Denton ISD Is an Equal Opportunity Employer
DENTON ISD
PRE-DOCTORAL PSYCHOLOGY
INTERNSHIP HANDBOOK
It is the policy of the Denton ISD not to discriminate on the basis of sex, handicap, race,
Color or national origin in its educational and vocational programs, activities
or employment as required by Title IX, Section 504, and Title VI.
Individuals with diverse backgrounds are invited to apply
Denton Independent School District
Psychological Services
1201 University Drive
Denton, TX 76201
(940) 369-4075 Phone
(940) 369-4097 Fax
wjohnson@dentonisd.org
bmohair@dentonisd.org
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DENTON ISD PRE-DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM
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I. THE DENTON AREA…………………………………………….………
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II. THE DENTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT……………...
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A. Description of Denton ISD..…………………………………………….
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B. Mission Statement and Goals …………………………………….……..
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III. DENTON ISD SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES ...........................
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A. Description of SES...……………………………………………………
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B. SES Mission Statement..…………………………………….………….
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IV. DENTON ISD PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES...................................
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A. Mission Statement..……………………………………………….…….
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B. Department Structure ……………………………..…………………….
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C. Philosophy and Range of Services ….…………………………….…….
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D. Model of Practice..……………………………………………….………
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1. Outcome I .…………………………………………….……………
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2. Outcome II..……………………………………………………..….
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E. Continuum of Skill Development .……………..………………….……
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F. Practitioner Competencies..………………………………………………
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1. Foundational Competencies..……………………………………..….
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2. Functional Competencies ....……………….………………….…….
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V. DENTON ISD PRE-DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP………………….….
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A. INTRODUCTION …………………………………………….……...
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B. PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT …….………………..……...
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C. INTERNSHIP CORE STANDARDS …….………………….……..
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D. INTERNSHIP ADMINISTRATION .….…………………..………..
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1. Director and Clinical Supervisors……………………………………
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2. Doctoral Training Committee (DTC)……………………………...…
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E. CLINICAL SUPERVISION ………………………………………….
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F. INTERNSHIP STRUCTURE …………………………………………
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G. APPROACHES TO TRAINING ………………………………………
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H. TRAINING MODEL ……………………………………………………
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I. TRAINING SEQUENCE ……………………………………………
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1. Phase One: Didactic …………………………………………………
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2. Phase Two: Orientation ……………………….……………………
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3. Phase Three: Skill Building …………………………………………
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4. Phase Four: Practice …………………………………………………
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5. Phase Five: Supervised Independence ………………………………
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J. TRAINING DOMAINS ……………………………………..………
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K. DOMAIN GOALS AND CORE COMPETENCIES ……..………
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1. Domain One: Evaluation, Diagnoses and Reporting Results…..…..
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2. Domain Two: Prevention, Counseling, and Other Interventions ……
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3. Domain Three: Consultation…………………………………………
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4. Domain Four: Scholarship……………………………………………
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5. Domain Five: Diversity and Special Circumstances…………………
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6. Domain Six: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Responsibilities………
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7. Domain Seven: Specialization - School Psychology…………………
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L. INTERNSHIP TRAINING………………………………………..…
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1. Domain Competencies in Relation to Primary Training Activities….
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2. Didactic Training ……………………………………………………
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3. Experiential Training…….………………………………………….
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M. INTERN SCHEDULE OF WEEKLY ACTIVITIES …………….
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N. TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ………………….………………..
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O. EVALUATION ……………………………………………………
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1. Evaluation of Intern Performance ……………………….….……
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2. Evaluation of Training Program by Intern ………..…….…………
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P. INTERN DUE PROCESS……………………………….…..…….. 43
1. Program Suggestions and Concerns …………………….…………
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2. More Serious Training Program Concerns ……………………………… 44
3. Concerns Related to Individual Training ……………………………… 45
4. Concerns Related to Supervision/Supervisor ………….………………
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5. Concerns Related to Performance Evaluation ………………………… 51
Q. CONCERNS REGARDING INTERN BEHAVIOR OR PROGRESS 52
R. APPLYING FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE DENTON ISD
PRE-DOCTORAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM ……………………… 53
1. Contacts for Questions or Additional Information ……………………. 53
2. Application Materials ………………………………………………….
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3. Application Process …………………………………………………… 53
4. Interviews ……………………………………………………………… 55
5. Selection Criteria.……………………………………………………… 55
6. Notification ……………………………………………………………
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7. Procedures for Interns Selected/Matched ……………………………… 55
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Psychological Services Personnel………………………………… 56
Appendix B: Psychological Services Meeting Schedule……………………….. 61
Appendix C: Membership of Doctoral Training Committee…………………… 62
Appendix D: Doctoral Training Committee Meeting Schedule………………… 63
Appendix E:
List of Clinical Supervisors………………………………………. 64
Appendix F:
Intern Didactic Training Schedule……………………………….
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Appendix G: Intern Activities Log……………………………………………… 71
Appendix H: Internship Orientation Training Schedule………………………… 72
Appendix I:
Initial Intern Self-Evaluation……………………………………… 75
Appendix J:
Individualized Intern Training Plan (IITP)……………………….. 81
Appendix K:
Evaluation Forms…………………………………………………. 82
1. Evaluation of Intern:
a. Intern Self-Evaluation – End of the Year
b. Intern Performance Evaluation
Completed by Clinical Supervisor (used twice each year)
2. Evaluation of Internship/Supervision
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a. Intern Evaluation of Internship/Training Program
b. Intern Evaluation of Supervision
Appendix L: Intern Notice and Problem Resolution Form (INPRF)…………..
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Appendix M: Denton ISD/University/Intern Agreement……………………….
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Appendix N: Internship Acceptance Form……………………………………..
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Appendix O: Former Interns……………………………………………………
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THE DENTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
PRE-DOCTORAL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
I. THE DENTON AREA:
The Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship is a program in the Psychological Services
Department of the Denton Independent School District. Denton County, on the northern edge of
the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. The
City of Denton is the Denton County seat and home to many educational and professional
resources. These resources include two universities, the University of North Texas and Texas
Woman’s University; a community college, North Central Texas College; two psychiatric
hospitals, University Behavioral Health Hospital and Mayhill Psychiatric Hospital; an adolescent
residential treatment facility, the Nelson Center; two large and modern hospitals, Denton
Regional Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital; and numerous new specialized medical facilities.
With Lake Lewisville to the south and Lake Ray Roberts to the north, the city of Denton is just
42 miles from downtown Dallas and 35 miles from downtown Ft. Worth. Denton is a friendly
community with an exceptionally beautiful downtown square and red stone courthouse. The city
serves as a temporary home to a combined total of over 50, 000 university students; therefore,
interns to the Denton ISD Doctoral Internship Program find a community with a multitude of
reasonable housing options, two university libraries within a ten-minute drive, opportunities to
attend university sports events, and the pubs, cafes, coffee houses, pizza spots and delirestaurants to which students have become accustomed. Denton provides residents with many
small-town advantages, in addition to the advantages gained from being part of a large
metropolitan area. Denton is home to high quality local restaurants, antique stores, and specialty
shops, as well as one of the largest and best-stocked locally-owned used bookstores in the nation.
The easily accessible cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, and the surrounding areas, are home to at
least six major universities and training facilities: the Southern Methodist University, Texas
Christian University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the
University of Dallas and Southwestern Medical School. These facilities, and many others, are all
within 40 miles of Denton, and provide interns with additional professional resources, libraries,
and research facilities. The Dallas-Fort Worth area will provide ample entertainment
opportunities that include professional sports teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas
Mavericks, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Stars. Dallas-Fort Worth is a major metropolitan
area with an abundance of museums, art galleries, ethnic and specialty restaurants, theaters,
dance ensembles, and night-life activities.
For those interested in art and cultural events, Dallas is home to a world-class symphony
orchestra and Fort Worth is nationally recognized for its museums and art galleries. The city of
Denton also offers art and cultural opportunities through the Center for Visual Arts, the Campus
Community Theater, the Denton Bach Society, the Denton Ballet Academy, and the Denton
Dance Conservatory. For interns who prefer outdoor activities, there are two nearby lakes that
offer water-skiing, boating and swimming. Much of the adjacent Denton area is heavily wooded
and provides parks and other areas for hiking, horseback riding, camping, biking, and picnicking.
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II. THE DENTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT:
Systems theory has informed us to the understanding that interacting systems influence and
change each other and, in particular, to understanding the vast impact that a larger system will
have on a smaller system that exist internal to the larger. As such, the Denton ISD Psychological
Services maintains a great respect regarding the importance of the Denton ISD community, its
structure, its goals and philosophy, its impact and its influence on the philosophy, goals,
resources and daily operations of the Denton ISD Psychological Services Department and,
consequently, on the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program.
A. DESCRIPTION OF DENTON ISD:
Denton ISD, one of the most rapidly growing school districts in the nation, covers 180 square
miles 25 miles north and west of Dallas and Fort Worth. Denton ISD currently serves the multifaceted needs of a highly diversified population of over 22,000 students. The Denton ISD student
population is predominately White, but with a significant percentage of students who are
Hispanic or African-American. In smaller but notable numbers are students who are Native
American, Indian, or Asian.
The school district is quite old, having been founded in 1882. It existed for many years as a
small school system that served a rural Texas community. As such, there are many small town
aspects that continue to exist in the Denton ISD. The system’s ‘personality style’ is still
generally informal and ‘Texas Friendly’. Assistance is courteous and personal. With two major
universities in the city, many Denton ISD teachers may have originally come from other
countries, states, or Texas` locations, but were residents of Denton prior to employment and
while completing their undergraduate or graduate degrees.
The Denton community has a percentage of wealthy residents, but is overwhelmingly composed
of families with middle to lower middle class values and incomes. As such, the Denton ISD is
not a wealthy school district, as compared to many of its neighboring Dallas and Fort Worth
suburban school districts. There are several Denton ISD federally designated Title One
campuses, and a significant percentage of Denton ISD students, because of family income,
receive the federally mandated ‘free or reduced’ lunch.
Because of its moderate wealth, the District has focused on modest and sound fiscal decisions
and employs an upper-level and middle-level school administration that is small in number and,
relative to other school districts, moderately paid. As part of its stated philosophy, Denton ISD
reserves the bulk of its financial resources for instructional staff, instructional settings, and
materials involved in the direct education of students. The District takes prides in its insightful,
fiscally conservative, and environmentally sound decisions. As one example, in our most recent
nation crisis of $4.00 + per gallon gasoline prices, Denton ISD takes pride in its energy
conservation and environmental concern, having over the last several years converted all school
buses to a fuel that is environmentally friendly, less costly, and that has maintained the fuel cost
per gallon to half of that being paid by most of us.
As might be expected in the state of Texas, and by those familiar with the movie ‘Friday Night
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Lights’, Denton ISD does demonstrate one glaring exception to its general philosophy of fiscal
conservatism. This glaring exception is associated with the sport of football. In total antithesis to
the District’s overall ‘Conservative Personality’, the Denton ISD proudly boasts one of the
largest, most modern, most technologically advanced, and most expensive football stadium
complexes in the nation. The stadium complex (and its associated school district) has received
extensive national media coverage for its grandness and for its cost.
Denton ISD facilities currently include two early childhood campuses, twenty-one elementary
schools, six middle schools and three high schools; Fred Moore Alternative School, an
alternative high school campus emphasizing mastery learning and independent academic work;
Davis School, a Disciplinary Alternative Education campus; Sparks Campus, a campus within
the Denton County Juvenile Detention facility; and the Sarah and Troy La Grone Advanced
Technology Complex. The Denton ISD includes a variety of special programs, including a range
of special education classrooms and services, the English as a Second Language (ESL) program,
the Dyslexia program, Gifted and Talented, and Reading Recovery. The District is also home to
the Regional Day School for the Deaf, a program for students in regional north Texas with
severe hearing impairments.
The Denton ISD is committed to the goal of attaining excellence in education. It is dedicated to
hiring and training Highly Qualified teachers and requiring that teachers understand and utilize
research based educational practices. As might be expected in a university community, a
significant number of Denton ISD School Board Trustees are university professors.
B. DENTON ISD MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS:
Adopted by the Denton ISD Board of Trustees on April 8, 2008. . . in pursuit of excellence . . .
The mission of the Denton Public Schools, in partnership with home and community, is to
provide the best educational opportunities in a challenging, yet supportive, environment where
individuals and cultural diversity are respected, with the goal that our students become
knowledgeable and responsible citizens, capable of life-long learning and of demonstrating the
skills necessary to contribute productively in a complex and ever-changing world.
Denton ISD Goals:
I.
Vision … In pursuit of excellence, the District will:
a. develop a culture where learning is our first priority
b. remain committed to providing equitable and outstanding opportunities for every
student on every campus
c. establish goals for individual campuses that incorporate both measurable
objectives and intangible factors
d. develop a budget focused on student and professional learning
II.
Teaching and Learning… In pursuit of excellence, the District will:
a. cultivate a consistent, strong, district-wide balanced curriculum that is based on
ongoing needs assessment and that supports all students
b. expect full curriculum implementation on each campus by instructional leaders
c. establish quality staff development programs and promote professional learning
communities
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d. strive to deliver all academic programs through teachers who possess advanced
degrees and demonstrable competence in their areas of professional responsibility
e. stay abreast of best practices, and incorporate these practices into teaching,
learning and leadership
f. advocate and practice true accountability based on measurement of individual
student progress over time, regardless of external mandates
III.
Climate… In pursuit of excellence, the District will:
a. celebrate and respect the diversity in our Denton ISD Community
b. promote and nourish a safe learning and working environment that is supportive,
cooperative, and ensures open communication
c. establish a high expectation level for success for all students, staff, parents, and
community
d. instill in students a love of life-long learning
e. motivate and prepare students to embrace their full responsibilities as active
citizens of their community, nation, and world
IV.
Parent and Community Involvement…In pursuit of excellence, the District will:
a. foster a positive and welcoming environment that encourages parent and
community partnerships in order to achieve success for all our students
b. work continuously with the community in planning and facility development
c. utilize citizens’ advisory committees to focus on short and long-term tasks
d. provide support services and promote health, wellness and safety for students and
families
e. establish and promote programs to develop and enhance parenting skills and
parent participation in the schools
V.
Human Resources…In pursuit of excellence, the District will:
a. develop, expect, and have respect for, a consistently high level of professional
performance by all staff
b. recruit, select, and employ teachers in every classroom because of their
substantive experience in the discipline they teach, rather than their importance in
auxiliary functions
c. maintain a diverse workforce, with respect to qualifications, expertise, and
commitment to excellence
d. encourage all teachers and staff to pursue within their specialty area advanced
professional development and degrees
e. promote health and wellness in the workforce
VI.
Growth and Change…In pursuit of excellence, the District will:
a. review and adjust policies and procedures to effectively address the challenges of
rapid growth and changing demographic characteristics, while maintaining and
enhancing our strong sense of community
b. create and continuously modify strategies to mitigate the increasing stress on our
children, our schools, and our community
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c. be environmentally responsible and aggressively pursue energy efficiency and
conservation principles in building design, transportation alternatives, and
operating procedures
d. work continuously with our community to, as appropriate, adjust and enhance
district goals
III. DENTON ISD SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES:
A. DESCRIPTION:
The Denton ISD Special Education Services provides classroom support, specialized services,
behavioral and instructional interventions, and individual education plans for over 2200 students
who have been identified as having disabilities severe enough to interfere with educational
progress. Students are identified with a range of conditions, including Learning Disabilities,
ADHD, affective disorders, behavioral disorders, bipolar disorder; speech/language disorders,
mental retardation, autism spectrum disorders, disorders of vision or hearing, and medical
conditions.
The Denton ISD Psychological Services Department is part of the Denton ISD Special Education
Services and in conjunction with may other multidisciplinary professionals, provides evaluation,
counseling, consultation, program modifications and an array of intervention services to students
who receive special education. This student population displays a broad range of disabilities,
including the most serious physical, emotional, and behavioral disorders found in public schools.
Pre-doctoral interns, working under the supervision of licensed psychologists, become members
of teams providing a broad array services to these students.
Psychologists/ LSSPs/Interns provide services as part of multidisciplinary teams that include
educational diagnosticians, autism specialists, speech/language pathologists, occupational
therapists, physical therapists, adapted physical education specialists, music therapists, and
specialists in vision and hearing. Psychologists work closely with important campus-based
multidisciplinary team members, such as teachers, administrators, counselors, and nurses.
B: MISSION STATEMENT:
SES is committed to providing support, expertise, and leadership to Denton ISD campuses that
will enhance the quality of student education and guarantee learner success. Special Education
Services shares responsibility for the cognitive and emotional development of each individual
student receiving services. SES is dedicated to the development of a community of learners
prepared to function as responsible citizens and productive workers in our global society.
IV. DENTON ISD PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES:
A. MISSION STATEMENT:
The Denton ISD Psychological Services Department seeks to maximize the learning of each
student and improve social, emotional, and instructional environments by implementing
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programs, services, and evidence-based interventions derived from sound psychological theory
and demonstrated as effective through research.
B. DEPARTMENT STRUCTURE:
The Denton ISD Psychological Services Department consists of twenty-two psychology
practitioners, including eight doctoral-level practitioners who hold doctoral degrees in
psychology (See Appendix A). The Denton ISD Psychological Services Supervisor, the
department head, is a licensed psychologist. There are currently six practitioners who are fully
licensed as psychologists by the Texas State Board of Examiners and, for the pre-doctoral
internship program, serve as the Program Director, Training Director and Clinical Supervisors.
In addition to the six psychology practitioners referenced in the previous paragraph, the Denton
ISD Psychological Services Department employs seventeen master’s/specialist-level LSSPs.
The LSSP (Licensed Specialist in School Psychology), the basic license required for schoolbased psychology practice in Texas, is acquired through the Texas State Board of Examiners of
Psychologists, and is required of all school-based practitioners, including doctoral level
practitioners who are licensed for independent practice as psychologists. Twenty-three
psychology practitioners within the Denton ISD are fully licensed LSSPs, including the five
Licensed Psychologists.
The Denton ISD Psychological Services Department administers the pre-doctoral psychology
internship training program and an LSSP internship training program. The Denton ISD PreDoctoral Internship Program provides comprehensive training in Professional Psychology. The
LSSP internship is required as part of the completion of a master’s or specialist degree specific to
school psychology. The training provided and skills acquired are basic to the practice of school
psychology in Texas public schools. The two training programs are collaborative but separate
training programs. The LSSP program has its own model and training sequence. The program is
presently coordinated by an LSSP practitioner who holds a doctoral degree in psychology. There
are presently two pre-doctoral intern and two LSSP intern positions.
C. PHILOSOPHY AND RANGE OF SERVICES:
Denton ISD Psychological Services provides a full range of psychological services to students
and their families, including evaluation, consultation, design of behavioral interventions, social
skills training, parent training, and individual, group and family counseling. There is emphasis
on professional communication and collaboration within the department, as well as the
multidisciplinary team collaboration required in almost every aspect of service provision. The
department is dedicated to a best practices model of school-based psychological services,
including data collection and evaluation of outcomes. The Psychological Services workloads are
reasonable and professional responsibilities allow time for activities that promote professional
growth and enhance professional skills. Each Psychologist/LSSP working at secondary level
provides a full range of psychological services for one secondary school, either a high school or
a middle school. Psychologists/LSSPs working at elementary level provide psychological
services for two elementary school campuses. With 22,000+ students and 26
psychologists/LSSPs, the Denton ISD is one of the few school districts in the nation that meets
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the NASP recommended ratio of one psychology practitioner for every 1000 students.
