School Psychologist's Survival Guide

REBECCA BRANSTETTER, Ph.D. is a school psychologist who has worked with public K–12 schools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She also works with children through her private practice, Grow Assessment and Counseling Services. Branstetter is the author of the popular blog “Notes from the School Psychologist” (www.studentsgrow.blogspot.com).

• Exhibits, Forms, and Figures xvAcknowledgments xixAbout the Author xxiPreface xxiiiIntroduction xxv1 Wearing Many Hats: the Roles of the School Psychologist 1Assessment 2Consultation 3Prevention and Intervention 4Counseling 5Pulling It All Together 6Key Points 6Discussion Questions 72 Finding Where You Belong: Logistics and Building Relationships in Your Schools 9Getting Situated at a New School Site 11Building Relationships with Key Staff Members 12The School Secretary: Your New Best Friend 12The Principal: Captain of the Ship 12Counselors and Other Support Staff 14Special Educators 14General Education Teachers 17The Custodian 17Beginning-of-School Logistics 17What to Do in the First Few Days and Weeks of School 18Managing Multiple Sites 18Finding a Work Space at Your School Site 22Getting Needed Materials 23Other Considerations in the First Few Weeks 23Once You Are Settled In: Introducing Yourself 24Introducing Yourself to Staff 25Introducing Yourself to Families and Students 27Pulling It All Together 28Key Points 28Discussion Questions 293 Help! I’m Drowning in Paperwork! How to Tame the Bureaucracy Monster 31Managing Your Assessment Caseload 32Completing Your Assessments Within Timelines 34Check Your Assessment Caseloads for Accuracy 35Make Your Yearly Assessment Calendar 35Documenting and Tracking Interventions, Counseling, and Crisis Counseling 39Documenting Interventions 39Documenting Counseling and Crisis Counseling 39Documenting Child Protective Services Calls and Reports 40What’s Next? Time Management Tips for Balancing Assessment Caseloads with Other Roles 40Scheduling Your Week 41Scheduling Your Day 43What to Do When You Are Drowning in a Sea of Assessments 44Pulling It All Together 45Key Points 46Discussion Questions 474 Intervention and Prevention 49How to Be Preventive When You Have No Time 50Being Effective on Leadership and Prereferral Intervention Teams 50Schoolwide Support Teams 51Student-Focused Support Teams 53Developing and Supporting Academic Interventions 56Developing and Supporting Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Interventions 57Developing Your Own Prevention Activities and Programs 59Common Pitfalls and What to Do About Them 60When Special Education Intervention Is the Only Game in Town 60When Your School Is Sending You Inappropriate Referrals 61Pulling It All Together 62Key Points 62Discussion Questions 645 Response to Intervention (RTI): Changing Your Role From Special Education Gatekeeper to Keymaster of Interventions 65School Psychologists’ Roles in RtI 66Academic RtI: Data-Based Decision Making 68Tier 1 Interventions 68Developing Individual Intervention Plans and Data-Tracking Tools 69Behavioral RtI: Data-Based Decision Making 73Universal Screening 73Assessment and Intervention Audits 74Monitoring Tier 1 Effectiveness 74Tiers 2 and 3: Gathering Baseline Data and Using Progress Monitoring Tools 74How to Track Individual Student Progress with Your RtI Team 75Navigating Your Role Change 76Pulling It All Together 76Key Points 77Discussion Questions 786 Special Education Assessment 79The Assessment Process: From Parental Consent to Report Writing 80Determining Timelines and Informing All Involved Parties of the Assessment 80Reviewing the History and Gathering Environmental Data 83Conducting a Developmental History with Parents or Guardians 89Deciding If You Need to Do a Full Social-Emotional-Behavioral Evaluation 92Selecting Appropriate Testing Instruments 98Selecting Your Testing Tools 99Beginning Your Testing with the Student 100Writing Quality Reports 101A Note About Other Types of Evaluations 102Pulling It All Together 103Key Points 103Discussion Questions 1047 the Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Friend Or Foe? 105Before the IEP Meeting 106Learning About Your Role and Presentation Style in IEP Meetings 106Building Consensus on Your IEP Team 106When to Share Results with Parents Before the IEP Meeting 108Collaborating with Outside Team Members in the IEP 109During the IEP Meeting 110Laying the Groundwork for Presenting Results 110Other Helpful Tips When Presenting at an IEP Meeting 117After the IEP Meeting 118Pulling It All Together 119Key Points 119Discussion Questions 1218 Do You Have a Minute? How to Be An Effective Consultant 123Where Theory Meets Real Life 124Behavioral Consultation 124Social-Emotional and Crisis Consultation 128Academic Consultation 130Consultation During the IEP-Writing Process 131Dealing with Negative Nancy and Naysayer Ned: Working with “Involuntary” Consultees 133The Uncomfortable Teachers’ Lounge Consultation 134Pulling It All Together 134Key Points 135Discussion Questions 1369 Individual Counseling 137Counseling Roles 138Types of School-Based Individual Counseling 139Psychodynamic (“Insight-Oriented”) Therapy 139Play and Art Therapy 140Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 142Solution-Focused Brief Therapy 143Beginning Counseling 145During Counseling: Documentation and Sticky Situations 149Documentation 149When You Need to Call Child Protective Services (CPS) 151When a Child Is a Danger to Himself or Others 152Sticky Confidentiality Issues 152Terminating Counseling 153Pulling It All Together 154Key Points 154Discussion Questions 15510 Group Counseling 157Starting a Group: Factors to Consider 157Conduct a Needs Assessment at Your School 158Deciding What Type of Group to Run 158Deciding Who Is in Your Group 159Choosing a Cofacilitator 167Deciding on When and Where to Hold Your Group 167Deciding on the Level of Structure in the Group 168What to Do When Things Get Messy 172A Student Wants to Drop Out of Group 172Group Members “Gang Up” on Another Group Member or Members 172The Group Is Out of Control 173A Student Leaves the Group Without Permission 173A Group Member Does Not Participate 174Pulling It All Together 174Key Points 175Discussion Questions 17611 The Dreaded Late-night Phone Call: How to Deal with a Crisis at Your School 177Preparation for a Crisis 178Types of Crises 179Individual Student Crises: Danger to Self and Danger to Others 179Schoolwide Crises: Determining the Ripple Effect and Implementing Psychological First Aid 185Pulling It All Together 195Key Points 196Discussion Questions 19612 Put on Your Oxygen Mask Before Helping Others: How to Manage The Stress of the Job 197Practicing Self-Care 198Moments of Zen 198Flocking 199Maintaining Healthy Work-Life Boundaries 200Your Role and Saying No 200Know When to Say When 202Pulling It All Together 202Key Points 203Discussion Questions 203Bibliography and Resources 205Index 207