Tacoma Public Schools

Expected Start Date: September 1, 2021

FTE: 1.0

Hours per day: 7.5

Salary Level: Based on preparation level and experience per TEA Collective Bargaining Agreement

Union/Days per year: Teacher, 180 work days, 10 month

Benefits: This job has the full range of benefits offered by Tacoma Public Schools.

Additional Information: This position may be eligible for Hard-to-Fill bonus to be paid in accordance with the TEA contract (new hires only).
School Psychologist staff are District Deployed and assigned locations could change from year to year.

Summary:
This position helps students with their psycho-educational development, their abilities and potentials, and their social/emotional needs; helps students adjust to cultural and environmental factors which influence the learning and adjustment processes.

Responsibilities:
1. Administers appropriate assessments to students, on referral, interprets results, summarizes findings for parents, and reports findings via approved district procedures; writes intervention plans; ensures that assessments and plans are implemented within stipulated time frames and according to guidelines; processes appropriate referral documentation.
2. Consults and collaborates with parents, school staff, and outside agency personnel regarding mental health, behavioral, social/emotional, and educational concerns, and their implications and means of intervention; meets with parents/guardians on a regular or as needed basis.
3. Designs and develops procedures for preventing and improving mental health disorders; promotes student mental health and learning, and educational systems improvement.
4. Provides training and other skill-enhancement activities to students, parents, school personnel, and others within the community regarding issues of human development, learning, and behavior, as well as parenting skills, instructional methods, and behavior management.
5. Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with various parent support groups, and governmental and community family service agencies; involves these groups in assessment, intervention, and program evaluation procedures; develops network of social referral sources; provides referrals to outside agencies for crisis intervention and grief counseling.
6. Provides short-term crisis intervention for students referred for psychological and psycho-educational assessments; coordinates and assists in the referral of students and their families to appropriate school and community resources as necessary.
7. Participates with student response team (SRT) in establishing and planning respective roles in modifying a student's behavior; develops individualized student behavior management programs; makes recommendations; provides feedback to SRT members and parents.
8. Maintains current knowledge of state and federal legislation related to disabilities; enhances personal knowledge through participation in case conferences, in-service training, professional organizations, meetings, and ongoing program and theoretical research in the field of school psychology; may serve on related committees.
9. Maintains appropriate reports, records, and files; documents psychological and/or developmental histories for each student in caseload; provides summary progress reports and notes within pre-established time frames.
10. Serves as a consultant to the Board of Education, district and school administrators, teachers, and other staff regarding psychological matters and services within the district.

OTHER JOB DUTIES

1. Perform related work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
Other information:
Education and Experience
Master's degree from an approved school psychology program and successful completion of all assigned practicum and internship requirements; or any combination of experience and training which provides the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of state and federal regulations regarding the identification and placement of students in special education.
Knowledge of current theories and methodologies of effective family instructional intervention and behavior modification.
Knowledge of community support resources and family service agencies.
Skill in obtaining, clarifying, and exchanging information.
Skill in providing instruction to parents related to the use of behavior modification techniques.
Ability to communicate effective instructional strategies and interventions, based on synthesis of academic, cognitive, and/or behavioral assessment data.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Ability to act as a liaison with community family service agencies and other support resources.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people in a multi-cultural, diverse socio-economic setting.
Ability to participate as part of a team.

Required Licenses/Special Requirements
Must maintain all licenses and certifications as a condition of continued employment.
Valid Washington State ESA certification in school psychology.
Valid Washington State driver's license and access to personal transportation.

Working Conditions
May be required to deal with distraught students/parents; may be exposed to infectious diseases; required to travel to assigned school.

Job Locator Number: D4001

This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Tacoma School District administration has the exclusive right to alter this job description at any time without notice. The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the primary functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility, but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload.

Tacoma Public Schools does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Civil Rights Coordinator: Lisa Nolan, 253-571-1252, lnolan@tacoma.k12.wa.us; Title IX Coordinator: Eric Hogan, 253-571-1191, ehogan1@tacoma.k12.wa.us; and 504 Coordinator: Elementary, Elise Friedrich-Nielsen, efriedr@tacoma.k12.wa.us, 253-571-1096; Secondary, Cari Ake, cake@tacoma.k12.wa.us, 253-571-1225. Address: P.O. Box 1357, Tacoma, WA 98401-1357.

HRInfo@tacoma.k12.wa.us, (253) 571-1250