D. MODEL OF PRACTICE:
The Denton ISD Psychological Services Department recognizes the importance of consistent and
uniform psychological service delivery built on a valid and well articulated model of training and
practice. To that end, the department has engaged in a historical review of psychological service
delivery systems, both within and outside of the schools. This review, and the professional
discussion and planning that ensued, has resulted in the philosophy of services and model of
training and practice utilized by the Department. The Department examined the
recommendations for the comprehensive training of professional psychologists, as outlined in the
APA Model Training Act; the Guidance for Training and Practice, as provided by APA Division
16; and the NASP recommendations in A Blueprint for Training and Practice III.
The Denton ISD Psychological Services endorses a practitioner-scholar model of practice. As the
foundation for its model of practice Denton ISD Psychological Services has adopted from the
NASP Blueprint the two general outcomes that result from implementation of an effective model
of training and practice:
1. Outcome I: Improve Competencies for All Children
The goal of education is to help children become competent and caring adults, involved citizens,
and productive members of their communities. Psychologists, working within schools, have a
significant role to play in this process.
Psychologists in schools must be mental health practitioners who provide guidance to parents
and teachers in creating environments where children and adolescents feel protected, cared for,
and self confident enough to take risks and expand their range of competence.
2. Outcome II: Build and Maintain the Capacities of Systems
It is not enough for psychologists working within schools to help students develop competencies.
They must also be proficient in helping systems build capacity to foster and teach these
competencies. Building capacity requires a shared vision and collective sense of purpose,
effective leadership, the involvement of all stakeholders, ongoing evaluation and a commitment
to continuous improvement.
E. CONTINUUM OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT:
The Denton ISD Psychological Services acknowledges a continuum of practitioner skill
development. Psychological Services practitioners who have only recently successfully
completed the coursework phase of university training, without the embellishment gained from
substantive work experience, are expected to have obtained a novice level in all domains.
With the completion of the first level of internship training and licensure requirements, Denton
ISD psychology practitioners are expected to have achieved basic competence in all
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psychological services domains. It is, therefore, the expectation that at the time of employment
by the Psychological Services Department, all psychology practitioners will possess the skills
and ability to demonstrate basic competence in all areas of professional practice.
The goal of the department is to further develop in each service provider, the skills that define a
‘master’ or ‘expert’ practitioner. These skills can be gained through professional practice;
however, this level of expertise can be more readily achieved if the mindset, model, and required
skill set for a ‘master’ practitioner are utilized in advanced formal training, such as can be
offered through a doctoral-level psychology internship.
F. PRACTITIONER COMPETENCIES:
In order to impact learner outcomes, psychologists in schools must have both knowledge and
skills. They must possess knowledge about psychological and educational principles, accepted
methods for applying those principles, evidence-based theories, and methods to effect change in
both individuals and systems. Successful practice requires skills in problem-solving and in
creating, evaluating, and apply empirically validated interventions at the levels of individual and
systems. Required competencies are both foundational and functional. Denton ISD Psychological
Services adopts, as described in NASP Blueprint III, the following domains of practice and
evolving competence.
1. Foundational Competencies:
a. Interpersonal and Collaborative Skills: Competence in interpersonal skills and the
ability to work constructively and collaboratively with diverse individuals and agencies are
indispensable to the Denton ISD psychology practitioner.
b. Diversity Awareness and Sensitivity in Service Delivery: For the Denton ISD,
competence in all aspects of diversity will be demonstrated not simply by a psychological
services practitioner’s degree of sensitivity or knowledge about a given culture, but rather by the
practitioner’s ability to recognize, within the wide range of activities in which psychology
practitioners engage, when, where, and how issues of diversity are operating and effecting the
environment.
c. Technological Applications: Technology has become so embedded in the fabric of everyday
life that beginning practitioners will likely have basic skills in technological applications. For
Denton ISD psychological services practitioners, the use of technology in school-based
professional practice will require the successful development of new skills and the competence
to make appropriate choices. In addition to the practitioner use of technology in their direct
practice, technological competence will include the ability to instruct students, parents, and
teachers as to how and where to access technology, how to evaluate its safety and value, and how
to use it to enhance student learning.
d. Professional, Legal, Ethical, and Social Responsibility: These issues are central to the
efficacy of a school-based psychology practitioner. Denton ISD practitioners must be
competently prepared to meet all professional and legal standards.
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2. Functional Competencies:
a. Data-Based Decision-making and Accountability: Psychological services providers
within the Denton ISD must be good problem solvers who collect information that is relevant for
understanding problems, make decisions about appropriate interventions, assess behavioral,
social and educational outcomes, and help others to become accountable for the decisions they
make. All assessment and evaluation activities should relate to prevention and intervention.
b. Systems-Based Service Delivery: Psychology practitioners will not focus exclusively on
intervening at the individual level, in that individual focus is demonstrated to be ineffective in
building the capacity of systems. Learning problems belong not only to the individual child, but
to the systems charged with helping the child succeed. Practitioners must use their knowledge to
organize schools and classrooms in ways that promote learning and prevent problems.
c. Enhancing the Development of Cognitive and Academic Skills: Psychological services
practitioners will help school personnel develop challenging, but achievable, cognitive and
academic goals for all students and will implement alternative ways to monitor or assess
individual student progress.
d. Enhancing the Development of Wellness, Social Skills, Mental Health, and Life
Competencies: It is recognized that effective learning is significantly influenced by factors
beyond classroom instruction and curricula. Unless a student’s general health and welfare are
adequately addressed optimal learning cannot occur. Psychological service practitioners will
provide leadership in guiding schools to address general health, mental health and other student
welfare issues in order to assure effective academic development.
V. THE PRE-DOCTORAL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM:
A. INTRODUCTION:
The Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship program is a newly developed internship program,
founded in the 2007-2008 school year. The program continues to be improved by the internship
director and clinical supervisors, who are licensed psychologists with years of experience in
clinical supervision and internship development. The program’s structure, goals, and curriculum
are designed to meet APPIC and APA standards. The program adheres to the guidelines set out
by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) and Texas State Law.
The model of internship training includes the elements, but is not identical, to the model
proposed in the NASP Blueprint III model for the training and practice of psychologists in the
schools. The Denton ISD Pre-doctoral Internship is attempting to incorporate all principles
espoused by APA in the model practice act. Additionally, the model includes elements suggested
by APA Division 16.
B. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT:
Denton ISD Pre-doctoral Psychology Internship Program…in pursuit of excellence…
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The mission of the Denton ISD Pre-doctoral Internship Program is to prepare doctoral-level
interns to excel in the provision of psychological services to children. The Denton ISD Predoctoral internship program is committed to preparing interns to become skilled psychologists
who are leaders in the field of child education and mental health and who are engaged in clinical
practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and scholarly endeavors that will advance professional
knowledge regarding school-based interventions proven to increase student success.
Achieving this internship mission requires that interns be competently trained in ethics,
professional foundations, evaluation, diagnoses, counseling, consultation, and providing
evidence-based psychological services to children. In addition, interns will be trained in the
broader focus of determining appropriate programming, promoting effective educational
environments, and impacting adults in the education and family system. Interns will be trained to
identify and evaluate strategies that promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social
development of children, including children from diverse backgrounds and special
circumstances. They will learn to implement strategies that accelerate the child’s ability to learn,
increase self sufficiency, and maximize the opportunity for academic and lifelong success.
.
C. DENTON ISD INTERNSHIP CORE STANDARDS:
The Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Internship Program will meet, as the minimal standard, the
following criteria:
1. The internship will provide a training program that is designed to provide interns with a
planned, organized, sequence of training activities, in contrast to simply supervised experience or
on-the-job training. The primary focus of the program will be to assure breadth and quality of
training.
2. The internship will have a clearly designated staff psychologist who is employed full-time by
the internship agency, who will be responsible for the integrity and quality of the training
program, and who is actively licensed as a psychologist by the Texas State Board of Examiners
of Psychologists (TSBEP).
3. The internship will have, at a minimum, two full-time (80 hrs.) licensed psychologists on staff
who will serve as clinical supervisors to pre-doctoral interns.
4. The internship will meet the standards provided by the Texas State Board of Examiners of
Psychologists (TSBEP).
5. The internship will meet the standards provided by the American Psychological Association.
6. The internship will meet the standards provided by the National Association of School
Psychologists (NASP).
7. Internship supervision will be provided by psychologists who are staff members of the
internship agency and who will carry clinical responsibility for all psychological services
provided by interns under their supervision.
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8. Interns will verbally identify themselves as interns and as having supervised status. The
supervising psychologist’s clinical responsibility will be indicated for all work completed by the
intern through introductions, and on reports, written materials, business cards, signature lines,
and all other documents utilized by the school district.
9. The internship will provide training in a full range of psychological services conducted
directly with students, including evaluation and intervention activities.
10. Each intern, in collaboration with his or her clinical and university supervisors, will develop
an individualized internship training plan with specific and measurable goals and criteria, and
this plan will be utilized to guide training throughout the internship training program.
11. The internship will provide training and experience with multicultural populations and
individuals with diverse social and ethic backgrounds to the extent required to establish a
professional level of knowledge, comfort, and competence.
12. The internship will assure that at least 25% of the intern’s time will be in direct client
contact (minimum of 500 hours).
13. The internship will include each week a minimum of two hours of regularly scheduled,
formal, face-to-face individual supervision. There will be provided to each intern at least two
additional hours each week of supervision and/or training and learning activities, such as case
discussions, group supervision, didactic training, grand rounds, professional development or
other training activities.
14. The internship training will be provided as post-practicum and pre-graduation.
15. The internship will have a minimum of two full-time interns at the pre-doctoral internship
level of training through out the internship training period.
16. Trainees will utilize the title ‘Doctoral Intern’.
17. The internship will be defined as a year of full-time, supervised internship experience, at an
average minimum of 45 hours per week over a 12 month period, for a total of 2000 internship
hours.
18. The internship has written materials that include a brochure, an informational letter, and a
pre-doctoral internship handbook that describes the training goals, the philosophy and content of
the internship training program, clearly stated expectations for the quantity and quality of the
intern’s work, and is made available to prospective interns.
19. In the initial stages of internship, interns will be provided with information about intern
performance evaluations, which will occur at least twice, at mid-year and at the end of the
internship program.
20. Interns will be provided, in the initial stages of internship, information regarding their rights,
responsibilities and due process procedures. Interns will be provided with specific and detailed
information regarding the steps in addressing internship concerns.
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21. The Denton ISD agrees to, upon application for APPIC membership, abide by APPIC
policies and guidelines. No person at the training facility will solicit, accept, or use any ranking
related information prior to Match Notification Day.
D. INTERNSHIP ADMINISTRATION:
1. Internship Director and Clinical Supervisors:
The Internship Director is a licensed psychologist and is present in the District on a full-time
basis. At the present time the Pre-doctoral Psychology Internship Program is coordinated by six
licensed psychologists, all of whom serve as clinical training supervisors. One licensed
psychologist serves as the Internship Program Director and has administrative and clinical
responsibility for all decisions related to the content, training, and integrity of the internship
program. A second licensed psychologist serves as the Intern Training Director. This position, by
Denton ISD Internship definition, is the secondary director and the individual responsible for
assuring high standards and organization in the coordinating, planning and implementing of
training activities for the program. For the 2010-2011 school year, the program has on staff five
full-time and one half-time licensed doctoral level psychologists.
2. Doctoral Training Committee (DTC):
The internship program is coordinated by and responsible to the Doctoral Training Committee
(DTC). The DTC is composed of the internship director, all clinical supervisors, and all doctorallevel licensed psychologists (See Appendix C).
The DTC is responsible for the constant evolution and refining of the internship program, the
monitoring of quality of training, the maintenance of APA standards, and the progress toward
application for APA accreditation. This committee also serves as the internship Board of Notice,
Hearing, Review and Appeal for intern concerns. It is also the Board of Notice, Hearing, Review
and Appeal for internship concerns of the internship director, training director, clinical
supervisors, or other Denton ISD or Psychological Services personnel (See Appendix L).
E. CLINICAL SUPERVISION:
Each intern is supervised by a primary or secondary licensed psychologist who carries clinical
responsibility for the cases being supervised. Internship clinical supervisors supervise, at one
time, no more than two interns. Each intern receives, at a minimum, two hours per week of
regularly scheduled formal face-to-face individual supervision from the primary supervisor.
Initial contact with the secondary supervisor will include a one-hour “get-acquainted”
supervision session during the first four weeks of the school year. For the rest of the school year,
the secondary supervisor will work with the intern on an “as needed” basis including the absence
of the primary supervisor. The secondary supervisor will assume clinical responsibility for two
hours of weekly supervision and the clinical responsibility for the intern’s service provision and
caseload.
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Individual supervision times are arranged on an individual basis between interns and direct
supervisors. Throughout the training day, supervisors are readily available to all interns and there
are multiple supervisors available for crisis situations. Interns also participate in one hour of
family/group supervision each week. This supervision meeting often involves the presentation
of individual clinical cases for group discussion. Family therapy most often occurs as co-therapy
with a supervisor, but there will be a clinical supervising psychologist on-site and available at the
Family Center during all family therapy sessions (See Appendix E for names of clinical
supervisors).
F. INTERNSHIP STRUCTURE:
The internship program begins each year in August. In 2010, the date is Friday, August 6. The
internship is a one-year, 2000 hour, psychology training program. Interns should expect to work
45+ hours each week and, although the internship is within a school district, expect to continue
in the training program across the summer months. The Texas State Board of Examiners requires
an internship of no less than one full year for generic professional licensure as a psychologist in
the state of Texas. At the present time, students are accepted for only full-time internship training
positions. There are no part-time internship positions available.
The Denton ISD Doctoral Psychology Internship Training program is in the initial building
stages. There are presently two full time pre-doctoral internship positions for the 2010-2011
internship year. The number of positions depends on coordination with the LSSP training
program, which also exists in the Denton ISD Psychological Services Department. The number
of positions available to interns who desire training through the pre-doctoral internship program
is expected to grow over time. Growth will be contingent on program development and the
personnel necessary to provide strong supervision and beneficial training.
The internship consists of 2000 hours of specifically selected training and experience. Because
of the training demands, interns generally work a minimum of 45 hours a week. After the first
few weeks, interns may spend as much as 45% of some weeks in direct client contact, easily
meeting the requirements of at least 25% (a minimum of 500 hours) of the intern's time being in
direct client contact, as is required by APA standards and those outlined by the Texas State
Board of Examiners of Psychologists. The Denton ISD Psychological Services emphasizes
prevention and intervention. As a result, psychologists and psychology interns spend more time
involved in classroom consulting, providing interventions, and implementing, through various
modalities, the delivery of counseling services. Interns provide family counseling at the Family
Center for at least two or more evening hours each week. The average individual/ group
counseling caseload is 20-25 students, although interns will generally, under supervision, carry
smaller caseloads. The large counseling and direct intervention services caseload is offset by a
smaller evaluation caseload than is often found in school settings. Although the Denton ISD predoctoral training program exists within a public school district, the pre-doctoral internship
training provides a broad and in-depth array of training that is general to the professional practice
of psychology.
As is required by APA, the Denton ISD doctoral internship program in psychology provides a
planned, organized, and sequenced training program, rather than simply supervised experience or
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on-the-job training. The internship is a post-practicum training experience, and before interns
can be accepted to the program, they must provide, from their university, a Certification of Intern
Readiness, which is part of the APPIC application process. The internship requirements must be
completed prior to intern graduation. The internship program is rooted in best practices, and is
designed to assure breadth and quality in training.
The training curriculum is developed to meet the training goals of the internship program. Under
supervision, a pre-doctoral intern will provide a range of psychological services to children and
families, including prevention, evaluation, consultation, classroom intervention, training,
counseling, behavior intervention, and crisis intervention services. The intern begins the year in
either one or two training locations, however, as the year progresses, additional training
assignments are made to assure that each intern has the opportunity to serve students of various
ages, cultural backgrounds, SES, and ethnicities. Interns will provide evaluation and
intervention services to students having a variety of needs and diagnoses. Special efforts are
made to provide interns with experience in working with low incidence disorders. Throughout
the internship, interns are exposed to both special education and regular education programs.
The Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship program applied for APPIC membership in
the 2008-2009 school year. The program was accepted for APPIC membership for the first time
for the 2009-2010 school year.
G. APPROACHES TO TRAINING:
The Denton ISD Pre-doctoral Psychology Internship Program is most strongly influenced by
developmental, ecological, cognitive-behavioral, and behavioral theories and models of
psychology. Interns increase their understanding of how biologically based processes interact
with environmental influences throughout the course of childhood and educational experiences
to influence the learning and behavior of children. Interns learn that children operate in multiple
systems, most notably the family system and the school system. These two systems have a
profound impact on the child’s cognitive, emotional, social and academic functioning.
Internship training occurs in numerous formats and multidisciplinary environments, with
significant emphasis placed on functioning as a team member. Building on the professional
skills and competencies acquired during formal graduate training, interns gain practical
experience and increasing independence in a variety of assessment and evaluation approaches
and therapeutic techniques. Training includes a focus on increasing intern awareness, sensitivity,
and knowledge about issues impacting racial, ethnic, and economic minorities. In addition,
interns may pursue individual interests and research throughout the training year. There is a
didactic training calendar provided each internship year (See Appendix F for a sample calendar).
The Denton ISD Psychological Services Department emphasizes building strong relationships
between families and schools. Interns are expected to communicate with families and assist
parents in becoming active participants in evaluation, program planning, and design of
interventions. Maintaining communication with the family is considered crucial to the evaluation
process and to the design of interventions that will be accepted and applied. Interns are trained
to actively obtain, thorough developmental and family histories, extensive information from
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family members, and to provide parents with individual evaluation results.
Specific parent training opportunities are provided in family counseling, parent education, and
collaboration with parents and teachers. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in
presentations to parent organizations and student support groups.
H. TRAINING MODEL:
The pre-doctoral internship training program embraces a ‘Master Practitioner-Scholar’ model of
training. Interns are expected to develop a best practices philosophy and gain strong professional
competencies that will support interns continued evolution into highly skilled practitioners even
beyond completion of the internship. In the training process, the ‘scholar’ side of the training
model continuously infuses the ‘master practitioner’ side. Interns learn and demonstrate that
master practitioners are the result of an allegiance to best practices, professional growth, and
scholarship.
Interns learn to read, explore and be guided by research. They are taught to think critically,
utilize research-based practices, and to collect data that will provide feedback on effectiveness.
The model encourages the production of original research, but emphasizes the development of
professional competencies that are rooted in current research, scholarship, and practice.
