Archived Announcements:
04.25.11: Spring 2011 Newsletter Available
You can download a .pdf copy by clicking here.
03.21.1: KASP Advocacy Day
TOPEKA, March 21, 2011
School psychologists are a critical part of the school team that ensures quality, genuinely accessible education and mental health services for all students in Kansas. This is one of our state’s most important responsibilities and wisest investments. With this in mind, please join KASP Board Members in advocating for Kansas children’s education and mental health services.
Agenda:
8:00-8:45 Gather to discuss our plan and review talking points
Ramada Inn Hotel/Restaurant
420 SE 6th Avenue
I-70 West, Exit 362B-E
Topeka, Kansas
9-11:00 Topeka Capital Building to meet with Senators and Representatives
11:30-12:30 Re-meet for discussion to Ramada Inn
Taking points will be provided; however, you are encouraged to contact your local Senator and Representative to make appointments to meet with them personally that morning.
Make plans now to join us in advocating for Kansas children
Congratulations to Kim Meyer, the KASP 2010
School Psychologist of the Year!
This year's KASP School Psychologist of the Year can easily be identified by three major characteristics:
- Kim motivates others to be the best they can be,
- She first and foremost sees the potential in others, rather than focusing on their deficits, and
- Kim goes above and beyond the expected in providing services for students, families, and co-workers.
Kim received her M.S. in clinical psychology in 1993, with an emphasis in MR/DD. Kim then worked at Parsons State Hospital as a psychologist, and also for the Joplin Regional Center as a behavior consultant in the area of MR/DD.
in 1995, Kim obtained her Ed.S. degree in school psychology from Pittsburg State University, and has worked as a school psychologist for the past 15 years in the SE region of KS. Kim's professional experiences include school psychology services to public schools, special day schools, coordinator of special day school programs, and autism consultant for SEK interlocal in Pittsburg. In addition, Kim is a certified CPI trainer and previously taught Mandt for ten years.
Kim's professional interest has included the establishment or expansion of services in schools to enable students with severe, challenging behavior to be educated in their neighborhood school.
As an autism consultant, Kim has taken on additional responsibilities by attending trainings, consulting with teachers, and being a resource about autism in her community. Kim has helped co-workers develop strong education programs for children with autism and developmental disabilities.
Kim was nominated for this award by her Director of Special Education, Dan Duling. Dan states:
Kim works with all ages of students and is interested in their skill growth. Kim applies research-based tools to assist teachers and students with skills needed for behavior management. She advocates for families and looks for solutions that are beyond special education. She looks for solutions that have sustainability. It is because of her skill and passion that many others are on board.
Congratulations, Kim!
Dr. Rick Lindskog Honored in 2010 with
KASP Lifetime Achievement Award
Rick not only exemplifies the attributes of an exceptional school psychologist, he personifies it. He has provided extraordinary mentorship and training to our Ed.S.-level school psychologists since 1982, when he arrived here at Pittsburg State University.
As a school psychologist, Rick is nothing short of brilliant. He can identify strengths and weaknesses in children's performances and can develop elegant interventions and solutions to complex behavioral and educational dilemmas. He has a tremendous understanding of human development, educational techniques, psychometrics, behavior modification, and human behavior. His ability to hone interventions is no less than his ability to articulate the proper execution of these interventions to individuals he has made enthusiastic about the potential success that will be derived from their implementation. This is truly a gift.
In the educational environment, not every potential participant is excited about the possibility of managing a special behavioral or educational intervention. Rick's charm has never failed to convince an individual of the worth of a child and how a pro-gram might help the child achieve his or her potential. He is, beyond a doubt, one of the most knowledgeable, articulate, caring, and dynamic school psychologists in the state.
Vernon Harris Recipient of the
KASP 2010 Minority Scholarship
Vernon is presently a candidate at Emporia State University. He will be completing his Ed.S. in spring 2011 and beginning his school psychology internship the following semester. In addition to sustaining a perfect GPA and being involved in ongoing research on cyberbullying, Vernon currently serves on the KASP board as assistant editor.
8.18.10:
Fall 2010 Newsletter Available
You can download a .pdf copy by clicking here. Conference information and awards information is available within!
5.27.10:
Summer 2010 Newsletter Available
You can download a .pdf copy by clicking here. It has information on SEVERAL professional development opportunities available during the next several months, such as PREPaRE training in June, June/July professional development opportunities via PSU's Summer Institute (one of those, of your choice, FREE for KASP members), NASP summer conferences, and this fall's KASP conference. Check it out!
