent in other pursuits that are known to be associated with the health and well being of children and adolescents. In fact, time spent playing video games is inversely correlated with academic performance. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that engaging in video game violence is predictive of increased aggression and hostility. Assessing and Addressing Addiction and Exposure to Violent Video Games

School psychologists are likely to see the impact of video game addiction and exposure to video game violence in many of the students with whom they work. Given that potential, and the implications of the findings to date, practitioners should consider screening for video game use as a standard step in assessment procedures. When game use is identified, school psychologists can take steps to assess the extent of the exposure and its impact. The National Institute on Media and the Family, in conjunction with the Search Institute’s ParentFurther, offers a number of resources that can help school psychologists, educators, and parents prevent and respond to problems related to video game use. For example, the ParentFurther Guide to Video Game Addiction includes an “I’d Rather” Assessment, which can shed light on the relative priority that gaming has in a youth’s life (ParentFurther, n.d.). Additionally, school psychologists can work to support parents’ efforts to limit or guide their children’s use of video games. This can be an important step, as parental involvement and oversight of video game use, including setting limits, can help reduce students’ likelihood of fighting and arguments and can increase their likelihood of successful school performance (Gentile et al., 2004). n References American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (text revision, 4th ed.). Washington, DC: author. Anderson, C. A. (2003). Violent video games: Myths, facts, and unanswered questions. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/science/psa /sb-anderson.html Anderson, C. A., Gentile, D. A., & Buckley, K. (2007). Violent video game effects on children and adolescents: Theory, research, and public policy. New York: Oxford University Press. Anderson, C. A., Shibuya, A., Ihori, N., Swing, E. L., Bushman, B. J., Sakamoto, A., et al. (2010). Violent video game effects on aggression, empathy, and prosocial behavior in Eastern and Western countries: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 151–173. Bandura, A., Ross, D., & Ross, S. A. (1963). Imitation of film-mediated aggressive models. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 66(1), 3–11. Carnagey, N. L., Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2007). The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization to real-life violence. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43, 489–496. Gentile, D. A. (2005). Examining the effects of video games from a psychological perspective: Focus on violent games and a new synthesis. Retrieved from http://www.psychology .iastate.edu/~dgentile/pdfs/Gentile_NIMF_ Review%20_2005.pdf Gentile, D. A. (2009). Pathological video-game use among youth ages 8 to 18: A national study. Psychological Science, 20(5), 594–602.

sive behaviors, and school performance. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 5–22. Gordon-Larsen, P., Nelson, M. C., & Popkin, B. M. (2004). Longitudinal physical activity and sedentary behavior trends: Adolescence to adulthood. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 27(4), 277–283. Greenfield, P. M. (2009). Technology and informal education: What is taught, what is learned. Science, 323, 69–71.

“ The annual NASP convention is an amazing learning experience and opportunity for networking with other school psychologists from around the country.” Erin Strasil Larson, EdS Green Hills Area Education Agency Glenwood Regional Office

Haninger, K., & Thompson, K. M. (2004). Content and ratings of teen-rated video games. Journal of the American Medical Association, 291(7), 856–865. Huesmann, L. R. (2010). Nailing the coffin shut on doubts that violent video games stimulate aggression: Comment on Anderson et al. (2010). Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 179–181. Lenhart, A., Kahne, J., Middaugh, E., Macgill, E. R., Evans, C., & Vitak, J. (2008). Teens, video games, and civics. Retrieved from http://www .pewinternet.org/Reports/2008/Teens-VideoGames-and-Civics.aspx ParentFurther. (n.d.). ParentFurther guide to video game addiction [Electronic Version]. Retrieved from http://www.parentfurther.com /sites/default/files/downloads/video-gameaddiction-guide.pdf Roberts, D. F., Foehr, U. G., & Rideout, V. (2005). Generation M: Media in the lives of 8–18 year olds: A Kaiser Family Foundation Report. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2009). Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies.

Gentile, D. A., Anderson, C. A., Yukawa, S., Ihori, N., Saleem, M., Ming, L. K., et al. (2009). The effects of prosocial video games on prosocial behaviors: International evidence from correlational, longitudinal, and experimental studies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 35(6), 752–763.

Wight, V. R., Price, J., Bianchi, S. M., & Hunt, B. R. (2009). The time use of teenagers. Social Science Research, 38, 792–809.

Gentile, D. A., Lynch, P. J., Linder, J. R., & Walsh, D. A. (2004). The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggres-

Ziegler, S. G. (2007). The (mis)education of Generation M. Learning, Media and Technology, 32(1), 69–81.

NASP 2011 Annual Convention February 22–25, 2011 San Francisco, CA

RTI Tier 1 Support and require Tier 2 or 3 intervention.

systems share a range of common outcomes, including maximizing time for instruction, enhancing student–teacher relationships, fostering school connectedness, and improving academic and social competency for all students (Walker & Shinn, 2002). Once these shared outcomes are identified, it becomes easier to identify components of each initiative that would benefit from integration.

Logic for an Integrated Approach

Integrating Tier 1 Support

There are two primary reasons why integrating academic and behavior support should be considered. First, there is a documented connection between low academic skills and problem behavior, which is evident at school entry and increases over time (Nelson, Benner, Lane, & Smith, 2004). Students facing challenges in both areas are at an exponentially higher risk for negative school outcomes (Reinke, Herman, Petros, & Ialongo, 2008). Students with low academic skills at school entry are at increased risk of problem behavior and depression later in school (Herman, Lambert, Reinke, & Ialongo, 2008; McIntosh, Horner, Chard, Boland, & Good, 2006). As academic tasks become more difficult, students with skill deficits may increasingly use problem behavior to escape difficult tasks, limiting their access to academic instruction (McIntosh, Horner, Chard, Dickey, & Braun, 2008). Fortunately, intervention in one area can lead to improvements in the other area as well. Implementation of SWPBS has been shown to lead to increased academic engaged time and enhanced academic outcomes (K. Algozzine & Algozzine, 2007; Horner et al., 2009; Lassen, Steele, & Sailor, 2006). In addition, high quality academic instruction by itself can reduce problem behavior (Filter & Horner, 2009; Preciado, Horner, Scott, & Baker, 2009), and students whose academic deficits are remediated in kindergarten are at dramatically reduced risk of developing chronic problem behavior throughout elementary school (McIntosh, Sadler, & Brown, 2010). Hence, it is not surprising that integrated academic and behavior RTI models have been shown to produce larger gains in both outcomes than single models (see a review by Stewart et al., 2007). In addition, academic and behavior RTI systems share many common features and structures. Both systems typically organize support within a three-tiered preventionfocused model designed to deliver universal support to all students at Tier 1 and a continuum of additional support at Tiers 2 and 3 (Walker & Shinn, 2002). The focus on quality universal instruction for all students and use of evidence-based practices at all tiers is familiar to practitioners of both systems (B. Algozzine & Algozzine, 2009). Moreover, the use of team-based implementation and a problem-solving model is common across approaches (Tilly, 2008). Finally, both RTI systems use data to (a) implement practices with fidelity, (b) screen all students for additional support, (c) monitor responsiveness to intervention, and (d) inform instruction (Sugai, 2009).

There are many opportunities to integrate features of each system at the Tier I level. Examples of integration will be described using three overlapping components that are shared across both domains: practices, systems, and data (Sugai & Horner, 2009). Each of these components are aligned to produce valued outcomes for students.

[ continued from page 1 ]

Promoting Sustainability Through Braiding Initiatives

Practices

Effective Tier 1 practices have been described in detail for academics (Kame’enui & Simmons, 1990) and behavior (Sugai & Horner, 2009). Though the content differs, the same principles of instruction apply, and strategies can be shared across domains to improve outcomes. Key features of quality practices within Tier 1 include: (q) focusing on big ideas, (b) effective instruction, (c) monitoring, and (d) positive feedback and encouragement. Big ideas. Rather than dedicating equal instructional time to all content, outcomes can be improved by aligning content according to big ideas of instruction in both academics and behavior. Big ideas help guide teachers on what is essential to teach and provide a framework for student learning (Coyne, Kame’enui, & Carnine, 2007). Most school psychologists are familiar with big ideas of beginning reading (National Reading Panel, 2000), but the same process can be used in social behavior. In SWPBS, three to five behavior expectations are identified that describe important lifelong social competencies (e.g., be respectful, be responsible, be safe; Sugai & Horner, 2009). Just as academic big ideas identify what is important to teach, behavior expectations provide curriculum anchors for teaching social–emotional competence. Effective instruction. In addition to focusing on the most important content, consideration should be given to the principles of effective instructional delivery (Coyne et al., 2007). Social–emotional competencies can be taught much like academic skills, through modeling examples and nonexamples of appropriate behavior so that students clearly understand the concepts being taught (Langland, Lewis-Palmer, & Sugai, 1998). Students are then provided with practice to build fluency in prosocial behavior, just as in academics. Monitoring. In academic and behavior support, it is important to monitor student progress to determine if students are performing skills (e.g., decoding, requesting help) correctly. Frequent monitoring allows school personnel to acknowledge correct responses and errors. Errors are identified and corrected so students do not spend time practicing incorrect responses. In academics, errors provide an opportunity to investigate student understanding of the subject. Teachers help students correct the mistake and then provide additional practice to ensure that content is mastered (Coyne et al., 2007). Similarly, problem behavior can first be assumed to be behavioral mistakes. Teachers can reteach expectations and reinforce correct practice before providing punitive consequences for inappropriate behavior. Positive feedback and encouragement. Until students are successful and can access natural reinforcement for using skills (e.g., reading for pleasure, making new friends), formal recognition systems can provide students with the motivation and encouragement to persevere until skills are mastered. Recognition systems developed through school-wide behavior systems, both formal (e.g., ticket systems, recognition assemblies) and informal (e.g., verbal praise, encouragement), can be used to shape social behavior across the school and academic effort in the classroom. Tangible acknowledgement systems prompt staff to acknowledge students regularly, acting as the system to support adults in the practice of frequent positive feedback.

Rather than viewing academic and behavior systems as separate entities, school teams can examine how these systems are interrelated and combine efforts accordingly. The presence of competing initiatives in a school or district puts both initiatives at a disadvantage. New initiatives may be threatened because existing systems serve as a status quo that is resistant to change (Fixsen, Blase, Horner, & Sugai, 2008), and simultaneously, personnel may abandon effective practices to implement new, fad initiatives (Latham, 1988). Though taking time and resources to consolidate multiple systems may seem like a threat to the sustainability of each system, integrating academic and behavior RTI systems represents a unique opportunity to enhance the sustainability of both systems (McIntosh, Horner, & Sugai, 2009). A salient metaphor for integrating systems is the concept of braiding. Braiding refers to building the practices of any new initiative into the fabric of existing programs and priorities within the building and district (McLaughlin & Mitra, 2001). It involves identifying how parallel practices, systems, and data may be combined into a coherent, unified set of daily responsibilities with a common language. Once braided, these systems can then be em- Figure 1. Yearly form for tracking implementation and effectiveness of Tier 1 support. bedded within the school improvement Fall Benchmark Winter Benchmark planning process. The braiding process Behavior Fidelity of implementation begins through identifying the common, of Tier 1 behavior support valued outcomes for the school and dis(% of critical features) trict (Fixsen, Naoom, Blase, Friedman, & Percent of students with 0 Wallace, 2005; McIntosh, Horner et al., to 1 major office discipline 2009). Both academic and behavior RTI referrals Kent McIntosh, PhD, NCSP, is an assistant professor of school psychology at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. Steve Goodman, PhD, is codirector of Michigan’s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi), a project funded by Michigan Department of Education. Hank Bohanon, PhD, is an associate professor of special education at Loyola University of Chicago. This article is adapted from material originally published by the RTI Action Network (http://www.rtinetwork.org/learn/ behavior), copyright 2009 by National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. Used with permission.

Academics

14 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

Spring Benchmark

Fidelity of implementation of Tier 1 behavior support (% of critical features) Percent of students meeting benchmark criteria (on track for positive outcomes) Percent of students who met previous benchmark and remained at benchmark

Systems

Systems are the structures, routines, and policies needed to support adults in implementing practices and using data effectively (Sugai, Horner, & McIntosh, 2008). One clear opportunity for integrating academic and behavior support involves examining the structures of school teams. Typically, each initiative will have its own school teams (e.g., grade level academic teams and behavior problem solving teams). When considered individually, this approach seems to make sense, but too many teams can overload school personnel. Instead, academic and behavior RTI teams can be combined at each tier. School teams can take advantage of the shared goals, common structures, and data from both systems. However, if combined, it is critical that team members have content knowledge in both areas, as the gain in efficiency may be outweighed by a loss in effectiveness (Stollar et al., 2006). An alternative is to have one core team with different membership at the academic and behavior levels, depending on the goals of the specific meeting (Martinez, Vickers, Rodriguez, Callahan, & Overton, 2009). District leadership teams and coaching structures can be combined using the same logic. Data

Though the data used in academic and behavior RTI models vary, all practices are enhanced by the same structure of data-based decision making. In both models, school personnel identify data systems to monitor student performance, interpret data in regular cycles, and modify school-wide and individual interventions based upon response (Sugai, 2009). Two types of data are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Tier 1 support: fidelity of implementation and student outcomes data. School personnel implementing SWPBS are familiar with research-validated fidelity measures such as the Schoolwide Evaluation Tool (Sugai, Lewis-Palmer, Todd, & Horner, 2001) and Benchmarks of Quality (Kincaid, Childs, & George, 2005). In academics, fewer measures are available, but a checklist for school-wide reading support, the Planning and Evaluation Tool (Kameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;enui & Simmons, 2003), has been developed based on SWPBS measures. Student outcomes data can include screening three times per year with curriculumbased measurement (Shinn, 1989) for academics and continuous collection of office discipline referrals (ODRs) for behavior. Both are used to monitor the effectiveness of school-wide intervention, target areas for improvement, and screen students for additional support. Figure 1 is a sample tracking form for integrated teams to measure fidelity and effectiveness of academic and behavior support. Once data are compiled, the integrated team determines the effectiveness of Tier 1

support and modifies the existing systems as data indicate (McIntosh, Reinke, & Herman, 2009). For example, screening data may indicate that the Tier 1 reading program should be strengthened with additional strategies in a specific skill, such as decoding. ODR data may indicate behavior problems in a specific setting, and modifications may involve reteaching expectations and active supervision in that setting. Demonstration of Improved Student Outcomes

As described above, integrating RTI systems has significant potential for enhancing outcomes in both areas. Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Integrated Behavior and Learning Support Initiative (MiBLSi) is an RTI program funded through the Michigan Department of Education with the goal of improving both behavior and reading skills at a school-wide level in over 600 schools (Ervin, Schaughency, Goodman, McGlinchey, & Matthews, 2006). Since the start of integration efforts in 2004, the percent of students meeting DIBELS reading benchmarks has increased by an average of 5% each year from 2004 to 2009. In the same time period, rate of ODRs per year has decreased by an average of 10% per year (Goodman, McGlinchey, & Schallmo, 2010). As shown, improvement in one area has consistently been associated with improvement in the other, and overall effectiveness has increased over time. These successes, across both academics and behavior, can provide the motivation to keep an integrated model in place. Conclusion

It may seem from this article that integrating initiatives sounds logical, but also daunting. However, it is certainly less difficult than sustaining two unrelated systems. Implementing two major initiatives in isolation in the same building can lead to burnout and failure to capitalize on sharing resources that can support the same outcomes. If sustaining both academic and behavior RTI systems is the primary goal, it may be the only option. n References Algozzine, B., & Algozzine, K. M. (2009). Facilitating academic achievement through schoolwide positive behavior support. In W. Sailor, G. Dunlap, G. Sugai, & R. H. Horner (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior support (pp. 521â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 550). New York: Springer. Algozzine, K., & Algozzine, B. (2007). Classroom instructional ecology and school-wide positive behavior support. Journal of Applied School Psychology, 24, 29â&#x20AC;&#x201C;47.

Coyne, M. D., Kameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;enui, E. J., & Carnine, D. (2007). Effective teaching strategies that accommodate diverse learners. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Ervin, R. A., Schaughency, E., Goodman, S. D., McGlinchey, M. T., & Matthews, A. (2006). Merging research and practice agendas to address reading and behavior school-wide. School Psychology Review, 35, 198â&#x20AC;&#x201C;223.

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Filter, K. J., & Horner, R. H. (2009). Functionbased academic interventions for problem behavior. Education and Treatment of Children, 32, 1–19.

Langland, S., Lewis-Palmer, T., & Sugai, G. (1998). Teaching respect in the classroom: An instructional approach. Journal of Behavioral Education, 8, 245–262.

Fixsen, D. L., Blase, K. A., Horner, R. H., & Sugai, G. (2008). Developing the capacity for scaling up the effective use of evidence-based programs in state departments of education. Chapel Hill, NC: State Implementation of Scaling-up Evidence-based Practices (SISEP) Center.

Lassen, S. R., Steele, M. M., & Sailor, W. (2006). The relationship of school-wide positive behavior support to academic achievement in an urban middle school. Psychology in the Schools, 43, 701–712.

Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation research: Synthesis of the literature. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation Research Network (FMHI Publication #231). Goodman, S., McGlinchey, M. T., & Schallmo, K. (2010). Investigating academic and behavior outcomes of an integrates learning support initiative. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Latham, G. (1988). The birth and death cycles of educational innovations. Principal, 68, 41–43. Martinez, S., Vickers, P., Rodriguez, Y., Callahan, L., & Overton, L. (2009). Positive behavior support and response to intervention: Becoming one unified team. APBS Newsletter, 6(4), 2–4. McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., Chard, D. J., Boland, J. B., & Good, R. H. (2006). The use of reading and behavior screening measures to predict non-response to School-Wide Positive Behavior Support: A longitudinal analysis. School Psychology Review, 35, 275–291.

Herman, K. C., Lambert, S. F., Reinke, W. M., & Ialongo, N. S. (2008). Low academic competence in first grade as a risk factor for depressive cognitions and symptoms in middle school. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55, 400–410.

McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., Chard, D. J., Dickey, C. R., & Braun, D. H. (2008). Reading skills and function of problem behavior in typical school settings. Journal of Special Education, 42, 131–147.

Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., Smolkowski, K., Eber, L., Nakasato, J., Todd, A. W., et al. (2009). A randomized, wait-list controlled effectiveness trial assessing school-wide positive behavior support in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, 133–144.