‘Scholar’ is defined as a practitioner who is always reading, learning, and applying researchbased practices. The ‘Scholar’ continues to emphasize his or her professional development in
order to maintain and/or increase skills and competence in each professional assignment he or
she undertakes. Thus, psychology interns are urged to critically evaluate current theory,
research, and practice, and utilize sound professional judgment when approaching each clinical
task.
Psychology practitioners within the Denton ISD are dedicated to utilizing research-based
methods of assessment, evaluation, counseling and intervention in the delivery of psychological
services in the schools. These approaches are encouraged and modeled for interns. Interns are
instructed and provided with training opportunities, such as forums, to develop the skills
necessary for critically evaluating current theory, research, and practice. To assist with these
activities, interns have access to on-line resources and Denton ISD Psychological Services
maintains a small professional library.
Denton ISD Psychological Services purchases books on a yearly basis to assist in research-based
guidance in the practice of education and psychology. Doctoral Interns are trained in clinical
diagnoses and appropriate DSM classification. A sourcebook of reading materials which pertains
to the best practices of school-based psychological services, as well as the current addition of the
NASP published ‘Best Practices in Schools,’ is available to interns and utilized in training.
I. TRAINING SEQUENCE:
The Denton ISD intern training program is sequential, cumulative, and graded in complexity.
The program emphasizes skill development and expansion of the professional skills and
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competencies that were acquired during formal university coursework, in practicum, and in
previous professional work experiences. Interns will record each training activity on their intern
activity log and the log will be signed by the trainer/supervisor providing the activity (See
Appendix G).
The sequence of training occurs in five phases. The time and duration of each phase is typically
dependent on the intern’s background, initial skills, and progress in the training program.
Each stage is culminated in formative evaluation and assessment.
1. Phase One: Didactic (Texas reframe: “We’re sittin’ ”)
The first phase, the didactic phase, involves a week-long orientation (See Appendix H for a
sample Orientation schedule). This orientation is a detailed series of trainings and didactic
presentations that provide an overview of the core training areas, professional role and
expectations, commonly used tests strategies and techniques and training for building
professional relationships. Discussion of ethics, special education law, and standards of
professional practice are included as part of this training. Interns gain information regarding
informed consent, the documentation of services, department structure, and the policies and
procedures of Denton ISD, Denton ISD Special Education Services, and the Denton ISD
Psychological Services Department. Special topics are presented relevant to the practice of
psychology in the schools.
Interns are assigned to a primary supervisor during the initial week of training. Each intern will
also have a secondary supervisor, and this assignment may also be made during the first week.
The assignment of supervisors is based on consideration of the needs and professional interests
of each intern and the unique supervision style, experience, and background of each supervising
psychologist.
Interns will gain information on internship expectations, and also, the process and evaluation
instruments used for evaluating intern performance. They will learn the steps that are available
to them if they do not agree with the evaluation of their internship performance or disagree with
a decision that is being made regarding their training. Interns will learn the process and
procedure for reporting and resolving concerns related to supervision or the procedures related to
other concerns that they may have about aspects of the training program. Interns will be apprised
of the full due process procedures specific to the internship program and to the employee process
utilized by the Denton ISD. This process will clearly identify the components of notice, hearing,
and appeal. At the end of Phase One, interns will be asked to evaluate their own baseline skills as
they begin the training program (See Appendix I). This information will be shared with their
clinical supervisors and the Internship Director.
As interns move out of Phase One, they will begin developing their individualized intern training
plan with their clinical supervisors. This process may occur over several days and will culminate
in the development of the formal Individualized Intern Training Plan (IITP) (See Appendix J).
The IITP will include the minimal expectations of the program, but will emphasize the special
interests and the unique training needs of the intern.
2. Phase Two: Orientation (Texas reframe: “We’re pokin’ around”)
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The Orientation Phase allows interns to begin to become familiar with the internship setting,
initial internship expectations, practice locations, and assignments. Preparing to practice and to
provide psychological services in a school setting for all psychology practitioners and for interns,
even under close and supportive clinical supervision, is a daunting and potential overwhelming
experience. Interns will need, and will be provided with, much assistance and support.
School systems and special programs, such as 504, ESL, and special education have extensive
and program specific languages and terminologies. Interns will work very closely with their
supervisors in beginning to become fluent in the understanding of terms, processes and
procedures. During this phase, interns will have the opportunity to observe supervisors and other
experienced school psychologists as they function in different activities and professional roles.
Interns will meet their colleagues and the members of the multidisciplinary teams with whom
they will work.
Interns will begin to learn the role of a psychology practitioner in the schools and the particular
role that, as interns, they will play as supervised service providers in their specific practice
settings. Interns may observe or participate with supervisors or other clinicians as they work
with students, talk with parents, plan evaluations, administer tests, consult with teachers, attend
ARD/IEP meetings, plan with multidisciplinary teams, and observe in classrooms.
Interns begin to prepare for counseling assignments, gain information about students and their
educational and behavioral backgrounds, and review Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Interns
work with parents and teachers as students return to the school district to begin the academic
year. The formal Orientation Phase of training will generally last for two to four weeks;
however, the actual length of the phase will depend on the learning set, the past training, and the
past experience of the intern.
3. Phase Three: Skills Building (Texas reframe: “we’re off n’ runnin’ ”)
During the third, or Skills Building phase of training, interns receive their own cases and
assigned work locations, and work closely and collaboratively with their supervisors regarding
the disposition of these cases. Supervisors may observe interns as they provide direct services to
students, consult with teachers and administrative staff, or participate in staff meetings or
ARD/IEP meetings. The length of this phase is dependent upon the progress of the intern.
4. Phase Four: Professional Practice (Texas reframe: “Y’all keep peddlin’ ”)
The fourth phase, Practice, is generally the most extensive. In this phase, under supervision,
interns participate in the full range of training activities. They hone their clinical skills through
practice, repetition and feedback from colleagues and supervisors.
The fourth phase involves increased independent work on the part of the intern with regular
supervision. As the intern becomes proficient in utilizing basic skills and competencies, more
complicated clinical assignments are made, depending on the unique interests and identified
needs of the individual intern.
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5. Phase Five: Supervised Independence (Texas reframe: “Y’all got purdy good at this”)
The fifth phase, Supervised Independence, occurs in the last few weeks or months of the training
program. During this phase, interns have the opportunity to engage in an expanded range of
activities and with less direct supervision. Interns complete projects that were developed and
implemented in phase four. They may provide training to colleagues and assist with program
design activities. It is expected that interns will display many of the professional competencies
required for future practice in the field.
J. TRAINING DOMAINS:
Seven major domains of training are defined for the pre-doctoral internship program. Interns are
prepared for the practice of professional psychology by developing and demonstrating
competence in the domains of:
(1) Evaluation, diagnoses, and reporting results
(2) Prevention, counseling, and other interventions
(3) Consultation, collaboration, and interpersonal competence
(4) Scholarship, data-based decision-making, technological competence, and accountability
(5) Diversity and special circumstances
(6) Professional, legal, and ethical responsibility.
(7) School psychology, is the specialty area domain and must be completed by all interns from
all training backgrounds.
In each of the seven domains, emphasis is placed on best practices, guided by expert knowledge
in the area, applied research, and empirical data. The bidirectional impact of practice and
scholarship in each training domain is regularly examined through professional reading, didactic
seminars, professional dialog, case conferences, group and individual supervision and other
training activities.
K. DOMAIN GOALS AND CORE COMPETENCIES:
Interns are expected to demonstrate basic competence in the following seven domains:
1. Domain One: Evaluation, Diagnoses, and Reporting Results
a. Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in the psychological evaluation,
diagnoses, and in the formal report of evaluation results of school aged children.
b. Core Competencies:
1) Evaluation
2) Diagnoses
3) Report writing
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the Broad Goal for Domain
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One.
1) Demonstrates competence in clinical interviewing skills with children, teachers, and families
2) Competently collects, organizes, and writes a developmental history
3) Competently and effectively collects and integrates data from multiple sources
4) Competently and accurately selects tests and measures
5) Competently and accurately administers tests and measures
6) Competently and accurately scores tests and measures
7) Competently administers and interprets A) cognitive/intelligence and B) achievement tests
8) Competently administers and interprets projective and objective measures including attention,
personality, emotional status, risk assessment, self-concept, autism spectrum disorders, and
social skills
9) Competently administers and interprets the results of parent, teacher, and student behavior
rating scales
10) Demonstrates competence in the evaluation of children and adolescents
11) Demonstrates competence in the diagnosis of A) affective disorders, B) autism spectrum
disorders, C) ADHD, and D) other common disorders in children and adolescents
12) Competently and effectively conceptualizes key clinical issues
13) Demonstrates competence in knowledge of DSM-IV classification and in diagnostic
assessment of psychopathology
14) Demonstrates competence in determining eligibility for special education services
15) Competently and thoroughly writes meaningful psychological evaluation reports in a
concise, accurate, organized, and clear manner
16) Completes psychological evaluations and writes reports in a timely manner
17) Competently and effectively communicates findings to students, families, and school
personnel
18) Demonstrates knowledge of the process for requesting an in-home training evaluation
19) Competently administers and interprets developmental tests as a member of the preschool
screening assessment team
2. Domain Two: Prevention, Counseling, and Other Interventions
a. Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in developing and implementing
prevention techniques and interventions, including a variety of approaches to counseling
students and families.
b. Core Competencies:
1) Prevention
2) Intervention
3) Counseling
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the Broad Goal for Domain
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Two.
1) Demonstrates formal observation in each of the following special education instructional
settings: Social Adjustment Class, Life Skills, Adaptive Life Skills, and Inclusion at High School
Level (9-12), Middle School (5-8) and Elementary Level (K-5)
2) Demonstrates formal observation in each of the following special instructional settings:
Reading 180, ESL, Transition-K, PPCD, and Head Start
3) Demonstrates formal observation in the elementary and secondary general education setting
4) Demonstrates understanding of the membership, purpose, alternatives and required activities
of the Pre-Referral Team
5) Attends and seeks to be an active, contributing member of the Pre-Referral Team
6) Provides observations and suggestions to general education teachers and administrators for
classroom, behavioral, and environmental interventions focused on the possible prevention of
more restricted academic programming for students
7) Demonstrates understanding of the philosophy, model, and systematic application of
Response to Intervention (RtI)
8) Demonstrates competence in assisting campus personnel to develop interventions and
implement a continuum of techniques for Response to Intervention (RtI)
9) Competently and effectively collaborates with multidisciplinary colleagues to identify and
implement reasonable and appropriate intervention goals
10) Demonstrates understanding of theories of psychology as applied to prevention, counseling,
and intervention
11) Demonstrates knowledge gained from participating in the Community Resources Breakfast
12) Demonstrates skill in identifying, contacting, and incorporating community-based resources
in prevention and intervention activities
13) Demonstrates knowledge of the referral process for the Texas C.H.I.P.S. program
14) Demonstrates ability to conduct and effectively utilize the results of a Functional Behavior
Assessment (FBA)
15) Demonstrates ability to develop and lead in the implementation of a behavior intervention
plan (BIP)
16) Demonstrates ability to adjust and revise BIP as needed
17) Demonstrates ability to identify the need for counseling/social skills as an intervention
18) Demonstrates competence in completing a formal counseling/social skills evaluation
19) Competently develops counseling/social skills IEPs with measurable goals.
20) Is trained in Crisis Prevention Institute@ Nonviolent Crisis Intervention and the Texas
Behavioral Support Initiative (TBSI) and is prepared to serve on a campus-based team
21) Demonstrates competence in the provision of family counseling
22) Competently provides students with individual and group counseling/social skills
interventions
23) Demonstrates competence in staff training on a specific topic
24) Demonstrates commitment to and competence in applying evidence-based interventions
25) Demonstrates ability to evaluate interventions using valid data collection techniques
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3. Domain Three: Consultation, Collaboration and Interpersonal Competence
a. Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in collaboration, consultation, and
relationship building with a wide variety of individuals and organizations.
b. Core Competencies:
1) Consultation
2) Collaboration
3) Professional relationships and interpersonal skills
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the Broad Goal for Domain
Three.
1) Actively utilizes consultation as an intervention methodology
2) Demonstrates an understanding of the consultation referral process
3) Effectively consults and collaborates with parents, teachers, and professionals across multiple
disciplines
4) Effectively performs the data collection, data analysis, and decision making necessary in
drawing conclusions and making consultative recommendations
5) Effectively communicates consultation results and recommendations
6) Products well-written consultation reports
7) Demonstrates skill in linking school, family and community resources
8) Establishes and maintains effective relationships with children, adolescents, parents, teachers,
administrators, and other school personnel
9) Effectively collaborates with multidisciplinary colleagues to identify intervention goals
10) Effectively serves as a member on multidisciplinary teams
11) Consults with teachers in monitoring progress on BIP goals and is timely in providing
progress reports to parents
12) Demonstrates knowledge of the federal definition of Learning Disabilities and the role of
Response to Intervention (RtI) as part of a multidisciplinary team
13) Participates with AEP personnel in AEP intake session for students assigned to Davis School
(Disciplinary AEP)
14) Participates in a multidisciplinary team meeting at the Disciplinary AEP
4. Domain Four: Scholarship, Data-Based Decision-making, Technological Competence,
and Accountability.
a. Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in scholarly activities including
involvement in school-based research.
b. Core Competencies:
26
1) Scholarship
2) Data-based decision-making
3) Technological skills
4) Accountability
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the Broad Goal for Domain
Four
1) Demonstrates skill at identifying research-based psychological techniques, classroom
interventions and teaching practices
2) Demonstrates skill in locating, reading, critically evaluating, and utilizing research results
3) Demonstrates skills in developing and utilizing research-based prevention and intervention
strategies
4) Demonstrates skill in supporting and perpetuating best practices across all provisions of
school-based psychological services
5) Demonstrates knowledge of classroom data collection, data analysis, and feedback regarding
effectiveness
6) Demonstrates knowledge of classroom data collection, data analysis, and feedback regarding
effectiveness
7) Demonstrates skill in developing and evaluating strategies for Response to Intervention (RtI).
8) Effectively evaluates treatment outcomes
9) Demonstrates knowledge about norms, standardization, and the technical aspects of
psychological tests and measures.
10) Demonstrates the development of skills for professional writing
11) Demonstrates participation in professional organizations
12) Demonstrates participation in original research, individual research, support of ongoing
research and/or research team.
13) Demonstrates active presentation and discussion of research that can be applied to schoolbased practice
14) Demonstrates competence in use of computers, computer applications and software
programs that are necessary to the practice of psychology in the schools
15) Effectively utilizes the internet in psychological practice and research
5. Domain Five: Diversity and Special Circumstances
a. General Goal: The intern will demonstrate knowledge, competence, and sensitivity in
understanding, interacting, collaborating, evaluating, counseling, consulting, advising, and
implementing interventions and programs with colleagues, students, and families from diverse
backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities; with minority populations; and with students from special
circumstances.
b. Core Competencies:
1) Diversity awareness and competence: Ethnicity, Race, Religion, SES, Gender, Sexual
Orientation
27
2) Special circumstances: Hospitalization, Residential Living, Homeless
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the general goal for
Domain Five.
1) Provides psychological services to students from diversity factors such as ethnicity, race,
religion, SES, gender, sexual orientation, and residential circumstances
2) Demonstrates knowledge and sensitivity in interviews and other professional interactions
with students and families from diverse backgrounds and special circumstances
3) Demonstrates knowledge of possible diversity issues related to values, beliefs, traditions,
customs, parenting styles, language barriers, and the effects of disabilities on others/lifestyles.
4) Utilizes evaluation methods that demonstrate knowledge of and sensitivity to cultural, ethnic,
racial, social, and other individual differences
5) Selects appropriate tests and measures for validly evaluating students from diverse
backgrounds and special circumstances
6) Utilizes relevant diversity information in test interpretations and, where appropriate, addresses
special considerations in evaluation report
7) Demonstrates skill in interventions with students and families of diverse backgrounds and
special populations
8) Prepares by reading literature related to the multicultural/diversity factors that may affect
counseling
9) Demonstrates skill in counseling children and adolescents from diverse backgrounds and
special populations
10) Demonstrates skill in consulting with families from diverse backgrounds and special
populations
11) Demonstrates knowledge regarding issues of diversity when recommending behavior
interventions, instructional modifications and appropriate classroom environments
12) Demonstrates sensitivity to diversity in conducting functional behavioral assessments and
behavior intervention plans
13) Participates in training seminars designed to address diversity issues
14) Reads research and utilizes results related to providing services to diverse backgrounds and
special circumstances
15) Competently and effectively provides psychological services, with knowledge of special
needs, to students in residential facilities
16) Competently and effectively provides psychological services, with knowledge of special
needs, to hospitalized students
17) Demonstrates knowledge of the criteria required for students with emotional difficulties to
receive homebound services
18) Demonstrates knowledge of the definition and required services for students identified as
homeless
19) Demonstrates skills in data collection regarding diverse student populations
20) Demonstrates interest and ability to formulate research questions related to serving students
and families from diverse and special populations
28
6. Domain Six: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Responsibility
a. General Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in presenting himself, or herself, as a
knowledgeable psychological service professional.
b. Core Competencies:
1) Professional Comportment
2) Professional Knowledge Base
3) Professional Standards
4) Ethical Knowledge and Behavior
5) Understanding and Application of Law
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the general goal for
Domain Six.
1) Presents self in a professional manner that creates team cohesion and gains colleague
confidence and respect
2) Demonstrates mature judgment in professional decision making
3) Effectively communicates with colleagues and groups
4) Establishes and maintains effective professional relationships with other interns, supervisors,
and psychology personnel
5) Utilizes interpersonal skills in a positive and constructive manner that contributes to the
completion of psychological services related tasks
6) Demonstrates skills in identifying professional strengths and limitations and seeks supervisory
input when the correct action is unclear
7) Demonstrates leadership skills, self motivation, and independent activities to promote
professional growth
8) Carefully follows the ethical and professional standards prescribed by the American
Psychological Association (APA), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), Texas
State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
9) Demonstrates a well developed understanding of ethical principles and applies these principles
in scholarship and practice
10) Maintains a high level of ethical behavior regarding confidentiality of parent and family
information, student information, and student records
11) Demonstrates general understanding of state and federal law and incorporates law into
practice
12) Demonstrates knowledge of state and federal laws specific to parent and student rights,
special education evaluation, the ARD process, and the provision of special education services
13) Attends to schedule, required times, and preparation for individual supervision and utilizes
and integrates supervisory input in a professional manner
14) Follows work assignments and professional tasks to completion
15) Effectively organizes professional time and manages the stress and competing demands
associated with providing psychological services in schools
29
7. Domain Seven: Specialty in School Psychology
a. General Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in the skills related to successful
functioning as a school psychologist.
b. Core Competencies:
1) School psychology
2) Special education process
3) School based practice
c. Cumulative Goals: to be mastered in the cumulative attainment of the general goal for
Domain Seven.
