Who are School Psychologists:
School psychologists are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students’ ability to learn and teachers’ ability to teach. They apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community. (NASP, 2015).
What do School Psychologists Do:
- Consult with teachers, parents, administrators, and community mental health providers about learning, social, and behavior problems;
- Engage in school-wide mental health and behavior initiatives;
- Assist educators in implementing safe, healthy classroom and school environments;
- Assess and evaluate the wide variety of school-related problems and strengths of children and youth in assigned schools;
- Intervene directly with students and families through counseling, support groups, and skills training;
- Serve as a member of interdisciplinary teams to address needs of at-risk students and to serve the needs of students with disabilities through the special education assessment, eligibility, and placement process;
- Communicate results of psychological evaluations to parents, teachers, and others so that they can understand the nature of the student’s difficulties and how to better serve the student’s needs;
- Engage in crisis prevention and intervention services;
- Work with a wide range of student emotional and academic issues;
- May serve one or multiple schools in a school district or work for a community mental health center and/or in a university setting.
How Do I Contact a School Psychologist?
Every school has access to the services of a school psychologist, although some school psychologists serve two or more schools so may not be at a particular school every day. Most often, school psychologists can be reached by inquiring at the school directly, the district’s central office, the local Area Education Agency (AEA) or locating contact information on the school or district website or AEA website.
Mission: ISPA seeks to be the leading voice in advocating for Iowa school psychologists in their role to increase student achievement and promote behavioral, social, and emotional well-being.
Vision Statement: ISPA will preserve and promote the practice of school psychology in Iowa by providing relevant professional development to enhance professional expertise, facilitating communication and collaboration among Iowa school psychologists, promoting ethical practice, and advocating for the profession with key stakeholders.