McIntosh, K., Horner, R. H., & Sugai, G. (2009). Sustainability of systems-level evidence-based practices in schools: Current knowledge and future directions. In W. Sailor, G. Dunlap, G. Sugai, & R. H. Horner (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior support (pp. 327–352). New York: Springer.

Kame’enui, E. J., & Simmons, D. C. (1990). Designing instructional strategies: The prevention of academic learning problems. Columbus, OH: Merrill. Kame’enui, E. J., & Simmons, D. C. (2003). Planning and evaluation tool for effective schoolwide reading programs-Revised (PET-R). Eugene, OR: Institute for the Development of Educational Achievement, University of Oregon. Kincaid, D., Childs, K., & George, H. (2005). School-wide benchmarks of quality. Unpublished instrument, University of South Florida.

McIntosh, K., Reinke, W. M., & Herman, K. E. (2009). School-wide analysis of data for social behavior problems: Assessing outcomes, selecting targets for intervention, and identifying need for support. In G. G. Peacock, R. A. Ervin, E. J. Daly, & K. W. Merrell (Eds.), The practical handbook of school psychology (pp. 135–156). New York: Guilford. McIntosh, K., Sadler, C., & Brown, J. A. (2010). Kindergarten reading skill and response to instruction as risk factors for problem behavior. Manuscript submitted for publication.

McKinney, E., Bartholomew, C., & Gray, L. (2010). RTI and SWPBIS: Confronting the problem of disproportionality. Communiqué, 38(6). McLaughlin, M. W., & Mitra, D. (2001). Theorybased change and change-based theory: Going deeper, going broader. Journal of Educational Change, 2, 301–323. National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Retrieved http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/nrp /smallbook.cfm Nelson, J. R., Benner, G. J., Lane, K. L., & Smith, B. W. (2004). Academic achievement of K-12 students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Exceptional Children, 71, 59–73. Preciado, J. A., Horner, R. H., Scott, K., & Baker, S. K. (2009). Using a function-based approach to decrease problem behaviors and increase academic engagement for Latino English Language Learners. The Journal of Special Education, 42, 227–240. Reinke, W. M., Herman, K. C., Petros, H., & Ialongo, N. (2008). Empirically-derived subtypes of child academic and behavior problems: Co-occurrence and distal outcomes. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36, 759-777. Shinn, M. R. (1989). Curriculum-based measurement: Assessing special children. New York: Guilford. Simmons, D. C., Kame’enui, E. J., Good, R. H., Harn, B. A., Cole, C., & Braun, D. (2002). Building, implementing, and sustaining a beginning reading model: Lessons learned school by school. In M. R. Shinn, H. M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavioral problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp. 403–432). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. Stewart, R. M., Benner, G. J., Martella, R. C., & Marchand-Martella, N. E. (2007). Three-tier models of reading and behavior: A research review. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 9, 239–253.

See Your Clients in a New Dimension.

Stollar, S. A., Poth, R. L., Curtis, M. J., & Cohen, R. M. (2006). Collaborative strategic planning as illustration of the principles of systems change. School Psychology Review, 35, 181–197. Sugai, G. (2009). School-wide positive behavior support and response to intervention, RtI Action Network. Retrieved January 31, 2009, from http://www.rtinetwork.org/Learn/Behavior /ar/SchoolwideBehavior. Sugai, G., & Horner, R. H. (2009). Defining and describing schoolwide positive behavior support. In W. Sailor, G. Dunlap, G. Sugai, & R. H. Horner (Eds.), Handbook of positive behavior support (pp. 307-326). New York: Springer. Sugai, G., Horner, R. H., & McIntosh, K. (2008). Best practices in developing a broad-scale system of support for school-wide positive behavior support. In A. Thomas & J. P. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V (pp. 765–780). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. Sugai, G., Lewis-Palmer, T. L., Todd, A. W., & Horner, R. H. (2001). School-wide Evaluation Tool (SET). Eugene, OR: Educational and Community Supports. Available at http://www.pbis.org. Tilly, W. D. (2008). The evolution of school psychology to science-based practice: Problem-solving and the three-tiered model. In A. Thomas & J. P. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology V (pp. 17–36). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists. Vaughn, S., & Fuchs, L. S. (2003). Redefining learning disabilities as inadequate response to instruction: The promise and potential problems. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 18, 137–146. Walker, H. M., & Shinn, M. R. (2002). Structuring school-based interventions to achieve integrated primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention goals for safe and effective schools In M. R. Shinn, H. M. Walker, & G. Stoner (Eds.), Interventions for academic and behavior problems II: Preventive and remedial approaches (pp. 1–26). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

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16 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

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Viewpoint Drawing the Line By Frank L. Miller

recently got called in to speak to my superintendent after participating in a manifestation determination meeting for two students who were involved with drugs on campus. The first, who had a rather lengthy discipline record for a wide variety of violations, was accused of providing a bag of pot to the second, and at the meeting he adopted a rather surly attitude, laughed out loud at his mother when she tried to explain the consequences for his actions, and was generally uncooperative. The team recommended that he be placed out of school for 45 days with homebound instruction filling in the gap. The second student, who took possession of the pot (for her abusive boyfriend), was genuinely remorseful, was a first time offender, and seemed both embarrassed and willing to make the necessary changes in her behavior to make things right with her parents and school officials. She got 10 days out of school and would serve the rest of her time in the district’s classroom for students with disabilities and behavior problems. I got called in because I treated two students both in possession of a controlled dangerous substance very differently. When I tried to explain to the superintendent that the team (I am only one member, after all) was trying to “teach student one a lesson,” he stopped me, pointing out that it was not the team’s role. According to him, IEP teams were supposed to make educational recommendations and only administrators meted out discipline, teaching kids lessons. When I got back to my office, having had time to process the discipline/education piece, I thought, “We teach kids lessons every day.” We point out the error of their ways and take action to consequent them when they continue to behavior inappropriately. Many of our disabled students have difficulty making the connections between their actions and what happens to them. Discipline, by its very nature, is establishing consequences for inappropriate behavior in the classroom, in the hallways, or in the office of a school administrator. I wrote the superintendent a letter outlining these very points and suggested that the individuals who work with special needs students on a daily basis, their teachers, are in a much better position to understand which kids are playing the system and which are truly acting in response to their disabilities. I suggested that administrators needed to consult with the social workers, counselors, school psychologists, and teachers who can weigh in on whether the behavior was “an emotional response,” an “impulsive behavior,” or whether it boiled down to poor judgment that led to a bad decision. In this way, school safety can be maintained and a recommendation can be made that meets the requirements of the federal law and the student’s needs. It often takes professionals who know the student and the dynamics of acting-out behavior to determine if even seemingly unrelated events are but a manifestation of a single underlying issue. Once these factors are determined, the IEP team has to establish the supports the student has had in the IEP. Were learning problems addressed? Were bus problems handled appropriately? Were social problems and behavior problems addressed? With goals? Accommodations? Counseling? Social skills training? FBAs and behavior plans? If the school district has failed to implement, monitor, and revise all these pieces, can the student be held wholly responsible? The regulations suggest otherwise. The next series of questions shifts the focus to the student: “Was there a direct and substantial relationship…” kind of questions. Questions that can only be answered by the students themselves have to be asked and answered. Why did they do what they are accused of doing? For every ten “I dunno’s” you get, you’ll be amazed at the number of honest, straight-to-the heart responses you get as well. And even those that don’t know why they did what they did kinda knew they might just get in trouble for it (if they got caught). The biggest question is, “Well, you knew it was wrong and that you probably would get in trouble for it; what would you do the next time?” These questions go to the heart of the student’s motivations, social comprehension, remorse (or lack thereof), impulse control, and myriad other factors that help a team decide whether this behavior was purposeful—a function of bad decision-making (“I know it’s wrong, but I am going to do it anyway”)—or a characteristic of the disability (swearing by a student with Tourettes, or shouting out for an impulsive student with ADHD). The regulations were written not to give kids with disabilities a free pass, but to force school districts to take a careful look at kids who act out and not blame them for being who they are. Put the supports in place that they need—that they deserve— and set realistic consequences that will prepare them for life outside of the protected environment of the public school system. I never heard back from my superintendent, so I am assuming that his silence is his consent to carry on in my role as advocate for children with disabilities. That is until I get called into his office for another chat. n Frank L. Miller, NCSP, is a school psychologist at Central Elementary School in the Lake Forest School District in Felton, DE. © 2 0 1 0 , N at io n a l A s s o ci atio n o f S cho o l P s ycho l o gis ts

“ I am always impressed with the level of expertise and depth of offerings at NASP conventions.” Nadine Woodle, NCSP Supervisor of Psychological Services Naperville School District 203

NASP 2011 Annual Convention February 22–25, 2011 San Francisco, CA

Advocacy in Action

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18 | CommuniquĂŠ | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

NASP and GW Public Policy Institute Participants Advocate on Capitol Hill B y A n a s ta s i a K a l a m a r o s Sk a l s k i

ASP and the George Washington University (GW) Graduate School in Education and Human Development (GSEHD) hosted a federal Public Policy Institute (PPI) in Washington, DC, July 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;13, 2010. This institute offered a 3-day training for NASP Professional Development credit or a 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;day experience for GW graduate semester credit. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PPI ushered in a new era of collaboration between NASP and GW, as a formal partnership agreement now exists permitting the PPI to be offered annually. The 2010 PPI had 75 participants representing 22 states and the District of Columbia. The first 3 days of the institute focused on building participantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; foundational knowledge of grassroots advocacy and federal education law. Participants attending the full 5â&#x20AC;&#x201C;day experience also explored the development of administrative policy and procedures and their impact on students and school organizational systems. The overriding theme for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PPI focused on creating schools that promote â&#x20AC;&#x153;Successful, Safe, and Healthy Students.â&#x20AC;? Presenters addressed school climate, bullying, violence prevention, school safety, and prevention initiatives like positive behavior supports (PBS). A lineup of nationally recognized speakers presented, including public policy experts like Dr. Michael Usdan, Senior Fellow and Past-President of the Institute for Educational Leadership, and school safety experts like Dr. Dewey Cornell, Director of the University of Virginia Youth Violence Project, and Dr. Linda Kanan, Director of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center, Denver, Colorado. State-, district-, and school-spotlight sessions also allowed administrators, principals, practitioners, and students from Maryland, Virginia, Iowa, and New Jersey to share their expertise regarding programs and policies that have helped create positive school climates. Schoolbased experts talked about the positive results experienced from programs and policies that promote school-wide PBS, comprehensive learning supports, peer mentoring like the nationally known program, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Best Buddies,â&#x20AC;? and positive psychology programs that help students learn about gratitude, optimism, and affirmation. A highlight for all participants was the keynote presentation by Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Educationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. Using a friendly and casual presentation style, laced with layers of humor, Mr. Jennings engaged participants by sharing his own story about how he became a reluctant political appointee who regularly questions whether he can survive the â&#x20AC;&#x153;climateâ&#x20AC;? of Washington, DC. As the Assistant Deputy Secretary, Jennings has been a leader in extending the focus of the Safe and Drug Free Schools program beyond drug, alcohol, and violence prevention to socialâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;emotional learning and wellness promotion. Recently, his office announced a new school climate federal grant program that would help schools develop evaluation systems for tracking school climate indicators so that appropriate prevention and intervention programming could follow. Day three of the institute allowed for a hands-on experience on Capitol Hill where participants visited their elected officials to advocate for school mental health services and personnel. The day began with a continental breakfast in a Rayburn House Building room sponsored by Representative Jared Polis (CO-2). During the breakfast, a panel of Capitol Hill staff members answered questions about their background and experiences working on Capitol Hill. Panel participants included Spiros Protopsaltis, Legislative Director for Rep. Polis; Emily Hildebrand, Legislative Correspondent for Senator Blanche Lincoln (AR); Kara Marchione, Public Policy Advisor for the House Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee; and Rachel Fenton, Legislative Director for Rep. Vernon Ehlers (MI-3). A common theme expressed by each participant was how important it is for constituents (like school psychologists) to get to know the staff working for their elected officials so that they can be consulted about pending or introduced legislation and its implications for students and schools. After breakfast, participants learned first hand about face-to-face advocacy by attending meetings with their elected officials. Advocates presented information on the importance of positive school climates, PBS, socialâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;emotional learning, and other school safety programs. Overall, the institute evaluations suggested that the 2010 PPI was clearly one of the best. Participants rated the organization, accommodations, materials, and speakers positively and participants consistently expressed a commitment to engaging in grassroots advocacy in the future. If you would like to read more about the 2010 GW/ NASP PPI, please visit the Advocacy Page of the NASP website at: http://www.nasp online.org/advocacy/2010ppi.aspx. Learning how to put Advocacy into Action is the goal of every PPI and it appears that the 2010 PPI witnessed the birth of a new generation of advocates. n

Anastasia Kalamaros Skalski, PhD, is NASP Director of Public Policy. ÂŠ 2 0 1 0 , Nat io nal A sso c iat io n o f Sc ho o l P syc ho lo g ist s

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Children With Tourettes [ continued from page 1 ]

predictably better when children are involved in calm, focused activities (e.g., working hard on an interesting project, sleeping). Children with TS are more sensitive to changes in the environment than most children, and particularly sensitive to movements or vocalizations of others. For example, it is not uncommon for a teacher clearing his or her throat to trigger a student with TS to do the same. Similar unintentional mimicking can happen with gestures. A teacher may point at something and the child with TS may mimic the point. Unfortunately, teachers who are unaware of TS can misinterpret these behaviors as mocking or oppositional activities when they are really tics triggered by an event in the environment beyond the child’s control. Children with TS are also sensitive to what is going on inside their bodies. So a child with dry lips may lick his lips to the point that they become chapped, or a child with a stuffy nose may start sniffing only to find himself unable to stop sniffing even after the cold is gone. To make things more complicated, uninformed teachers may tell a child with TS to stop ticking, which the child may be able to do for a brief period of time. Unfortunately, children with TS cannot really control their tics for extended periods of time and may get into trouble when the tics come back. Typical Intervention

TS and other tic disorders may get better or even go away as children grow into adults, but there is no cure for TS. Available treatments for TS work by managing the symptoms—not curing the disorder. The two most common current treatments for TS are education and medication. Many cases of TS are mild and do not require medication. In such cases, simply teaching the child, family, peers, and school personnel about what makes tics better and worse, what to expect from the child with tics, and how to react to the child when the tics are disruptive can be enough to effectively manage the tics. In cases where medication is necessary, children with TS often start on alpha adrenergic agonists such as clonidine or guanfacine or antipsychotic medications such haloperidol or risperidone. As a general rule, the more effective the medications are in reducing tics, the more substantial the side effects they can produce.

plan for the home environment and that plan is going well, the parent or the psychologist may ask for a meeting with school personnel to discuss what is working at home and ask them to help the child manage his or her tics similarly at school. The second part of CBIT involves teaching the child a specific way of managing his or her tics. In this part of treatment, the child is taught to recognize what tics they have and what happens just before the tic starts or right at the beginning of a tic. Next, the child picks a tic they want to work on. Often they pick the tic that upsets them the most or causes the most trouble for them at home or school. When the child notices the tic is beginning or about to begin, he or she is taught to do an exercise called a “competing response” for 1 minute or until the urge to tic diminishes. Children are children and occasionally forget to do their exercises, so parents and sometimes teachers are asked to remind the child in a positive, nonembarrassing way to use the exercise and then praise them when they use the exercises correctly. For example, a child, parent, and teacher may work out a hand signal so the teacher can prompt the child to do the exercise without alerting other children in the classroom. With this approach, the child will see the parent or teacher as a tic coach or helper. Unfortunately, sometimes teachers and parents come up with ways to prompt the child that could backfire and make things worse. For example, calling the child’s name out, telling the child that he is ticking and should stop because he is bothering other students, or even saying publicly that you are proud of him doing his exercises because other children can now concentrate, can all make the child feel worse and discourage him or her from participating in treatment.

Based on the positive reaction from parents and children in the CBIT studies, it is anticipated that parents of children with tic disorders will begin to seek CBIT in larger and larger numbers. We recognize this will likely result in school personnel receiving increasing pressure to help at school.

