School Psychologist for the 2024/2025 school year

Position Type:
Student Support Services/Psychologist

Date Posted:
4/11/2024

Location:
Districtwide

Closing Date:
06/01/2024PURPOSE: To facilitate learning and to promote the cognitive, social, and personal development of all students in order to help students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally by collaborating with educators, administrators, families, and other mental health professionals to create a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment; by strengthening connections between home and school; by providing a variety of diagnostic and intervention services that include assessing a student's ability, social-emotional functioning, and diagnosis of learning barriers and identification of learning strengths and interpreting the information to appropriate persons in order to help the student reach his/her full potential; by focusing on prevention of future problems through consultation; by acting as a liaison to pertinent agencies and individuals; and through in-service training and parent/community programming.

FUNCTIONS:

Follows all laws, Board Policies, regulations, rules and procedures, and complies with the instructions and/or directives from his/her supervisor(s).

Works primarily independently in assigned school settings.

Establishes an effective working rapport with all other staff and maintains a positive relationship with the school district's internal and external publics.

Works the additional hours necessary outside of the normal work day for the completion of tasks inherent to the position.

Maintains an effective program for screening, assessment and follow-up services.

Screens referrals in conjunction with appropriate school personnel (e.g., counselors, administrators, professional staff, and nurses) in order to identify the student's barriers to learning and determine appropriate assessment and/or consultative needs.

Gathers appropriate student data/information and administers appropriate assessments when testing is deemed necessary.

Presents assessment results to the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) and/or any other applicable team (e.g., IEP team, Section 504/Chapter 15 team, SHARe team, etc.) in order to recommend and/or help appropriate educational programming.

Discusses assessment results with appropriate parties (e.g., parents/guardians, professional staff, counselors, and administrators) to develop appropriate programming.

Helps ensure optimal utilization of applicable community agencies/resources when programming for the student.

Completes a written summary of the psycho-educational evaluation and/or any other pertinent assessments.

As is appropriate, participates in the development IEPs, ITPs, or Section 504/Chapter 15 Service Agreements.

As is appropriate, attends IEP, ITP, or Section 504/Chapter 15 Service Agreement conferences.

Reviews records of applicable transfer students and, as part of the MDT, recommends appropriate educational programming.

Reevaluates children with disabilities according to state mandates.

Assists in the kindergarten screening process as requested.

Maintains accurate records of assessment data and reports.

Provides consultative psychological services, serving as a consultant for the staff and parents/guardians.

Serves on the district-wide crisis intervention team.

Is available to serve on the intermediate unit crisis intervention team as needed.

Provides crisis intervention short-term counseling on a limited basis.

Provides expertise with regard to field-related trends, development, and research.

Assists in developing those areas of the school district's budget pertinent to his/her assignment.

Completion of School Based Access Program (MA) service logs for each evaluation/re-evaluation and submitted directly after completion of evauation/re-evaluation.

Meets professional obligations and grows professionally by maintaining professional certification(s), including earning level II educational specialist certification within the first six (6) service years of employment as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education; securing and/or maintaining and/or renewing any other specialist certifications or similar such certifications required for him/her to perform in his/her assigned position; and remaining abreast of current developments in education, particularly in his/her assigned area(s).

Maintains contemporary professional awareness and promotes personal professional growth through participation in professional development activities.

As is appropriate, maintains membership in local, state, and national professional organizations.

Protects the rights of individuals by maintaining an ethical approach to psychological activities in the schools.

Performs the work described herein without posing a direct threat to the health or safety of himself/herself or others.

Performs other duties and related tasks as assigned by the Superintendent or designee.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Has the ability to read, write, and speak English fluently.

Has the appropriate Pennsylvania educational specialist certification.

Possesses effective communication, judgmental, planning, organizational, problem-solving, and human relations skills.

Must possess and display the ability to follow directives and adhere to the established chain of command.

Has the ability to drive and possesses a valid driver's license.

Must be dependable, punctual, flexible, appropriately attired, neat in appearance, and able to manage time appropriately.

Must maintain a professional demeanor and image.

Must be courteous to students, staff, and the general public.

Must possess adequate interpersonal skills, demonstrating the ability to work independently and/or on a team.

Possesses necessary technology-related knowledge and individual computer/technology-related skills.

Provides evidence of professional growth and development by keeping current in the field.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods of time.

Must be able to move about the work area to access materials, file cabinets, machinery, etc.

Must be able to operate equipment relative to his/her position for use and simple service or repair.

Must be able to travel between school district buildings and other job-related locations as necessary.

Must be able to withstand changes in environmental conditions inside and outside of the work facility, and to adapt to these changes.

Must be able to attend evening meetings.

Must be able to access all work areas and locations.

Must be able to lift as required.

This position description does not state or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees in this position will be required to perform any other duties requested by their administrator(s) and/or supervisor(s).

The position holder must be able to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. It is the responsibility of the employee to inform the school district of any and all reasonable accommodations that will be required.