5.12.10:
PREPaRE Workshop Dates Announced!
We're pleased to announce that NASP's PREPaRE Crisis Prevention/Intervention and Preparedness training will again be available in Kansas. This two-day workshop will be available at Emporia State University on June 22-23, 2010. Click this link for a flyer, and see more details in the conferences/events link above.
3.25.10:
Pittsburg State University Announces 2010 Summer Institute
With a slate of expert speakers, the PSU Summer Institute is one of the best professional development opportunities available each year in Kansas. Spanning eight weeks, you'll find six different workshops available, including PREPaRE training! Download a brochure here and click the "conferences and events" link for more info as available.
3.16.10:
Advocacy Day in Topeka
Many members of KASP and its board assembled in Topeka to advocate for Kansas children's education and mental health services, visiting with legislators and discussing talking points. Details on the agenda are available here. Watch for details on the day's events to be discussed in the upcoming newsletter.
Click here to see pictures from the event!
3.1.10:
Spring 2010 Newsletter Available
It was emailed to the address we have on file for you in the database. If it didn't reach you, please check to assure that your email software these two emails in its "trust" list: jpersing@emporia.edu and keelypersinger@yahoo.com. Also please send an email to one of these addresses, with your current email address, and we'll make sure the entry in our database is correct.
You can download a .pdf copy by clicking here.
2.20.10:
Outcome of APA's MLA Vote
Today, the following language was passed by the APA’s Council of Representatives (CoR).
"This language acknowledges that State Education Agencies credential and title practitioners who work in the schools (that may or may not hold a doctoral degree) and acknowledges that State Boards of Psychology credentials practitioners for independent practice (where a doctoral degree is required). Nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent (cite relevant state education authority or statutory provisions) from credentialing individuals to provide school psychological services in those settings that are under the purview of the state education agency. Such individuals shall be restricted in their practice and the use of the title so conferred, which must include the word "school", to employment within those settings.
This provision is not intended to restrict the activities of licensed psychologists."
2.12.10:
Changes to the NCSP requirements for renewal
The National School Psychology Certification Board met last month to consider responses from holders of the NCSP designation regarding the new NASP CPD requirement for renewal. After carefully weighing the current economic conditions, the availability of NASP-approved CPD across the country, and the constraints on many LEAs, as well as the Board’s commitment to ensure quality CPD for NCSPs, the Board choose to scale back the planned increase in the number of approved CPD hours in future years. It was decided to maintain the requirement at 10 NASP- or APA-approved CPD credits per renewal cycle for the time being
2.05.10:
NASP Webinar information now available
As referenced in the news on 2/4, information about how to register for the NASP webinars is now available. Click here.
2.04.10:
Latest update about APA's Model Language Act
See the link below if you need a refresher on the importance of the MLA issue and to access an overview.
As you know, APA’s Council of Representatives will consider adopting the final draft of the Model Act for State Licensure of Psychologists (MLA) at their meeting in Washington, DC on February 19 – 21. If adopted in its current form, this MLA would allow use of the title “school psychologist” by those who are certified by their state education agency and hold doctoral degrees, but would restrict its use by those who do not hold doctoral degrees. Read more about this issue and what you can do....
1.19.10:
Breaking News about APA's Model Language Act
We'd first brought this to your attention at the opening of the 2007 conference, during which which provided legislative action kits to help advocate for the title of "School Psychologist" in Kansas. For a refresher on the nature of the Model Language Act and its implications, you'll find an excellent overview here.
NASP President Patti Harrison just provided this brief to help you understand the current situation. We'll keep you informed of developments as they occur over the next few weeks.
1.12.10:
KASP Conference Materials Available.
Did you notice that, if you go to the conferences and events link above, you can access most of the key materials made available during the 2009 conference?
1.12.10:
Missouri Association of School Psychologists Training Opportunity on March 12th.
The Missouri Association of School Psychologists is holding a one-day spring conference on March 12th in Independence MO, just outside the Kansas City area. They have extended an invitation to KASP members to join them at the MASP rate of only $75! Details on topic, time, date, and location are in this brochure.
1.10.10:
KASP Winter Newsletter Available for Download.
This was sent to you at the email address you entered when you last renewed registration. If you didn't receive that email, please select the membership link, choose sign up, tell it your last name, and it will give you the chance to check/update your info. Even if you're already renewed membership this year, clicking the "sign up" feature will not "double enroll" you or anything: just skip the step where it asks you to remit dues. You might also want to make sure that you put in your "trust list" for email the addresses of keelypersinger@yahoo.com and jpersing@emporia.edu: Official KASP communications to members almost always will come from those two addresses.