Evidence for CBIT

There is growing evidence that CBIT is an effective treatment for many, but by no means all children with tic disorders. In one recent large study (Piacentini et al., Behavior Therapy 2010), over 50% of children who went through a 10-week training program with a highly In the last 20 years, it has become clear that the brain is very responsive to environ- skilled therapist showed a significant reduction in their tics and problems caused by mental cues and how over time, with repeated cueing, the brain can be trained to re- their tics. Most of the remaining participants also benefitted, but not enough to say spond in predictable and consistent ways. Sometimes the cues shape positive behav- the treatment had clinically meaningful effects. iors and sometime cues shape behaviors that are not in the person’s best interests. Neuroscientists call this neuroplasticity and it can occur at any time in development. Role of School Personnel Sometimes people are aware of how the environment is cueing their behavior (e.g., Based on the positive reaction from parents and children in the CBIT studies, it is an“this test is making me nervous”) but most of the time, they are not aware of this. Our ticipated that parents of children with tic disorders will begin to seek CBIT in larger understanding of neuroplasticity, our experience with adults who have TS who have and larger numbers. We recognize this will likely result in school personnel receiving learned to manage their tics effectively, and learning theory have combined to develop increasing pressure to help at school. Because of this, we have created this document a strategy to help children manage their tics. to describe CBIT, discuss the role(s)/activities school personnel may be called upon to The strategy developed for children with TS is called the Comprehensive Behav- fulfill, and caution school personnel against inadvertently misusing the powerful tool of ioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT; “see-bit”) and includes teaching the child, family, CBIT, which if misapplied, could have negative consequences for the child with tics. and teacher (a) what makes tics better and worse, (b) how to structure the environment to help the child manage his or her tics, and (c) how the child can react to cues Providing the CBIT Treatment that trigger tics in the environment or even cues that come from inside his or her own It is our recommendation that only therapists who have been trained in the principles body (Woods et al., 2008). Usually the CBIT intervention is taught to the child and of cognitive behavior therapy and have received specific training in CBIT should profamily by a trained psychologist, nurse, social worker, or other therapist. As said before, vide this treatment to the child. Early on there will likely be a shortage of such trained much of what is taught is common sense and may appear simple to administer, but it therapists, so parents may ask teachers and school counselors to try to do it. However, is important to understand that misapplied treatments can do more harm than good. we recommend resisting the temptation to start treatment if you haven’t been trained So even though it is tempting to use the principles discussed below, it is best to only and mastered the skills. It is also important to avoid doing CBIT-style interventions do so when there is a coordinated plan and all are trained. for TS in the classroom unless you have been asked to do so by the parents of the child CBIT involves two primary parts. In the first part, a careful analysis of the child’s home and the therapist. Lastly, some children are slow to warm to learning new skills, and and school is conducted to determine the specific situations that cue or trigger tics. For CBIT shouldn’t be forced on any child. Let the parents and therapist help the child example, increased excitement (e.g., play time after school), or stress (e.g., homework), get ready for your help. or even negative experiences with tics (e.g., embarrassment when performing a task at school or teasing about tics by siblings or other students) can all make tics reliably worse. Making Changes to the Classroom Environment After this assessment is conducted, the psychologist recommends a number of changes After a careful assessment and the development of a personalized treatment plan, the that can be made to the structure of the child’s home and school environment as well child, parents, and therapist will begin to make changes to the child’s environment. as changes in how people react to the tics. After the parent and psychologist work out a As part of this process, the child’s parent or psychologist may ask teachers about the child’s tics and what makes the tics better and worse. The teacher may also be asked Douglas W. Woods, PhD, is a professor of clinical psychology and the director of clinical training at the about how other children react to the child or how teachers or aides understand the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a founding member of Tourette Syndrome Association’s (TSA) child’s tic symptoms and react to them. Throughout this process, it is very important Behavioral Sciences Consortium and a member of TSA’s Medical Advisory Board. John C. Piacentini, PhD, is a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences and director of the child OCD, anxiety, and that the teacher be as open as possible. We believe all teachers are teachers because tic disorders program at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the UCLA Semel they want to be part of helping a child grow and learn, yet we know some teachers have Institute for Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. He is the chair of TSA’s Behavioral Sciences Conan easier time with students who have tics than other teachers. Having a teacher who sortium. John T. Walkup, MD, is the vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry and the director of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and New York-Presbyterian is open about the challenges of having a child with tics in the classroom can be very Hospital. He is chair of TSA’s Medical Advisory Board, founding member and cochair of the TSA Clinical helpful to the child, parents, and therapist. We also know that some parents, in their Trials Consortium and one of the founding members of the TSA Behavioral Sciences Consortium. eagerness to help their child, go about it in the wrong way. In our work with parents, The information provided in this material was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number 5 we teach them to partner with teachers and create win–win situations. Again, some U38 DD000343-03 from the Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC. parents have an easier time with this approach than others. If you identify parents 20 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

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who are challenging, please set up a conference and review with them what you and they can do to have a win–win relationship. After the assessment is complete, the psychologist or parent may ask the school or teacher to make specific changes to the child’s classroom or activities. Although these will be different for every child, a few common changes are described below. Keep in mind that these should only be implemented if specifically requested by the child’s psychologist or parent. Scheduled breaks. Tics are often made worse by boredom or tedious, uninteresting tasks. Because of this, the school may be asked to allow the child brief “stretch breaks” regularly throughout the day (depending on developmental level—more frequently for younger children) or specifically in classes where the child is expected to stay seated. This should be done in a way that produces a minimal disruption to the class. What a teacher does matters. As stated earlier, prompting a child to use the exercises can be done in a way that helps the child or it can backfire and make the child feel bad about him or herself. At some point in the intervention the child’s therapist may ask the teacher to no longer react either verbally or nonverbally to the child’s tics. Conversely, the therapist may also ask the teacher to provide feedback to the child about his or her tics in a very special manner. When the therapist asks the teacher to do something special, it is important that the teacher understands why so that he or she can be as helpful as possible. Handling tics that are very disruptive to the classroom. Sometimes, a child has tics that are extremely disruptive to the other children in the classroom. If this is case, the teacher clearly must act to preserve the other children’s right to learn. Teachers often do this by sending the children out of the classroom or a secluded space until the tics have subsided. This can be a very good and often necessary act, but in some cases, the child can also learn an association between having tics and getting out of stressful or negative situations. If the child’s therapist is concerned that this may be happening, the teacher may be asked to identify the issues that trigger such disruptive tics and work out a plan so that the child can either stay in the classroom or, if the child has to leave the classroom, that the child comes back to the classroom in better control than when they left. In general, children should make up missed work when out of the room. Managing peer reactions. Most children with TS do quite well socially. They have many friends, get good grades, and participate fully in extracurricular activities. Most kids do not care whether another kid tics or not as long as the child is a good friend and playmate. Proactive efforts to set a tone in the classroom so the child with TS can make and keep friends is the best approach to managing negative reactions to a child with tics. Sometimes there are other students with conduct problems, or the culture in the school is not supportive of the child with TS, and teasing of the child with tics occurs. In this situation the teacher and the principal probably need to meet to understand the negative forces in the academic setting and work collaboratively with parents to get the environment under control. We know that inservices and peer education about TS can be quite successful at decreasing negative teacher and peer attitudes. The Tourette Syndrome Association (www.tsa.org) can be helpful in providing educational materials and programs to schools seeking to educate their student body and staff. Disciplining the child. This is often one of the most difficult roles for school personnel. Clearly, no one should punish a child for showing symptoms of TS. No child with a medical problem should be given consequences for struggling to manage their medical problem. Nevertheless, teachers report difficulties in being able to discern tics from volitional problem behavior. In such cases, it is important for the school personnel to consult with the child’s therapist and parents to determine a course of action. As a general principle, though, we recommend that regardless of whether or not the behavior of concern was a tic or intentional behavior, the teacher work with the child to understand that all behavior has consequences and that while the child will not be punished for having tics, he or she is expected to take responsibility for any problems the tics create. For example, if a child has a tic that involves the shouting of insulting comments, he or she should never be punished for doing so, but should be expected to warn his peers that it could happen and to apologize to the offended party when it does happen.

about CBIT with schools and teachers for fear that school personnel will revert to the assumption that tics are under the child’s volitional control. We ask that school personnel resist oversimplifying what is a pretty complex process, and understand that while tics are involuntary, they are also affected by the environment, which in turn can be altered to change the tics. We commonly portray TS as analogous to diabetes, which is clearly caused by a biological abnormality, but is highly influenced by behavioral factors such as diet, exercise, and ability to monitor blood sugar and take insulin. Assumption #3: CBIT is easy for the child to do. To both psychologists first learning CBIT and to families first hearing about the treatment, CBIT sounds deceptively simple. Nevertheless, it is our experience that the treatment requires a substantial amount of effort on the part of the child and the family. This is particularly true at the beginning of treatment, but it becomes easier as the new ways of structuring the environment in the service of tic reduction are established. No baseball player, musician, artist, or teacher ever developed great skill without hard work. For a child and family to do well with CBIT will require time and hard work. We ask teachers and school personnel to respect and support the child and family in the process. Assumption #4: Punishing a child for having tics or rewarding them for not having tics is an important part of behavior therapy. For over 30 years, behavior therapists have rejected the use of punishment procedures as a first line treatment for any problem behavior. CBIT does not employ punishment procedures. Scolding children for having tics, putting them in time out for a swearing tic, or raising one’s voice at a child for doing a disruptive tic is not helpful and will likely have the opposite effect of making the tics worse. It is also unhelpful to reward children for not having tics. This is a commonly tried intervention that sends the wrong message. Telling a child, “You’ll get a new bicycle if you go a week without having a tic,” sets the child up to fail and directs the child’s efforts to the wrong place. The child should be rewarded for using tic management efforts (i.e., competing responses and making changes to his/her environment) rather than for not having tics. The child cannot control whether the neurologically induced tics appear, but can control whether the management strategies are used. The child should only be rewarded for what he or she can control. Assumption #5: If my reactions to the child’s tics can reinforce the tics, then that must mean the child is trying to do the tics to annoy, frustrate, or to get the attention of others. When parents or teachers hear that reactions to tics can make tics happen more frequently, they often assume that the child is doing the tics intentionally. While it is true that paying attention to tics or reacting negatively to tics can make them happen more often, it is not true that the child is doing the tics to get the attention of, or annoy a person. One of the fundamental principles of learning is that the person does not need to be aware of the connections between the environment and their behaviors for learning to take place. Children whose tics increase as a result of attention or negative reactions are, in all likelihood, unaware that it is happening. They are not ticking to get attention or to annoy people. Assumption #6: It may not be bad to tic, but a child who refuses to do his CBIT exercises should be punished for that. If he refuses to do what he is supposed to do and it disrupts the class, that is bad behavior. How many of us always do what is in our best interest—exercise, eat right, get a good night’s sleep etc.? Doing the right thing for oneself is not always easy. We believe that teachers and schools play a huge role in motivating children to do the right thing for themselves. Some kids with TS really struggle. Recognizing how hard it is for them, helping these kids keep their spirits up, and motivating them to keep trying are all roles teachers can play with every child, including children with TS. For the child that seems to be resistant to trying to manage his tics, understanding his struggle and problem solving with his parents and therapist will go a long way to helping the child get back on track. Conclusion

In this article, we have described a new behavioral treatment for tics and described the likely role that school personnel may be asked to play. As with all new treatments, there is a risk of misinterpreting what the treatment means and misapplying the principles to the detriment of kids with tics and their families. We hope that the dissemination of this treatment is smooth and effective—we need your understanding and help in Common Misunderstandings About Behavior Therapy for TS that process. Please talk with the child’s care provider or the Tourette Syndrome AsIt is our experience that both parents and school personnel may make certain assump- sociation if you want to understand how best to help a child with TS or if you have any tions after learning that behavior therapy can be effective in managing tics. To prevent questions. Thank you for your interest. In partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the any misunderstanding about the meaning of CBIT, we would like to address a few of Tourette Syndrome Association is happy to provide NASP members with a free 2-hour these assumptions. Assumption #1: All children with tics need or could benefit from behavior therapy. DVD on CBIT. The resource provides authoritative information on TS and its common Many children have tics, but not all need treatment. Treatment is usually only war- co-occurring conditions, the impact of environmental events on tics, the research data ranted if the child’s tics are causing the child problems, either socially, academically, or supporting the CBIT treatment intervention, and detailed description and examples in terms of self-esteem. If you think a child in your school could benefit from treatment of the behavioral treatment protocol used in CBIT. Please email patricia.finnerty@ for tics, please contact the child’s parents and begin to search for a treatment provider tsa-usa.org to receive your free copy (while supplies last). n in your area. The TSA maintains a list of qualified care providers across the country. References Assumption #2: If behavior therapy works, then it must mean TS is not really a Piacentini, J. C., Woods, D. W., Scahill, L. D., Woods, D. W., Piacentini, J. C., Chang, S., DeckWilhelm, S., Peterson, A., Chang, S., et al. ersbach, T., Ginsburg, G., Peterson, A. L., et neurological condition and that the child really can control the tics. This is probably (2010). Behavior therapy for children with al. (2008). Managing Tourette’s syndrome: A the most disturbing misconception. TS is clearly a neurological disorder. It is not caused Tourette syndrome: A randomized controlled behavioral intervention for children and adults by bad parenting or bad educating, and tics are not done on purpose. In fact, because trial. Journal of the American Medical Associa(therapist guide). New York: Oxford Univertion, 303, 1929–1937. sity Press. of this misconception, there is reluctance within the TS community to share the news 22 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

Financial Update By Ron Benner

s the new NASP Treasurer, I have become more enlightened by the process that NASP uses to develop the annual operating budget and how the Finance Advisory Committee manages the reserve funds to ensure NASP has adequate resources for a rainy day. The purpose of my periodic financial updates is to make the financial picture more transparent to all members and at the same time invite comments back to me in an open dialogue. This first Financial Update of my 3-year term as Treasurer covers the different revenue streams and expense categories that comprise the NASP operating budget. There are nine revenue streams and six expense categories as shown in the chart to the right. The numbers presented represent the FY 2011 budget prepared collaboratively by the workgroup chairs, program managers, and staff and subsequently approved by the Executive Council and the Delegate Assembly. This birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye view of NASPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finances gives you a picture of the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funding and major program expenses. In order to approve a balanced budget as mandated by the NASP Bylaws, the Delegate Assembly approved the use of funds from the FY 2010 operating surplus to subsidize the FY 2011 budget deficit of $212,000. The good news is that the FY 2010 operating surplus was fueled by a record membership year and a very successful Chicago convention. Next, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at the major driving force of our revenue. Membership dues dollars are budgeted at $3.217 million for FY 2011, which represents about one half of our total income. The goal to have every school psychologist join NASP supports the excellent programs and services that enhance our mission to represent school psychology and support school psychologists to enhance the learning and mental health of all children and youth. My challenge to you is to find those school psychologists out there who are not members and let them know that if we remain united in our efforts as dues paying members, we can provide the best services possible. We have weathered challenging issues in our recent past and we need a strong membership base to be successful in addressing future issues. More on this topic in a later update. Ron Benner, NCSP, is a school psychologist with the Bridgeport public schools in Connecticut and serves as NASP Treasurer. He can be reached at treasurer@naspweb.org or benner111245@yahoo.com.

NASPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial picture is a positive one, in part due to the reserve funds that are maintained. These funds, a short-term contingency fund and a long-term reserve fund, are separate and distinct from the operating budget and therefore are not included in the numbers reported here. The short-term fund serves as a contingency fund for unanticipated expenses and potential revenue shortfalls in the operating budget. The long-term reserve fund serves two purposes: (a) to provide funding during a severe economic downturn so that NASP can continue to provide member services and programs and maintain the office and staff, and (b) to provide a source of internal funds for major new initiatives that support and further the mission of NASP through its strategic plan without raising fees to members. Operating Budget for The long-term reserve fund, which is FY 2011 professionally managed by an indepenRevenue $ 6.565M dent investment advisor, is invested in a portfolio comprising stocks, bonds, Membership Dues 49% and other investments. This portfolio Convention 20% is designed to produce returns better Publication Sales 14% than simple short-term investments Certification Fees 6% such as money market funds and CDs over a long-term period; therefore, the Conferences 4% intent is not to liquidate this fund for Advertising 3% short-term purposes. Of course, this rePREPaRE 1% serve fund is subject to the whims of the stock market and it has been a very Subscriptions 1% volatile year for stocks and bonds. It is Other 2% important for NASP members to know Expenses $6.777M that the Executive Council and DeleLeadership 10% gate Assembly have instituted policies and procedures for the management Professional Development 23% of these funds to ensure adequate proInformation Services 24% tection for the association during chalProfessional Standards 6% lenging economic times. This installment of Financial Update Advocacy 8% has given you a quick picture of NASPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fiHeadquarters 29% nances. It is dues dollars, by far, that drive Deficit $(212K or 3%) the services that NASP provides. n

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October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | CommuniquĂŠ | 23

Happiness [ continued from page 1 ]

dicators needed to reflect optimal well-being, he also believes that convincing evidence has been uncovered during the past several decades that demonstrates the importance of students’ happiness to their success in school and other important arenas in life. Actually, I believe that students’ current happiness levels are important in their own right. Nevertheless, it is recognized that school professionals may demand a stronger rationale to devote attention to such matters, given the mandated central importance of academic outcomes. Thus, this article will be devoted to reviewing the literature on the importance and promotion of the happiness of children and adolescents. First, happiness must be defined. Although numerous definitions have been proposed, most definitions include a relatively enduring cognitive component (i.e., global life satisfaction) and a relatively enduring emotional component (i.e., positive affect). Global life satisfaction refers to a person’s evaluation of the quality of her life as a whole while positive affect refers to the occurrence of frequent positive emotions over time, such as joy, interest, and enthusiasm. Thus, a happy student is not one who is necessarily giddy with joy every moment of every day, but one who experiences frequent positive emotions (more than negative emotions) and reports a relatively enduring sense of well-being with regard to her overall life. The importance of happiness is apparent in numerous life domains. In a meta-analysis of the literature with adults, Lyubormirsky, King, and Diener (2005) found that happier individuals lived longer, earned more money and were more productive at work, and reported more satisfying interpersonal relationships. Research with adolescents has revealed the importance of happiness in school as well as in the home and community (Huebner, Gilman, & Suldo, 2006). For example, students reporting greater happiness show more appropriate classroom behavior, higher school grades, better peer and teacher relationships, better physical health, and greater participation in classroom and extracurricular activities. Students who report low levels of happiness are more likely to report mental health problems, peer victimization, poor relationships with parents and teachers, and a variety of risk behaviors (e.g., alcohol and drug use, risky sex behavior, violence-related behavior, eating problems, suicide ideation). Longitudinal studies indicate that unhappiness is an important risk factor for depression and loss of social support from peers and parents as well as disengagement from school. In the face of stressful life events, unhappy students are more likely to develop future behavior problems. Such outcomes are all related to school success, Scott Huebner, PhD, NCSP, is a professor and director of the school psychology program at the University of South Carolina as well as a contributing editor for Communiqué.

Statement of Ownership: Management and circulation of the NASP Communiqué (Publication number ISSN 0164-775X). Frequency of Issue: Eight times per year. Annual membership dues of $175 include $50 for annual subscription to Communiqué. Owner and Publisher: National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814. Susan Gorin, Publisher John Desrochers, Editor Linda Morgan, Managing Editor Bondholders, Mortgages, Other Security Holders: None The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months.

Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months

A. Total no. of copies (net press run) 24,700 B. Paid and/or requested circulation 1. Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions 23,879 2. Paid in-county subscriptions none 3. Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales and other none 4. Other classes mailed through USPS 394 C. Total paid and/or requested circulation (sum B1, B2, B3, and B4) 24,273 D. Free distribution 1. Outside-county 46 2. In-county none 3. Mailed at other classes through the USPS 204 4. Outside the mail none E. Total free distribution (sum of D1, D2, D3, D4) 250 F. Total distribution (sum of C and E) 24,523 G. Copies not distributed 177 I. Total (sum of G and H) 24,700 J. Percent paid (C divided by F times 100) 98.98% I certify that all information furnished is true and complete. (Signed) Susan Gorin, Executive Director 24 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

Actual no copies of single issue published nearest to filing date 27,800

26,841 none none 436 27,277 49 none 214 none 263 27,540 260 27,800 99.05%

underscoring the importance of the happiness of students in school. Noddings (2003) summarizes poignantly that “happy students learn better than unhappy students…. and happy people are rarely mean, violent, or cruel” (p. 2). Noddings goes on to suggest that student happiness should be a major aim of education. Again, she is not suggesting that students must be happy all the time, but rather that they should develop an overall enduring sense that life is ok, despite the setbacks and challenges of everyday life. What are the origins of individual differences in students’ levels of happiness? Research has suggested that the causes of happiness are multivariate. Diener and BiswasDiener (2008) use the analogy of a recipe for understanding how individuals differ in their levels of happiness. The recipe includes genetic and neuropsychological, personality, cognitive–motivational, major environment, and daily activity ingredients. Surprisingly, demographic variables, such as age, ethnicity, and gender play only small roles among persons within nations. For example, socioeconomic status plays only a minor role in happiness reports, except under extreme conditions, such as poverty. Even biological and environmental variables play modest to moderate roles in happiness, again with the exception of extreme conditions (e.g., chronic family conflict). Cognitive–motivational factors, such as self-esteem (in U.S. students), internal locus of control, optimistic attributional style, and grateful and hopeful thinking appear to be stronger determinants of student happiness. The most powerful ingredients appear to be interpersonal in nature, with high quality family, peer, and teacher relationships as essential ingredients in the recipe for optimal happiness. If there is agreement with Noddings that promoting student happiness should be a goal of schooling, how can and should school professionals go about doing this? First, Huebner and colleagues (2006) have suggested that school professionals should monitor students’ happiness in schools (i.e., quality of school life). Schools provide many “interventions,” including educational (e.g., individualized educational programs and accommodations), social–emotional (e.g., behavioral intervention plans), and medical (e.g., medication for ADHD), but rarely monitor the effects of the intervention on their students’ happiness or perceived quality of life. It is possible that some interventions differentially impact student “symptoms” (e.g., ADHD symptoms, academic grades) and happiness levels. Several simple, but psychometrically sound measures of student happiness are available in the public domain (see Huebner et al., 2006). Second, efforts should be undertaken to promote student happiness in schools. Again, how should professionals think about this? At the systems level, Noddings (2003) provides useful suggestions that have empirical support. To quote Noddings, The best schools should resemble the best homes…. The best homes provide continuity of caring relations, attend to and continuously evaluate both inferred and expressed needs, protect from harm without deliberately inflicting pain, communicate so as to develop common and individual interests, work together cooperatively, promote joy in genuine learning, guide moral and spiritual development…. and educate for both self-understanding and group understanding (p. 260). Again, efforts to operationalize such a school climate should be monitored for the impact on the happiness of all students. Although interpersonal and cognitive–motivational factors are malleable, perhaps daily, instrumental activities are the most malleable and susceptible to change by others and students themselves. Although most, but not all of the research has been done with college students and older adults, Lyubormirsky (2007) has summarized a variety of intentional, daily-activity-level interventions that might be useful in the school setting. Such techniques relate to the promotion of buffering strengths such as gratitude, optimism, prosocial behavior, positive goal-setting, problem-focused coping, flow, and physical well-being. It is beyond the scope of this article to describe these activities in detail, but suffice it to say they are surprisingly simple, but powerful techniques that likely could be adapted for use with groups of students or individuals. Some of these strategies have been highlighted in previous issues of Communiqué (e.g., see Molony, 2010). Schools that promote the development of student strengths as well as the remediation of student “problems” are likely to develop new and creative approaches to the education of the whole child. Regardless of the specific intervention strategies employed, the purpose of this article was to sensitize the reader to the importance of children’s happiness in schools. It is important to note that the author is not suggesting that attention to a students’ happiness should supplant or override attention to her or his academic learning. Rather, it is this author’s hope that educators will work with academic learning and happiness together to optimize their students’ current quality of life in school as well as to promote future vocational and life success. Surely, “the good life” for students includes both. In short, happiness matters in school. Given their training, school psychologists are well positioned to help foster optimal happiness in all students. n References Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2008). Happiness: Unlocking the mysteries of psychological wealth. New York: Blackwell.

Lyubormirsky, S. J., King, L. A., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803–855.

Huebner, E. S., Gilman, R., & Suldo, S. M. (2006). Life satisfaction. In G. Bear & K. Minke (Eds.), Children’s needs III (pp. 357–368). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

Molony, T. (2010). Capitol Hill recognizes National School Psychology Week and the work of school psychologists: Remarks by Terry Molony. Communiqué, 38(5), 10, 13–14.

Lyubormirsky, S. J. (2007). The how of happiness. New York: Penguin Press.

Noddings, N. (2003). Happiness and education. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

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Gratitude Works: Program Guidelines The Gratitude Works Program is part of the National Association of School Psychologists’s (NASP) effort to promote students’ resilience, optimism, and academic success by helping them see the possibilities in themselves and others. The program is appropriate for use any time of year but also is linked to National School Psychology Awareness Week, the second full week of November every year. Related activities stem from research in positive psychology and support programming that promotes wellness and a positive school climate. Research shows that fostering gratitude can lead to, among other benefits, students’ greater satisfaction with school and life, optimism, prosocial behavior, positive affect (Froh, Yurkewicz, & Kashdan, 2009), and a higher GPA (Froh, Emmons, Card, Bono, & Wilson, 2009). Gratitude at Work

School psychologists are ideally positioned to lead school efforts to promote gratitude. The Gratitude Works program is simple, flexible, and adaptable to all ages and school environments. Specifically, we are asking school psychologists across the country to help coordinate a Gratitude Works outreach effort where students will identify someone to whom they are grateful and thank them face-to-face. School psychologists are encouraged to work with staff to organize a small group of students, a classroom, a grade level, or even whole schools to write letters of gratitude to individuals who have made a difference in the students’ lives or in the lives of others. School psychologists may also choose to implement one of the additional activities suggested below. In some cases, school psychologists will be involved in direct implementation while others’ roles will be to organize and promote. These ideas may be new to many administrators and teachers, so school psychologists should provide a rationale, including potential advantages, for their benefit. Use the one-page fact sheet provided on the NASP website. Gratitude and Positive Psychology

Positive psychology has been defined as the “scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues” (Sheldon & King, 2001, p. 216). Gratitude is conceptualized as a virtue or as an emotional state that involves an interpersonal connection between both the benefactor and beneficiary (Miller, 2009; Emmons, 2007). Genuine gratitude occurs when the beneficiary sees value in the benefit bestowed, perceives a cost associated with bestowing the benefit, and personally values the benefit they have received (Froh, Miller, & Snyder, 2007; Wood, Stewart, Linely, & Joseph, 2008). Research suggests that gratitude likely emerges in children between the ages of 7 and 10 (Emmons & Shelton, 2002). There is no current research indicating that efforts to make children below age 7 more grateful will be successful. However, young children do learn from modeling and practicing behaviors, so the Gratitude Works activities can contribute to a foundation for the later development of gratitude. Suggested Activities

Gratitude letters. School psychologists and teachers work together to provide students the opportunity to write letters of gratitude to people who have helped them achieve a possibility, been kind to them, or have done something to make a difference in their worlds. Recipients could be family members, school staff, coaches or activity leaders, friends, etc. These expressions of gratitude can take the form of a personal letter, an e-mail, an e-postcard, a note left in a locker or on a desk, a text message, an IM, etc. The format should suit the student and the recipient. If desired, students could even write a poem, make a card, or draw a picture. While students may choose to thank someone they know personally, this need not be required. For example, writing letters to our men and women in military service is an excellent way to teach gratitude to someone they haven’t met but who is making a sacrifice for them. Use the downloadable letterhead, card, and/or e-card on the NASP website. Gratitude club. School psychologists could work directly with a small group of students who may need help focusing on the positive aspects of their lives. This group format could benefit any student in the school, not only those traditionally served by school psychologists, and is a good way for school psychologists to gain visibility among the broader school environment. Parent permission should be secured before implementation. The club itself could take many directions, including verbal and written expressions of gratitude, learning how to write a thank you note, and recognizing positive behaviors in fellow students and in staff. Gratitude journals. In this activity, students and teachers write daily in a gratitude journal at a designated time. The task could be to write 3–5 sentences about people, pets, activities, etc. for which they are grateful. For students requiring more structure, 26 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

teachers or school psychologists could prompt them to write one sentence (or more) about each category or could even provide sentence starters. Younger children can draw pictures in their gratitude journals. Older children should express why they are grateful for the things they listed. Daily gratitude. Teachers and students can start and end the school day by sharing statements of gratitude with one another. Teachers could create a rotation of students to serve as gratitude reporters and make one daily gratitude statement at each session. Teachers might choose to limit the students to thanking one another so that in addition to sharing gratitude, students can have the chance to be appreciated by peers. Gratitude assembly. During School Psychology Awareness Week, school psychologists can hold a classroom or school assembly where teachers, administrators, support staff, volunteers, paraprofessionals, and community connections are given public appreciation. In this activity, the adults are the recipients and the students benefit by hearing adults make gratitude statements to one another. General Implementation Guidelines ■■ Organize materials and ideas for School Psychology Awareness Week. ■■ Discuss the benefits and the activities with the school principal. Obtain permis-

sion for implementation. Use the one-page overview and research information as necessary. ■■ Determine the scope of the project. That is, which classrooms/students will partici-

pate? How long will it last? Who do you need to recruit to help? You may consider extending this program beyond School Psychology Awareness Week to become a more ingrained part of the school culture. Refer to the “Gratitude Activities” fact sheet on the website for additional suggestions for doing so. ■■ Provide written materials for teachers that explain the process and rationale. Use

the “Teacher Instructions” fact sheet on the NASP website. ■■ If appropriate, link the Gratitude Works concepts to existing wellness promotion

programs in your school, such as PBIS and positive school climate initiatives, to help align the program with current school priorities. ■■ Consider sending letters to parents describing the Gratitude Works program. A sam-

ple is available on the NASP website. Include “Supporting Gratitude in Your Child: Tips for Parents.” ■■ If the principal and district approve, contact the local media and describe the School

Psychology Awareness Week efforts in your school. Invite them to visit. If they do, follow all the procedures that your district uses in working with the media. The media will most likely want to interview staff and students, so have a plan for this. ■■ Determine how you will know if the project is a success. During School Psychology

Awareness Week, you may have data on the number of classrooms participating, the number of students participating, and feedback from colleagues and students. If you expand your efforts beyond School Psychology Awareness Week, consider collecting school-wide behavioral data (such as office referrals) or other relevant data prior to implementation. Then compare the data to postimplementation. You could also survey students, staff, and parents about their perceptions of the activities. ■■ Implement the activities. Have fun! ■■ Be positive and show gratitude to all who helped with the implementation. ■■ Give a final report (written or verbal) to your principal (and any others who may be

interested) about the program and its effectiveness. ■■ Be sure to let NASP know what you are doing by filling out a brief Gratitude Works

outcomes form on the NASP website. School Psychology Awareness Week and Thanksgiving are only a few weeks apart; the topic works well for the month of November! Access additional resources for the Gratitude Works program and other School Psychology Awareness Week initiatives at www.nasponline.org/communications. References Emmons, R. A. (2007). Thanks! How the new science of gratitude can make you happier. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Emmons, R. A., & Shelton, C. M. (2002). Gratitude and the science of positive psychology. In C. R. Synder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 459–471). New York: Oxford University Press. Froh, J. J., Emmons, R. A., Card, N. A., Bono, G., & Wilson, J. (2009). Materialism can make adolescents psychologically poor: But can gratitude make them psychologically rich? Manuscript submitted for publication. Froh, J. J., Miller, D. N., & Snyder, S. (2007). Gratitude in children and adolescents: Development, assessment, and school-based inter-

vention. School Psychology Forum, 2, 1–13. Froh, J. J., Sefick, W. J., & Emmons, R. A. (2008). Counting blessings in early adolescents: An experimental study of gratitude and subjective well-being. Journal of School Psychology, 46(2), 213–233. Miller, D. N. (2009). Fostering gratitude. Principal Leadership, 9(6), 12–15. Sheldon, K. M., & King, L. (2001). Why positive psychology is necessary. American Psychologist, 56, 216–217. Wood, A. M., Maltby, J., Stewart, N., Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2008). A social-cognitive model of trait and state levels of gratitude. Emotion, 8, 281–290.

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2011 Convention News S a n Fr a n c i s c o , Fe b r u a r y 2 2 – 2 5

Join Us in San Francisco and Learn How Positive Relationships Create School Success By Michael C. Forcade

ll of us have our favorite places. Sorry, Cincinnati. I may have lived here 40 years, but I would never pass up a chance to spend time in the Bay area—in my top five places for scenery, food, culture, and your allaround great time. As convention chair, I rarely have free time during the convention itself, but rest assured I plan to make time this year to enjoy the terrific offerings of San Francisco and the surrounding area, even if it means taking a day or two after the convention. You might consider the same. You can venture out in any direction for sure fun. To the north, you can cross the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoy the agricultural economies of the Sonoma or Napa valleys. Go south on the 49-mile drive along U.S. 1 for unbelievable views of the coast. A high-speed drive east will allow you to enjoy the beauty of Yosemite. And west will take you to Golden Gate Park, museums, and the Pacific. You don’t have to take an entire day, though. There is plenty to do within walking distance or a short cab ride from our convention hotels. Your real challenge will be making decisions on the type of food, entertainment, site seeing, or shopping you want to enjoy. I promise all my NASP colleagues that you will find much to enjoy in San Francisco during any free time you can squeeze in around the outstanding professional development program we have planned for you. Convention Schedule Packed With Goodies Again

The theme for the 2011 San Francisco Convention is Positive Relationships— School Success. As usual, the convention will be in full swing starting Tuesday morning. Due to space availability, we also will be able to offer registration and packet pick-up on Monday evening. All professional development activities will end late Friday afternoon, so that Saturday can be devoted to leadership meetings (or the beginning of your bigger adventure in the Bay area). Register Early and Save

NASP remains committed to making the convention as affordable as possible, despite the fact that our costs will be significantly higher this year. With this in mind, we have introduced

a new early registration fee that is even lower than the preconvention registration fee (that is lower than the full registration fee.) Online registration opens October 4, 2010. Register by November 23, 2010, to get the lowest possible rate. Register by October 27, 2010, and also be entered to win one of six Early Bird Registration prizes. The Grand Prize includes four nights in the hotel and a convention registration fee reimbursement. Another good reason to register early is that you must register for the convention before reserving your room at one of the two official NASP convention hotels at the discounted rates. Once you register for the convention, you will receive a confirmation that includes instructions for obtaining hotel reservations through our housing bureau. This process is designed to ensure ample availability of hotel rooms in the blocks NASP has in the official convention hotels. You will want to be sure to do this, as the room rates are unbelievably low. Complete information about convention and hotel registration is available online now at www.nasponline.org /conventions. Best Practice at Your Fingertips

By now, your convention Preliminary Program should have arrived, and you may have noticed our continuing effort to emphasize Web resources over paper. NASP’s green movement is designed to save trees (and member resources). Plus, we recognize that many more of you can access our information from almost anywhere via your hand held devices. How far off can the NASP Convention App be? The Preliminary Program provides an excellent overview of all components of the convention and includes links to even more information posted online (http://www.nasponline.org /conventions/index.aspx). You will note that the convention program continues to offers a full slate of workshops, papers, mini-skills, symposia, and posters covering the entire spectrum of our field. A record number of more than 1,500 proposals was submitted for review, which allows for the selection of a wide array of presentations and workshops centered on the convention theme.

28 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

Program Highlights for San Francisco

The program will include more treats than space will permit me to describe. So, here are a selected few to consider (Find more details at www.nasponline .org/conventions). Keynote Address

Linda Darling-Hammond, EdD. Drawing on her latest book, The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future, Darling-Hammond will present a compelling vision and detailed roadmap for how America’s schools can successfully meet the learning needs of an increasingly diverse student population in an increasingly “flat” world. Featured Sessions

Distinguished Lecturer: Robert C. Pianta, PhD. Improving Impacts of Classrooms: Professional Development and Standardized Classroom Observation — Results from a series of large-scale studies of classrooms will be presented, including newly developed approaches for improving the quality of teachers’ instructional and social interactions with pre-k–12 students. These models have been shown effective in randomized controlled trials for changing teacher behavior and student learning. Implications for practice, professional development, and policy will be discussed. Legends Address: Alex Thomas, PhD. The Art of School Psychology—A thorough grounding in science is necessary, albeit not sufficient, to succeed as a practitioner school psychologist. Scientists and scientist–practitioners both know that tomatoes are classified as fruit, but the practitioner does not put tomatoes in fruit salad. Science artfully applied is the focus of one school psychologist’s career retrospective. George Bear, PhD. Fostering Positive School Climate: Developing Supportive Relationships and Self-Discipline—Researchers and policy makers have increasingly recognized the role of school climate in children’s academic and social–emotional development (including self-discipline). Positive teacher– student and student–student relationships are central to school climate. In this session, school climate research is reviewed, with emphases on programs and practices for promoting positive relationships and self-discipline. Kevin P. Dwyer, NCSP, & David Osher, PhD. They Said It Couldn’t Be Done: Successful, Data-Driven Systems Change in a Large Urban School District—Responding to a school shooting, Cleveland funded a systemic school and community audit producing a com-

prehensive action plan that included social–emotional learning, family driven approaches, early warning signs training, student support teams, positive discipline, and systematic integration of school and community resources. The recommendations included training; quality standards; human resources; and policies and practices to improve student achievement, connectedness, behavior, and safety. The audit was followed by the coaching of Cleveland’s top-level leadership cadre in its successful implementation of the three-tiered approach to building conditions for learning (CFL). Cleveland has begun to implement the comprehensive action plan into its transformation for addressing failing schools. Early outcomes include satisfactory implementation of the plan and improvements in CFL, academic performance, and safety. Susan M. Sheridan, PhD. Relationships Between Schools and Families: Pathways for Student Success—Healthy relationships between families and schools are good for children. This presentation will explore research-based approaches to establishing positive parent–teacher relationships and present new findings on the unique role that relationships play in promoting student outcomes. Practical information and recommended strategies for school psychologists will be emphasized. Other Highlights

NASP-Approved CPD Documented Sessions. There are two ways to earn and receive documentation for NASPapproved (and APA-approved) hours at the NASP convention: (a) convention workshops (WS session codes), and (b) specially designated Documented Sessions (DS session codes) that meet the standards of the NASP-Approved Provider System. Among others, these standards require sign in/sign out, clearly stated learning objectives, and a postsession evaluation to receive documentation. We will be offering seven 80-minute advanced sessions in San Francisco. We have enlisted an array of sessions covering topics related to ethics, assessment for intervention, social–emotional learning, and ELL. In response to feedback from attendees in Chicago who wanted a reserved seat, registration and a $5 processing fee are required for these increasingly popular sessions. Documented sessions (DS) and the NASP Convention Workshops (WS) may be counted toward the 10-hour NASP- or APA-approved requirement for renewal of the NCSP. Participant Information Exchanges. In our never ending quest to devise new presentation alternatives that meet your

Join Us in San Francisco

I encourage you to visit the convention

section of the NASP website (www .nasponline.org/conventions) to learn more about the program and San Francisco. Just think about that last week in February, a typically dreary time in the school and weather year (particularly for those of us north of the Mason–Dixon line). You could spend that week in your regular routine, perhaps even reading up on best practices to spice up life, but really just wishing for spring. Or, as I hope, you could join me and thousands of your school psychology colleagues to share experiences and listen to the folks who wrote those books you might otherwise have been reading. Not to mention enjoying all San Francisco has to offer as one of the greatest cities in the world. Michael C. Forcade is the chair of the Convention Committee.

