NJASP WINTER CONFERENCE

Friday December 8, 2023

Keynote

8:30-9:30 AM

A Season for Champions

Andrea Clyne, PhD., LP

This session will celebrate school psychologists as champions for children and for schools, focusing on our strength, empowerment, and capacity for growth. With the challenges facing children, families, and schools being at an all-time high, the services of school psychologists are more relevant and necessary than ever. Continuing to show up for children and families during seasons of struggle reveals school psychologists as champions.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore their identity as school psychologists and reaffirm a deep purpose in their work.

• Learn ways to cultivate their agency as a champion for children and youth.

• Identify practices that will empower them and sustain them through difficult seasons. 

Andrea Clyne, PhD, LP, is President of NASP (2023-2024) and a licensed school psychologist with over 30 years of experience as a school-based practitioner in Colorado. Andrea’s leadership experiences include serving as district lead school psychologist, leading her school special education, PBIS, and MTSS teams, and serving on her district MTSS team. Active in her state association leadership for 20 years, Andrea developed a passion for promoting the comprehensive school psychologist training and role. Andrea has also maintained a clinical practice, providing evaluations and psychotherapy for children, teens, and their parents. Before becoming NASP President, Andrea served in several NASP leadership roles, including as Colorado Delegate, Practice Model Committee Chair, 2020 Practice Model Revision Writing Team Lead, and as a NASP Board of Directors member, first as Western Delegate Representative, and then as President-Elect.

Morning Workshops

9:30 – 11:45 AM

WORKSHOP 1:

Championing Mental/Behavioral Health through Equity-Centered MTSS
Andrea Clyne, Ph.D., LP

AM SESSION ONLY

This session will provide attendees with both the theoretical imperatives behind mental and behavioral service provision as well as practical strategies for organizing services within an equity-centered MTSS framework. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their schools’ current offerings and to set initial goals for enhancing growth and progress.

Learner Objectives:

• Discuss the call to provide culturally responsive mental and behavioral health services and the practical realities that influence our effectiveness.

• Explore ways to organize MBH efforts along a continuum of services within an MTSS framework so that children receive the support they need and want to come to school.

• Identify strategies for using MTSS to promote equity and reduce disproportionality in their schools.

*** See keynote for bio

WORKSHOP 2:

Youth Suicide Risk: Assessment is Not Enough

Terri Erbacher, Ph.D.

AM SESSION ONLY

According to the CDC (2023), 22% of high school age youth seriously considering suicide in the past year, 18% made a suicide plan, and 10% had a suicide attempt, yet working with suicidal youth often presents as both a professional challenge and a personal fear. The ability to conduct an informed youth suicide risk assessment is a vital skill for clinicians, but it is not enough. The average time between a youth’s first suicidal thought and first attempt is one year (Nock et al., 2013). Further, suicide risk is episodic as it fluctuates dramatically, especially for teenagers (Czyz et al., 2018). Thus, ongoing suicide risk monitoring and safety planning will increase the likelihood that fluctuations in youth suicide risk are identified early and addressed (Erbacher et al., 2018). This session will focus on practical strategies to effectively implement suicide risk monitoring and safety planning strategies for clinicians. Attendees will leave this workshop with many specific skills that can be implemented immediately.

Learner Objectives: 

• Describe the difference between suicide risk screening, assessment, and monitoring 
• Utilize suicide risk monitoring to track client changes over time 
• Identify steps of youth safety planning for home and school
• Illustrate steps of re-entry planning for youth in crisis

Terri A. Erbacher, Ph.D. is in her 24^th year practicing as a School Psychologist. Dr. Erbacher also served as a Clinical Associate Professor of School Psychology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for over 13 years, with expertise in school crisis response, social media and youth mental health, trauma, suicide prevention, and threat assessment, and she founded her private practice, Erbacher Consulting Associates, PLLC, in 2014. Dr. Erbacher has held many board roles related to suicide prevention and has been active in the enactment of Pennsylvania legislation, serving as a subject matter expert for the Pennsylvania Commission for Crime and Delinquency. Dr. Erbacher has previously been named Pennsylvania's School Psychologist of the Year and has written numerous book chapters and articles, including her seminal text entitled “Suicide in Schools” originally published in 2015. The second edition of this text will be released December 1, 2023!  More about Dr. Erbacher can be found on her website at https://erbacherconsulting.com.

WORKSHOP 3:

Beyond Deficits: The Power of Strength-Based School Psychology

Kelsie Reed, Ph.D., NCSP

This workshop is a half-day workshop with the same session running in the AM and PM

In this session, participants will journey beyond traditional deficit-focused paradigms to discover the transformative power of strength-based practices in school psychology. While acknowledging the historical influence of deficit thinking and its role in perpetuating educational inequities, the spotlight will be firmly on the promise and potential of a strength-based approach. Drawing insights from "Hacking Deficit Thinking," the session will highlight the profound positive impact of recognizing and nurturing student strengths. School psychologists stand at the forefront of this shift, with the capability to revolutionize evaluations, consultations, and IEP development. Through real-world examples and actionable tools, participants will learn how to harness the power of strength-based practices, creating an educational environment where every student's potential is not just recognized but fully realized and celebrated.

