What in the world is SPAW? What does School Psychology Awareness even mean? Well, if you’ve asked yourself these questions or heard others ask, this post is here to help you sort it all out!

First, what is SPAW?
School Psychology Awareness Week is not quite the same as appreciation week, though we will take all the appreciation we can get! SPAW is designed to inform others about who we are, what we do, and how we can best serve students, parents, and educators.

So what do School Psychologists DO?

While most people know that school psychologists work with students to determine the level of support they may need in school (often testing for special education eligibility), many are not sure what other services we offer. Check out this infographic for more info about your friendly school psychologist!

Well, when is SPAW 2018?

November 12th-16th, 2018

What can I do for School Psych Awareness Week?

If you’re a School Psychologist, NASP has MANY resources and activities you can use! Here’s a link to some ideas.
If you’re an educator or parent, I’d like to encourage you to engage in conversations with your school psychologist about how they got into the profession, what they like to do (besides testing), and maybe how you can help them advocate for the profession. Share info on social media about your positive interactions with your school psych and help raise awareness of the profession.
You can also advocate for the profession by contacting your local school board members and elected representatives. Ask how they are addressing the shortage of school psychologists and what they’re doing to address the rising mental health needs of our students. Feel free to share the infographic below!

As always, if you have any questions or comments, drop them in the comment box below! Check back in for more info to come during SPAW 2018!

It’s that time of year again: the kiddos are coming back to school. As the year starts, I always like to set goals for myself and share lil’ nuggets of advice with others. So here’s what I have for you fellow school psychs as the next school year begins.

Keep open lines of communication.

A good deal of our jobs as school psychologists involves communicating with parents, teachers, and students. Keeping these lines of communication open is crucial in establishing good relationships with those whom you work with and serve.

When in doubt, ask.

As a professional it can be tempting to trudge through new or unfamiliar tasks. Let’s be real, though: with the increasing demands on those in education, we are all extremely professionals. Is “trudging through” the best use of our time? Nope! Ask someone. Get a mentor. Phone a colleague. Use your time efficiently and save your sanity.

Do what you can when you can.

This is the same as the familiar, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” I guarantee that if you put it off, something more pressing is going to come up tomorrow. At the same time, it’s important to find a good balance. Get what you can get done, and be satisfied with doing your best.

Welcome fellow school psychologists, hard-working teachers, loving parents, and precious students. Whatever your background, if you are in grades K-12 or care for someone who is, this site is for you!

My name is Jessica Stone, and I am a soon-to-be School Psychologist. The goal of this site is to bring you accurate, quality information about who we are, what we do, and how we can help you. Already you will find several resources designed for you on the Resources page. Click on over if you haven’t already!

Soon, a Frequently Asked Questions page will appear. In the meantime, go ahead and leave a comment with your most pressing questions about school psychologists.