The Short List: An Abbreviated Guide to San Francisco Attractions B y C a r i To m

lready started planning your trip to the NASP 2011 Annual Convention? You will likely book a hotel, arrange transportation, and get your registration in order. As you get the basics out of the way, consider planning time for the top things to do in San Francisco. Following are some of the highlights in our beautiful city by the bay. Golden Gate Bridge Located on U.S. Highway 101, the Golden Gate Bridge links San Francisco to Sausalito, Marin, and north counties. The bridge is accessible to all by car ($6 toll if you are driving across), bike, or foot. See a massive cross section of the cable, walk through the gardens, or take a peek on one of the vista points! For more information, see www.goldengatebridge.org. Golden Gate Park More than 1,000 acres (20% larger than Central Park), Golden Gate Park was conceptualized around 1870. Golden Gate Park was California’s first state park before the City took control in 1899. Although the observatory, casino, and aviary have closed, several original features of the park still are enjoyed by visitors today. The park is located between the Richmond and Sunset Districts, bordering Ocean beach and Haight Ashbury. Japanese Tea Garden A historical Japanese-style garden designed by Makoto Hagiwara, the garden features monuments, bridges, native Japanese plants, ponds, and a tea house (7 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive; 415-752-1171). Conservatory of Flowers The Conservatory of Flowers is a unique living museum. The conservatory offers an intimate, up-close look at rare, exotic plants and beautiful tropical flowers (100 John F. Kennedy Drive, 94118; conservatoryofflowers.org; 415-8312090; closed Mondays).

California Academy of Sciences

The only aquarium/planetarium/natural history museum/ 4-story rainforest all in one! A green building and close to 40,000 live animals (55 Music Concourse Drive, 94118; www.calacademy .org; 415- 379-8000; open every day). De Young Museum The museum offers beautiful gardens, stunning views, and an observation deck. Some featured galleries include American paintings, American decorative art, African art, art of the Americas, Oceanic art, and textile art (50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, 94118; 415750-3600; closed Mondays). Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 Whether it’s the freshest seafood, family fun, souvenir shops, an up-close look at California’s playful sea lions, an encounter with a street performer, or delightful dining, San Francisco’s Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf can offer you hours of enjoyment. Conveniently, the wharf is also the start to many San Francisco/Bay Area tours (fishermanswharf.org). Aquarium of the Bay The purpose of this marine nature center is to inspire conservation of the San Francisco Bay and watershed. The Aquarium of the Bay offers glass tunnels and windows into the largest estuary on the West Coast (Pier 39 at the Embarcadero and Beach Streets; aquariumofthebay.org). Ghirardelli Square & Aquatic Park

At the end of Fisherman’s Wharf sits a large brick fortress which holds food, wine, shopping, chocolate, and even a hotel! What may be considered the first successful re-use project in the country, this was the original home to the famous Ghirardelli chocolate manufacturer. Small shops, fine cuisine, and free wireless Internet are found within the square. Ghirardelli still operates the Original Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Manufactory where guests can see the original chocolate manufac-

mcswin/istockphoto

needs, we have modified these increasingly popular sessions from the format used the past 2 years. Participant Information Exchanges (PIE) offer the opportunity to engage in a roundtable discussion on a “poster” topic after a brief presentation. This year, a large room, away from the poster venue, will be used to allow invited posters to be presented in a more compact 45-minute time frame. Five sessions will occur simultaneously and efforts will be made to align some along a common theme. Our hope is that attendees will be able to spend more time at the PIE sessions they select but still have time to move around and engage in other sessions.

Exotic plants and flowers on display at the Conservatory of Flowers

turing equipment and taste some of what makes this company so famous (900 North Point Street, 94109; ghirardellisq.com). Alcatraz Hop aboard the nation’s first hybrid, eco-friendly vessel and journey to The Rock! Famous as being the former home to notorious criminals, today Alcatraz is still home to many Civil War era buildings and rare flowers and plants. Tours are held daily but sell out quickly. Make sure to reserve your tickets before you get into town to guarantee the date and time you want. Visit www.alcatrazcruises.com to reserve tickets. Tours depart from Pier 33. Cultural Experience

Whether you decide to take in a show or visit a museum, San Francisco has something for everyone. It’s Showtime! Enjoy Broadway shows? Well, then you’ll be happy to know that San Francisco’s theatres play host to many large-scale favorites and small theatre productions. Be sure to check out SHN and Ticketmaster closer to the convention to see upcoming show schedules (shnsf.com and ticketmaster.com). Beach Blanket Babylon An everchanging musical spoof of pop culture, famous for its extravagant costumes and enormous hats has been performing to a sold-out house since 1974 (678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. 94133; 415421-4222; beachblanketbabylon.com). Exploratorium Want to see a live cow’s eye dissection? Experience what it’s like to navigate your way through a world with no light? Rated Best Museum in San Francisco, the Exploratorium is not an ordinary museum. Filled with hundreds of things to see and do, this hands-on museum has been giving kids of all ages a chance to explore the world of science for

decades (3601 Lyon Street, 94123; www .exploratorium.edu; 415-561-0360; closed Mondays). San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). In addition to exhibit-

ing and collecting the works of foremost artists, SFMOMA strives to serve as a place of inspiration and education for audiences of all ages. Be sure to check out the schedule of featured and traveling exhibits when you are planning your visit (151 Third Street, 94103; sfmoma. org; 415-357-4000; closed Wednesdays). Contemporary Jewish Museum

Since 1984, the Contemporary Jewish Museum looks to engage audiences of all ages in contemporary perspectives on Jewish culture, history, art, and ideas. Traveling shows often feature influential Jewish artists (736 Mission Street, 94103; thecjm.org; 415655-7800; closed Wednesdays). Asian Art Museum Housing more than 6,000 years of history, the Asian Art Museum is one of the largest museums exclusively devoted to Asian art in the world (200 Larkin Street, 94102; asianart. org; 415-581-3500; closed Mondays). The Walt Disney Family Museum

Celebrating the life of Walt Disney, this museum pays tribute to the many achievements of the man who transformed the film industry and helped to make animation an art. This unique museum displays material from the Walt Disney Company and private collections. Call or log on for tickets prior to visit (104 Montgomery Street, 94129; Disney.go.com/disneyatoz/familymuseum; 415-345-6800; closed Tuesdays). Look for additional local flavor and convention information articles in future issues of Communiqué and online at www.nasponline.org /conventions. n Cari Tom is the Convention Committee Local Arrangements Cochair.

October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | Communiqué | 29

NASP News Children’s Fund Offers Grant Opportunities B y Abb y G ot t s e g e n , M a r k R ot h , & B e v e r ly W i n t e r

he NASP Children’s Fund, Inc. was established in 1986 as a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Children’s Fund accepts and disburses funds for charitable purposes that are consistent with the priorities of the organization. The purpose of the Children’s Fund is to provide grants in support of projects that benefit children and families. In conjunction with the priorities of NASP, the Children’s Fund Board of Trustees looks for projects that: ■■ Advocate

for the essential rights and welfare of children and youth ■■ Promote learning environments that facilitate optimal development ■■ Produce effective interventions that address both learning and social– emotional issues that impede a child’s success and well-being ■■ Embrace individual and group differences of children and youth based on gender and diverse ethnic, cultural, language, and experiential backgrounds The Children’s Fund welcomes monetary donations, bequests, and dedicated gifts, as well as articles for auction at the NASP annual convention. In addition, the Children’s Fund offers several grant opportunities. Tiny Grants provide small grants of up to $200 directly to NASP members to help meet children’s educational or mental health needs or to address their general welfare. Acceptable items that help meet basic needs of children at school include clothing, eyeglasses, book bags, and school supplies. Mental Health Start-Up Grants in the amount of $500 are intended to encourage school psychologists to enhance their own capabilities to provide mental health services within their schools. Acceptable purchases include therapeutic videotapes and games, relaxation tapes, classroom guidance materials, and books. Service Grants in amounts of $500 to $2,500 are available and must provide direct benefit to children. Among those grants that have been approved in the last several years include a district-wide community reading day, a project focusing on prevention of bullying, and a project that provided a gifted and talented lending library and resource bank for families of gifted children in an economically underprivileged neighborhood. Youth Empowerment Mini-Grants provide funding of up to $500 to student

groups or individuals who develop projects that assist their fellow students. These grants may be used for antibullying projects, appreciation of diversity projects, or any other programs that focus on student assistance. The application may be written by a student and/ or student advisor and countersigned by the NASP member who will oversee the project. Five of these grants will be awarded each year. Annual Board Projects are carried out in the city hosting the NASP annual convention with the Children’s Fund coordinating a service project to reflect the needs of the local community. Previous projects include the “I Like Me” book distribution in Atlanta, Anaheim, Brooklyn, and Dallas; the provision of materials for a school to develop an outdoor science lab in Boston; and the most significant project, the KaBoom! playground build in New Orleans. Disaster Relief is provided by the Children’s Fund to assist in relief efforts to communities affected by large-scale disasters. Typically, items such as plush toys or other items can be sent to comfort children and items that are needed by school psychologists in areas affected by disasters can also be made available. Children’s Fund money as well as donations by NASP members has been used for assistance in Haiti, New Orleans, Montana, and New Mexico. To apply for any of the grants, applications are available online at http:// www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/child fund.aspx. Abby Gottsegen, NCSP, Mark Roth, & Beverly Winter, NCSP, are members of the Board of Trustees of the NASP Children’s Fund.

NASP-Approved/ Nationally Recognized Graduate Programs in School Psychology

he mission of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is to represent school psychology and support school psychologists to enhance the learning and mental health of all children and youth. NASP’s mission is accomplished through promotion of professional competence;

30 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

recognition of the essential components programs. NCATE accredits units (e.g., of graduate education and professional schools of education), not programs, development; graduate preparation of but does provide “national recognition” school psychologists to deliver a constatus (full or with conditions) to NASPtinuum of services to children, youth, approved programs in NCATE-accredfamilies, and schools; identification of ited units. In order to provide all school professional practices that are empiripsychology programs with access to the cally based, data driven, and culturally NASP review process and potentially to competent; and advocacy for the value national approval/national recognition, of school psychological services and for NASP also conducts reviews of school appropriate research-based education psychology programs that are not in and mental health services, among other NCATE units and that submit materials important initiatives. for review by NASP on a voluntary basis. Since 1988, NASP has been pleased to There are three types of decisions provide a national review and approval that result from NASP review of school service for graduate programs in school psychology programs. NASP approval/ psychology as part of our efforts to supnational recognition may be “full” or port preparation of graduate candidates “with conditions,” or a program may not for effective school psychology practice. receive approval/national recognition The NASP program review and approval because further development is needed. process contributes to the development Information about the two NASP apof effective school psychology services proval/national recognition outcomes is through the identification of critical summarized below: graduate education experiences and com■■ NASP approval/national recognition-full petencies needed by candidates preparing indicates the NASP review process for careers in school psychology. NASP found that a school psychology proprogram approval/national recognition gram demonstrated consistency with is an important indicator of quality graduNASP standards. The period of NASP ate education in school psychology, comapproval/national recognition-full for prehensive content, and extensive and a program is 5 or 7 years. properly supervised field experiences and ■■ NASP approval/national recognition internships, as judged by trained national with conditions indicates the NASP reviewers. Thus, NASP approval/national review process found that a school recognition confers multiple advantages psychology program demonstrated to programs, program graduates, the progeneral consistency with key NASP fession of school psychology, and, most standards, but must submit addiimportantly, to the children, families, and tional documentation, usually within schools that we serve. 18 months, to be evaluated for posSpecialist-level (60+ graduate sible continuation of NASP approval. credits) and doctoral-level programs in school psychology are reviewed and apIt should be noted that NASP treats proved by NASP. For school psychology programs with full or conditional programs that submit documentation status equally in terms of the rights and for a NASP review by trained national benefits of NASP approval. This is true reviewers, the NASP Program Approval of NCATE’s national recognition status Board awards “NASP approval” (naas well. tional recognition) status for those For more information regarding programs that provide evidence of NASP program review and approval and consistency with the NASP Standards for the submission process to be used by Training and Field Placement Programs in school psychology graduate programs, School Psychology (The 2010 Standards for please see the NASP website (http://www Graduate Preparation of School Psycholo.nasponline.org/standards/approved gists, adopted March 2010). The NASP training/training_program.aspx) or contraining standards provide the foundatact Dr. Enedina García Vázquez, chair tion for program review and approval, of the NASP Program Approval Board, and school psychology program submis- phone: (575) 646-9415, e-mail: nasppab@ sions for NASP approval/national recog- psl.nmsu.edu. nition status are evaluated to determine An advantage of NASP program that programs meet NASP standards in approval, especially for program gradupolicy and practice. ates, is its link to National CertificaNASP is one of the specialized profestion in School Psychology (NCSP). All sional associations (SPAs) of the National graduates of specialist level graduate Council for Accreditation of Teacher programs of study in school psycholEducation (NCATE) and conducts proogy are eligible to apply for the NCSP. All gram reviews as a part of the NCATE unit applicants for the NCSP must document accreditation process. As an NCATE SPA, an internship consistent with NASP NASP does not accredit school psycholstandards and attainment of a passing ogy programs, but identifies approved score on the national school psychology © 2 0 1 0 , Nat io nal A sso c iat io n o f Sc ho o l P syc ho lo g ist s

examination (PRAXIS II) administered by Educational Testing Service. Applicants for the NCSP also must document having met graduate education requirements consistent with NASP training standards in the 11 domains of knowledge and outcomes. Graduates of NASP-approved programs (full or with conditions) provide evidence of meeting the graduate education requirements by documenting their completion of a NASP-approved program; the NASP program approval process ensures that the program graduates have met these requirements. Graduates of school psychology programs that do not hold NASP approval must submit a portfolio to document that they have met this graduate education requirement. More information about the NCSP is located at http://www.nasponline.org /certification/index.aspx. For information regarding NCSP applications for individuals, please contact the Director of Professional Development and Standards, c/o Joan Epstein, Manager of Certification, phone: (301) 657-0270, e-mail: jepstein@naspweb.org. The following school psychology programs had been approved/nationally recognized by the National Association of School Psychologists as of August 1, 2010. The NASP-approved/nationally recognized programs are listed alphabetically by state, then alphabetically by program within states. The following key should be used in examining this list. Key: Program Level, SL = Specialist Level and DL = Doctoral Level. The NASP approval/national recognition status of the program (full or with conditions) as of the effective date of this list and the year in which the program’s NASP approval/national recognition became or will become effective also are indicated after program level. A l a ba m a University of Alabama SL-Full, 1989; DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.ua.edu Program website: http://schoolpsych.ua.edu

A r i zo n a Arizona State University DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.asu.edu Program website: http://education.asu.edu /prospective_students/graduate_studies/school _psychology.dot

Northern Arizona University SL-Full, 1991; DL-Full, 1998 University website: http://home.nau.edu Program website: http://coe.nau.edu/academics/eps

University of Arizona DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.arizona.edu Program website: http://grad.arizona.edu/live /programs/description/187

A r k a n sa s Arkansas State University SL-Full, 2009 University website: http://www2.astate.edu Program website: http://www2.astate.edu/a /education/psychologycounseling/our-programs /school-psychology.dot

University of Central Arkansas SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.uca.edu Program website: http://www.uca.edu /gbulletin/03/30407.html

Ca l i fo r n i a Azusa Pacific University SL-With Conditions, 2010 University website: http://www.apu.edu Program website: http://www.apu.edu/education /counselingpsych/educationalpsychology

California State University-Chico SL-Full, 1998 University website: http://www.csuchico.edu Program website: http://www.csuchico.edu/psy /programs/graduate/appliedPsy.shtml

California State University-Fresno SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.csufresno.edu Program website: http://www.csufresno.edu/grad studies/narratives/psych-prog.shtml

California State University-Hayward SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www20.csueastbay.edu Program website: http://edschool.csueastbay.edu /Departments/EPSY/INDEX.HTML

California State University-Long Beach SL-Full, 2005 University website: http://www.csulb.edu Program website: http://www.ced.csulb.edu/edpac /academic/school-psych

California State University-Los Angeles SL, Full, 1993 University website: http://www.calstatela.edu Program website: http://www.calstatela.edu /academic/ccoe/div_edsp_degrees.htm

California State University-Northridge SL-With Conditions, 2005 University website: http://www.csun.edu Program website: http://www.csun.edu/edpsy /schoolpsychology.html

California State University-Sacramento SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.csus.edu Program website: http://aaweb.csus.edu/catalog /current/Programs/EDS.html#MastersSE

Chapman University (Orange, CA campus only) SL-Full, 2005 University website: http://www.chapman.edu Program website: http://www.chapman.edu/CES /programs/grad/default.asp

Humboldt State University SL-Full, 1996 University website: http://www.humboldt.edu Program website: http://www.humboldt. edu/~humboldt/programs/descriptions/1000

Loyola Marymount University SL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.lmu.edu Program website: http://soe.lmu.edu/admissions /programs/psych.htm

San Diego State University SL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.sdsu.edu Program website: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/CSP /programs/sc/sp_prg.html

University of California-Riverside DL-Full, 2004 University website: http://www.ucr.edu Program website: http://education.ucr.edu /schoolpsych/schpsychmain.html

University of California-Santa Barbara SL-Full, 1998; DL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.ucsb.edu Program website: http://education.ucsb.edu/school -psychology

Program website: http://www.du.edu/education /programs/cfsp/index.html

University of Northern Colorado SL-Full, 1990; DL-Full, 1990 University website: http://www.unco.edu Program website: http://www.unco.edu/cebs /schoolpsych/index.html

Valdosta State University SL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.valdosta.edu Program website: http://www.valdosta.edu/coe /psychology/SchoolPsychologyVSU.shtml

I da h o Idaho State University

Co n n ect i c u t Fairfield University SL-With Conditions, 2010 University website: http://www.fairfield.edu Program website: http://www.fairfield.edu/gseap /masp_index.html

