School Psychologist (Direct Practice)

NORTHEAST METRO 916 INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT 
 
VACANCY NOTICE 
  
 

Date Posted:  November 10, 2023

Position Title: School Psychologist (Direct Practice)

Assignment: Work Experience Life Skills (WELS) North 

FTE: 1.0 (184 contract days)

Expected Starting Date: ASAP

About WELS North:
 
Work Experience Life Skills (WELS) North serves students ages 18-21 who have emotional behavioral disorders (EBD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and developmental cognitive disabilities (DCD). WELS North prepares students to progress toward graduation at an individual pace. Our students experience intensive special education services so they can participate
as fully and independently as possible in school, at home and in the community. 
To learn more about WELS North, click here.
 

Position Highlights:

School Psychologists help scholars succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, administrators, families, and other mental health professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all scholars and strengthen connections between home and school. This position will combine providing standard school psychologist responsibilities including assessments for evaluations with providing direct services and supports for Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions.

Nature of Work:

Incumbents are responsible for providing support to students with problems in learning, behavior, and/or family; and advising parents, teachers, and staff regarding intervention, prevention or related education strategies. Responsibilities may include: evaluating students by collecting and reviewing data, conducting assessment, and interviewing students, parents or teachers; developing and revising individualized education and behavior improvement plans; providing recommendations, consultation and trainings to families, teachers, and other staff; teaching social or other skills individually or in small groups; and preparing a variety of reports, documents, and correspondence.
 
Typical Class Responsibilities: 

• Performs psychological evaluations that include: interviewing students, parents or teachers; conducting assessments; determining eligibility for special education; interpreting information; and sharing results.
• Prepares documentation, reports, and/or other correspondence including assessment protocols, evaluation reports, special education need statements, treatment notes, progress reports, and other related paperwork.
• Coordinates the collection of data; collaborates in the development of student support plans; evaluates the methods of assessment and student progress; and collaborates with teams on interventions and training.
• Collaborates, facilitates, and attends meetings with administrators, teachers, staff, related service providers, families, and others to coordinate and provide services.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.

Functional Specific Duties of the Direct Practice School Psychologist:

• Provides direct services to individuals or groups of scholars (e.g., counseling, crisis interventions, mentoring, and individual safety plans when appropriate).
• Consults with educators, related service providers and administrators to identify interventions and strategies to facilitate scholar skill development.
• Implements appropriate and alternative ways to monitor and assess the effectiveness of interventions and individual scholar progress towards goals.
• Identifies and applies sound principles of behavior change including the social, affective, and adaptive domains of child development while designing and implementing prevention and intervention programs.
• Participates in planning and implementing prevention programs to address the social and affective needs of scholars (e.g., programs to address bullying, school violence and school safety).
• Participates in planning and/or implementing school and system-level crisis response.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of school-based intervention plans using the MTSS model.  
   

Training and Experience Requirements: 

Requires the completion of a graduate program in School Psychology, licensed or able to obtain a license from the Minnesota Professional Educators Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) as a School Psychologist and two years of related experience.

• This position would not be suitable for an internship year as this position is not a conventional School Psychologist role.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working with scholars with a range of disabilities. Experience facilitating individual and group skills work with scholars. Experience engaging in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), Trauma-informed care, and Restorative Practices. Experience engaging in practices that promote home, school, and community partnerships and enhance learning and mental health goals for scholars.
 

Knowledge Requirements: 

• Psychological theory;
• Psychological testing methods;
• Medical disorders;
• Standards of care for psychological problems and presenting problems;
• Treatment strategies and modalities;
• Child development and learning;
• Student behavior strategies and interventions;
• Crisis intervention strategies and techniques;
• Effective teaching strategies;
• Applying local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations;
• Recordkeeping principles;
• Computers and related software applications.  

Skill Requirements: 

• Evaluating, screening and assessing children and students’ behavior;
• Using, administering, scoring, and interpreting psychological tests;
• Assessing competency;
• Recognizing symptoms, signs, and side effects of mental illness;
• Directing and focusing therapy to address identified problem(s);
• Intervening in crises;
• Conducting research;
• Maintaining confidentiality;
• Applying local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations;
• Preparing and maintaining records and reports;
• Operating a computer and applicable software applications;
• Communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, the general public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Physical Requirements: 

Positions in this class typically require: reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Walking and standing are required only occasionally.

Commitment to Equity

At Northeast Metro 916, equity means that everyone has access to what they need in order to learn, grow and thrive. 

Northeast Metro 916 will not discriminate against individuals based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, parental status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, age or sexual orientation.