SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGISTS
Helping children achieve
their best.
In school.
At home.
In life.
Your Lake Orion
School Psychology
Team:
Sue Waymire
Tracy Hobbs
Jared Wood
Michelle Chappell
Jillian Knapp
School psychologists believe
that all children learn when
given:
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Adequate supports and resources
Recognition of their individual needs
Connection to and trust in adults
Opportunities to achieve
Acceptance and encouragement
Cooperation between school and home
School psychologists:
• Are uniquely positioned to prepare students
to meet the demands of the world in which
they live
• Have specialized training in both psychology
and education which extends their expertise
far beyond the most familiar roles of
conducting evaluations to determine special
education eligibility
• Can support the social, emotional, and
academic learning goals of all students and
can provide services that impact learning at
the individual, small group, classroom,
building, or school district level
School psychologists:
• Collaborate with teachers, administrators,
parents, other school specialists and other
health professionals to ensure that every
child learns in a safe, healthy, support
environment
• Are mandated participants in the follow
evaluations/MET’s:
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Specific learning disability
Cognitive impairment
Autism spectrum disorder
Emotional impairment
School Psychologists
link mental health to learning and behavior to
promote:
• High academic achievement
• Positive social skills and behavior
• Healthy relationships and connectedness
• Tolerance and respect for others
• Competence, self-esteem, and resiliency
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Why Children Need School
Psychologists
Learning difficulties
Behavior concerns
Fears about war, violence, terrorism
Problems at home or with peers
Depression and other mental health issues
Attention problems
Poverty
Diversity, cultural and language barriers
What Do
School
Psychologists
Do?
Assessment
School psychologists work with children,
parents and staff to help determine a
child’s:
•Academic skills
•Learning aptitudes and styles
•Personality and emotional development
•Social skills and behavior issues
•Learning environments, school climate
•Special education eligibility
Consultation
• Help teachers, parents, and administrators
understand child development and learning
• Provide positive alternatives for helping children
with learning and behavior problems
• Strengthen working relationships among
educators, parents, and community services
Prevention
• Implement programs to build positive
connections between students and adults
• Identify potential learning difficulties early
• Design programs for children at risk
• Help adults to address problem behavior(s)
• Foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity
• Create safe, supportive learning environments
Intervention
• Work face-to-face with children and
families
• Develop individualized solutions for
learning and adjustment
• Plan and implement crisis response
• Provide
– Counseling
– Social skills training
– Behavior management solutions
Education
Train teachers and parents in:
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Teaching and learning strategies
Parenting techniques
Classroom management techniques
Working with exceptional students
Strategies to address substance abuse
and risky behaviors
• Crisis prevention and response
Research and Program
Development
• Recommend and implement evidencebased programs and strategies
• Generate new knowledge of learning and
behavior
• Evaluate effectiveness of programs and
interventions
• Contribute to school-wide reform and
restructuring
Mental Health Care
• Deliver school-based mental health
services
• Coordinate with community resources
and health care providers
• Partner with parents and teachers to
create healthy school environments
Advocacy
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NASP and state professional
associations are dedicated to advocacy
School Psychologists Encourage:
Appropriate education placements
Education reform
Legislative involvement
Community services and programs
Funding for adequate resources
Examples of efforts in our
schools:
• Introduced the use
of DIBELS for
universal screening
of reading skills at
the elementary level
• Used to identify
students in need of
additional
intervention and to
monitor progress
Examples of efforts in our
schools:
• Leading the
effort to bring
common
assessments
for special
education
student across
levels
(elementary
through high
school)
Examples of efforts in our
schools:
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Monthly Psyched Up! Newsletters
Topics:
Grade retention
Self-efficacy
RtI
Suicide awareness
Accommodations/Modifications
School psychologists
help prevent bullying
• Develop and institute school-wide
prevention programs/codes of conduct
• Train students on conflict resolution and
social problem solving
• Educate teachers to recognize warning
signs and intervene immediately
• Work individually with students who are
victims or bullies
School psychologists help
prevent and respond to crises
• Collaborate with school staff and district
administration to develop a comprehensive
crisis response plan
• Help identify those who are most distressed
and need interventions or referrals
• Provide training on effective coping skills
• Offer group and family interventions
• Provide follow-counseling/support after a
crisis
• Offer information and referrals for those who
need further help
School psychologists promote
cultural competence
• Provide students culturally and linguistically
appropriate assessment and intervention
services
• Understand how cultural issues relate to
mental health and learning
• Respect and respond to children’s diverse
needs
• Support culturally and linguistically
appropriate communications with parents
Lake Orion School Psychology
Assignments:
Sue Waymire
• Stadium Drive Elementary
• Oakview Middle School
• Private Schools
Tracy Hobbs
• Carpenter Elementary
• Webber Elementary
• Pine Tree Elementary
Jared Wood
• High School
Michelle Chappell
• Paint Creek Elementary
• Scripps Middle School
• Therapeutic Intervention
Program (CERC)
Jillian Knapp
• Orion Oaks Elementary
• Blanche Sims Elementary
• Waldon Middle School
• Early Childhood Programs
To contact your school
psychologists:
Sue Waymire swaymire@lakerion.k12.mi.us
Tracy Hobbs thobbs@lakeorion.k12.mi..us
Jared Wood jwood1@lakeorion.k12.mi.us
Michelle Chappell mchappell@lakeorion.k12.mi.us
Jillian Knapp jknapp@lakeorion.k12.mi.us