Click here to download KASP Winter Newsletter.
11.20.09:
Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson Proclaims Kansas School Psychology Week
A large contingent of KASP members attended the signing ceremony in November
Congratulations to
Bob Clark, awarded in 2009 the KASP Lifetime Achievement Award.
What follows is a partial transcript of the award announcement as given by Bob's colleague Early Hoyt, himself a former KASP President and long-serving board member:
Bob has defended and challenged the Topeka School Psychologists to be leaders in the field. He strove to make our home base a pleasant place of renewal and encouragement since he believed that we weren’t going to find much understanding in the ‘field.” He dedicated the first 45 minuets of department meetings to a time when we could share anything in our professional or personal lives that caused us to feel at home and to bond with our colleagues. The School Psychology department in Topeka has been perhaps the happiest and best run department in the district for many years.
Bob graduated from the College of Emporia in 1970 with a Bachlor’s degree in Psychology. In 1975 Bob was awarded an Ed.S. degree in School Psychology from KU. Bob worked as a school psychologist from 1976 to 1979 in the Topeka Public school. In 1979 Bob was made the School Psychology Department Coordinator for Topeka Public schools; a job which he held until his retirement in 2009.
...Bob may have been one of the first, if not the first recipient of the School Psychologist of the Year awards in 1986. Prior to that Bob had served as KASP president in 1979. During the 1990’s I remember Bob saying that he felt like running for president again, which he did in 1997, as if he didn’t already have enough other stuff going on. I always remember Bob talking about the enjoyment that he had in being involved with KASP. He saw it as a place where we could celebrate School Psychology purely without the encumbrances of job requirements and politics. Bob also served a number of terms as treasurer and manager of the WEB. Bob was also involved with NASP in that he served as Kansas State delegate for two terms, co-chaired computer and technology applications in school psychology interest group, and served on the convention site-selection committee.
The first significantly big project with which I worked with Bob was in regard to development of a crisis intervention strategy for the Topeka Schools. Bob patiently and successfully lobbied the administration on the need to develop plans and procedures for responding to deaths that occurred within schools, homicides and suicides. ...The concept of the crisis team grew to finally an eight member supervisory team that covered just about everything from nursing, to operations, to dealing with the media. Bob served as the Mental Health Services Representative on that team.
In addition to supervising 22 psychologists, Bob developed and managed a computerized accountability program for our department that he has shared with other districts. Bob developed, implemented and coordinated a web-enabled IEP system. Bob coordinated Mandt training for employees. ...And during all this time served as the principal, or rather person in charge at the Holland Education Center with 135 support staff.
Bob served as a team member on over thirty KSDE compliance-monitoring visitations across the state, and ...received and managed a three year $400,000+ grant through Safe and Caring Schools to prevent school violence. Served on KSD Task Forces for Learning Disabilities, Interrelated, Gifted, and Test Selection. Served on the Kansas Suicide Prevention Steering Committee... Appointed by the Kansas Commissioner of Education to a three-year term on the Comprehensive System of Personnel Development State Committee (twice).
In his “free” time Bob served on the adjunct faculty of Pittsburg state University from 1997 to 2002 by teaching a required course on Legal Issues in Special Education. He was appointed by the Mayor of Topeka to serve on Shawnee County’s youth suicide prevention task force. Bob was a volunteer phone responder for Topeka’s Suicide Hotline. Bob volunteered as a respite caregiver for the Topeka Hospice.
Bob volunteered as a camp counselor for Hospice summer program for families. He served as an educational advocate and was the Topeka area trainer for advocates through SRS and Families Together.
Sincerest congratulations, Bob
9.22.09:
KASP Fall 09 Newsletter Available for Download.
Download Fall 09 Newsletter Here.
NCSP Parity in Kansas, 2009 edition
A KASP committee worked hard to get a
bill before the Kansas legislature in spring 2008, to provide stipends for
school psychologists with the NCSP. An identical bill for
board-certified teachers passed recently, so this attempts to establish
parity for our profession. In February it had sponsorship by education
committee member Barbara Craft (Kansas House Republican District 65),
to go up for a vote this session. Click here to see
HB2869. Chairman Aurand did not bring the bill up
for a hearing during that session because of fiscal constraints.
In February 2009, KASP members and other parties were invited to offer testimony about HB2869 to the House Education Committee, which (given the fiscal crisis) is holding that bill in committee. We'll update you when it is again acted upon.
A copy of the House Education Committee Minutes from that session is here.
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