Psychologist

NOTICE OF OPENING:
School Psychologist (2 positions)

LOCATION:

Fitzgerald Public Schools

WORK YEAR:  School Year

SALARY:
Per FEA Contract

To provide quality services as a behavior and assessment specialist who supports both the general and special education population. To provide a comprehensive school psychological evaluation utilizing various techniques to determine the eligibility of children suspected of having an impairment that impacts educational success. To work as a member of child study teams with the goal of accurately identifying, assessing and servicing students with delays and impairments in the least restrictive environment.

To implement curriculum based intervention programs in a collaborative manner. To promote parent and community involvement in innovative ways that supports good mental health and social development.

Who we are:

At Fitzgerald Public Schools, our mission is to inspire, empower and prepare today s learner to become tomorrow s leader. Our vision is to educate our future leaders to be Focused, Progressive and Successful. Our strategic plan includes: providing a guaranteed and viable curriculum; a multi-tiered system of supports; considerations for the whole school, whole child and whole community; engaging all families;

data-based decision making; communication and collective responsibility.

From our humble beginnings in 1920, Fitzgerald Public Schools is a community of 2,200 students with 350 staff members. We are proud of our early childhood center for grades PreK-K, our two elementary schools, one for lower elementary grades 1-3 and one for upper elementary grades 4-5, our middle school serving grades 6-8 with one of the planetariums in the county, our high school for grades 9-12 with a state of the art automotive service center, and our virtual academy.

We have an award winning athletic program, marching band and our own food service, transportation, custodial and maintenance teams. Through our partnership with a local provider, we also offer school age child care.

Fitzgerald Public Schools has a competitive salary and benefits package along with opportunities for advancement and leadership. We are small enough to enable us to know each other personally and large enough to maintain high standards that demonstrate our expertise in education. With the passing of our recent bond, we have buildings, classrooms, cafeterias and offices in the process of being transformed for the future.

• Specialist degree or equivalent in school psychology, and state approval or certificate as a school psychologist.
• Experience as a school psychologist in a school setting or other related agency experience preferred.
• Able to work effectively with staff, students and the community.
• Able to bill for services performed through the county Medicaid system.
• Able to follow all state and federal guidelines and timelines for the service and assessment of children.
• Skill in providing assessment and written psychological evaluations of intelligence, achievement, personality and adaptive behavior in identifying eligibility criteria for those suspected of mental impairment, learning disability, emotional impairment or other handicapping conditions.
• Skill in developing, implementing, training staff and students, and supporting behavior plans that help create meaningful, positive change in students with mental impairments and behavioral issues.
• Chair multidisciplinary Evaluation Team (MET) Meetings and the Individual Educational Planning Committee (IEPC).
• Understanding of Response to Intervention theory and implementations in school settings.
• Understanding of Positive Behavior Support best practices.
• Knowledge of the development of assessment procedures that measure instructional progress and learning outcomes for individual children.
• Knowledge and ability to analyze assessment instruments typically used to measure educational potential.
• Skilled in objectively analyzing a situation in order to make a placement decision based solely on the best interest of that child.
• Skilled at providing educational programs or providing information to help parents, school personnel and others who work with youth to be more effective in their roles.
• Skilled at working directly with pupils, family or educators to help solve problems related to learning and adjustment.
• Such alternatives to the above qualifications as the Board may find appropriate and acceptable.

• Participate in establishing procedures for early identification and intervention for learning, social and emotional difficulties in the pre-assessment of students suspected of being handicapped.
• Provide consultation and planning for effective classroom organization, social structures, implementation of effective teaching techniques and development of appropriate educational plans and behavior management programs.
• Assists in modifying instructional practices to make them more appropriate to the social and academic needs of students with…