1) Demonstrates a sound foundation of professional knowledge that guides communication and
decision-making activities
2) Demonstrates a well developed understanding of the role of the school psychologist
3) Demonstrates mastery of psychological practices unique to psychology in the schools and a
commitment to expanding his or her knowledge base regarding the practice of school psychology
4) Understands the organization of school systems and the roles of psychologists for improving
educational practice
5) Understands federal and state law related to school psychology, education, including special
education, and the practice of psychology in the schools
6) Abides by the rules of practice for psychologists as provided by the American Psychological
Association, National Association of School Psychologists, and the Texas State Board of
Examiners of Psychology
7) Demonstrates understanding of special education eligibility criteria, particularly criteria
related to emotional disturbance, autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder, and utilizes the criteria in decision making
8) Demonstrates understanding of the roles of multidisciplinary team members, including the
psychologist/LSSP
9) Works effectively as the psychological services member of a multidisciplinary team
10) Assures that psychological evaluations and behavior intervention plans are reviewed by
parents, presented in the ARD meeting, distributed to individuals required to have copies, and
are included in SEM and the special education file
11) Utilizes specific counseling techniques and methods that promote therapeutic relationships
and lead to measurable change in counseling outcomes
12) Demonstrates understanding of the ARD process, composition of the ARD/IEP team and
individual roles of ARD/IEP team members
13) Demonstrates understanding of the psychologist’s role as parent advocate and ability to
assist parents in understanding parent rights, procedural safeguards, and parent due process
14) Understands the Manifestation Determination Review process
15) Demonstrates understanding of special education law related to student discipline
30
L. INTERNSHIP TRAINING:
1. Domain Competencies in Relation to Primary Training Activities
The following table attempts to analyze and categorize internship training activities in terms of
teaching concepts and developing intern skills in each of the seven training domains. There is
also an effort made to consider the skills to be developed for each domain and assess the domain
through the NASP conceptualization of foundational and functional competencies. This exercise
has been conducted as a tool to assist in the analysis and continued development of the training
curriculum. The continued development of a set of written training materials for each cumulative
goal will help in increasing the precision of comprehensively listing the training activities
directed toward skill development in each domain.
Competency Domains in Relation to Primary Training Activities
Domain
Core Competency Area
I
Functional
II
Functional
III
Functional
IV
Foundational
Evaluation and Diagnoses
V
Foundational
VI
Foundational
VII
Specialty
Prevention, Counseling and
other Interventions
Consultation, Collaboration,
and Interpersonal Skills
Scholarship, Technological
Applications, Data-Based
Decision making, and
Accountability
Diversity and Special
Circumstances
Professional, Legal, and
Ethical Responsibility
School Psychology
Cumulative
Objectives
A1-A19
Primary Training
Activities
C, D, G, H, J, M, P
B1-B25
A, B, C, D, E, H, I, N, O,P
C1-C14
D1-D15
B, C, D, F, G, H, I, J, K, N,
P
B, C, D, H, I, L, M, P
E1-E20
A, D, E, F, H, I, M, N, O, P
F1-F15
B, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, P
G1-G15
B, D, H, I, J, L, M, P
A. Clinical Observation
B. Colleague Collaboration
C. Data Collection and Analysis
J. Intern Orientation
K. Multidisciplinary Team Participation
L. Professional Conferences
31
D. Direct Instruction
E. Family Counseling Supervision
F. Group Supervision
G. Guided Practice
H. Individual Supervision
I. Intern Didactic Seminars
M. Reading
N. Skills Modeling
O. Therapy Skill Building
P. Training Materials
2. Didactic Training:
There is a schedule for the year of weekly family/group supervision, clinical presentations,
didactic training seminars, psychological services meetings, and other intern training activities
(See Appendix H). Interns are provided many opportunities for didactic training during the
internship year. The Regional Association of School Psychology (DFW-RASP) holds three
conferences each year that are built into the didactic presentation schedule for interns. Interns
often request to attend the Texas Psychological Association conference (TPA) and the Texas
Association of School Psychologists (TASP) conference. In-state training activities may be
funded by Denton ISD. Educational leave is allowed for national conferences, such as those held
by APA and NASP, but limited funding is available.
Interns begin their internship experience with a week or more of didactic training preparing them
to have greater skill and confidence as they begin school-based supervised professional
experiences. This includes technology training and training in Crisis Prevention and Intervention
(CPI). In addition to the regularly scheduled weekly didactic training, interns attend professional
development conferences within the school district, at local universities and at the Regional
Educational Service Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas.
Training topics presented within the Denton ISD during the previous internship year included:
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Autism Diagnoses and Evaluation
Counseling Models
Counseling Children and Adolescents
Interventions for Self Injury
Legal Issues
Neuropsychological Evaluation
Play Therapy
Psychologists' Role in Discipline Decisions
Psychotropic Medication with Children
Role of a Psychologist in the Schools
Selective Mutism
Social Skills Training
Solution Focused Classroom Management
Use of DSM-IV
3. Experiential Training:
Much of the intern’s training program is built on gaining skill through direct practice. Interns
learn by watching other skilled practitioners. Interns are initially involved with other seasoned
counselors in counseling students and have opportunities to observe their supervisors or other
psychologists/LSSPs in their daily professional activities.
Interns are quickly involved in the supervised provision of direct services. This occurs initially as
co-activities or activities performed under very close supervision. Interns are observed, or
32
observe others, conducting clinical interviews, administering tests, and working with
multidisciplinary teams. With time and practice, interns provide psychological services with less
direct supervision.
Interns will provide psychological services to students in general education and special
education. A partial listing of experiential experiences interns gain through providing
psychological services in general education includes:
a. Conducting classroom observations and providing recommendations for students exhibiting
adjustment problems
b. Consulting with teachers and administrators regarding behavioral or educational difficulties
c. Developing behavior intervention strategies to strengthen RtI programming and decrease
special education referrals
d. Participating on the Campus Intervention Team
e. Developing and implementing early screening procedures to identify potential behavior or
learning problems
f. Conducting training for teachers and other Denton ISD personnel
g. Serving as a resource person to general education personnel
h. Consulting with school counselors, teachers, nurses, and other school staff
i. Coordinating community resources to meet individual student needs
j. Assisting in the development and implementation of school discipline models and procedures
k. Serving as a resource for campus personnel in the development and implementation of crisis
management procedures
l. Serving as a member of the crisis team
m. Developing and maintaining relationships with social service agencies
M. WEEKLY DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:
The following is a sample of the weekly division of activities expected for intern training:
Intern Weekly Activities:
Activities
Hours/Week
I. Direct Services:
A.
Evaluation:
B.
Observation:
C.
Counseling:
1.
individual
2.
group
3.
family
4.
crisis
D.
Percent
4
2
Consultation:
1.
parents
2.
school personnel/BIP
3.
other professionals
33
6
2
2
1
17
37.7%
2
5
1
8
17.7 %
II. Indirect Services:
A.
Professional Team Meetings:
1.
Staff
2.
ARD/IEP
B.
C.
D.
Research Activities:
Individual/ Shared Research/Scholarship
Supervision/Professional Development:
1.
Individual Supervision
2.
Group/Family Supervision
3.
In-Service Training & Workshops
Administration:
1.
BIP Development/Progress
2.
Report Writing
3.
Paperwork
1
3
4
8.9%
2
4.4%
2
1
2
6
13.3 %
3
3
2
8
17.7 %
TOTAL = 45 HOURS
This is a projected weekly average. The time involved in activities will vary on a weekly basis.
More time is devoted to direct services during the academic year. In the summer months, more
time is devoted to training activities and research.
N. TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:
There are many training opportunities available to interns. The Denton ISD serves children from
a wide range of ethnicities, minority backgrounds and family circumstances. There are
opportunities to work with students who display a variety of cognitive skills, psychological and
behavioral disorders, developmental disabilities, and intervention needs. Interns will work
collaborative with their primary, secondary and university supervisors to develop an
individualized training plan for the year. Many training activities are required by the training
program. There are other activities that may be selected by interns that coincide with areas of
interest, skill deficits, or future plans. Intern training activities will involve, and may be selected
by interns to involve, the following:
1. DIRECT SERVICES/INTERVENTIONS:
a. Consultation: Interns will consult with teachers, parents, administrators, outside community
professionals, and other individuals. Consultation may involve recommending teaching
strategies, developing behavior intervention plans, implementing academic or behavioral
classroom interventions or facilitating program design.
b. Crisis Intervention: Interns will be actively involved in responding to crisis situations such
as intervening with severe and destructive student behaviors, threats of suicide, suicide or deaths
of students, parents or faculty. Interns may be trained and serve on the campus crisis
34
intervention team.
c. Evaluation: Interns will conduct psychological evaluations of children from diverse
backgrounds who display cognitive, emotional, behavioral and/or learning problems. Training in
psychological evaluation is available in the areas of emotional disturbance, learning disabilities,
autism, ADHD, and neuropsychology.
d. Family Counseling/ Parent Training: Denton ISD Psychological Services offers an evening
family counseling program through the Family Counseling Center. The program is based on the
premise that many school-based problems can best be resolved in the context of the family.
Interns will have the opportunity to participate in parent consultation and counseling sessions. A
series of seminars for parents on a variety of subjects, such as parenting skills, are in the
planning stages and the intern may have the opportunity to participate in the development and
presentations of such seminars. Training in various theories and techniques of family therapy is
available through the Family Counseling Center. Interns gain experience in a range of
therapeutic interventions.
e. Group Counseling: Under supervision, interns provide counseling to groups of students with
various diagnoses. The group modality is used to address a variety of issues, including grief and
school adjustment. Interns may co-lead, with another therapist, group counseling. They may also
be involved in providing training sessions with groups of parents.
f. Individual Counseling: Under supervision, interns provide campus-based individual
counseling to students. Individual counseling is directed toward assisting students to be socially
effective and academically successful.
g. Social Skills Groups: Social skills development is a prominent focus for students across
disabilities and instructional arrangements. Social skills needs are addressed through IEP goals
and objectives as determined by an ARD committee. Interventions may involve both individual
and group instruction focusing on interpersonal relationships, interpersonal and social
communication, social rules, and self-management. Interns in Denton ISD have the opportunity
to engage in social skills groups for students and activities may occur on and off campus (e.g. via
student group outings). There is a particular emphasis on social skills training for students
diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
2. DIAGNOSTIC SKILLS AND PROGRAM DESIGN:
a. Behavior Intervention Plans: Interns have the opportunity to learn to conduct a functional
behavioral assessment (FBA) and development a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), with a focus
on using positive behavior supports.
b. Diagnostic and Intervention Skills: Use of the DSM-IV is emphasized in the diagnostic
process.
Following the evaluation and diagnostic process, interns participate with
multidisciplinary teams in utilizing this information to design programs that meet the student’s
specific needs. Specific DSM disorders often encountered in a school setting include:
35
Anxiety Disorders
Traumatic Brain Injury
Learning Disorders
Mental Retardation
Schizophrenia
ADHD
Communication Disorders
Conduct Disorders
Tourette’s Syndrome
Mood Disorders
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
c. Functional Behavioral Assessment: interns participate in evaluations of student behaviors
for the purpose of determining the function of a behavior and methods to affect the frequency of
occurrence. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) provides information upon which a
student Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is developed, and upon which selection of appropriate
IEP goals, objectives, and strategies is based.
3. ALTERNATIVE & SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS/CAMPUSES:
a. Ann Windle School for Young Children and the Popo and Lupe Gonzalez School for
Young Children: These are the Denton ISD early childhood campuses, providing prekindergarten, Head Start, deaf education, and Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities
(PPCD) programs. Skills developed and taught at these campuses include self-esteem, self-help,
language, academic readiness, beginning math, beginning reading, beginning science, prewriting, physical development, pre-computer, and cooking / art / music.
b. Denton ISD Disciplinary AEP (Davis School): The AEP is a regular education disciplinary
program that serves students who have engaged in misconduct. It educates these students for a
specified period of time and then they return to their home campus.
c. Fred Moore: Self-paced high school academic program for at-risk students. Attendees at
Fred Moore include students aged 16 to 21 who are one or more years behind grade level, have
dropped out of school, married, pregnant or parenting, returning from treatment centers,
homeless, or who have failed one or more areas of the state TAKS assessment. The At-Risk
Program is a regular education program designed to educate students who are at risk for
dropping out of school. Instruction is individualized and self-paced. The curriculum often
contains a vocational component.
d. Head Start Program: The Head Start program promotes school readiness through the
enhancement of social and cognitive development of children through the provision of
educational, health, nutritional, social, and ancillary services. Head Start is a national initiative
governed by the Head Start Act (42 USC 9801 et seq.). The Head Start program for the Denton
area is housed within the Denton ISD.
e. Joe Dale Sparks Campus: The Joe Dale Sparks Campus is located in the Denton County
Juvenile Detention Center and serves students who have been incarcerated for legal offenses.
The campus provides academic programming to students placed in short-term detention, as well
as the long-term P.O.S.T. adjudication residential placement program. Students receive
instruction in core subject areas, physical education, and selected electives. Instruction is
provided within the scope of the program of the juvenile detention center and Denton County
36
Juvenile Probation Services.
f. Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Placement (JJAEP): The JJAEP program serves
students from Denton County schools that have been expelled from their home districts. The
program includes academic, drill/physical instruction and training in self-discipline. The JJAEP
educational staff is provided by a neighboring school district (Lewisville ISD); however,
students from Denton ISD who receive special education related services receive these services
through Denton ISD.
g. Regional Day School Program for the Deaf: Denton ISD is home to the Texas Regional
Day School Program for the Deaf, serving students eligible for special education services under
the handicapping condition of auditory impairment residing in Denton, Cooke, and Wise
counties. Services are eligible to students from birth through age twenty-one, and range from
interpretation support in the general education setting to fully self-contained academic
instruction. The emphasis of the program is on English language acquisition and speech via a
total communication approach.
h. Teen Pregnancy Program: The Denton ISD Teens Taking Responsibility in Parenting
Success (TTRIPS) program provides assistance in obtaining childcare, transportation, parenting
education, and additional services for pregnant and/ or parent students in Denton ISD. The goal
of the program is to provide assistance to students in order to insure completion of their high
school diploma and acquisition of occupational skills.
4. INSTRUCTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS / CLASSROOM SETTINGS:
a. Adaptive Life Skills Classes: Adaptive Life Skills Classes provide a curriculum that focuses
on basic living, communication, and self-help/self-care skills. The students served in these
classrooms often have profound medical and developmental conditions, resulting in the need for
assistive technology and medical assistance. Interns are provided the opportunity to work with
students, parents and multidisciplinary school personnel in meeting a wide variety of student
needs (e.g. behavioral, academic, self-care).
b. Bilingual/ESL Services: Denton ISD provides instruction and a number of services for
children for whom English is not their primary language. Psychology interns have the
opportunity to observe or participate in bilingual evaluation, instruction, and interventions.
c. Content Mastery: The goal of Content Mastery is to educate students with disabilities in the
regular classroom with their peers. Toward this goal, following the instruction provided in the
general education setting, students have the opportunity to complete assignments and/or tests in
the content mastery room with guidance from a special education teacher.
.
d. Homebound Instruction: Homebound instruction is provided to students based on medical
need. Students who are unable to attend classes on campus are instructed at home or in a
hospital setting.
e. Inclusion: Inclusion services are provided in the general education classroom through in-class
37
support, as opposed to students receiving services in special education classrooms.
f. Life Skills Classes: These classes focus on the development of basic academic skills, skills
for daily living, and occupation training for self-support.
g. Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities: PPCD classes serve children, ages 3-5
years, with various types of disabilities. Preschoolers are provided instruction to encourage the
development of cognition, emotion, communication, motor skills, self-help skills, social skills,
and creative expression.
h. Resource Instruction: Some elementary and secondary campuses provide specific classroom
instruction primarily focused on remediating learning differences. This service may also be
offered through inclusion in general education classes.
i. Social Adjustment Class: The Social Adjustment Class provides a therapeutic classroom
environment which, in addition to academic instruction, focuses on structure and behavior
management. This may be provided as a self-contained instructional arrangement for children
who have severe emotional and/or behavioral problems. More often it is utilized for certain
periods of a student’s school day and for student support in general education. The classes have a
behavioral level system with contingencies, a structured daily schedule, and social skills training.
The goal is to teach social skills and provide individualized instruction in order to facilitate the
transition of students as they return to the general education classroom.
j. Vocational Adjustment Classes: Students receive vocational instruction in fields such as
cosmetology and auto-technology. Further, with campus-based vocational programs, students
may receive specific job training and off-campus job placement supervised by a Vocational
Adjustment Coordinator (VAC). School personnel conduct vocational assessment and develop
an individual transition plan which is designed to help each student successfully graduate, work
and live in the community.
5. SPECIALIZED TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES:
a. Autism In-home Training: An In-home training evaluation is completed by district staff
prior to initiation of this service and it must be requested by an ARD committee.
In-home training is provided to students under the special education eligibility of autism, with
the purpose of assisting in the generalization of IEP goals from the school to the home setting.
b. Autism Support Team: Children who are referred for assessment due to a possible Pervasive
Developmental Disorder or Autistic Disorder are assessed by a Campus-Based Autism Team.
Members of an AU team include a speech therapist, an occupational therapist, an educational
diagnostician and an LSSP. The Autism Support Team provides consultation and training to
campus-based AU teams.
c. APE Student Outings: Students receiving Adapted Physical Education services have the
opportunity to participate in off-campus outings under the supervision of the APE staff. Interns
and other staff are offered opportunity to assist the APE staff in supervising these outings, such
38
as fishing at North/South Lakes Park each spring.
d. Autism Evaluation: Specialized evaluation utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach and
allowing interns to learn the process for multidisciplinary evaluation with teachers, speechlanguage pathologists, occupational therapists, educational diagnosticians, and other relevant
personnel. Evaluation procedures expose interns to a variety of tools, including the ADOS, ADIR, PEP-3, and autism rating scales.
e. AU Social Skills Groups: Denton ISD provides social skills group instruction to individuals
with autism spectrum disorders focusing on improving interpersonal relationships and coping
with social situations. Group activities include off-campus outings to expose students to
community activities and social situations.
f. Circle of Friends: Circle of Friends is a peer support group for special needs students. The
Circle of Friends program provides a social network for a student that is selected in accordance
with the student's interests and skills. These friends provide support and serve to facilitate
special needs students’ interactions with age-level peers. Psychologists play a role in identifying
students who will benefit from Circle of Friends and participate in planning and coordinating the
activities.
g. Community Referral and Liaison Services: Interns gain experience in working with
physicians, psychologists, hospital staff, and professionals from state, county, and local agencies.
Through these activities, interns increase their knowledge of community resources and learn
methods for providing students with needed services. Emphasis is placed on the ethical and legal
considerations in interacting with outside agencies.
h. General Education Counseling: General education counselors provide support and
guidance to all students on each Denton ISD campus. They also provide guidance activities in
classrooms. During the course of internship training, interns will consult with general education
counselors. Psychologists and counselors may serve as co-counselors for groups. These
counselors often participate along with district psychologists and psychological interns as
members of the ARD/IEP committee.
i. Multicultural/Minority Issues: Interns acquire knowledge and gain experience in using
varied approaches appropriate for working with minority students. Sensitivity to and respect for
diversity is emphasized throughout the training program.
j. Parent Support Groups/Parent Education: Denton ISD seeks to encourage the
development of knowledge and skills within the family through sponsoring parent support
groups and through providing parent education. Specific Groups include a group for parents
with children receiving special education services, a group for parents of children with ADHD, a
support group for parents of children diagnosed with mental retardation, and a support group for
parents of students with autism/Asperger’s Disorder. Areas of parent education include drug and
alcohol issues, parenting skills, medication issues, and crisis intervention.
