Marissa McCarthy, M.S., CSP
School Psychologist
(860) 642 – 3031
marissa.mccarthy@lebanonct.org
School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically,
socially, and emotionally. They team with educators, parents, and other
mental health providers to create safe, healthy and supportive learning
environments for all students that strengthen connections between home,
school and the community.
WHAT IS A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST’S ROLE IN THE SCHOOL
School Psychologists Work With Students to:
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Provide counseling, instruction, and mentoring for those struggling with social,
emotional, and behavioral problems
Increase achievement by assessing barriers to learning and determining the best
instructional strategies to improve learning
Promote wellness and resilience by reinforcing communication and social skills,
problem solving, anger management, self-regulation, self-determination, and optimism
Enhance understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures and backgrounds
School Psychologists Work With Students and Their Families to:
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Identify and address learning and behavior problems that interfere with school success
Evaluate eligibility for special education services (within a multidisciplinary team)
Support students' social, emotional, and behavioral health
Teach parenting skills and enhance home–school collaboration
Make referrals and help coordinate community support services
School Psychologists Work With Teachers to:
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Identify and resolve academic barriers to learning
Design and implement student progress monitoring systems
Design and implement academic and behavioral interventions
Support effective individualized instruction
Create positive classroom environments
Motivate all students to engage in learning
School Psychologists Work With Administrators to:
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Promote school policies and practices that ensure the safety of all students by reducing
school violence, bullying, and harassment
Respond to crises by providing leadership, direct services, and coordination with
needed community services
Design, implement, and garner support for comprehensive school mental health
programming
October 2010
NEWSLETTER
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone back to Lyman in hopes that
the school year has begun successfully. I am honored to announce that I am the new
school psychologist for the high school and I am looking forward to a happy, healthy and
productive school year! I am in the process of trying my best to meet with your children
and introduce myself, for I feel it is important they know my role in the school and that I
am available for support when need be. Please do not hesitate to call and/or email me at
any time if you have questions or concerns about your child’s academic progress or
social/emotional wellbeing within the school system.
My goal for each month is to highlight a different topic in my newsletter that I feel would
be beneficial to students and families. If there is a specific topic you would like further
information on, please feel free to let me know and I will do my best to provide what I
can to assist you. Again, I look forward to meeting you all in the near future and I feel
privileged to be part of the Lyman High School faculty.
HOMEWORK TIPS FOR PARENTS
Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with
other distractions, such as people coming and going.
Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a
dictionary, are available.
Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get
them in advance.
Help your child with time management.
Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave
homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or
afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves
getting together with classmates.
When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.
Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help
teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work
for him or her.
Stay informed.
Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework
and what your child's class rules are.
Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy
homework.
Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert
when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when
fatigue begins to set in.
Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.
Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping her mind on
an assignment.
Reward progress in homework.
If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working
hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to
the park) to reinforce the positive effort.
HELPFUL LINKS FOR EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES
Associations
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American Counseling Association (ACA)
http://www.counseling.org/
Connecticut Association of School Psychologists Resources (CASP)
http://caspweb.org/resources.html
Connecticut State Department of Education – Special Education Resources
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2678&Q=320730
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
http://www.nami.org/
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
http://www.nasponline.org/
National Organizations for Youth Safety
http://www.noys.org/
ADHD
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National Resource center on ADHD
http://www.help4adhd.org/news1.cfm
National Attention Deficit Disorder Association
http://www.add.org/site/PageServer
Autism Spectrum Disorders
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Autism Society of America
http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer
ASPEN of AMERICA – Information on social and communication disorders
http://aspergersyndrome.org/
Interventions for Parents and Educators: Autism Spectrum
http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/pdf/V38N5_AutismSpectrumDisorders.pdf
Bullying Prevention
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International Bullying Prevention Association
http://www.stopbullyingworld.org/
Bullying Prevention and Intervention Article
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/nassp_bullying.aspx
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World Recognized Bullying Prevention Program and Tips
http://www.olweus.org/public/index.page
Grief, Anger Management & Social Skills
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Helping Teenagers Cope with Grief
http://www.hospicenet.org/html/teenager.html
Tips for using Anger Management with your Teen
http://www.myoutofcontrolteen.com/mr-ac.html
Importance of Teaching Social Skills: Facts and Strategies
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/factsheets/socialskills_fs.aspx
Home School Collaboration
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Providing Reasonable Academic Accommodations for Secondary Students
http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Academic%20Accomodations%20for%2
0Students%20With%20Disabilties.pdf
Special Education Law and Advocacy
http://www.wrightslaw.com/index.htm
Positive Parenting
http://www.positiveparenting.com/
College Board
http://www.collegeboard.com/
Learning Disabilities
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All Kinds of Minds – Website for Learning Disabilities
http://www.allkindsofminds.org/
National Center for Learning Disabilities
http://www.ncld.org/
LD Online: Information on Learning Disabilities and ADHD for Teens
http://www.ldonline.org/adhdbasics/teens
Mood Disorders
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Anxiety Disorder Association of America
http://www.adaa.org/
Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
http://www.bpkids.org/
Teen Depression
http://www.teendepression.org/
National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
http://www.samhsa.gov/prevention/suicide.aspx