Southern Connecticut State University SL-Full, 1997 University website: http://www.southernct.edu Program website: http://www.southernct.edu /counseling_schoolpsychology/graduateprograms /schoolpsychology/

University of Connecticut SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.uconn.edu Program website: http://www.education.uconn.edu /departments/epsy

SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://www.isu.edu Program website: http://ed.isu.edu/depts/deld/scpy .shtml

University of Idaho SL-With Conditions, 2004 University website: http://www.uidaho.edu Program website: http://www.uidaho.edu/ed /caspel/counselingandschoolpsychology.aspx

Illinois The Chicago School of Professional Psychology SL-With Conditions, 2010 University website: http://www.thechicagoschool.edu Program website: http://www.thechicagoschool .edu/content.cfm/schoolpsychology

Eastern Illinois University SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.eiu.edu Program website: http://psych.eiu.edu/dept/school /index.php

University of Hartford SL-With Conditions, 1999 University website: http://www.hartford.edu Program website: http://uhaweb.hartford.edu /PSYCH/PROGRAMS/school

Illinois State University

D e l awa r e University of Delaware SL-Full, 1994; DL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.udel.edu Program website: http://www.udel.edu/education /masters/psychology/index.html

D i st r i ct o f Co lu mb i a Gallaudet University SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.gallaudet.edu Program website: http://psychology.gallaudet.edu /schoolpsychology.xml

Howard University DL - Full, 2008 University website: http://www.howard.edu Program website: http://www.howard.edu/school education/Departments/HDPES/HDPES_ Program_Summaries.html

SL-Full, 1990; DL-Full, 1998 University website: http://www.ilstu.edu Program website: http://www.psychology.ilstu.edu /school/index.shtml

Loyola University-Chicago SL-Full, 2000; DL-Full, 2003 University website: http://www.luc.edu Program website: http://www.luc.edu/education /academics_degrees.shtml

National-Louis University SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.nl.edu/gateway Program website: http://www.nl.edu/academics /nce/departments/DLD/EdPsych/schoolpsych.cfm

Northern Illinois University SL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.niu.edu/index.shtml Program website: http://www.niu.edu/psyc /graduate/school/index.shtml

Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

F lo r i da Barry University

SL-Full, 1999 University website: http://www.siu.edu Program website: http://www.siue.edu/education /psychology/graduate/s-sd.shtml

SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.barry.edu Program website: http://www.barry.edu /psychologyssp

Western Illinois University

Florida State University SL-With Conditions, 2005 University website: http://www.fsu.edu Program website: http://www.epls.fsu.edu/schoolpsych /index.htm

University of Central Florida SL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.ucf.edu Program website: http://www.graduatecatalog.ucf .edu/programs/Program.aspx? ID=1418&program =School%20Psychology%20EdS

University of Florida SL-Full, 1989; DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.ufl.edu Program website: http://education.ufl.edu/EdPsych /schoolpsych

SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.wiu.edu Program website: http://www.wiu.edu/psychology /schoolpsychology.php

Indiana Ball State University SL-Full, 1991; DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://cms.bsu.edu Program website: http://www.bsu.edu/schpsych

Indiana State University SL-Full, 1996; DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.indstate.edu/home.php Program website: http://www.indstate.edu/coe /cdcsep/edpsych/index.htm

Indiana University

SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://web.pacific.edu/x12.xml Program website: http://web.pacific.edu/x10685.xml

SL-Full, 1988; DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.usf.edu/index.asp Program website: http://www.coedu.usf.edu /schoolpsych

SL-Full, 1993; DL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.indiana.edu Program website: http://education.indiana.edu /strongSchoolPsychologystrong/tabid/5567 /Default.aspx

Co lo r a d o University of Colorado-Denver

G eo rg i a Georgia State University

I owa University of Iowa

SL-Full, 1993 University website: http://www.cudenver.edu /Pages/home.aspx Program website: http://www.ucdenver.edu/academ ics/colleges/SchoolOfEducation/Academics/EdS /Pages/EdSinSchoolPsychology.aspx

DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.gsu.edu Program website: http://education.gsu.edu/cps/787 .html

University of the Pacific

University of Denver SL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.du.edu

University of South Florida

DL-With Conditions, 1992 University website: http://www.uiowa.edu Program website: http://www.education.uiowa.edu /schpsych

University of Northern Iowa

University of Georgia DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.uga.edu Program website: http://www.uga.edu/gradschool /programs/school_psych1.html

SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.uni.edu Program website: http://www.uni.edu/coe/epf/HTML /schpsych.html

October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | Communiqué | 31

K a n sa s Emporia State University SL-Full, 2002 University website: http://www.emporia.edu Program website: http://www.emporia.edu/parm /school2.htm

University of Kansas SL-Full, 1994; DL-Full, 1999 University website: http://www.ku.edu Program website: http://soe.ku.edu/pre/psy

Wichita State University SL-Full, 1996 University website: http://www.wichita.edu/thisis Program website: http://webs.wichita.edu/?u=coed psychology&p=/index

K e n t u c ky Eastern Kentucky University SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.eku.edu Program website: http://www.psychology.eku.edu /school

University of Massachusetts-Amherst SL-Full, 2007; DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.umass.edu Program website: http://www.umass.edu/education /schoolpsychology

University of Massachusetts-Boston SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.umb.edu Program website: http://www.umb.edu/academics /departments/gce/programs/counseling/school psychology

M i ch i g a n Andrews University SL-Full, 2003 University website: http://www.andrews.edu Program website: http://www.andrews.edu/educ /program_ecp4.html

Central Michigan University SL-Full, 1990; DL-Full, 1996 University website: http://www.cmich.edu/x22.xml Program website: http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu /psychology/graduate/school.shtm

Pace University

N e va da University of Nevada-Las Vegas

SL-Full, 1998 University website: http://www.unlv.edu Program website: http://education.unlv.edu/EP /grad/eds_ep

Queens College-CUNY

New Jersey Georgian Court

SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Pages /default.aspx Program website: http://www.qc.cuny.edu/Academics /Degrees/Education/ECP/Psychology/Pages /default.aspx

Kean University

SL-With Conditions, 2009 University website: http://www.roberts.edu Program website: http://www.roberts.edu/academics /divisions/social_sciences/graduate/schoolpsy _overview.asp

SL-With Conditions, 2010 University website: http://www.georgian.edu/index .htm Program website: http://www.georgian.edu /psychology/ma_school_psy.htm SL-With Conditions, 1999 University website: http://www.kean.edu Program website: http://www.kean.edu/~schpsych /school_psychology.htm

New Jersey City University

SL-Full, 1989; DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.uky.edu Program website: http://www.uky.edu/Education /EDP/spover.html

Michigan State University

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.njcu.edu Program website: http://www.njcu.edu/graduate /academics/grad_psych.asp#edupyschprofdip

SL-Full, 2007; DL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.msu.edu Program website: http://www.educ.msu.edu/cepse /SchoolPsychology

SL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.rider.edu Program website: http://www.rider.edu/172_2011.htm

Western Kentucky University

Wayne State University

University of Kentucky

SL-With Conditions, 1993 University website: http://www.wku.edu Program website: http://edtech.wku.edu/~psych /programs/graduate/eds_school/index.htm

Lo u i s i a n a Louisiana State University DL-Full, 2003 University website: http://www.lsu.edu Program website: http://www.lsu.edu/psychology /graduate/specialty_school.html

Louisiana State University-Shreveport SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.lsus.edu Program website: http://www.lsus.edu/ehd/ssp

Nicholls State University SL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.nicholls.edu Program website: http://www.nicholls.edu/educa tion_graduate/school-psychology-specialist

University of Louisiana-Monroe SL-With Conditions, 2009 University website: http://www.nlu.edu Program website: http://www.ulm.edu/psychology /degreeprograms.html

Maine University of Southern Maine SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://usm.maine.edu Program website: http://www.usm.maine.edu/cehd /School-Psychology/msprogram.htm

M a ry l a n d Towson University SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.towson.edu Program website: http://grad.towson.edu/program /master/psyc-scpy-ma

University of Maryland-College Park SL-Full, 1988; DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.umd.edu Program website: http://www.education.umd.edu /EDCP/SchoolPsychology

M a ssach u s e tts Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology SL-Full, 2009 University website: http://www.mspp.edu Program website: http://www.mspp.edu/academics /degree-programs/school-ma-cags/default.asp

Northeastern University

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://wayne.edu Program website: http://tbf.coe.wayne.edu/edp/scp

M i n n e s ota Capella University SL-With Conditions, 2010 University website: http://www.capella.edu Program website: http://www.capella.edu/schools _programs/psychology/certificate/school_psychology .aspx

Minnesota State University-Moorhead

Rider University

Rowan University

SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.rowan.edu Program website: http://www.rowan.edu/colleges /education/programs/specialed/eds

Rutgers University

DL-Full, 2008 University website: http://www.rutgers.edu Program website: http://gsappweb.rutgers.edu /programs/school/index.php

N e w M e x i co New Mexico State University

Roberts Wesleyan College

Rochester Institute of Technology SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.rit.edu Program website: http://www.rit.edu/cla/school psychology/prog_info.htm

State University of New York-Albany SL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.albany.edu Program website: http://www.albany.edu /schoolpsych

State University of New York-Oswego SL-Full, 1999 University website: http://www.oswego.edu Program website: http://catalog.oswego.edu/preview_program .php?catoid=18&poid=1513&bc=1

State University of New York-Plattsburgh SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://www.plattsburgh.edu Program website: http://www.plattsburgh.edu /academics/psychology/graduateprogram

SL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.mnstate.edu/home Program website: http://www.mnstate.edu /graduate/school_psychology.cfm

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.nmsu.edu Program website: http://education.nmsu.edu/cep/eds

University of Minnesota

N e w Yo r k Alfred University

SL-Full, 2007; DL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.stjohns.edu Program website: http://www.stjohns.edu/academ ics/graduate/liberalarts/departments/psychology /programs/ms_sp

Brooklyn College

SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.buffalo.edu Program website: http://www.gse.buffalo.edu /programs/csep/8

SL-Full, 1992; DL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www1.umn.edu/twin cities/index.php Program website: http://www.cehd.umn.edu/fields /School-psych.htm

M i ss i ss i pp i Mississippi State University

SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.alfred.edu Program website: http://www.alfred.edu/gradschool /school_psychology

SL-Full, 1992; DL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.msstate.edu Program website: http://www.msstate.edu/dept /SchoolPsych/index.htm

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu /pub/index.htm Program website: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu /courses/acad/program_infojsp?major=544&div =G&dept_code=27&dept_id=99#544

University of Southern Mississippi

College of St. Rose

DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.usm.edu/index.php Program website: http://www.usm.edu/schoolpsych /program_intro.html

SL - Full, 2009 University website: http://www.strose.edu Program website: http://www.strose.edu/academics /schoolofeducation/school_psychology

M i ss o u r i University of Missouri-St. Louis

Columbia University, Teachers College

SL-Full, 2009 University website: http://www.umsl.edu Program website: No page found

M o n ta n a University of Montana SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.umt.edu/future.aspx Program website: http://psychweb.psy.umt.edu/www /schoolpsych_welcome.asp

Nebraska University of Nebraska-Kearney SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.unk.edu Program website: http://www.unk.edu/coe/csp .aspx?id=453

SL-Full, 2005; DL-Full, 2002 University website: http://www.columbia.edu Program website: http://www.tc.columbia.edu/hbs /SchoolPsych

Fordham University-Lincoln Center

SL-Full, 1988; DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.fordham.edu Program website: http://www.fordham.edu /academics/colleges__graduate_s/graduate __profession/education/divisions/psychological __educa/school_psychology_pr

Hofstra University (PhD only)

DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.hofstra.edu/home /index.html Program website: http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics /Colleges/HCLAS/PSY/psydsc/index.html

Iona College

SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.northeastern.edu /neuhome/index.php Program website: http://www.northeastern.edu /bouve/programs/mschoolpsych/mschoolpsych.html

SL-Full, 1990; DL-Full, 1990 University website: http://www.unl.edu Program website: http://cehs.unl.edu/edpsych /graduate/schoolpsy.shtml

SL-With Conditions, 2008 University website: http://www.iona.edu Program website: http://www.iona.edu/academic /artsscience/departments/psychology/graduate /admissions/psychologySpecializationMA.cfm

Tufts University

University of Nebraska-Omaha

New York University

SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.tufts.edu Program website: http://ase.tufts.edu/education /programs/SchoolPsych/index.asp

DL-Full, 1999 University website: http://www.pace.edu/pace Program website: http://www.pace.edu/academic_ psearch/display_program.cfm?School=GAS&Cred =DSY&Maj=PSY&Location=NYC

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.unomaha.edu Program website: http://www.unomaha.edu /schoolpsych

32 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

DL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.nyu.edu Program website: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu /appsych/phd/school_psychology

St. John’s University

University of New York-Buffalo

Yeshiva University DL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.yu.edu/index.aspx? AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Program website: http://www.yu.edu/ferkauf/page .aspx?id=733&ekmensel=15074e5e_242_290 _btnlink

N o rth Ca ro l i n a Appalachian State University SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.appstate.edu Program website: http://www.psych.appstate.edu /gradprograms/school.html

East Carolina University SL-Full, 1996 University website: http://www.ecu.edu Program website: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/psyc /School-Psychology-MA.cfm

North Carolina State University DL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.ncsu.edu Program website: http://psychology.chass.ncsu .edu/pss

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill SL-With Conditions, 1988; DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.unc.edu Program website: http://soe.unc.edu

Western Carolina University SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.wcu.edu Program website: http://www.wcu.edu/6839.asp

N o rth Da kota Minot State University SL-Full, 1998 University website: http://www.minotstateu.edu Program website: http://www.minotstateu.edu /schpsych

Oh i o Bowling Green State University SL-Full, 1993 University website: http://www.bgsu.edu Program website: http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges /edhd/sis/page59150.html

Cleveland State University SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.csuohio.edu Program website: http://www.csuohio.edu/sciences /dept/psychology/graduate/school/index.html

John Carroll University SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.jcu.edu Program website: http://www.jcu.edu/Graduate /programs/education/ed-schoolpsych.htm

Kent State University SL-Full, 1991; DL-Full, 1990 University website: http://www.kent.edu/index.cfm Program website: http://www.educ.kent.edu/spsy

Miami University SL-Full, 1990 University website: http://www.miami.muohio.edu Program website: http://www.units.muohio.edu /eap/edp/graduatePrograms/schoolPsych.html

Ohio State University SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.osu.edu Program website: http://ehe.osu.edu/paes /schoolpsychology

University of Cincinnati SL-Full, 1991; DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.uc.edu Program website: http://www.uc.edu/school psychology

University of Dayton SL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.udayton.edu Program website: http://www.udayton.edu/education /cehs/aos_content/MS_in_School_Psychology.php

University of Toledo

Lehigh University SL-Full, 1988; DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www3.lehigh.edu/default .asp Program website: http://www.lehigh.edu/~ineduc /degree_programs/school_psych/index.htm

Millersville University of Pennsylvania SL-Full, 1990 University website: http://www.millersville.edu Program website: http://www.millersville.edu /psychology/graduate.php

Pennsylvania State University DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.psu.edu Program website: http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ /espse/school-psychology

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine SL-Full, 2009, DL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.pcom.edu/index .html Program website: http://www.pcom.edu/Academic _Programs/aca_psych/School_Psychology_Programs /school_psychology_programs.html

Temple University SL-Full, 2000; DL-Full, 1987 University website: http://www.temple.edu Program website: http://www.temple.edu/education /pse/school_psych_intro.html

Rh o d e I s l a n d Rhode Island College SL-Full, 2003 University website: http://www.ric.edu Program website: http://www.ric.edu/counseling EducationalLeadershipSchoolPsychology

University of Rhode Island SL-Full, 1991; DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.uri.edu Program website: http://www.uri.edu/artsci/psy /school_welcome.shtml

S o u th C a ro l i n a The Citadel

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.utoledo.edu Program website: http://www.utoledo.edu/hshs /cesp/Programs/SPsy/EdS_pgm.html

SL-Full, 2000 University website: http://www.citadel.edu/main Program website: http://www.citadel.edu/psyc /maschool.html

Oklahoma Oklahoma State University

Francis Marion University

SL-Full, 1999; DL-Full, 1999 University website: http://osu.okstate.edu Program website: http://www.okstate.edu/education /sahep/spsy/index.html

University of Central Oklahoma SL-Full, 2007 University website: http://www.uco.edu Program website: http://www.educ.uco.edu/PSY /certification.asp

O r eg o n Lewis & Clark College SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.lclark.edu Program website: http://www.lclark.edu/graduate /departments/counseling_psychology/school _psychology/index.php?highlight=school+psychology

University of Oregon DL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.uoregon.edu Program website: http://spsy.uoregon.edu

P e n n sy lva n i a California University of Pennsylvania SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.cup.edu Program website: http://www.cup.edu/graduate /schoolpsy/index.jsp

Duquesne University SL-Full, 2001; DL-Full, 2009 University website: http://www.duq.edu Program website: http://www.education.duq.edu /schoolpsych/CAGS.html

SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.fmarion.edu Program website: http://www.fmarion.edu/academics /graduateprograms/article5915c2277874.htm

University of South Carolina DL-Full, 1990 University website: http://www.sc.edu Program website: http://www.psych.sc.edu/grad _psycsch/schprog.html

Winthrop University SL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.winthrop.edu Program website: http://www2.winthrop.edu /psychology/school.html

S o u th Da kota University of South Dakota SL-Full, 2000; DL-Full, 2000 University website: http://www.usd.edu Program website: http://catalog.usd.edu/preview _program.php?catoid=4&poid=422&bc=1

T e n n e ss e e Middle Tennessee State University SL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.mtsu.edu Program website: http://www.mtsu.edu/psychology /school.shtml

University of Memphis SL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.memphis.edu Program website: http://www.memphis.edu /gradcatalog/degreeprog/cas/psyc.php

University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.edinboro.edu Program website: No page found

SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://www.utc.edu Program website: http://www.utc.edu/Academic /SchoolPsychology

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

SL-Full, 1991; DL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.iup.edu Program website: http://www.iup.edu/page .aspx?id=23961

SL-With Conditions, 1988; DL-Full, 1988 University website: http://www.utk.edu Program website: http://web.utk.edu/~edpsych /school_psychology/eds.html

George Mason University

Texas Abilene Christian University SL-Full, 2003 University website: http://www.acu.edu Program website: http://www.acu.edu/academics /cas/psychology_graduate/programs/school psychology/index.html

Baylor University SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://www.baylor.edu Program website: http://www.baylor.edu/soe/EDP /index.php?id=65261

Sam Houston State University SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.shsu.edu Program website: http://www.shsu.edu/~psy_www /MASchool.html

Stephen F. Austin State University SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.sfasu.edu Program website: http://www.sfasu.edu/education /departments/humanservices/programs /schoolpsych.asp

Texas A&M University DL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.tamu.edu Program website: http://epsy.tamu.edu/articles /school_psychology

Texas A&M University-Commerce SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://web.tamu-commerce.edu Program website: http://www.tamu-commerce.edu /psychology/school_psychology/handbook.htm

Texas State University-San Marcos SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.txstate.edu Program website: http://www.txstate.edu/eaps /school-psychology-program.html

Texas Woman’s University SL-Full, 1995; DL-Full, 1994 University website: https://www.twu.edu Program website: http://www.twu.edu/psychologyphilosophy/grad-school-psychology.asp

SL-With Conditions, 1987 University website: http://www.gmu.edu Program website: http://chss.gmu.edu/concentra tions/show/LA-MA-PSYC-SCH

James Madison University SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.jmu.edu Program website: http://www.psyc.jmu.edu/school

Radford University SL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.runet.edu Program website: http://www.radford.edu /~psyc-web/School/overview.htm

University of Virginia DL (PhD only)-With Conditions, 1989 University website: http://www.virginia.edu Program website: http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu /general-information-clinpsych-240

Wa s h i n gto n Central Washington University SL-Full, 1989 University website: http://www.cwu.edu Program website: http://www.cwu.edu/~psych /schpsy.html

Eastern Washington University SL-Full, 2001 University website: http://www.ewu.edu/Home.xml Program website: http://www.ewu.edu/x10383.xml

Seattle University SL-Full, 1998 University website: http://www.seattleu.edu Program website: http://www2.seattleu.edu/coe /schoolpsychology

University of Washington SL-Full, 1998; DL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.washington.edu Program website: http://education.washington.edu /areas/ep/deg_programs/sch_psy/index.html

Trinity University

W e st V i rg i n i a Marshall University

SL-With Conditions, 1996 University website: http://www.trinity.edu Program website: http://www.trinity.edu/departments /education/Degree_Programs/mapsych.htm

SL-Full, 2006 University website: http://www.marshall.edu Program website: http://www.marshall.edu/gsepd /psychology.asp

University of Houston-Clear Lake SL-Full, 1989 University website: http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page /portal/HOMEPAGE Program website: http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page /portal/HSH/HOME/PROGRAMS/S_PSYC

University of Houston DL-Full, 2010 University website: http://www.uh.edu Program website: http://www.coe.uh.edu/academic -programs/school-psychology/index.php

University of Texas-Austin DL-Full, 1993 University website: http://www.utexas.edu Program website: http://www.edb.utexas.edu /education/departments/edp/admissions /programs/doctoral/school

Uta h Brigham Young University SL-Full, 2008 University website: http://www.byu.edu/webapp /home/index.jsp Program website: http://education.byu.edu/cpse/eds

University of Utah DL-Full, 1993 University website: http://www.utah.edu/portal /site/uuhome Program website: http://schoolpsych.ed.utah.edu

Utah State University SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.usu.edu Program website: http://www.usu.edu/psychology /programs/combined/index.php

V i rg i n i a College of William and Mary SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.wm.edu Program website: http://education.wm.edu /academics/space/index.php

W i sco n s i n University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire SL-Full, 1993 University website: http://www.uwec.edu Program website: http://www.uwec.edu/psyc /graduate.htm

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.uwlax.edu Program website: http://www.uwlax.edu/Graduate /psychology

University of Wisconsin-Madison DL-Full, 1992 University website: http://www.wisc.edu Program website: http://www.education.wisc.edu /edpsych/default.aspx?content=schoolpsychology .html

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee SL-Full, 2005; DL-Full, 2000 University website: http://www4.uwm.edu Program website: http://www4.uwm.edu/soe/depart ments/ed_psychology/academic_programs.cfm

University of Wisconsin-River Falls SL-Full, 1991 University website: http://www.uwrf.edu Program website: http://www.uwrf.edu/csp /schoolpsychprogram.htm

University of Wisconsin-Stout SL-Full, 1994 University website: http://www.uwstout.edu Program website: http://www3.uwstout.edu/ programs/edssp/index.cfm

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater SL-Full, 1995 University website: http://www.uww.edu Program website: http://www.uww.edu/gradstudies /schlpsych/profession.php October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | Communiqué | 33

REVIEWS Edited By Merryl Bushansky

Neuropsychological Approach to LD Diagnosis Reviewed by Arlene B. C r a n da l l

his book provides a thorough review of current neuropsychological research for various forms of learning disorders. The field of neuropsychology can inform the work of school psychologists in designing supports for children with learning disorders. The challenge is to translate this knowledge into user-friendly formats for educators to apply to the needs Diagnosing of children. This book Learning Disorders: A Neurologi- partially achieves such cal Framework a goal. By B. F. Pennington The author divides 2009, Guildford Press the book into three sections to provide structure to this vast amount of information. Part I covers the basic concepts of learning disorders development and differential diagnosis. If you are not used to reading neuropsychology, this section can feel a bit dense. The author approaches this discussion from a constructivist model, which “conceives of the relation between brain and behavior as bidirectional … brain structures constrain learning … learning also changes the brain.” A useful and important construct of this section discusses syndrome validation as well as popular learning disorders that lack validation (e.g., central auditory processing). Several professional groups may argue these results, but the points regarding less well-validated syndromes are backed by the criteria template. Part II is the largest section with the greatest amount of information for the practicing school psychologist. In this section, the author reviews eight learning disorders: dyslexia, speech and language disorders, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, intellectual disability, developmental coordination disorder, mathematics disorder, and nonverbal learning disability. A structure for looking at each disorder includes these sections: history, definition, etiology, brain mechanisms, neuropsychology, and diagnosis/treatment. This structure allows for a clear discussion of differential diagnosis, which is at the center of a school psychologist’s concern. There are charts to summarize research as well as a clinical summary table. These tables are quick references that would be most useful to the practitioner. Each chapter ends with case presentations of students with the disorders. The description of the student, testing results, and the logic of diagnosis is included. The final section dis-

cusses the research on treatment for the disorder. This research discussion is not specific to the case, but general to the field of the disorder. Part III is a relatively short discussion of educational practice and policy. The section on evidence-based practice is couched in the medical model. It suggests that a system like the Food and Drug Administration needs to be developed to use current research to identify models of intervention and prevention for learning disorders. There are segments of the book that can be helpful to a practitioner school psychologist, but she would need to be willing to read rather dense material to find the parts that can be applied to the work of school psychology. The book would fit well in a university classroom setting to prepare practitioners with a solid base of research to support accurate differential diagnosis work in the schools. Arlene B. Crandall is a consultant to school districts and a past delegate to NASP from New York.

Group Intervention for Students With Autism Reviewed by Marianne Thomas

hose of us who work with students on the autism spectrum frequently receive notification of programs and books to assist us with implementing strategies/interventions. Some provide more meaningful information than others. In the category of a quite helpful publication is the book, Social Competence Intervention Program. It is well organized and begins with a brief yet comprehensive look at what is meant by social competence, followed by an overview of applicable disSocial Compeorders. The disorders tence Intervenincluded are: high function Program: A Drama-Based tioning autism, AspergIntervention for er’s syndrome, nonverYouth on the Autism Spectrum bal learning disabilities, By L. A. Guli, A. D. and attention deficit Wilkinson, & M. hyperactivity disorder. Semrud-Clikeman 2008, Research Empirical support for Press the program is clearly explained. The authors provide us with valuable information regarding the preparation process necessary to begin the program. This includes topics such as how to organize the program and issues related to group leadership. I especially found the preparatory section on “Behavior Management” an informative one, with some key behavior management strategies described. Behavior management is a topic many programs do not acknowledge or address, and yet it

34 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

is a reality within groups and a very important factor within the process itself. There are 14 sessions within the program. Topics covered include “focusing attention,” “emotional knowledge,” “vocal cues,” “point of view,” and “dealing with teasing,” to name a few. For each session, the authors take us through a very clear step-by-step process of how to specifically implement each and every activity. The steps include: objectives, materials, a warm-up procedure, the activity, a review of the home challenge, and a wrap-up. The majority of the activities themselves are direct, appear to be fun to enact and meaningful to the targeted population. Materials are simple and easy to acquire. There were a few exceptions, where I noted the activity appeared to be a bit complicated and I questioned how well it would work. But that is not the case overall. Good suggestions for group closure are included. Many additional helpful suggestions are added throughout. Since parents are an integral part of working with students, the fact that each session contains a “home challenge” piece makes the activity all the more meaningful. Each “home challenge” is clearly presented and directly connects and reinforces what the child has been exposed to in group. Additional resources include a “Parent Welcome Letter,” a “Participation Information Sheet,” a “Certificate of Achievement,” and a “Parent Evaluation Form.” Overall, I found the drama-based Social Competence Intervention Program to be a knowledge-based, meaningful publication with a well-described program for the targeted population. Marianne Thomas, NCSP, has been a practicing school psychologist for 23 years.

Helping Children in Poverty Reviewed by Jennifer Barr DeHaan

he numbers of children and families living in poverty are growing as a result of many factors, including recent economic trends. The National Center for Children in Poverty suggests that the number of children living in poverty has increased by 21% between 2000 and 2008, with 2.5 million more children living in poverty today than in the year 2000. Having an understanding of the impact of poverty on children’s lives is critical for school psychologists to effectively serve these families. Meeting the Needs is organized into two main sections. Section I is intended to provide an understanding of poverty and its impact on children’s lives. This is achieved by outlining the historical, economic, social, political, and psychological dimensions that define and maintain

poverty as well as dispelling common preconceived beliefs about people who live in poverty (Chapter 1); providing a neuropsychological perspective on cognitive and social–emotional development, including the effects of poverty on brain development (Chapter 2); and reviewing the environmental effects of poverty (both medical and social–emotional) as well as identifying resilience and protective factors (Chapter 3). Section II is designed to offer clinical and educational approaches to working with children and families from a background of poverty. Guidelines for comprehensive assessments are provided in Chapters 4 (cognitive and educational) and Chapter 5 (social–emotional and behavioral). The next four chapters move into general educational strategies and curriculum recommendations (Chapter 6), school-wide soMeeting the Needs of cial–emotional and Students and behavioral strategies Families From Poverty: A Hand- (Chapter 7), recommenbook for School dations for establishing and Mental Health a positive school climate Professionals By T. N. Thomas(Chapter 8), and suggesPresswood & tions for fostering famD. Presswood 2008, Paul H. ily involvement (ChapBrookes Publishing ter 9). Finally, the text Co. outlines implications for training programs and federal policy (Chapter 10). The assessment portions of this text follow a “best practices” approach that could serve as a practical guide for individuals currently enrolled in a training program or a practitioner who is searching for an updated reference grounded in research. It should be noted that the methods outlined are based on the philosophy that the assessment process should include substantial standardized measures, and a relatively small portion of the text (approximately four pages total) is devoted to describing how the response-to-intervention process may be implemented with poverty considerations. In addition, the sections describing appropriate school-wide interventions are presented following the assessment sections, a further indication that the authors promote a more “traditional” assessment model. The authors are extremely thorough in describing the myriad of factors associated with poverty through a bio-psycho-social lens. This reviewer especially appreciated how the authors encourage readers to take a step back and think critically about the many ways our personal culture and resulting value judgments may impact our expectations and interactions with students and their families. As such, this text would be an invaluable resource for any educator employed in a high poverty area. n Jennifer Barr DeHaan, PhD, NCSP, is a practicing school psychologist in Longview, Washington.

St udent Connections Looking Ahead: School Psychology Awareness Week 2010 By Janeann Lineman

ach year, students across the nation take part in School Psychology Awareness Week activities in an effort to promote the field of school psychology. These activities serve as a way to celebrate training experiences and further develop rewarding relationships with fellow students, practitioners, schools, and communities. This year, School Psychology Awareness Week will be held during the week of November 8–12 with the theme, Today is a good day to … SHINE. In hope of building excitement and inspiring ideas for this year’s activities, here are some highlights from last year’s activities organized by outstanding student leaders. Last year, participants did an incredible job of promoting the role of school psychologists by helping others better address the challenges encountered at school and home in a positive manner. In collaboration with fellow students, faculty, and practitioners, student leaders organized activities that included distributing NASP resources to schools and communities, creating posters and bulletin boards that outlined advocacy information, presenting the NASP PowerPoint “School Psychology: A Career That Makes A Difference” to undergraduate students, and reaching out to local practitioners in an effort to show appreciation. The following are a sample of the many successful activities that took place during School Psychology Week 2009. These examples were posted on the School Psychology Awareness Week online Community by student leaders and reflect the hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm exhibited by all in promoting this important event and raising awareness of the profession. We appreciate the efforts of all graduate programs that participated in School Psychology Awareness Week 2009.

ogy and held their first meeting during school psychology awareness week. Towson University Student Leader: Jessica Sammons

The graduate students at Towson University focused on community during School Psychology Awareness Week. They presented the “School Psychology: A Career That Makes A Difference” PowerPoint to undergraduate school psychology classes and high school senior psychology students. A bake sale and information booth was hosted to increase awareness of the field of school psychology. Throughout the week, school psychology t-shirts were sold to students and professionals in the field. Temple University Student Leader: Celeste Malone At Temple University, the goal of graduate students was to increase the visibility of the field of school psychology. Targeted NASP handouts were provided to individual programs within their College of Education. In addition to NASP mission and position statements, a list of abstracts of two or three articles from the school psychology literature related to their discipline was provided. Other resources included School Psychology Awareness Week posters and flyers developed by the state association. Recruitment activities took place by contacting department chairs of nearly 40 colleges in the Delaware Valley region and providing information on school psychology and Temple University’s open house hosted in the fall. Georgia State University Student Leader: Kizzy Albritton The graduate students at Georgia State University had a successful School Psychology Awareness Week with their participation in “Cooked for a Cause” and “Coats for a Cause.” “Cooked for a Cause” was a twist on the traditional bake sale in which students baked delicious items such as homemade pumpkin gingerbread, hazelnut cream cake, and chocolate-filled chocolate chip cookies. Funds were used to raise money for children and families that were affected by the floods in Georgia. “Coats for a Cause” gave students the opportunity to donate gently used coats as families prepared to transition into the winter months. In addition, several presentations were given to preservice teachers as well as undergraduate students within the psychology department.

Miami University Student Leader: Cody Hostutler Recipient of the 2009–2010 Student Leader School Psychology Awareness Award At Miami University, graduate students conducted presentations for undergraduates and provided direct follow-up via e-mail with audience members. Information tables Southern Illinois University Student Leader: Gretchen Plate with NASP handouts and posters were displayed on campus. With the assistance of The students at Southern Illinois University designed and purchased t-shirts displaypeers, a bake sale was organized and each cohort adopted a family and provided them ing “School Psychology Awareness Week” and wore the shirts to multiple practicum with gifts during the holiday season. In addition, a newsletter article was written to re- sites. Wearing the shirts helped build camaraderie between established and entering view the successful activities completed during School Psychology Awareness Week. students and increased awareness at field sites. A bulletin board featuring posters and articles was featured to display continual promotion of the field of school psychology. Illinois State University Student Leader: Anna Hickey That month, graduate students followed up with presentations to strengthen recruitRecipient of the 2009–2010 Student Leader School Psychology Awareness Award ment efforts. Graduate students at Illinois State University organized a 5K Walk/Run fundraising during ISU Family Week to help defray convention travel expenses. During the event, students Looking Ahead talked with families and other participants to increase awareness of school psychology. Last year’s School Psychology Awareness Week was a huge success because of the hard Further supporting outreach efforts, presentations were conducted for high school and work and dedication of all its participants. Hosting activities during School Psychology undergraduate students. To show appreciation, students delivered thank you notes to Awareness Week that promote NASP’s mission, strategic plan, and standards is a great local school psychologists and provided gifts of appreciation to faculty. way for you to support the presidential priorities of the 2010–2011 NASP President, Kathy Minke. Assist NASP in the effort of better Nova Southeastern University preparing the next generation of school Spotlight Student Leaders: Catherine Samuelpsychologists by developing advocacy acBarrett and Pricilla Jones tivities related to the changing roles and Recipient of the 2009–2010 Student Leader services provided in schools. Help bridge School Psychology Awareness Award relationships across programs, schools, The students at Nova Southeastern Uniand families through presentations or versity were represented by two student School Psychology Awareness Week provides a great opportunity for promoting the community fundraisers and events to supdelegates. With the assistance of peers, port outreach and increase awareness of profession of school psychology. One way to support the effort is by volunteering faculty, and practitioners, graduate stuschool psychology. Consider volunteering for the CLD Ambassador of Recruitment initiative. Increasing the number of school dents organized a bake sale during which for NASP’s CLD Ambassadors of Recruitpsychologists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds is a goal within the they displayed posters and passed out ment Initiative to help recruit undergraddiversity area of NASP’s strategic plan. The CLD Ambassadors of Recruitment program NASP handouts. Presentations were uate students from diverse backgrounds is designed to promote diversity in the profession through outreach and recruitment given to undergraduate students and into the profession. efforts directed to undergraduate students from CLD backgrounds. School psychology students attending local community colWhen looking ahead to School Psyinformational career presentations are given by volunteer “ambassadors” to underleges; handouts were also distributed to chology Awareness Week 2010, remember graduate students in psychology, education, or ethnic studies courses at colleges and local schools. Outreach efforts focused that this is a time to celebrate your trainuniversities with a high concentration of students from diverse backgrounds. NASP on promoting NASP membership and ing experiences and develop rewarding career information and resources are provided to participants and evaluation data is convention attendance. Lastly, gradurelationships with fellow students, praccollected on presentation effectiveness and related issues. This is a joint initiative of ate students formed a new chapter of the titioners, schools, and communities. With NASP’s Multicultural Affairs Committee and the Student Workgroup. Read more about Graduate Association of School Psychollast year’s success in mind, we look forthe initiative, view the recruitment PowerPoint and materials, and learn how to volunward to hearing about this year’s exciting teer at: http://www.nasponline.org/resources/culturalcompetence/cld.aspx. Janeann Lineman, NCSP, is the cochair of the Student Development Workgroup. events and activities. n

CLD Ambassadors of Recruitment Initiative

October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | Communiqué | 35

Just a Click Away

Tech Corner B y B i l l P f o hl

B y Da n F lo r e l l

Duplicate Files

to delete any file. Move the files to a separate folder and burn a backup DVD of them. Then you can always go to the archived copy in the future. I try not to eliminate photos until I am sure they are either bad or clear duplicates. If I have a doubt, then I keep them. Hard drives can fill up fast. I have had two external major hard drive crashes in the past year, so now I have two 1-terabyte external drives with duplicate data on them. So have a plan before you start: places for originals, modified or duplicate files, etc. Know on what source you want to keep your originals and eliminate duplicates, burn them to a DVD, or store them on an external drive. I would suggest starting with placing all your files on one hard drive, including files from your iPhone, iPad, iPod, flash memory sticks, and any smartphone. Make the source clear: iPod, flash drive, school, reports, etc. Make sure you have a system that identifies the source and makes sense to you. Then examine each source for duplicates. If everything is all on one drive, it is much easier; otherwise, you will have to examine each device separately. I would also recommend making a backup of all your files before starting—just in case. New external hard drives up to 1 terabyte are less than $100. Portable hard drives for 500 GB are less than $100. These hold a lot of data. If you need to just merge files, Win-Merge (free) can identify file types for you. Image Composer ($35) can locate similar-looking images in varying resolutions and file types so you can pick the ones you want to keep. Files are so important in our business that you will need to have a plan to store the originals and eliminate (or store elsewhere) the duplicates. This process will take time, particularly if you have never done it, but it is nice to know that the file you thought was the original or latest version is the correct one. Doing this monthly will make your life easier.