39
k. Social Work Services: The Denton ISD Social Work Services coordinates social services
with school support and community agencies and addresses the diverse social, emotional,
cultural, and economic needs of students and families. Services include information and referral
to community agencies, crisis support, identification of resources for medical evaluation and
treatment, assistance with school supplies and clothing, coordination of the district Homebound
Program, liaison with area homeless programs, and assistance to Special Education Services in
addressing specific student needs.
l. Student and Staff Assistance Services: Student and staff assistance service programming in
Denton ISD focuses on providing students, staff, and their families with help and support related
to emotional, social, and substance abuse issues. Specific programs administered by this
department include Safe & Drug Free Schools and Communities and Bullying Prevention.
Referral information to community mental health and substance abuse treatment providers is
available. An employee assistance program is provided.
m. Wellness Program: The Denton ISD Wellness Program provides staff and their families
with free and low-cost health and wellness assessments and activities. Services include annual
wellness assessments, exercise classes, flu shots, and other services to help staff and their
families maintain good health and healthy behaviors.
6. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE:
a. Educational Presentations: Interns work with supervisors and other psychology personnel in
preparing presentations for professional training. Routine opportunities for case presentations
are also provided.
b. Ethics: Interns receive training in ethical and professional standards. They may choose ethics
as an area of particular concentration. Standards are modeled, practiced, and discussed across
the internship year. Interns are held to the professional and ethical standards set forth by the
American Psychological Association (APA), National Association of School Psychologists
(NASP), and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP). Interns have the
opportunity to attend continuing education in ethics and gain continuing education units (CEUs)
for attendance. Interns are required to utilize in daily practice the ethical standards and
guidelines provided by the APA and the NASP.
c. Policies and Law: Interns are trained regarding federal and state law, as well as local policies
for providing psychological services in schools. Training is provided regarding federal and state
law specific to special education.
d. Report Writing: Interns are required to gain competence in psychological report writing.
Interns are trained to report concise and accurate test results as well as provide recommendations
that can be realistically implemented.
e. Research: The Denton ISD pre-doctoral internship training program includes opportunities
for ongoing research activities. Interns have the opportunity to conduct group or individual
research projects, including dissertation research.
40
O. EVALUATION:
1. EVALUATION OF INTERN PERFORMANCE:
Intern evaluation and feedback are integral aspects of the Denton ISD training program.
Evaluations of intern performance are both informal and formal. Informal evaluations may occur
at any time and may occur by the request of the intern.
a. Self- Evaluation:
At the beginning of the internship program, interns complete a self- evaluation of professional
skills and then provide the evaluation to their supervisors. This self-evaluation is utilized in
establishing baseline skills and in the developing the Individualized Intern Training Plan (IITP).
Intern self-evaluation will also be conducted at the beginning, mid-year and at the end of the
training program (See Self Evaluation, Appendix I).
41
b. Formal Evaluation of Intern Performance:
Interns will be formally evaluated twice during the training year, at mid-year and at the end of
the training program. These evaluations are directed toward the specific goals for internship.
Interns are aware of each goal, in that each of these goals is included on the individualized ITP.
At mid year, the performance evaluation instrument will be completed and a copy will be
provided to the intern for review before the evaluation review meeting. Evaluations of each
intern's progress will be completed by the primary supervisor in collaboration with the intern and
other professionals who have worked closely with the supervisee (See Performance Evaluation,
Appendix K).
Interns will be evaluated on progress in developing competencies toward the broad goals for the
seven program domains based on progress in each of the cumulative program goals in each
domain. Cumulative goals will include all training goals for the intern’s program. Each goal,
including the internship minimum standard, will have been included in the Individualized Intern
Training Plan as well as on the Intern Performance Evaluation.
Formal evaluation meetings will be held between the intern and primary supervisor. Other
individuals involved in supervision may be present at the request of the intern or supervisor. The
results of performance evaluations will be shared with the DTC and with University Internship
Coordinators/Supervisors.
Because interns are employees of the District, the Employee Performance Evaluation utilized by
the Denton ISD Psychological Services will also be used with interns, as well as all other
Psychological Services employees in, April or May of each year. The result of this evaluation
will be used to prepare for the internship evaluation at the end of the internship year (See
Appendix L).
2. EVALUATION OF TRAINING PROGRAM BY INTERN:
Interns will also participate in formal and informal evaluation of both the training program and
their supervisory experience. Informal evaluation occurs in the form of ‘feedback’ meetings
with the Internship Director. These informal meetings occur at a minimum of twice in each
semester.
Interns will formally evaluate the training program at the end of the program (See Evaluation of
Internship, Appendix M). The end of the year evaluations are shared directly with the Internship
Director, rather than with Primary or Secondary Supervisors. Interns will also evaluate their
supervisors and the quality of supervision (See Evaluation of Supervisor, Appendix K). The
Internship Director will discuss the results of the evaluations with primary and secondary
supervisors and with the Doctoral Training Committee (DTC).
42
P. INTERN DUE PROCESS:
There is a specific set of complaint and due process procedures to be used by Denton ISD predoctoral interns. During the initial internship orientation, interns are provided with specific
instruction regarding these procedures. It is expected that these internship due process
procedures will become more well-defined as they are utilized and the program develops and
evolves. In addition, it is expected that when the internship meets APPIC membership
requirements, the APPIC problem resolution and grievance processes will be utilized for interns
in conjunction with the procedures developed by the Denton ISD internship.
The procedures, specific to interns, were developed in conjunction with the participation of
graduate students who were interns in the first year of the internship program. These procedures
continue to evolve. At present, the intern problem resolution and due process addresses five
specific areas:
1. Program Suggestions or Concerns
2. More Serious General Complaints
3. Issues with Individual Training
4. Concerns regarding Supervision/Supervisor
5. Concerns regarding Performance Evaluations
In addition to providing the following information in this handbook, there are separate
instructional handouts for each area that are available to interns.
1. INTERN PROCESS TO ADDRESS PROGRAM SUGGESTIONS OR CONCERNS:
a. The Denton ISD internship is new and continues to add additional organization and structure
to the program. Supervisors are very receptive to intern suggestions regarding program training
activities or program development. Interns should feel free to speak openly with their supervisors
without fear of reprisal. Interns should also feel free to share internship program training
suggestions or concerns with the internship program director.
b. Interns can expect to be able to speak freely without negative repercussions. They may speak
directly to any of the doctoral psychologists/LSSPs who serve as supervisors and trainers.
Interns may e-mail suggestions or comments to supervisors or the director. In addition, interns
may utilize weekly group supervision, a time shared with supervisors and other interns, as an
avenue for presentation of suggestions or concerns.
c. Even if suggestions are provided verbally, all suggestions or concerns should also be provided
in writing. This will document the discussion, record the concern, and direct a correction or
outcome. All suggestions, no matter how they are received, will be reviewed by the Internship
Director and the Doctoral Training Committee (DTC). Each suggestion will be concretely
addressed.
d. SUMMARY: To address program suggestions or less serious concerns
43
1) OPTIONS: (Notice)
a) Discussion or email to clinical supervisor
b) Discussion or e-mail to internship director
c) Present idea/concern in weekly group supervision meeting
d) Use the Suggestion Box (anonymous option)
2) ADDRESSED: (Hearing/ Review)
a) By Clinical Supervisor or Internship Director
b) Reviewed by DTC
3) OUTCOME/ RESOLUTION:
Supervisor/ Director/DTC responses and solutions will be posted on the Psychology
Department Message Board
4) APPEAL:
At this level, if the intern is not satisfied with the outcome, try again with additional
supporting material
2. INTERN PROCESS TO ADDRESS MORE SERIOUS GENERAL CONCERNS:
a. If an intern has a serious training concern related to the general program, he or she should
make an appointment with the internship director to directly discuss this concern. All
suggestions or concerns should be provided in writing in order to document the discussion,
record the concern, and direct a correction or outcome.
b. The internship director will review the intern’s concern and will provide a written resolution to
the intern. The resolution may be a suggestion for alternatives to be tried by the intern, may be a
directed intervention with other program personnel, or may be a statement indicating the
director’s view that no action is necessary.
c. If the intern believes the concern to be important, but unsatisfactorily addressed or resolved by
the internship director, the intern should ask to present the concern directly to the Doctoral
Training Committee (DTC). All suggestions or concerns should be provided in writing in order
to document the discussion, record the concern and direct a correction or outcome.
d. The intern should complete a formal Internship Notice and Problem Resolution Form
(INPRF). The form is available through as part of the internship handbook (INPRF is included as
Appendix L). Use of the INPRF form will be discussed during the Intern Due Process
presentation in the initial intern orientation.
e. After the intern has presented the concern to the Doctoral Training Committee, the committee
will discuss the concern with the intern then discuss the concern without the intern’s presence.
f. A representative of the DTC will meet with the intern and provide to the intern a written
response or solution from the DTC.
44
e. SUMMARY: More Serious General Training Concerns
1) INTERN STEPS:
a) Use INPRF (Notice)
b) Discuss with internship director (Hearing)
2) ADDRESSED:
a) Reviewed by director (Review/Hearing)
b) Response in writing to intern from internship director (INPRF)
3) INTERN STEPS:
a) If response from director is unsatisfactory, present to DTC (Appeal)
b) Provide concern to DTC in writing (INPRF)
b) Discuss with DTC (Hearing/Review)
4) ADDRESSED:
a) Response in writing from DTC (Response to Appeal) (INPRF)
b) Discussed with DTC representative (Response to Appeal)
3. INTERN PROCESS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS RELATED TO THE INTERN’S
INDIVIDUAL TRAINING:
a. If interns have concerns about their individual training plan or program this concern should be
directly discussed with their primary clinical supervisor. If the intern is uncomfortable regarding
this discussion, a third person may be present. This third person can be another supervisor or can
be another intern. In addition to the discussion, all suggestions or concerns should be provided
in writing (INPRF) in order to document the discussion, record the concern, and direct a
correction or outcome.
The clinical supervisor will review the concern, may discuss the concern with a supervisory
colleague, and will provide a written response and resolution to the intern’s concern (INPRF).
b. If the concern is not effectively addressed as a result of the discussion with the clinical
supervisor, the intern should attempt to address the concern a second time with the primary
supervisor. Again, the intern may have a third party present for the discussion. Again, all
suggestions or concerns should be provided in writing (INPRF) in order to document the
discussion, record the concern, and direct a correction or outcome. The intern should indicate
why the first solution was unsatisfactory.
The clinical supervisor should review the concern. At this point the supervisor is required to
enlist a second supervisor in considering the concern and the resolution. The supervisor will
review the concern and provide a written response (INPRF).
c. If after the second discussion with the primary clinical supervisor, the concerns are not
satisfactorily addressed, the intern should address this concern with the internship director. In
45
addition to meeting to discuss the concern, intern suggestions or concerns should be provided to
the internship director in writing (INPRF) in order to document the discussion, record the
concern, and direct a correction or outcome.
The internship director must thoughtfully review the concern, discuss the concern with the DTC,
and provide a written response. If some action is indicated in the director’s response, the director
must provide a time line for that action.
d. If, after providing the concern to the internship director and receive a written response, the
concern is still not satisfactorily addressed, the intern should contact their university
supervisor/coordinator, inform the university supervisor in writing of the concerns, and
document the steps that have been taken to address these concerns. The intern should provide
their internship primary clinical supervisor with a copy of the letter written to the university
supervisor. The supervisor may directly contact the university supervisor. The intern will need
to follow up with the university supervisor and utilize their guidance in resolving the concern.
e. SUMMARY: Concerns related to individual training
1) STEPS:
a) Use INPRF (Notice)
b) Address concern with primary clinical supervisor (Hearing)
2) ADDRESSED:
a) Reviewed by clinical supervisor
b) Addressed in writing, including resolution, by clinical supervisor (INPRF)
3) STEPS:
a) Use INPRF (Notice)
b) Address concern again with primary clinical supervisor (Second Hearing)
4) ADDRESSED:
a) Reviewed by clinical supervisor with second supervisor
b) Addressed in writing, including resolution, by clinical supervisor (INPRF)
5) STEPS:
a) Use INPRF (Notice)
b) Address concern with internship director (Appeal)
6) ADDRESSED:
a) Reviewed by internship director in consultation with DTC (Review/Hearing)
b) Addressed in writing, including resolution, by internship director (INPRF)
7) STEPS:
a) Address in writing with university supervisor (Appeal)
b) Provide copy to primary internship supervisor
46
8) ADDRESSED:
a) Hopefully, in writing by University Supervisor
4. INTERN PROCESS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS REGARDING SUPERVISION
/CLINICAL SUPERVISOR:
1. An intern may have a concern/complaint regarding the supervision provided or other actions
of the intern’s primary or secondary clinical supervisor.
2. It is recommended that an intern address a supervisor concern as quickly as possible rather
than waiting or avoiding addressing the concern.
3. Interns have a right to have concerns or complaints about supervision or supervisors
addressed in a timely and professionally appropriate manner.
4. The following addresses two possible sequences: (1) the intern feels comfortable in
addressing the problem with their supervisor and (2) the intern does not feel comfortable
addressing the problem with their supervisor.
The process to address a concern about a clinical supervisor is as follows:
I. Sequence A: The Intern Will Meet with Supervisor
A. STEP 1 (A):
1. If the intern believes that it is possible, the intern is encouraged to address supervision issues
or other supervisor issues directly with the supervisor. If this can be done, it is the recommended
first step.
2. If the intern chooses to address a supervisor concern directly, he/she must have another
supervisor present for the discussion. (Hearing)
3. The third party (a supervisor) must be invited by the intern and should be invited well in
advance of the meeting with the intern’s supervisor.
4. The supervisor invited to be a third party for the discussion must be a member of the Denton
ISD Psychological Services Department.
Preferred selection of third party:
a. The intern’s primary/secondary supervisor
b. The internship director
c. The internship training coordinator
d. An internship clinical supervisor
5. If an intern chooses to discuss a concern with a direct supervisor, the supervisor is expected to
listen and respond to these concerns in an objective manner.
47
6. The third party supervisor must take notes and record information about the discussion and
outcome.
7. The intern will document these concerns on the INPRF. (Notice)
8. The primary supervisor will review the information and will respond using the INPRF.
(Review)
B. STEP 2 (A):
1. Using the Internship Problem Resolution Form (IPRF), the supervisor must address, in
writing, the actions that will be taken to address the intern’s concerns. (Review and Response)
a. The actions to address concerns must be specific.
b. There must be a time line provided for resolution.
c. If the supervisor denies the need for correction, that must be recorded on the IPRF.
d. Both intern and supervisor must sign the IPRF.
e. The intern must be provided with a signed and dated copy of the IPRF.
C. STEP 3 (A):
1. The concern and details about the meeting must be documented by the intern. This must
occur, even if the intern believes the issues have been resolved.
2. The intern must record if he/she is satisfied with the corrective action suggested by the
supervisor.
3. Use INPRF.
D. STEP 4 (A):
1. A copy of the IPRF and the notes from the observing supervisor must be provided to the
internship director.
E. STEP 5 (A):
1. Within two weeks, a second meeting, including all three individuals in the first meeting, must
be held to discuss the resolution of issues. All present must document the results.
F. STEP 6 (A)
1. If the supervisor has denied the charges and has not proposed an acceptable resolution, the
intern and supervisor are required to meet with the Internship Director. The internship director
will take the information and results from this meeting to the (DTC). (Appeal)
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2. The DTC will review the situation and propose a resolution. This will be provided in writing
to the intern.
II. DOES NOT MEET WITH SUPERVISOR (B)
A. STEP 1 (B):
1. In the situation where an intern does not feel that he or she can discuss the concern directly
with the supervisor, even with another supervisor present, the intern should instead address the
concern with the internship director. (Notice)
2. In specific situations, the intern may choose, instead, to discuss the concern with an internship
supervisor; however, in this case the internship director must be informed of the process.
(Review)
3. The meeting must be documented. The intern must record the concern on the INPRF and the
form must the completed by the supervisor who met with the intern or by the internship director,
if the director met with the intern.
4. The internship director is provided with a copy of the INPRF.
B. STEP 2 (B):
1. The internship director will discuss the concern with the clinical supervisor who spoke with
the intern. The internship director and the clinical supervisor will develop a plan to address the
concern.
2. The internship director and the clinical supervisor will meet with the intern to discuss the
methods for resolving the concerns. The plan must be specific and there must be a time line for
resolution. This process must be documented. If this plan leads to a resolution of the problem,
the process is ended. (Hearing)
3. It may be acceptable, but not desirable, to choose not to immediately discuss the concern with
the supervisor with whom the intern has expressed an issue. It is acceptable only if the intern is
insistent, the problem is situational and may be resolved by some change in the intern’s behavior,
and if a true solution can be reached without the discussion. Most situations will require that the
internship director speak very quickly to the supervisor who is the subject of the concern.
(Notice)
C. STEP 3(B):
1. The Internship Director will meet with the clinical supervisor, explain the intern’s concern,
and the two will produce in writing and resolution to the concern. This resolution will be shared
with the intern.
49
2. The supervisor will document his or her prospective on the situation creating the concern. The
supervisor will be required to continue to be professional and positive with the intern. A
supervisor may not take any action against an intern because the intern has expressed a concern.
3. If the internship director, after having met with the intern, the clinical supervisor who heard
the concern, or the clinical supervisor who is the subject of the concern (Hearing) , determines
that no action will be taken (Review), the internship director must document this on the INPRF
and must meet with the intern in person to discuss this decision.
D. STEP 4 (B):
1. If the problems leading to the intern concerns have not, in the interns’ opinion, been
satisfactorily resolved, the intern may chose to initiate a more formal Level Two complaint
(above internship director). The intern must utilize the formal Intern Notice and Problem
Resolution Form (INPRF). The concern will be recorded as a Level Two complaint.
E. STEP 5 (B):
1. Depending on the situation and issues involved, the intern complaint and methods to address
resolution will be brought to the doctoral internship training committee (DTC). If the issues are
personnel issues that are inappropriate for the DTC, the Level Two complaint will be handled by
the Denton ISD Human Resources. (Appeal)
2. The DTC members, minus the internship director and direct clinical supervisor, must review
the interns concerns, develop a plan to resolve the problem, and provide the intern with the plan
in writing (INPRF).
3. At the internship director’s discretion, a level two complaint, or a level one complaint that
does not appear to have a good possibility of resolution, may be addressed by assigning the
intern to a new supervisor. This method of resolution may not be used with the same intern more
than one time within an internship year.
F. STEP 6 (B):
1. Any complaint that reaches the district standard for complaint or due process must be
addressed by the regulations utilized for all employees and approved by the Board of Trustees.
This includes issues of harassment, sexual impropriety, and unprofessional conduct. It might
also include issues related to performance evaluations and employment. Based on the concern,
this may be the first level of complaint for the intern. This level of complaint is considered to be
a third level complaint procedure in the pre-doctoral internship due process.
2. A level three complaint will involve a District Human Resources officer and the Director of
Special Education.
3. The process will follow that approved by the Denton ISD Board of Trustees for District
personnel.
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5. INTERN PROCESS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS:
If an intern disagrees with the result of a performance evaluation, the intern should take the
following steps:
A. STEP 1
1. At the time of the evaluation, voice concerns. If the intern continues to be unhappy with the
evaluation, the intern should ask the supervisor for an Intern Notice and Problems Resolution
Form (INPRF). The intern should return the completed form to the supervisor who completed
the evaluation, and to the primary clinical supervisor (generally the same person).
2. The intern should provide specific options in the rating of performance, decline to sign the
evaluation, and should make an appointment to meet again with the supervisor.
3. An intern may sign an evaluation and realize they do not agree after leaving the meeting. In
this case, the intern must immediately contact the supervisor who completed the evaluation and
provide a written statement (can be an e-mail) indicating that they would like to retract their
signature on the evaluation. The intern will immediately complete an INPRF specifying their
areas of disagreement and what they believe to be the proper ratings for those areas.
B. STEP 2
1. The intern should take time to study the areas where the evaluation did not reflect satisfactory
progress and give careful consideration to the possibility of the evaluation being a correct
reflection of performance.
2. The supervisor will review the areas where the intern’s performance evaluation did not reflect
satisfactory progress. They should talk with other supervisors involved in providing information
for the evaluation and give careful consideration to making changes in the evaluation.
C. STEP 3
1. The supervisor will meet again with the intern. They will discuss any possible changes in the
evaluation. If the supervisor determines that the performance evaluation will remain the same,
they should provide a written statement to the intern. The intern will document his or her
response on the INPRF.
D. STEP 4
1. If the intern does not agree with this decision, the intern may appeal the decision regarding
the performance evaluation to the Doctoral Training Committee (DTC). The intern will contact a
DTC member and request to speak directly with the committee to appeal the decision. This
appeal must be in writing and should document specifically the intern’s disagreement.
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2. The Doctoral Training Committee (DTC) will appoint someone to speak directly with the
intern regarding the appeal at the internship level. The decision of the Doctoral Training
Committee is the final decision.
E. STEP 5
1. The intern does have the right, as does any other Denton ISD employee, of discussing their
concerns and filling an appeal with an officer from the Denton ISD Human Resources.
2. The intern will contact Human Resources and follow the instruction provided by that office.
Q. CONCERNS REGARDING INTERN BEHAVIOR OR PROGRESS:
1. Intern progress is monitored throughout the program. Supervisors will provide weekly
feedback to interns regarding their progress. If a supervisor has serious concerns about the
progress of an intern, the supervisor will meet will the internship director to discuss these
concerns.
2. The internship director and the clinical supervisor will meet with the intern. An improvement
plan will be developed and signed by the intern, clinical supervisors, and the internship director.
This plan will have specific requirements with improvement goals that can be documented. The
improvement plan will be reviewed and progress recorded before completing the formal
performance evaluation.
3. If at the time of the mid-year evaluation, there are serious concerns about an intern’s progress,
this should be reflected in the performance evaluation. Remediation strategies will be developed
at this time and may include, in addition to clinical study, reassessing the intern’s assignment or
considering a change in supervision.
4. The university supervisor will be contacted regarding intern progress. The supervisor is
expected to be an active member in seeking the best training solutions.
5. The internship coordinators/supervisors will make every effort to assist an intern in developing
skills that would allow retention in the internship program. The DTC will provide, direct
guidelines and review the results.
6. If for any reason, it becomes apparent that the intern does not have the skills, and can not
reasonably gain the skills required to successfully complete the internship, the clinical supervisor
and internship director will meet with DTC. If the DTC determines that the intern may not
remain in the program, the clinical supervisor and internship director will meet with the intern
and provide this official opinion.
6. After consultation with the university program, the intern will be asked to leave the internship
program.
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R. APPLYING FOR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE DENTON ISD PRE-DOCTORAL
INTERNSHIP PROGRAM:
1. Questions:
You may contact the internship program to have questions answered or gain additional
information. For the 2011-2012 internship year the following e-mail addresses will provide you
with answers and information. Please use the first e-mail address listed. If you do not get the
information you need, use the other e-mail addresses in the order provided.
E-mail addresses:
1. wjohnson@dentonisd.org
2. bmohair@dentonisd.org
3. rjulius@dentonisd.org
4. lharrier@dentonisd.org
Mailing Address:
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Internship Program
Special Education Services
Psychological Services
1205 University Drive
Denton, Texas 76201
Telephone: 940-369-4097 or 940-369-4075
2. Application: Process/Materials/Requirements:
For the 2011-2012 internship year, all application materials must be received by November 15,
2010. An applicant may inquire as to the status of their application. Applicants with incomplete
files will not be considered.
A completed application must include the following:
a.
A completed application form (Use the APPIC application for 2011-2012
available on the APPIC website. The APPIC website includes instructions for the
application). Applications must include Parts 1 and 2. A copy of the APPIC
application is also included as Appendix R to this handbook.
b.
A current, comprehensive vita
c.
A completed Denton ISD/University/Intern Agreement form (Appendix M)
d.
A completed Certification of Eligibility for Internship form: This is completed by
the University Director of Internship Training (This is Part 2 of the 2011-2012
APPIC Application)
e.
Three favorable letters of recommendation addressing:
1)
2)
3)
Prior training, interests and goals appropriate to the internship
program
Current level of professional competence and in which areas of training
Adherence to ethics and knowledge of law
53
4)
f.
Interpersonal skills appropriate to the professional practice of
psychology
Official transcripts of all graduate work. Individuals wishing to become licensed
as LSSPs in the state of Texas or practice psychology at doctoral level with a
specialty in school psychology must indicate courses or course content in the
following:
1)
Core curriculum including biological bases of behavior,
cognitive/emotional bases of behavior, social bases of behavior,
individual bases of behavior, child and adolescent development
(normal and abnormal), human learning, human exceptionalities,
statistics and research design, and history and systems
2)
Intellectual, personality, and other assessment courses
3)
Counseling (individual, crisis, group, or family), consultation and
behavior management
4)
Advanced research and program evaluation courses
5)
Language and computer courses
6)
Practicum experience
7)
Professional issues and standards, roles and functions of school
psychologists; legal, cultural, and ethical issues; history and
foundation of school psychology; education of exceptional
learners; multicultural, education; organization, administration, and
financing of public schools; curriculum, and instructional/remedial
techniques
g. Practicum experience: Preference for 900 practicum hours or above:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Four hundred fifty hours (450) in direct psychology services to
diverse student populations which address a range of presenting problems
using a variety of assessment/diagnostic approaches and methods of
intervention and treatment
Three hundred and fifty (350) additional hours
One hundred (100) documented hours of formal supervision
Practicum hours are distributed over one year or more of graduate training
Where possible, application materials may be submitted online to bmohair@dentonisd.org and to
wjohnson@dentonisd.org. Other materials must be submitted through other means to the
attention of Billie Mohair at the address provided above and be received by the November 15,
2010 deadline.
4. Interviews:
1)
2)
Applicants with completed files and who are selected for interviews will be notified by
December 15, 2010 by e-mail, phone call, or letter. If the applicant is interested in
completing an interview, it will be arranged on Dec 15 or immediately after that time.
Applicants with completed files and who are not are selected for interviews will be
notified by e-mail, phone call, or letter by December 15, 2010.
54
3)
4)
The Department will schedule interviews for dates in January, 2011. The interview will
consist of a panel interview, an individual interview, an intern with current interns, and, if
time allows, a tour of Denton ISD and practice sites.
Interns are expected to participate in site-based personal interviews; however, at times a
telephone interview may be acceptable.
5. Internship Selection Criteria:
The criteria employed in selecting interns are as follows:
1) Met Application Requirements:
Completed Application and all other required materials were on file by deadline date indicated.
2) Information provided in Applications
3) Coursework
4) Practicum and professional experience
5) Letters of Recommendation
6) Interview
a. Professional/ Personality characteristics
b. Interview Responses/professional philosophy/ answers/ questions
c. Internship compatibility
d. Interview Ratings
e. Clinical Supervisor/DTC Ratings
6. Intern Notification:
Denton ISD will use the APPIC MATCH Process. Denton ISD will abide by all APPIC policies.
7. Procedure for Individuals Accepted:
Individuals accepted for internship must immediately provide the Internship with the following
information by completing the internship acceptance form (See Appendix N):
a. Contact Information
b. Arrival Date
c. Agreement to Internship Start Date
d. Information regarding personal liability insurance
e. University Supervisor Contacts
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APPENDIX A
DENTON ISD PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL
2010-2011
Jennifer Austin, Ed.S., LSSP, ABD
Education: B.A., University of Colorado; Ed.S., University of Nebraska
LSSP Internship: Grayson County Special Education Co-Op, Sherman, Texas
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
Professional Affiliations: Regional Association of School Psychologists,
Texas Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Autism Spectrum Disorders (assessment, parent/teacher
training, educational programming, social skills training, program evaluation)
Janice Bigby, Ph.D, LSSP
Education: B.A., University of Oklahoma; M.S., University of North Texas; A.B.D. in
Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine, University of North Texas
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
Professional Affiliations: International Society for Neurofeedback & Research
Areas of Special Interest: Health Psychology, Neurofeedback, Quantitative
Electroencephalography (qEEG), Effects of stress on the developing brain
Paula Bruce, S.S.P., LSSP, NCSP
Education: B.A., Nicholls State University; Specialist’s Degree, Nicholls State
University
LSSP Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Nationally
Certified School Psychologist
Professional Affiliations: DFW Regional Association of School Psychologists,
National Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: social skills training; Autism
Francis Chen, M.A., LSSP
Education: B.A., Texas State University; M.A. Texas State University
LSSP Internship: Seguin Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Nationally
Certified School Psychologist
Professional Affiliations: Regional Association of School Psychologists,
National Association of School Psychologists, Texas Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Parent training and Neuropsychology
Don Goldston, Ph.D., LSSP
Education: B.A., Southwestern University; M.S. Texas A & M University; Ph.D.,
Texas Woman’s University
Doctoral Internship: Fort Worth Independent School District (APA accredited)
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Licensed
56
Psychological Associate
Professional Affiliations: Regional Association of School Psychologists,
National Association of School Psychologists, Texas Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Ethics/Legal Issues, assessment, social skills
Laurie Harrier, Ph. D., LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, LSSP, NCSP
Education: B.S. University of North Texas, M.A. Texas Woman's University, Ph.D.
Texas Woman's University
LSSP Internship: Arlington ISD
Doctoral Internship: Lewisville ISD (APA accredited)
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Psychologist, Licensed Specialist in School
Psychology, Nationally Certified School Psychologist
Professional Affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists, National
Academy of Neuropsychology, Regional Association of School Psychologists, National
Association of Learning Disabilities, Selective Mutism Association
Areas of Special Interest: Adolescents, social skills, using video feedback in therapy,
AD/HD, Neuropsychology, RTI, preparing for post-secondary transition, diagnosing &
remediating reading, math, and writing disabilities
Shannon Henderson, M.A., LSSP
Education: B.A., Stephen F. Austin State University; M.A. Stephen F. Austin State
University
LSSP Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
Professional Affiliations: Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Association of School
Psychologists; Texas Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Cross-battery assessment; behavior intervention; teaching
social skills to students on the autism spectrum
Jeanene Johnson, M.Ed., Ed.S., LSSP
Education: B.S Xavier University; M.Ed. University of Alabama at Birmingham; Ed.S.
University of Alabama at Birmingham.
LSSP Internship: East Baton Rouge Parish School District
Licensures: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology.
Wendi Bauman Johnson, Ph.D., NCSP, LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTH, LSSP,
BCIA-EEG
Education: B.A., Bryan College; M.A., Western Carolina University; Ph.D., Texas
Woman’s University
LSSP Internship: Louisiana School Psychology Internship Consortium (APA
Accredited)
Doctoral Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, Nationally
Certified School Psychologist, Biofeedback Certification - Electroencephalogram
(Neurotherapy)
Professional Affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists, DFW-RASP
57
Areas of Special Interest: Neurofeedback, Autism social skills, School
Neuropsychology, Traumatic Brain Injury
Rebecca Julius, Ph.D., LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, LSSP
Education: B.S., Southwestern Oklahoma University; B.A., Loyola University; M.S.
University of Oklahoma; M.Ed. Loyola University, Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University
Doctoral Internship: Institute for Mental and Physical Development;
Texas Woman’s University
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Psychologist; Licensed Specialist in School
Psychology;
Professional Affiliations: American Psychological Association, Texas Psychological
Association Regional Association of School Psychologists,
Areas of Special Interest: Parent training, school-based interventions; Reading
instruction; Special Education Law; Ethics/Legal Issues
Karen Keen, M.A., LSSP
Education: B.A., University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana; M.S., University of
Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana; S.S.P., University of Louisiana at Monroe
Licensures/Certifications: Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Licensed
Specialist in School Psychology, Critical Incident Stress Management, Licensed School
Psychologist in Nebraska
Professional Affiliations: National Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Crisis prevention and intervention, safe schools initiatives,
developmental disabilities
Rita Ann Lane, M.A., LSSP, L.P.A.
Education: B.A. Psychology Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
M.A. Psychology Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
LSSP Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP)
Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA)
Professional Affiliations: Texas Association of School Psychologists (TASP
DFW Regional Association of School Psychology (DFW RASP)
Shilah Lyman-Lipan, M.S, LSSP, ABD
Education: B.A., University of South Dakota; M.S., Oklahoma State University;
projected Ph.D. in May 2011, Oklahoma State University
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
Professional Affiliations: American Psychological Association, National Association of
School Psychologists, Texas Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Behavioral RTI, High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s
Syndrome, behavioral consultation and intervention, social skills training, parent training
Genevieve McGregor, M.S., LSSP, Psychological Associate
Education: B.A., New York University; M.S. Midwestern State University
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Psychological
Associate
58
Professional Affiliations: DFWRASP, Texas Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome
Brooke Novales, Ph.D., LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, LSSP, NCSP
Education: B.A., Southern Methodist University; M.A., Southern Methodist University;
Ph.D., Texas Woman’s University
LSSP Internship: Lewisville Independent School District
Doctoral Internship: Lewisville Independent School District (APA accredited)
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Nationally
Certified School Psychologist
Professional Affiliations: Regional Association of School Psychologists,
American Psychological Association, National Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorders
Stephen Rousseau SSP., LSSP, ABD
Education: B.S., Nicholls State University; S.S.P. Nicholls State University; Texas
Woman’s University- Projected PhD May 2011
LSSP Internship: Louisiana School Psychology Consortium (APA Accredited)
Doctoral Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Nationally
Certified School Psychologist
Professional Affiliations: DFW Regional Association of School Psychologists and
National Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Play therapy, social skills training and pre-referral
intervention.
Jon Shepard, Ph.D., LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, LSSP
Education: B.A., Abilene Christian University; M.A. Harding University;
Ph.D., Oklahoma State University
Doctoral Internship: Oklahoma Health Consortium (APA accredited)
LSSP Internship and Postdoctoral Internship: Grapevine-Colleyville Independent
School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Specialist in School
Psychology
Professional Affiliations: Regional Association of School Psychologists, American
Psychological Association, Texas Psychological Association
Areas of Special Interest: Delivery of school psychological services, brief solutionfocused therapy with adolescents
Arthur H. Swisher, Jr., M.A., Ph.D., LSSP
Education: B.A., Texas Christian University; M.A., University of North
Texas; Doctorate, Texas Woman’s University
LSSP Internship: Forth Worth ISD; Child Study Center, Ft. Worth, Texas
Doctoral Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Psychological Associate, Texas;
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, Texas
59
Professional Affiliations: DFW Regional Association of School Psychologists,
National Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Neuropsychology; computer/technology applications,
evaluations/assessment, crisis intervention, behavioral intervention
Rachel Thomas, ED.S., LSSP
Education: B.S., Oklahoma State University; M.S. Oklahoma State University; Ed.S.,
Oklahoma State University
LSSP Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology; Nationally
Certified School Psychologist
Professional Affiliations: Regional Association of School Psychologists,
National Association of School Psychologists
Rocio Torres-Quevedo, Ph.D., LISCENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, LSSP
Education: Psychology Degree, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain; M.A., New York
University; Ph.D. CUNY Graduate Center; New York State Bilingual Extension of
School Psychology Certificate, St. John’s University, Long Island University, NY; Respecialization in Clinical/School Psychology, Hofstra University, NY
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, PLP
Areas of Special Interest: Bilingual education, counseling, psychological assessment of
bilingual students
Merrie Watson, M.A., LSSP
Education: B.A., Midwestern State University, M.S. North Texas State University
Recertification program 42 hours, University of North Texas
LSSP Internship: Irving Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
Professional Affiliations: DFW Regional Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Emotional Disturbance, Assessment
Jennifer Weidenbach, M.A., LSSP
Education: B.A., University of North Texas; M.A., University of North Texas
LSSP Internship: Denton Independent School District
Licensures/Certifications: Licensed Specialist in School Psychology
Professional Affiliations: DFW Regional Association of School Psychologists
Areas of Special Interest: Emotional Disturbance, Autism
60
APPENDIX B
Denton ISD Special Education Services
Psychological Services Meeting Schedule 2010-11
08-6-10
9-24-10
10-29-10
11-19-10
1-28-11
2-25-11
3-25-11
4-19-11
6-03-11
Welcome Back Breakfast
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
Psychology Dept. Meeting
61
8:30-9:30
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
2:00-4:00
Denton High
PDC
PDC
PDC
PDC
PDC
PDC
PDC
PDC
APPENDIX C
Membership of Doctoral Training Committee
Janice Bigby, PhD, LSSP
Laurie Harrier, PhD, LP, LSSP
Wendi Bauman Johnson, PhD, LP, LSSP
Rebecca Julius, PhD, LP, LSSP
Brooke Novales, PhD, LP, LSSP
Jon Shepard, PhD, LP, LSSP
Arthur Swisher, PhD, LSSP
Rocio Torres-Quevedo, PhD, LP, LSSP
62
APPENDIX D
Doctoral Training Committee Meeting Schedule
The Doctoral Training Committee will meet monthly from 1 to 2 pm immediately prior to the
departmental psychology meeting.
09-24-10
1:00-2:00
PDC
10-29-10
1:00-2:00
PDC
11-19-10
1:00-2:00
PDC
01-28-11
1:00-2:00
PDC
02-25-11
1:00-2:00
PDC
03-25-11
1:00-1:00
PDC
04-29-11
1:00-2:00
PDC
06-03-11
1:00-2:00
PDC
63
APPENDIX E
Current Clinical Supervisors-2010-11
Laurie Harrier, PhD, LP, LSSP
Wendi Bauman Johnson, PhD, LP, LSSP
Brooke Novales, PhD, LP, LSSP
Jon Shepard, PhD, LP, LSSP
64
APPENDIX F
Denton ISD Didactic Training Schedule 2010-2011
Date
Topic
Presenters
August 27
8:00 - Group
Supervision
Teaching Social Skills to Students on the
Autism Spectrum
9:00 – Didactic, Dr.
