MSPA Spring Conference: Education as a Civil Right for All: Implications for Professional Practice

MSPA Spring 2017 Conference

Morning Session: ESSA: Implications for the Practice of School Psychology

By: John Kelly, Ph.D. NASP President-elect

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) presents significant opportunity to increase access to comprehensive school psychological services and to advance the role of school psychologists to help improve student outcomes. The voice of leadership of school psychologists will be critical to ensuring that states' ESSA implementation efforts reflect best practice and equal opportunity for all students. This worksop will familiarize participants with various elements of ESSA and information to enhance the practice of school psychology. 

Goals of the presentation:

1. Identify opportunities for school psychologists  in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
   
2. Describe where to locate NASP ESSA resources
   
3. Develop key messages for local ESSA involvement
   
4. Better understand the "crosswalk" between ESSA and school psychological practices
   

Afternoon Session Choice One: Intervening with Marginalized Learners: Exploring Strategies to Reduce Disciplinary Exclusions and Court Involvement

By: Michael P. Krezmien, PhD

 I will present information on the current status of school disciplinary outcomes and the juvenile justice system. I will present and discuss punitive and regressive disciplinary practices that contribute to deleterious outcomes for struggling learners and learners with disabilities, with particular attention to the impact of disciplinary exclusions on learning. I will discuss progressive disciplinary policies, and the critical elements of effective disciplinary polices designed to reduce out of class and out of school time. I will present a model of restorative practices for use in schools, with examples from a single pilot project.

Goals of Presentation:

1. To present a clear understanding of school disciplinary practice
   
2. To demonstrate the impact of punitive discipline on marginalized learner
   
3. To present a clear understanding of progressive disciplinary policies and the underlying mechanisms designed to change in school misbehavior
   
4. To present a clear understanding of a Restorative Practices Model for use in Schools
   
5. To demonstrate the potential impact of restorative practices on marginalize learners 

Brief Biological Sketch:

Michael Krezmien (PhD, Special Education) is the Director of the Center for Youth Engagement, Associate Professor in the College of Education, and the Coordinator of Special Education at UMass. Dr. Krezmien has been an active researcher in the area of special education, school discipline, juvenile justice, issues affecting children with emotional and behavioral disabilities, and the inclusion of students with disabilities. Dr. Krezmien explores the ways that marginalized learners are pushed out of the educational system and has worked to develop interventions and strategies to intervene without of school youth. Dr. Krezmien has repeatedly served the US DOJ as an expert consultant on issues associated with school discipline and juvenile corrections education. Dr. Krezmien has dedicated most of research and service efforts to supporting children and youth in Holyoke, MA, Springfield, MA, and DYS in MA. He is the founder of the International Symposium and Conference on Inclusion (now in it’s fifth year), which brings internationally renowned researchers together to explore research to improve outcomes for students with disabilities in school, in the home, college, and in the community. Dr. Krezmien has obtained more than $4.5 million in external funding from the National Science Foundations, the JEHT Foundation, OSEP, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has published more than 25 articles and book chapters, and has presented more than 75 papers at national and international conferences.

Afternoon Session Choice Two:  Speaking Truth to Power: Finding Your Voice as a School Psychologist

By: Louis Kruger, Psy.D. Amy Briesch, Ph.D., & Joan Struzziero, Ph.D.

 Providing administrators with constructive input on school-wide problems and practices is essential to the evolving role of the school psychologist. However, few of us have received training in how to voice our concerns and recommendations to administrators. Using a combination of self-assessment, didactic instruction and role-plays, this interactive session will (a) teach the major concepts in developing one’s voice, and (b) build and strengthen skills in using one’s voice.

As a result of this workshop, participants will

(1) understand the major concepts related to employee voice, such as how to provide feedback to an administrator;

(2) understand the major components of assertive communication;

(3) identify their personal barriers to finding their voice;

(4) be able to relate these concepts and components to the practice of school psychology, and specifically to school-wide change efforts; and

(5) create a self-directed voice development plan with progress monitoring, which they can put into action when they return to their work settings.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Louis Kruger is Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at Northeastern University. He has previously served as Director of the School Psychology Programs at both Tufts and Northeastern University. He has taught graduate courses on educational and psychological assessment, school-based consultation, and supervision and leadership. Dr. Kruger received his doctorate from Rutgers University, which awarded him with the Peterson Prize for his contributions to professional psychology. He has published more than 40 articles and book chapters, and has given invited presentations at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education and the Annual Convention of the National Association of School Psychologists. He has been on the editorial boards of scholarly journals in education and school psychology for more than 30 years, and served as Associate Editor for two journals. His MSPA-supported documentary film, Children Left Behind, has been screened at multiple venues, including the Massachusetts State House and the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.