I am sitting here as I type this column looking at six flash drives and two external hard drives. They all have various files on them, many files are duplicates, and it is tricky to know which one is the most up-to-date. With huge capacity hard drives available, duplicate files can sit in places you may not realize. I have faced complications as I accumulate more photos across hard drives. I also have my university files, private practice files, and other files I want to have with me. A recent article in Smart Computing (July 2010) offers some strategies on finding, merging, and eliminating duplicate files. So maybe the file you thought you lost is not really lost but sits within all the files you have at home or school. Windows has a way of making them known with brackets (e.g., [2]). However, it only does this to files that have the same name. The most serious problem may be that you open, change, and resave a file, but later mistake another file as the one you changed. Or there may be several open files at one time and you do not know which one is the original or the most recently modified. One solution is to have a core of safeguarded original files that represent files that you do not open unless the current file becomes corrupted. Duplicate files are not all the same. True duplicates are exact copies down to the very byte. Even files with the same date, size, and extension may not be exact duplicates. To make sure you do not accidently delete a file, thinking it is a duplicate, you can now use software to help analyze your files and tell you which are true duplicates and which ones can be eliminated or archived. So what you want to do is to make sure that the two or more files are exact internally (within the file itself), even with slightly different names and dates. If you start to do this process manually, you will definitely make mistakes and likely lose valuable files. I have looked for free programs but they have limitations, particularly with my new I recently ordered a program (Adobe Lightroom) from a ven64-bit Windows 7 program—the least expensive one ($14) is dor only to discover that it had just come out in a newer verfrom AcuteFinder (www.acutefinder.com). sion. I called the vendor, who indicated that all sales were final The more sophisticated programs can also work for photos and suggested I call Adobe. I called Adobe Customer Service and music. You will want to save the original photo/music files and got to the correct customer service rep after only two before trying to change them—particularly .jpeg files. Each time transfers—efficiently done. The Customer Service Rep was you save a .jpeg file, it changes the original file and makes it less what all of us want in these calls: friendly, competent, and useable. RAW files do not have this problem. Always preserve helpful. She understood the problem and even though the exthe original .jpeg file and do not modify it; save your modified change date had expired by a week, she made the upgrade to picture under a different name or modifier. These programs the new program version for me. She shipped a new version are slightly more expensive but more powerful. Easy Duplicate overnight by Fed Ex at no cost. This was incredible service and Finder ($49) will do files, music, and photos. You can give it a I was most pleased from this experience. Go Adobe. free trial (which is limited to 10 files). Another program, Duplicate File Detective ($40), has a 15-day trial. It has an ability to zip files, print files, and scan photos. It can also list those files As far as I know, this only works for Windows, but Apple may that you can safely delete. With the greater capability, the pro- do it also. I have trouble at times finding my cursor on a page, gram has a steeper learning curve. Another option is Duplicate either in typing or on a browser. In Windows XP or Vista, go Finder ($40 at www.ashisoft.com); you can try it for 30 days to Control Panel and open the Mouse folder. Click on Pointer free and finding 50 duplicates. Options and then check the box for Show the Location of the Easy Duplicate Finder allows you to also scan Windows Ex- Pointer When I Press the CTRL Key. You can also change the plorer. You drag and drop files that you pointer to have a tail that follows across Recommended Websites want to check; all files can be scanned as the screen. This approach may also help

Adobe—Good Service

Tip: Cursor Location

an option. You can also set specific file types such as .doc or .jpeg to aid in your search. As you view your results, the option to delete can be tricky because you may have several duplicates in different places. In addition, make sure the file is located where you think it is by following the “path” of the file to make sure it is not accidently deleted. You can use the Recycle Bin as a backup if you make a mistake—until you empty it. You also have another option if you do not want

Research Institute on Progress Monitoring http://progressmonitoring.org Lots of solid research based information for compliance with IDEA. Student Progress Monitoring www.studentprogress.org Useful information for RTI. Flashcard Exchange www.flashcardexchange.com Flashcards for all subjects available; for iPhones, too.

36 | Communiqué | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

those with motor or visual impairments keep track of the cursor on the screen. In Windows 7, type in Mouse in the Search Box on the Start icon in the lower left of the screen and follow the above instructions. Hitting the Ctrl key quickly shows the cursor/pointer location. n Bill Pfohl, NCSP, is a professor of psychology at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY. He is president of the International School Psychology Association and a former president of NASP. He can be reached at billnasp@aol.com.

As a person who earns a living in school psychology and not technology or Internet applications, it can be intimidating to even think of staying up to date with the latest gizmo or social networking site. Just when you think you have caught up, another technological advancement comes and leaves you a couple of steps behind. My focus is on how a new technology can help me become a better school psychologist. In this case, I will use Twitter as an example of a relatively new technology that school psychologists should consider using in their practice. There are six basic questions that you should ask when considering adopting a new technology. How will this technology help me do my job better? School psychologists are constantly searching for information on child development and education issues. Twitter has become a place where organizations and experts in the field post helpful information. How much time will I need to devote to learn this technology? Twitter is a technology that is quick and easy to learn and use. The University of Westminster has a series of good videos (http://www.multimediatrainingvideos. com/studentvideos.html) on how to use various new technologies, including Twitter. Have I seen this technology used before by other school psychologists? More and more school psychologists are using Twitter. NASP (nasponline) and other professional organizations are increasing their presence on Twitter. Have I tried the new technology and found it useful? I have found Twitter useful in that it provides a constant feed of new and useful information, and yet I don’t feel the obligation to constantly read all of the tweets like I do with e-mail. Is the new technology consistent with best practice standards? Best practice encourages continuing education and staying up to date on the latest research and practice. Twitter provides a good platform to gain this information. What is the cost of adopting the new technology? Twitter, like many social networking sites, is free. However, there is a time cost and there are probably other ways to gain specific information in a quicker manner. Now that I have gone through the six questions for Twitter, I can conclude that it would be a useful technology for me to adopt. I encourage everyone to use these six questions the next time you look at using the latest technology for school psychology practice. n Dan Florell, PhD, NCSP, an assistant professor in the school psychology program at Eastern Kentucky University, is the NASP Webmaster.

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Having my kids grow up and move away has not ended my education as a parent â&#x20AC;Ś there are all-new challenges. Kind of like the stuff they strew: biggerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not Barbie shoes and Legos any more, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an entire drum set, a long board, giant packing boxes in the garage, an extra bicycle. Sometimes I come out in the morning and there are entire extra full-size people strewn about. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can I keep these here for the summer?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Can I store some stuff in the garage?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you know what happened to my favorite old t-shirt?â&#x20AC;? Yes to the first two.â&#x20AC;Ś I do love it when they cycle back home for all or part of the summer, but I have to say, I do not love their junk. Possibly my greatest failing as a parent was a conscious, prioritized decision not to push for tidiness. I calculated the time and duress it would have caused me to make this a priority (remember, this is a fulltime working mom-of-four) and decided I would rather pay to have a housecleaner or do it myself. So naturally, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reaping what I sow. I take some solace in the fact that they have to take it or store it when they leave, but wow, that drum setâ&#x20AC;Ś.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the saying? To err is human â&#x20AC;Ś but to truly screw things up takes a computer. I was updating my webpage for the gifted program, adding some preschool parenting links in response to a request from a parent of a very precocious 2-year-old (he reads). Then, after uploading, in an unusual combination of perspicacity and sheer luck, I checked the links. To my horror, the preschool parenting link had morphed into a page picturing a gorgeous babe promising everything XXX! Of course it morphed; it could not have been my transposing letters from â&#x20AC;&#x153;blogspotâ&#x20AC;? to â&#x20AC;&#x153;globspot.â&#x20AC;? I rushed to reopen the program and delete, delete, delete but as is more usual when it comes to luck, the Internet connection chose that moment to fail. With porn out there! On the school district webpage! Over my signature! In panic, I called the IT guy that provides our Web service. I pretended I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear him snickering in the background, because he was exceptionally nice and professional, and managed to not only disconnect the porn, but also locate and link the actual intended page. Yes, thanks to Anthony at Diverse Net-

Maybe she used up all of her bad luck with the odds on her chromosomes: Down Syndrome is only 1 in 600, after all. But my Alice is amazingly lucky when it comes to games of chance. She has won split-thepot, silent auction, drawings, raffles, and blackjack. On her 21st birthday, in fact, she sat down at a casino table and was dealt, for her first hand â&#x20AC;Ś yes â&#x20AC;Ś 21. So she has kind of come to expect it. When we had an overnight in Reno recently and put our respective $20s into four chips apiece (do I hear a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Biiig whoopâ&#x20AC;?? Hey, $5 a hand is pretty rich for our blood), we lost. Quickly and thoroughly. I gathered our dignity and left the table, but out in the street, Alice was agitated. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mom! I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to lose!â&#x20AC;? I tried to keep a straight face. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mom! Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go back and win!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, we spent all our gambling money.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I lost! I want to win!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yeah, they kind of count on that.â&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? I am amazed that she actually says these thingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in other ways, she can be so insightful. It reminds me of taking her to see the latest Alice in Wonderland. We biked through significant summer heat to the

theater, and when we got there, the show was sold out. I walked away from the ticket booth shaking my head and giving Alice the bad news. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But Mom! We have to see it!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know, but the next show we can get in is not â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;til 7 and we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait that long.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mom! Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not leaving! Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll let me in.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think they will.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mom! Tell them my name is Alice! They will let me in if they know my name is Alice!â&#x20AC;? And I usually get so much spam in my home e-mailbox that I barely glance at it while Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m deleting, but the AT&T message said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;High Use Alertâ&#x20AC;? and it was Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cell phone number. I decided to call the customer service number it gave me and learned that she had downloaded no less than $198 in ring tones despite us showing her what not to do and checking her account for extra charges. It took over an hour on the phone, but they actually took off all the charges and set the phone so it couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t access the Internet. I never thought Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d say it, but AT&T made my day. Rescued by customer service twice in one column! If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of things to do, send me an e-mail: pbeeman@mail.chicousd .org. n Pamela Beeman has been a school psychologist for 30 years and lives in Chico, CA.

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ÂŠ 2 0 1 0 , N at io n a l A s s o ci atio n o f S cho o l P s ycho l o gis ts

October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2 | CommuniquĂŠ | 37

Employment Notices *MA/Faculty Positions: Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. The Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology in Boston seeks one full-time or two part-time faculty members for its dynamic, practiceoriented School Psychology Program. MSPP now offers both specialist and doctoral (PsyD) level training. The program emphasizes integration of coursework and fieldwork, prevention, mental health, and social responsibility. Candidates must hold a doctoral degree, preferably in school psychology, and have a primary professional affiliation with the field of school psychology. The ideal candidate is an NCSP with exemplary work experience as a school psychologist and demonstrated skill in higher education teaching. Desired areas of expertise include instructional intervention; cognitive, affective and biological bases of behavior and learning; developmental neuropsychology; bilingual assessment and intervention; diversity and cross-cultural psychology; preschool services; and mental health policy and systems. Responsibilities include doctoral project supervision, student advising, institutional committees, and field placement coordination. Community service, scholarship, and leadership within the professional community are all highly valued. Candidates must be available for teaching and advising during parts of July and August. Send cover letter and CV to Bob Lichtenstein, Ph.D.; MSPP; 221 Rivermoor Street; Boston, MA 02132. Applications will be reviewed when submitted, and considered until positions are filled. MSPP is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

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38 | CommuniquĂŠ | October 2010, Volume 39, Number 2

NC/Assistant Professor: #949082 EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY Department of Psychology invites applications for a tenure-track position in Pediatric School Psychology, at the assistant professor level, beginning August 15, 2011. Selected candidates will assume research and teaching responsibilities within the Pediatric School Psychology Concentration of the Health Psychology Ph.D. program. Candidates must have an emphasis in Pediatric School Psychology, be qualified to teach courses and supervise practica in this area, and hold research interests such as primary prevention, health promotion in the schools, psychoeducational impact of acute and chronic medical disorders, or other Pediatric School Psychology issues. Applicants must have demonstration of, or strong potential for, an active research program and extramural funding. A doctorate is required, preferably from an APAaccredited program. Will consider other titles based on degree and qualifications. Eligibility for North Carolina Psychology Board licensure is required; applicants should have completed an APA-accredited internship and, preferably, one year of supervised postdoctoral experience. Service to the university, community, and profession is expected. The Pediatric School Psychology concentration of the Health Psychology program prepares students for careers as scientistâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;practitioners with competencies in both school and health psychology. Successful candidates will help forward our training goals to prepare students to serve children and adolescents with health-related problems; have skills to work within and across medical, home, and school settings; and to provide direct and indirect services to enhance the educational and behavioral health of children. They will also contribute to the specialist-level School Psychology and undergraduate programs. We seek candidates whose training and professional experiences clearly demonstrate an ecological orientation to the profession. The desired candidate should also demonstrate a strong background in data-based decisionmaking within a problem-solving framework. Applicants for this position must complete a candidate profile and submit a letter of interest, statements of teaching and research interests, and curriculum vitae online at www .jobs.ecu.edu. In addition, mail three current letters of reference and representative reprints to Pediatric School Psychology Search Committee Chair, Department of Psychology, Mail Stop 565, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4353. Screening will begin October 15, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled. The Department of Psychology (www.

ecu.edu/psyc) has 38 full-time faculty, over 650 undergraduate majors, MA programs in clinical, school, I/O, and research psychology, and a Ph.D. program in Health Psychology. The department also participates in an interdisciplinary BA/BS program in Neuroscience. ECU is a public doctoral/research-extensive institution in eastern North Carolina, with over 26,000 students and also contains the Brody School of Medicine, the College of Nursing and the School of Allied Health Sciences. ECU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer that accommodates individuals with disabilities. Individuals requesting a disability accommodation should call the ECU Office of Disability Support Services at 252-737-1016. Official transcripts and proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment. NOTE: Position returned to HCAS by AA on 4/9/10 Approved by DEM 061810 WI/Assistant Professor: The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Department of Psychology in the College of Liberal Studies, is recruiting a new team player to the School Psychology Program for a full-time academic year tenuretrack Assistant Professor position to start August 2011. We seek a new colleague who is willing to contribute to the vision of continuing our strong tradition to educate future school psychologists who will positively contribute to childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic success. Our new collaborator will share the departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to diversity and will be a dedicated teacher, active scholar, and mentor for students with diverse backgrounds. The School Psychology graduate program grants an Education Specialist degree and is fully approved by NASP. Prefer applicants with strong interests in consultation/intervention, and psychoeducational assessment skills. Graduate teaching expectations may include Early Childhood Assessment, Consultation, and Personality or Intellectual Assessment. Other graduate duties include Ed.S. capstone project supervision and supervision of student practica and internships. Occasional undergraduate course offerings appropriate to candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training and expertise are expected. Successful applicants must be eligible for Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Psychologist licensure. Prefer applicants with completed doctoral degree in School Psychology or closely related field but will consider advanced ABD candidates who provide evidence of completing dissertation prior to position start date. Prefer applicants with applied experience in School Psychology, evidence of potential for effective teaching, research involving students, and a strong commitment to training in and identity with School Psychology. Academic year salary is competitive and commensurate with experience with excellent fringe benefits and insurance programs. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is nationally renowned as a comprehensive university with demonstrated excellence in undergraduate and graduate education. UW-L is located on the Mississippi River, in an area abounding in natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. It is located approximately two and a half hours from both Madison, Wisconsin, and the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St Paul. The city of La Crosse is home to three colleges, two worldclass medical institutions, the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra, a restored nineteenth century downtown business district, and a number of galleries and art centers. La Crosse has been voted one of the ten best cities in the U.S. in which to live. Review of applications will begin on Nov. 1, 2010. Electronic submission of application materials is required and will consist of a letter of application, CV, and a contact information document that includes the names, email addresses and phone numbers for three current references. In addition, at the time of application, you will be requested to upload an â&#x20AC;&#x153;otherâ&#x20AC;? document providing a statement regarding what you believe to be the most essential skills that school psychologists need in order to be successful now and in the future. If you have any questions about this position, please contact Dr. Robert Dixon at dixon. robe@uwlax.edu. To apply, please visit https:// employment.uwlax.edu/. *States that use the NCSP as part of their standard

ÂŠ 2 0 1 0 , Nat io nal A sso c iat io n o f Sc ho o l P syc ho lo g ist s

RECRUIT A NASP MEMBER AND WIN $250! With NASPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Member-Get-AMember Campaign, the More Members You Recruit, the Better Your Chances to Win! As a member, you know how beneficial NASP membership has been to your professional life. Your personal recommendation can help other school psychologists, graduate students, or allied professionals understand what NASP can offer them. Every time you recruit a colleague to join NASP between October 6 and November 16, 2010, you will be entered to win one grand prize of $250 and three runner-up prizes of $100 each. Visit www.nasponline.org/membership for more details and to access the campaignâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy-to-use tools that make getting the word out about NASP membership benefits quick and simple.

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Contact the NASP Membership Department at membership@naspweb.org or by calling (866) 331-NASP or (301) 657-0270 for assistance with the Member-Get-A-Member Campaign.

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