Wendi Johnson
Time and Location
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
Denton ISD Forms
September 3
Overview of Counseling Techniques Utilized
in the School Setting and through the Family
Counseling Center
SEM – Q & A
September 8
Wednesday
September 17
September 24
10:00 – Shilah Lyman
Lipman (ABD), Rachel
Thomas, Shannon
Henderson
Supervisor – Dr. Wendi
Johnson
8:00 - Group
Supervision
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
9:00 – Didactic, Francis
Chen
10:00 – Dr. Arthur
Swisher
Kids and Pills – Challenges in diagnosing
children and adolescent psychiatric issues, as
well as the risks and benefits of medications
Hari Kumaresan, MD
Community Service Providers Breakfast
(7:45 – 10:00 come and go)
*All LSSPs are invited
to community breakfast
DFW-Regional Association of School
Psychologist (RASP)
*Applied Professional Ethics
*Behavior Analysis and Intervention: A
Positive Approach
Preparing for and Surviving Your Doctoral
Internship in School Psychology
Supervisor – Dr.
Rebecca Julius
9:00-12:00
University Behavioral
Health 2026 W.
University Drive,
Denton, TX 76201
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Grand Prairie ISD
Dr. Denise Maricle,
Texas Woman’s
University
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Group Supervision
Supervisor – Dr.
Rebecca Julius
Case Presenters – Erin
and Chris
October 1
Overview of Autism Assessment
Dr. Nancy Noah,
Jennifer Austin (ABD),
Group Supervision
65
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
October 8
Manifestation Determination Process
Drs. Laurie Harrier, Jon
Shepard
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presenters – Amber
and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Group Supervision
October 15
Integration of the DSM-IV TR in the School
Setting
Dr. Alex Alexander,
Lewisville ISD
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presenters – Erin
and Jessica
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Group Supervision
October 22
October 29
Co-morbidity Conundrum – Discussion on
various comorbidities and their management
such as ADHD and behavioral disorders, PTSD
and substance abuse, and mood dx and
personality dx
Best Practices in Working with Diverse
Families
Nishendu Vasavada, MD
Barbara Haflich –
District Social Worker
Group Supervision
November 5
Best Practices in Working with At-Risk
Students in Alternative Education Placements
Dr. Angela Mitchell,
Texas Woman’s
University
Group Supervision
November 12
Methods of Report Writing
Dr. Rebecca Julius
Group Supervision
November 19
Preparing for the Praxis Exam, EPPP and Orals
66
Dr. Laurie Harrier
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presenters –
Amber and Chris
9:00 – 12:00
University Behavioral
Health
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presenters – Dana
and Jessica
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
Case Presenters – Erin
and
Amber
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
Case Presenters – Chris
and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
**Doctoral Interns only, LSSP interns with Dr.
Goldston
Group Supervision
November 26
Thanksgiving Break
December 3
Psychology Ethics and Special Education Law
Dr. Dwane Allen, Texas
Woman’s University
Group Supervision
December 10
Fostering Social Competence
Dr. Laurie Harrier
Group Supervision
December 17
Identification and Interventions for Non-verbal
Learning Disabilities
Dr. Megan Swisher,
Argosy University
Group Supervision
December 24, 31
Christmas Break
January 7
Using the DSM-IV TR in the School
Environment
Dr. Rebecca Julius
Group Supervision
January 14
Alternative Education Placements
Dr. Arthur Swisher
Group Supervision
January 21
The Process of Preparing for Licensure
**Doctoral Interns only, LSSP interns with Dr.
Goldston
67
Drs. Don Goldston and
Brooke Novales
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
Case Presenters – Erin
and Jessica
Eat Some Turkey
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Jon
Shepard Case Presenters
– Amber and Chris
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Jon
Shepard Case Presenters
– Erin and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Jon
Shepard Case Presenters
– Jessica and Amber
Relax and enjoy some
rest
8:00-11:00 Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr.
Rebecca Julius
Case Presentations –
Chris and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr.
Rebecca Julius
Case Presenters – Erin
and Jessica
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
January 28
DFWRASP
February 4
Cultural Differences in Special Education and
Psychological Services Around the World
Group Supervision
Supervisor – Dr.
Rebecca Julius
Case Presenters – Amber
and Chris
TBD
Dr. Wendi Johnson
8:00-11:00 Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Wendi
Johnson
Case Presentations –
Erin and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Wendi
Johnson
Case Presenters – Amber
and Jessica
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Group Supervision
February 11
Collaboration between Schools and Clinical
Settings
Dr. Lisa Elliott, Cook
Children’s Hospital
Group Supervision
February 18
Introduction to Neurotherapy
Dr. Eugenia
Bodenhamer-Davis,
University of North
Texas
Group Supervision
February 22-25
February 25
March 4
NASP Convention
Use of Therapy Animals in the School Setting
Counseling for Adolescents
Holly Forrester, MS,
Professional School
Counselor
Group Supervision
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presentations –
Dana and Jessica
Dr. Kim Booker, Texas
Woman’s University
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
Case Presenters – Amber
and Erin
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Group Supervision
March 11
Best Practices in Working with Students with
Selective Mutism/Other Anxiety Disorders
Dr. Angela Mitchell,
Texas Woman’s
University
Group Supervision
68
Supervisor - Dr. Wendi
Johnson
Case Presentations –
Erin and Chris
San Francisco, CA
8:00-11:00 Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
March 18
March 25
Spring Break
Methods to Improve the Validity of Clinical
Observations
Dr. Sandy Martin,
University of North
Texas
Group Supervision
April 1
The “Ins and Outs” of Starting a Private
Practice
**Doctoral Interns only, LSSP interns with Dr.
Goldston
April 8
The Emerging Field of School
Neuropsychology and/or Leadership in School
Psychology
Dr. Kathy DeOrnellas,
Texas Woman’s
University
Group Supervision
Dr. Dan Miller, Texas
Woman’s University
Group Supervision
April 15
Ethics in School Psychology
Dr. Rebecca Julius
April 22 Holiday
April 29
DFWRASP
Interventions for Students with ADHD
Dr. Laurie Harrier
Group Supervision
May 6
May 13
Preparing to Supervise
Best Practice in Bilingual Evaluations
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Wendi
Johnson
Case Presentations –
Erin and Chris
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Wendi
Johnson
Case Presentations –
Amber and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
TBD
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Wendi
Johnson
Case Presentations –
Jessica and Chris
Dr. Teresa Collins-Jones,
Argosy University
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Group Supervision
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presentations –
Erin and Dana
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Dr. Rocio TorresQuevedo
Group Supervision
69
Case Presentations –
Chris and Dana
Finish that dissertation
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
Case Presentations –
Amber and Jessica
May 20
Intervention Techniques for Asperger’s
Syndrome
Dr. Brooke Novales
Students with Challenging Self-Injurious
Behaviors and Consultation with Teachers
Dr. Jon Shepard
May 27 Holiday
June 3
Group Supervision
June 10
Overview of Internship – Summer Placements,
Training for Summer Social Skills Program
**Pre-doctoral interns only
Summer Rotations: Tuesdays / Thursdays for
June interns will work with the Social Skills
Program, complete summer testing for the
district, and be the LSSPs for ESY
70
Dr. Rebecca Julius
Dr. Laurie Harrier
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presentations –
Amber and Jessica
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Brooke
Novales
Case Presentations –
Chris and Dana
Snow Day make up
day- if needed
8:00 – 11:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC) Maple Room
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
8:00 – 12:00
Special Education
Building
Supervisor – Dr. Laurie
Harrier
APPENDIX G
Denton ISD Doctoral/LSSP Internship Training Log
Intern Name: _____________________________
Date
Time
/hrs/min.
Activity/Presentation
71
Authorized
Signature
APPENDIX H
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Intern Orientation Training Schedule 2010-2011
Friday, August 6
8:30 - Welcome Back Breakfast
Psychology Dept.
10:00 – Internship and District overview (Dr.
Julius)
10:45 – Departmental Overview and Beginning
Tasks (Dr. Johnson)
11:30 – Lunch
1:00 – Special Programs and Direct Services
Overview (Drs. Julius, Johnson)
2:00 – 4:00 – Split doctoral and LSSP interns Individual and Group Supervision, Internship
Handbook
*Meet with your supervisor to discuss training
plan, annual goals, and do pre-doctoral baseline
skills self-report
*Visit school placement with supervisor
Monday, August 9
Early Childhood Training
Tuesday, August 10
Early Childhood Training
Wed., August 11
Special Education Manager Training (SEM) for
New Users
*receive laptop and SEM log-ins
*overview of program usage
*upon completion of training, go to assigned
campus
8:00 – District New Employee Breakfast
9:30 - Overview of ARD process and FAPE
factors (Dr. Wendi Johnson)
10:00 – RtI and the Pre-referral Process
(Rachel Thomas)
11:00 – “What you didn’t learn in school…”
Panel Discussion with current LSSPs (Shannon
Henderson, Rita Lane, Francis Chen, Jennifer
Austin ABD)
12:00 – Lunch
1:00 – Texas Ed. Law and Guidelines (Dr. Don
Goldston)
2:00 – Evaluation Practices (Dr. Rebecca
Julius)
3:00 – BIPS and How To Develop a BIP in
SEM (Dr. Swisher) (bring your laptop)
Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) – Full
Course
Thurs, August 12
Friday, August 13
72
Denton High School
1007 Fulton
Denton, TX 76201-2851
Drs. Rebecca Julius,
Wendi Johnson
Doctoral Supervisors –
Dr. Laurie Harrier, Dr.
Wendi Johnson, Dr. Jon
Shepard, and Dr. Brooke
Novales
LSSP Supervisors –
Chris Carter (Rita Lane –
Primary, Paula Bruce –
Secondary), Dana Coster
(Shannon Henderson –
Primary, Steve Rousseau
– Secondary), and
Jessica Justus (Jennifer
Austin – Primary, Karen
Keen – Secondary)
Loly Wilson
10:00 – 4:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
1212 Bolivar St. Denton,
TX 76201
Maple Room
8:30 – 3:30 Crownover
Middle School
8:30 – 3:30 Crownover
Middle School
8:30 – 4:00 SPED
Conference Room, back
portable at SES
Dr. Braswell Superintendent
8:00 – Ryan High
School
5101 East McKinney St
Denton, TX 76208
Dr. Rebecca Julius, Dr.
Don Goldston, Dr.
Swisher; Rachel
Thomas, Shannon
Henderson, Rita Lane,
Francis Chen, Jennifer
Austin (ABD)
10:00 – 4:00
Professional
Development Center
(PDC)
Maple Room
Registered
8:30-3:30 Professional
Development Center
Monday, August 16
Tuesday, Wed. August 17-18
Thursday, Friday August 19-20
Go to your campus location, start beginning
activities list, meet administration,
diagnostician, begin reviewing folders,
assessments, etc.
Behavioral Toolbox for Teachers and Staff –
District Training
Go to your campus location, print out BIPs,
give BIPs to teachers, meet with teachers,
review caseload, and set up direct services
schedule
73
Assigned Campus
Location
Dr. Swisher, Steve
Rousseau (ABD)
8:30 – 3:30 Professional
Development Center
Assigned Campus
Location
APPENDICES I – K
THE SELF EVALUATION, INDIVIDUALIZED TRAINING PLAN, AND
INTERN EVALUATION FORMS ARE BUILT FROM THE INTERNSHIP
DOMAIN GOALS AND CORE COMPETENCIES THAT ARE LOCATED
IN THE INTERNSHIP MANUAL. THESE ARE INDIVIDUALIZED TO
MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH INTERN.
74
APPENDIX I
Baseline Skills: Initial Intern Self Evaluation
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
Intern: _______________________________________
Date: ___________________
Psychological Practice Area:
I: Selecting Test Materials
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Appropriately select test materials
Demonstrate adequate knowledge of a
number of psychological/ personality/
emotion measures & know when to
utilize them
Demonstate adequate knowledge of a
number of IQ measures & know when to
utilize them
Demonstrate adequate knowledge of
number of achievement measures &
know when to utilize them
Demonstrate adequate knowledge of
various autism measures & know when to
utilize them
Demonstrate adequate knowledge of a
number of neuropsychological measures
& when to utilize them (if applicable to
your specific training)
Demonstrate adequate knowledge of a
number of behavioral measures/checklists
& know when to utilize them
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
Excellent
4
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
II: Collecting Data
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities? Data collection will require significant knowledge of tests in the specific areas.
Data collection includes administering the tests in the area being evaluated.
Collect data for an ED evaluation
Collect data for an AU evaluation
Collect data for an OHI evaluation
Collect data for an LD evaluation
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
75
Good
3
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
4
Collect data for an MR evaluation
Collect data for a BIP
Collect data for a FBA
Collect data for a consultation report
Collect data for a counseling evaluation
Collect data for a neuropsychological
consultation (if applicable to your
training)
Collect data for a neuropsychological
evaluation (if applicable to your training)
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
1
2
3
4
III: Integrating Data
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities? Integrating data is defined as understanding the results of all tests given in an
evaluation/assessment and understanding how to integrate, interpret and report test results in
relation to the various information gained from the tests.
Integrate data for an psychological (ED)
evaluation
Integrate data for an AU evaluation
Integrate data for an OHI evaluation
Integrate data for an LD evaluation
Integrate data for an MR evaluation
Integrate data for a BIP
Integrate data for a neuropsychological
consultation (if applicable to your
training)
Integrate data for a neuropsychological
evaluation (if applicable to your training)
Integrate data for a FBA
Integrate data for a consultation report
Integrate data for a counseling evaluation
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
1
2
3
4
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
IV: Diagnosing/Applying Criteria
To what extent do you believe you are presently prepared to utilize the following psychological
skills?
Demonstrate knowledge of the DSM-IV
diagnostic categories
Apply DSM-IV criteria to evaluation data
Utilize the DSM-IV 5 axis system
Understand and correctly apply the state
and federal ED federal criteria to data
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
1
1
76
2
2
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
3
3
3
4
4
4
Demonstrate knowledge of federal and
state LD criteria
Demonstrate knowledge of state and
federal AU criteria
Demonstrate knowledge of ARD
procedures (forms, timelines, etc.)
Demonstrate knowledge of the ARD
process
Write evaluation reports
Write evaluation reports with integrated
results
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
V: Communicating results
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Verbally communicate results to parents
Verbally communicate results to staff
Verbally communicate results to students
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
VI: Designing Interventions
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Designing interventions for students with
MR diagnoses
Designing interventions for students with
anxiety
Designing interventions for students with
depression
Designing interventions for students with
reading problems
Designing interventions for students with
math problems
Designing interventions for students with
writing problems
Designing interventions for students with
Asperger’s Disorder
Designing interventions for students with
Autism
Designing interventions for students with
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Designing interventions for students with
AD/HD
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
77
VII: Implementing Interventions
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Implementing interventions for the MR
population
Implementing interventions for students
with anxiety
Implementing interventions for students
with depression
Implementing interventions for students
with reading problems
Implementing interventions for students
with math problems
Implementing interventions for students
with writing problems
Implementing interventions for students
with Asperger’s Disorder
Implementing interventions for students
with Autism
Implementing interventions for students
with Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Implementing interventions for students
with AD/HD
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VIII: Therapy/Counseling
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Individual therapy with elementary aged
students
Individual therapy with secondary aged
students
Group therapy with elementary aged
students (to include social skills)
Group therapy secondary aged students
(to include social skills)
Family therapy
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
IX: Consultation
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
78
Collaboratively consult and provide
results to parents
collaboratively consult and provide
results to teachers/administrators
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
3
4
X: Crisis Management
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Effectively approach and resolve crisis
situations with students
Effectively approach and resolve crisis
situations with parents
Effectively approach and resolve crisis
situations with teachers/school personnel
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XI: Multicultural Issues
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Select appropriate evaluation measures
and demonstrate multicultural sensitivity
Design appropriate interventions for
specific ethnic/ cultural differences
Demonstrate the ability for unbiased and
objective decision making.
Demonstrate ability to collaborate with
diverse individuals
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XII: Research/Scholarship
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
Utilize research-based methodologies
Read and utilize research results
Collect and analyze classroom data
Conduct school-based research
Write/present research results
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
4
4
XIII: Professional Growth
To what extent do you believe you are prepared to perform the following psychological
activities?
79
Demonstrate ethical professional decision
making
Demonstrate knowledge of federal and
state law
Provide training to professional
colleagues
Provide training to parents/families
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XIV: Please provide any general comments below:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
1. Please describe your perception of your strengths that you believe will be beneficial to your
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. Please describe the areas that you would like the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology
Internship Program to consider in supporting your professional development.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Intern signature: __________________________________Date: _________
When completed, please return this self-evaluation form to the Denton ISD pre-Doctoral
Internship Director. Your baseline self-evaluation will be shared with your supervisor and
utilized in developing your Individualized Internship Training Plan.
80
APPENDIX J – INDIVIDUALIZED INTERN TRAINING PLAN (IITP)
81
APPENDIX K – Intern Performance Evaluation
82
APPENDIX K (continued)
Denton ISD Pre-doctoral Internship Program
Intern Evaluation of Internship and Supervision
Name:_____________________
Date:__________________________
A. Internship Training:
1. Please evaluate the training you have received during the Denton ISD internship
year. Utilizing the following scales, please rate each internship domain in the
amount and quality of training.
Amt of Training
Quality of Training:
0= None
5= Adequate
10= Abundant
0= Extremely Poor
5= Good
10= Excellent
Amt
Qu
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in the psychological ____
evaluation and diagnoses of school aged children and in the formal report of
evaluation results.
___
Domain One: Evaluation, Diagnoses, and Report Writing
Comment:____________________________________________________
Domain Two: Prevention, Counseling, and Other Interventions
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in developing and
____ ___
implementing prevention and wellness programs, strategies, and data driven interventions,
including a variety of approaches to counseling students
and families.
Comment:_____________________________________________________
Domain Three: Consultation, Collaboration and Interpersonal Competence
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in collaboration,
building interpersonal relationships and networks, and in competently
conducting multiple types of consultation with a wide variety of
individuals and organizations.
____ ____
Comment:______________________________________________________
Domain Four: Scholarship, Data-Based Decision-making, Technological Competence, and
Accountability
83
Amt Qu
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in scholarly activities ____ ____
including involvement in school-based research.
Comment:_____________________________________________________
Domain Five: Diversity and Special Circumstances
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate knowledge, competence, and
____ ___
sensitivity in understanding, interacting, collaborating, evaluating, counseling, consulting,
advising, and implementing interventions and programs with
colleagues, students, and families from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and
ethnicities; with minority populations; and with students from special
circumstances.
Comment:_____________________________________________________
Domain Six: Professional, Legal, and Ethical Responsibility
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in presenting himself, ____
or herself, as a knowledgeable psychological service professional.
___
Domain Seven: Specialty in School Psychology
Broad Goal: The intern will demonstrate competence in the skills related
to successful functioning as a school psychologist.
____ ____
Comments:______________________________________________________
2. What do you see as the strengths of the Denton ISD Internship program?
3. What do you see as the weaknesses of the program?
4. What changes would make the program better for future interns?
5. What is your overall rating (0-10) of the Internship program?
_____
B. Intern Evaluation of Internship Climate and Supervision Experience:
1. Do you have any concerns about the way you were treated during your internship in
the Denton ISD? This question attempts to address interactions with all Denton ISD
84
personnel, including other interns, LSSPs, Supervisors, Special education
administrators, building administrators, teachers, and others with whom you worked.
If yes, please identify person by category or name.
2. What is the nature of your concern and please make suggestions for the internship
that will help correct the difficulty for others?
3. In general, did the Denton ISD provide you with a positive climate in which to work?
If no, please explain.
4. Please provide information about your primary supervisor in the following areas:
Amount of Supervision:
Knowledge:
Experience:
Ability to teach:
Ability to build rapport/ supervisory relationship:
Professionalism and respect demonstrated for interns and colleagues:
On a scale of 1-10, With 1 being very poor and 10 being extremely good, what is
your general rating of your supervisory experience?
85
APPENDIX K (continued)
End of Year Intern Evaluation (completed by supervisor)
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
Intern: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________
Supervisor: ___________________________________
Specific Psychological Training
I: Communicating results
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Verbally communicate results to parents
Verbally communicate results to staff
Verbally communicate results to students
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
II: Collecting Data
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Collect data for an ED evaluation
Collect data for an AU evaluation
Collect data for an OHI evaluation
Collect data for an LD evaluation
Collect data for an MR evaluation
Collect data for a BIP
Collect data for a FBA
Collect data for a consultation
Collect data for a counseling evaluation
Collect data for a neuropsych
consultation (if applicable to your
training)
Collect data for a neuropsych evaluation
(if applicable to your training)
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
III: Integrating Data
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Integrate data for an ED evaluation
Integrate data for an AU evaluation
Integrate data for an OHI evaluation
Integrate data for an LD evaluation
Integrate data for an MR evaluation
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
86
Good
3
3
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
4
4
Integrate data for a BIP
Integrate data for a neuropsych
consultation (if applicable to your
training)
Integrate data for a neuropsych
evaluation (if applicable to your training)
Integrate data for a FBA
Integrate data for a consultation
Integrate data for a counseling evaluation
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
1
2
3
4
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
IV: Applying Criteria in Reports
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Apply the DSM-IV criteria to data
Apply the ED federal criteria to data
Write integrative reports
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
V: Selecting Test Materials
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
In general appropriately select test
materials
Knowledge of various ED psychological
measures & when to utilize them
Knowledge of various IQ measures &
when to utilize them
Knowledge of various achievement
measures & when to utilize them
Knowledge of various autism measures
& when to utilize them
Knowledge of various
neuropsychological measures & when to
utilize them (if applicable to your specific
training)
Knowledge of various adaptive behavior
measures & when to utilize them
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VI: Designing Interventions
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for the MR population
Comfortableness with designing
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
87
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
3
4
interventions for students with anxiety
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with depression
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with reading
problems
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with math
problems
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with writing
problems
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with Aspergers
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with High
Functioning Autism
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with AD/HD
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VII: Implementing Interventions
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for the MR population
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with anxiety
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with depression
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with reading
problems
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with math
problems
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with writing
problems
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with Aspergers
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with High
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
88
Functioning Autism
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with AD/HD
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VIII: Therapy
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Comfortableness with individual therapy
with elementary aged students
Comfortableness with individual therapy
with secondary aged students
Comfortableness with group therapy
elementary aged students
Comfortableness with group therapy
secondary aged students
Comfortableness with family therapy
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
IX: Consultation
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Verbally collaboratively consult with
parents
Verbally collaboratively consult with
staff
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
3
4
X: Crisis Management
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Effectively solve crisis situations with
students
Effectively solve crisis situations with
parents
Effectively solve crisis situations with
staff
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XI: Professional Growth
To what extent do you feel the intern is prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Utilize ethical practices
Poorly Adequately
1
2
89
Good
3
Excellent
4
Provide inservice training to staff at your
sites
Provide inservice training to staff within
your discipline
Provide inservice training to parents
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XII: Please provide any general comments below:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Intern signature: __________________________________Date: _________
Supervisor signature: ___________________________________
90
APPENDIX K (continued)
End of Year Intern Evaluation (completed by intern)
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
Intern: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________
Supervisor: ___________________________________
Sites:_________________________________________________________________
Number of Hours at this time:_____________________________________________
Number of Clients:______________________________________________________
Specific Psychological Training
I: Communicating results
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Verbally communicate results to parents
Verbally communicate results to staff
Verbally communicate results to students
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
II: Collecting Data
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Collect data for an ED evaluation
Collect data for an AU evaluation
Collect data for an OHI evaluation
Collect data for an LD evaluation
Collect data for an MR evaluation
Collect data for a BIP
Collect data for a FBA
Collect data for a consultation
Collect data for a counseling evaluation
Collect data for a neuropsych
consultation (if applicable to your
training)
Collect data for a neuropsych evaluation
(if applicable to your training)
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
III: Integrating Data
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Integrate data for an ED evaluation
Poorly Adequately
1
2
91
Good
3
Excellent
4
Integrate data for an AU evaluation
Integrate data for an OHI evaluation
Integrate data for an LD evaluation
Integrate data for an MR evaluation
Integrate data for a BIP
Integrate data for a neuropsych
consultation (if applicable to your
training)
Integrate data for a neuropsych
evaluation (if applicable to your training)
Integrate data for a FBA
Integrate data for a consultation
Integrate data for a counseling evaluation
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
1
2
3
4
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
4
IV: Applying Criteria in Reports
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Apply the DSM-IV criteria to data
Apply the ED federal criteria to data
Write integrative reports
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
V: Selecting Test Materials
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
In general appropriately select test
materials
Knowledge of various ED psychological
measures & when to utilize them
Knowledge of various IQ measures &
when to utilize them
Knowledge of various achievement
measures & when to utilize them
Knowledge of various autism measures
& when to utilize them
Knowledge of various
neuropsychological measures & when to
utilize them (if applicable to your specific
training)
Knowledge of various adaptive behavior
measures & when to utilize them
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VI: Designing Interventions
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
92
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for the MR population
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with anxiety
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with depression
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with reading
problems
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with math
problems
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with writing
problems
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with Aspergers
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with High
Functioning Autism
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Comfortableness with designing
interventions for students with AD/HD
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VII: Implementing Interventions
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for the MR population
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with anxiety
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with depression
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with reading
problems
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with math
problems
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with writing
problems
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
93
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with Aspergers
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with High
Functioning Autism
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Comfortableness with implementing
interventions for students with AD/HD
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
VIII: Therapy
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Comfortableness with individual therapy
with elementary aged students
Comfortableness with individual therapy
with secondary aged students
Comfortableness with group therapy
elementary aged students
Comfortableness with group therapy
secondary aged students
Comfortableness with family therapy
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
IX: Consultation
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Verbally collaboratively consult with
parents
Verbally collaboratively consult with
staff
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
3
4
X: Crisis Management
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Effectively solve crisis situations with
students
Effectively solve crisis situations with
parents
Effectively solve crisis situations with
staff
Poorly Adequately
1
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XI: Professional Growth
94
To what extent do you feel prepared to perform the following psychological duties?
Utilize ethical practices
Provide inservice training to staff at your
sites
Provide inservice training to staff within
your discipline
Provide inservice training to parents
Poorly Adequately
1
2
1
2
Good
3
3
Excellent
4
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
XII: Please provide any general comments below:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
1. Please rate your experience with the didactic aspects of the internship program
Number of hours
Appropriateness of topics
Contributed to professional growth
Poor
1
1
1
Adequate
2
2
2
Good
3
3
3
Excellent
4
4
4
2. Did the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program adequately meet the training
requirements of your state licensure board?
Poor
1
Adequate
2
Good
3
Excellent
4
3. Please describe your perception of the strengths of the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology
Internship Program.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
4. Please describe the ways that the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
could improve for future interns.
______________________________________________________________________________
95
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Intern signature: __________________________________Date: _________
Supervisor signature: ___________________________________
96
APPENDIX L
Intern Complaint Process
Concerns Regarding Supervisor
Pre-doctoral Internship
1. In most cases, interns should report all concerns and complaints to their immediate supervisor.
The supervisor will assist the intern in resolving the issue or in completing the steps in the
complaint process. The one exception may be a complaint that is in regard to the actions of the
intern’s direct clinical supervisor.
2. An interns have a right to have concerns and /or complaints about a supervisor addressed in a
timely and professionally appropriate manner. The process to address a concern with a
supervisor is as follows:
3. If the intern believes that it is possible, the intern is encouraged to address supervision issues
directly with the supervisor. If this can be done, it is the best first step. If the intern chooses,
they may have another person present for the discussion. The concern and the meeting should be
documented.
4. If an intern discusses a concern with a supervisor, the supervisor must hear these concerns in
an objective manner and address, in writing, the actions that will be taken to address the intern
concerns. The actions to address concerns must be specific and there must be provided a time
line for resolution.
5. In the situation where an intern does not feel that he or she can discuss the concern directly
with the supervisor, the intern may instead address the concern with the internship director. The
intern may also choose to discuss the concern with a second internship supervisor; however, in
this case the internship director must be informed of the process. The meeting must be
documented.
6. The internship director will discuss the concern with the direct clinical supervisor and the
intern director and supervisor will develop a plan to address the concern. The internship director
and the clinical supervisor will meet with the intern to discuss the methods for resolving the
concerns. The plan must be specific and there must be a time line for resolution. This process
must be documented.
7. If the problems leading to the intern concerns are not satisfactorily resolved, the intern may
chose to initiate a more formal level two complaint. The intern must utilize the formal intern
complaint form.
8. A level two complaint will be initially addressed through a meeting with the intern, intern
supervisor, and internship director. Depending on the situation and issues involved, the intern
complaint and methods to address resolution may also be discussed with the doctoral intern ship
training committee.
8. At the intern director’s discretion, a level two complaint may be addressed by assigning the
97
intern to a new supervisor. This method of resolution may not be used more than one time within
an internship year.
9. Any complaint that reaches the district standard for complaint or due process, must be
addressed by the regulations utilized for all employees and approved by the Board of Trustees.
This would include issues of harassment, sexual impropriety, and unprofessional conduct. It
might also include issues related to performance evaluations and employment. Based on the
concern, this may be the first level of complaint for the intern. This level of complaint is
considered to be a third level complaint procedure in the pre-doctoral internship due process.
10. A level three complaint will involve a District Human Resources officer and the Director of
Special Education.
11. The process will follow that approved by the Board of Trustees for District personnel.
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APPENDIX L (continued)
Notice of Concern by Intern
Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program
Intern Notice and Problem Resolution Form
Intern:____________________________________________
Date:_________________
Primary Supervisor:___________________ Secondary Supervisor_____________________
I: Please Provide Details Regarding the Concern:______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
II. If this concern involves another individual, has this concern been addressed directly with that
individual? Yes / No. If it has not been addressed directly, please provide the reason.
______________________________________________________________________________
III. Has the concern been addressed with Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Supervisor?
Yes/ No (Date) _________________________________________
Result:_______________________________________________________________________
IV. Has the concern been addressed with Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Internship Director?
Yes/ No (Date)_______________________________________________
Result:___________________________________________________________________
V. Intern’s Proposed Correction of the Problem_______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Intern signature: __________________________________Date: _________
VI. Received by Supervisor: (date and sign.)_________________________________________
Supervisor’s Proposed Correction of Problem_____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
Date for next action_____________________________________________
VII. Proposal/ Agreement for completion/correction___________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Supervisor (date and sign)___________________________________________________
Intern (date and sign)____________________________________________
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APPENDIX M
DENTON ISD PRE-DOCTORAL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
DENTON ISD/UNIVERSITY/ INTERN AGREEMENT
The Denton Independent School District (Denton ISD), the pre-doctoral intern’s university, and
the pre-doctoral intern will enter into a formal written agreement.
Pre-Doctoral Intern _____________________________________________
University: ____________________________________________________
University Representative/Supervisor_______________________________
Denton ISD:
I. The Denton ISD agrees to a one year written psychology intern employment contract that will
terminate at the time the intern terminates the internship program, whether that termination is at
successful completion, the request of the Denton ISD internship program, the decision of the
university, or the decision of the intern/student.
II. The Denton ISD psychology intern employment contract will become null and void if, for any
reason after the intern signs the contract, the university decides that the intern is not eligible or
prepared for the internship training experience and withdraws their Certification of Readiness
(COR).
III. The Denton ISD psychology intern employment contract will become null and void if, for
any reason after the intern signs the contract, the Denton ISD learns that the intern is not eligible
or prepared for the internship training experience and withdraws their Offer Of Internship (OOI).
IV. Upon the intern’s signing of the Denton ISD employment contract, the intern agrees to abide
by all policies of the Denton ISD and to all policies specific to the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral
Internship.
V. Upon the intern’s signing of the Denton ISD employment contract, the Denton ISD agrees to
provide the intern salary as determined by Denton ISD Human Resources. The Denton ISD will
provide to the intern the same benefits, working conditions, performance evaluation, and due
process rights that are provided to other Denton ISD full-time employees.
VI. Denton ISD, through the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship Program, agrees to
provide the intern with the clinical supervision and training opportunities outlined in the formal
description and documentation of the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Internship Training Program.
In addition, the Denton ISD Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship:
1) Will determine the beginning date and the ending date of the intern’s training.
2) Will provide the university supervisor with a completed copy of the
Individualized Intern Training Plan (IITP), developed in collaboration with the
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intern and including input from the university training supervisor. The IITP will
include the goals for the intern, specify the training experiences being provided to
the intern through the Denton ISD Psychological Services Pre-Doctoral Internship
Program, and clearly indicate the internship expectations regarding minimum
standards, quantity, and level of competency of the intern’s professional work.
3) Will complete, or assist the intern to complete, the required university
documents, such as an Intern Training Log, University Training Plan or
University Performance Evaluation.
4) Will designate the trainee status of the intern through the title of "Doctoral
Psychology Intern."
5) Will assure that all psychological evaluation reports, Full Individual Evaluation
Reports, multidisciplinary evaluation team reports, consultation reports and other
reports collaborated on or completed by the intern under supervision will be
signed by the intern and by the licensed supervising psychologist who will
maintain full professional responsibility for all psychological services provided by
the intern under their supervision.
6) Will assure that interns, in all professional situations, present themselves as
interns and as having supervisee status. Interns will provide the name of their
supervising psychologist, to all students, parents, and professionals and will
include the intern’s supervisee status and the name of the responsible supervising
psychologist on business cards, web sites, letter head or business documents. The
intern will sign all professional documents, including ARD/IEP documents, as 1)
NAME 2) INTERN DESIGNATION, followed by: 3) UNDER THE
SUPERVISION OF (SUPERVISOR’S NAME AND TITLE).
7) Will assure that a workable and understandable Due Process Procedure is in
place specific to interns completing the Pre-Doctoral Internship Program.
8) Will provide, at a minimum, a mid-year and end-of-year, evaluation of the
intern's performance that addresses the specific training goals of the
Individualized Internship Training Program (IITP).
9) Will certify for the university when the internship requirements have been met.
10) Will provide recognition to the intern for successful completion of the
internship program with the award of a certificate.
11) Will inform the university of changes in district policy and procedures, or
changes in personnel that might affect the internship experience.
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University:
The University promises to:
1)
Certify at the time of arrival of the intern:
a. That the intern is eligible and prepared for participating in a pre-doctoral
psychology internship program.
b. That the intern has completion formal required psychology coursework and
demonstrated the basic skills required to directly participate, under supervision, in
formal evaluation, diagnoses, counseling and other interventions.
c. That the intern has completed a formal course in ethics and professional
standards.
2)
Notify the internship director or the clinical supervisor, prior to the beginning of
the internship, of any change in the prospective intern’s status.
3)
Correspond directly with the internship director and clinical supervisors regarding
matters relating to the internship, rather than disseminate information to the
internship program through the intern.
4)
At the beginning of the internship, directly correspond with the field-based
internship director to discuss internship plans and identify the university
internship coordinator/supervisor.
5)
At the beginning of the internship, discuss the status of the intern’s dissertation
with the internship director or clinical supervisor.
6)
Provide a university supervisor/coordinator who will maintain an on-going
relationship with the internship program director and clinical supervisor.
7)
Abide by the beginning and ending dates of the internship as established by
Denton ISD.
8)
Recognize that the site-based supervisor is the supervisor of record for all
activities of the internship program.
9)
Agree that all direct clinical supervision for activities within the Denton ISD
internship program will occur on-site.
10)
Recognize that the intern is an employee of Denton ISD, that university access to
intern testing, evaluation reports, or other work must be approved by the sitebased supervisor, and that access will require a formal written request and a
signed permission from parents or guardians to release information.
11)
Not to require, although it may make optional, intern activities that result in the
Denton ISD being required to release an intern, as a Denton ISD employee, from
their work assignment. The university will not require the attendance of interns
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during internship hours at meetings, classes or university based supervision
without specific arrangements being made between the university and the Denton
ISD.
12)
Not to require a specific conference or activity of an intern, such as NASP
attendance, unless the university will agree to pay the expense for the intern’s
attendance, in the same manner that the university would bear the expense for the
attendance of the university supervisor.
13)
On request of the Denton ISD, support withdrawing from employment any intern
whose performance has been determined by the Denton ISD to be unsatisfactory,
or whose personal characteristics prevent required professional relationships
within the District.
The Intern, Denton ISD, and the University:
The Intern, Denton ISD and the University agree that:
1)
2)
3)
The Intern accepts and will abide by all the provisions above.
The intern will function within the policies of the District.
The University and the District will not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
creed, age, national origin, or sex, nor will either party discriminate on the basis
of disability as required under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
_____________________________
Pre-doctoral Intern
(Date)
______________________________
University Supervisor (Date)
______________________________
Internship Director (Date)
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APPENDIX N
Denton ISD Pre-doctoral Internship Program
INTERN ACCEPTANCE FORM
Congratulations and welcome to the Denton ISD. We are looking
forward to having you receive training through our internship program.
Procedure for Individuals Accepted:
Individuals accepted for internship must immediately provide the Internship with the following
information by completing this internship acceptance form as quickly as possible and returning it
to the address provided below.
Intern Contact Information:
Arrival Date:
Agreement to Internship Start Date: August 6th, 2010
Comment:
Information regarding personal liability insurance:
University Supervisors and Contact Information:
Thank You,
Rebecca Julius, Ph.D.
Internship Director
Special Education Services
1205 W. University Drive
Denton, TX 76201
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Yes
No
APPENDIX O
FORMER INTERNS
2007-2008
Wendi Bauman, Ph.D.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
Mary Ann Gansle, Ph.D.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
Arthur Swisher, Ph.D.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
2008-2009
Crystal Beadle, B. A., Ph. D.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
Laura Jacobs, M.ED., Ph.D.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
Stephen Rousseau, S.S.P, ABD
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
2009-2010
Courtney Allison, B.A.
Texas A & M University
School Psychology
Kristen Belloni, M.A.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
Current Interns 2010-2011
Erin Avirett, B.A.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
Amber Larue, B.S.
Texas Woman’s University
School Psychology
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