District to Observe School Psychology Awareness Week

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During the week of November 8–12, 2021, Aldine ISD will observe National School Psychology Week to highlight the important work school psychologists do to help students thrive.

This year’s theme is “Let’s Get in GEAR” (Grow, Engage, Advocate, Rise).  The theme encourages school psychologists to grow personally and professionally, engage in best practices, and advocate for children’s access to mental health and learning supports. Here, rise implies resilience and renewal despite the challenges of the past. This has a particular resonance this year as school psychologists work to help students, families, and school staff emerge from the challenges of the past year and a half.

“When we get in gear, we move together,” said Tracy Bailey, executive director of the Special Education Department, overseeing school psychologists. “When one gear moves, the gears connected to it move as well. When we move together, a positive synergy builds and becomes greater than any single effort. We grow together, we engage, and we advocate and rise together.”

School psychologists are particularly skilled at assisting students and staff in growing and working together while shifting into different gears to meet the demands of school and life. They work with students to help them set goals for growth, engage in action steps, advocate for needs, and raise their voices in discussions to create the connections necessary for students to develop critical academic and social-emotional skills.

They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community for all students. They work to find the best solution for each student and their situation; they use different strategies to help meet the students’ needs and improve support systems at the campus level and across the school district. School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. School psychologists also develop training programs in effective teaching and learning strategies for teachers and parents and provide effective techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom. They also work with students with disabilities, students identified with special talents, and those who abuse substances. Additionally, they work with students and schools to prevent and manage crises.

This week and every week, school psychologists and school staff empower others to shift toward positive change in all areas of leadership: in the counseling room, the classroom, the community, and beyond. School psychologists focus on improving culture, identifying systems-level change, and prioritizing advancing specific areas of the National Association of School Psychologists Practice Model.

Be sure to share your tweet with the #AldineSchoolPsychWeek hashtag.