Learner Objectives: 

• Recognize how deficit thinking has traditionally influenced the field of school psychology and contributed to educational inequities.
• Uncover the core components and benefits of strength-based school psychology practices.
• Learn practical methods to integrate strength-based strategies into everyday work.

Kelsie Reed, Ph.D., NCSP is a school psychologist serving elementary and middle school students in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland. A graduate of Loyola University Chicago, she was recognized with three research awards for her dissertation on exclusionary discipline and its ties to deficit thinking. Dr. Reed co-authored the pivotal book, Hacking Deficit Thinking: 8 reframes that will change the way you think about strength-based practices and equity in schools and co-founded the Strength-Based Collective, a hub for strength-based resources for educators and parents. Her expertise encompasses school discipline reform, strength-based practices in schools, and improving outcomes for minoritized youth. As a biracial woman, she's also deeply committed to understanding diversity within the multiracial community. Through her multifaceted work, Dr. Reed aims to champion an equitable society where every individual feels acknowledged and empowered.

Afternoon Workshops

1:00-3:30

WORKSHOP 4:

Early Childhood Assessment – Beyond the BDI and WPPSI; An overview 
Angela Generalao, Ed.S., NCSP

PM SESSION ONLY

Early assessments can provide valuable insights into a child's development, helping not only to determine eligibility for special education services, but to identify strengths and areas that may require additional support. This workshop offers an overview of early childhood cognitive and developmental assessments, equipping participants with diverse tools to support the healthy growth and learning of young children. Assessment options will be discussed with kits and materials available for participants to view. Several assessments are appropriate for diverse learners and provide more culturally fair evaluation. Assessments that will be discussed include the CAYC, PTONI, DP-4, DAYC-2, and Bracken School Readiness Assessment-4. 

**Other assessments may be presented based on workshop participant interest. 

Learner Objectives: 

• Identify an overview of assessments that are appropriate and culturally fair when testing young children
• Move beyond qualification to strengths-based reporting and creation of goals and objectives
• Identify how assessment determines eligibility at the early childhood level

Angela Generalao, Ed.S., NCSP has been a school psychologist with Mt. Laurel Township Public Schools since September 1999. She is currently the case manager for incoming preschool students across the district, and previously case managed self-contained classes in schools servicing children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or other developmental disabilities in ABA/VB/DT programs. Angela is also a district Handle with Care trainer for staff in de-escalation. She initiated the implementation of PBSIS at Larchmont School and is currently on the secondary and tertiary teams. Angela holds a Master of Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickenson University and earned her School Psychologist and Educational Specialist Certificates from Rowan University. In addition, Angela completed her NCSP. She is a member of NASP and NJASP. Areas of interest include assessment of special populations and working with children with behavioral challenges. Angela was a NJASP Southern Delegate from 2017-2018 and hosted trainings on different assessments. She was awarded NJASP School Psychologist of the Year in May 2023. 

WORKSHOP 5:

Beyond Deficits: The Power of Strength-Based School Psychology

Kelsie Reed, Ph.D., NCSP

This workshop is a half-day workshop with the same session running in the AM and PM

In this session, participants will journey beyond traditional deficit-focused paradigms to discover the transformative power of strength-based practices in school psychology. While acknowledging the historical influence of deficit thinking and its role in perpetuating educational inequities, the spotlight will be firmly on the promise and potential of a strength-based approach. Drawing insights from "Hacking Deficit Thinking," the session will highlight the profound positive impact of recognizing and nurturing student strengths. School psychologists stand at the forefront of this shift, with the capability to revolutionize evaluations, consultations, and IEP development. Through real-world examples and actionable tools, participants will learn how to harness the power of strength-based practices, creating an educational environment where every student's potential is not just recognized but fully realized and celebrated.

Learner Objectives: 

• Recognize how deficit thinking has traditionally influenced the field of school psychology and contributed to educational inequities.
• Uncover the core components and benefits of strength-based school psychology practices.
• Learn practical methods to integrate strength-based strategies into everyday work.

SEE Workshop 3 for bios

WORKSHOP 6:

What about us? Utilizing the KABC-2 or DAS – 2 NU 

Eli Freund, 

PM SESSION ONLY

This workshop will discuss the theories behind the KABC-2 and DAS-2. The workshop will discuss a quick overview of the administration of both tests. Participants will walk away with clear interventions based upon scores of these assessments. 

Learner Objectives

• Gain an understanding of the theoretical constructs of the KABC-2 and DAS-2 NU

• Learn how to administer the 2 tests

• Develop interventions based upon the score results

For the past 17 years, Eli Freund worked as a school psychologist, along with 5 years of experience in supervising special education programs. He holds dual master’s degrees in both school psychology and education, both earned from Touro College. Currently, Eli is in the final stages of completing his Psy.D. program at Georgian Court University in New Jersey. Eli is a past president of NJASP. 

Eli has provided many workshops including topics such as cognitive testing and math

----PLEASE BE ADVISED, UNLESS IDENTIFIED AT REGISTRATION, ALL HANDOUTS WILL BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY---