C.A.P. - K.I.T.

"Calling in the School Psychologist"

 There are times when parents or school personnel notice that a child is not making the expected progress in his academic or behavioral growth. Each school has a support team to help with these issues.

 

Services of the support team can be requested at any time. The team will collect and review information about the child's learning. Team members include parent, teacher, building principal, school psychologist, support teacher, and school counselor. Other personnel , such as the school nurse or speech pathologist, contribute background information and may attend the team meeting.

 

A Child Study /Support Team meeting is scheduled .

At this meeting, information is reviewed and additional strategies are considered. Further evaluation may be recommended.

 A follow-up meeting may be scheduled to consider the degree of effectiveness that the new strategies have provided. At this meeting, the team decides whether progress is being made or that further evaluation is needed to determine whether a child may have special needs that cannot be met within the regular education curriculum and that perhaps an individual plan should be written.

 

If further evaluation is deemed appropriate, a request will be submitted to our Special Education Department, where it will be assigned to a school psychologist.

 Mr. Tom Kattouf is Director of Special Education. 
He can be reached at 946-8252.
School Psychologists include:
Mrs. Doris Dunn

Mrs. Susan Karp

Mr. William Shawley

 

Evaluations are requested when parents and/or school personnel believe that a child may be eligible for learning support, gifted support or emotional support services.

The school psychologist can supply additional information that may help with unanswered questions about your child's learning.

He/she will notify parents of the intended evaluation procedures and secure their consent before any evaluation begins. (The packet of information that parents receive from the psychologist includes a parent interview report form and procedural safeguards to guide parents in the evaluation process.)

If school is in session, the evaluation will occur during the school day, at your child's own school. However, if testing is done in the summer, you will most likely be asked to bring your child to the High School Annex on Sixth Avenue.

 

IMPORTANT

Included in the information you receive from the school psychologist is a consent form for you to sign and return. The evaluation cannot begin until you have signed and returned that consent form.

 

WHAT DOES THE EVALUATION INCLUDE?

The evaluation is multidisciplinary, meaning that several professionals contribute to the data collection that will be used to make suggestions and recommendations for your child. The school psychologist will complete the testing. The teacher will provide input about the child's work and behaviors in the classroom. You, as parent, will be asked to provide any observations, developmental history and medical or behavioral concerns which you believe to be relevant. The school counselor will observe your child in the classroom setting. Other information may be included, depending upon the specific situation.

 

HOW SHOULD YOU PREPARE YOUR CHILD?

The psychoeducational evaluation is intended to be helpful and informative, not threatening and anxiety-creating. There is no studying or preparation which will help. Therefore, tell a child as briefly and as casually as possible and have your child relaxed, comfortable and rested.

 

HOW DO YOU RECEIVE THE RESULTS?

When all parts of the data have been submitted, the school psychologist will write a comprehensive evaluative report (CER). A draft copy of this report is mailed to the parent and provided to the school. In most cases, a meeting is then scheduled for the purpose of reviewing the report and considering any suggestions and recommendations that are made. Parents are part of the team who meets to review the recommendations. They have the right to disagree with the draft copy and to file a dissenting opinion in written form. (Parents should refer to procedural safeguards for specific directions on handling a dissenting opinion. Mediation or a due process hearing are options, if needed, for resolving the disagreement.)

In some cases, the child is found eligible for special education services, and requiring services above and beyond what can be provided within the regular educational program. In that case, an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) is written. Again, the parent is part of the process, contributes to the development of the IEP, and approves of the plan before any changes are made in the child's educational services.

 

CONFIDENTIALITY

The referral information and psychoeducational evaluation are considered confidential and will be viewed and used only by select school personnel for the purpose of planning a child's education. Such information will not be released by the school district to anyone else without the parent's full knowledge and written permission.

 


      
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