When the Standard Isn't Standard: Ethical Decision Making in the Gray — Part 1

8:00-9:30 Individual Empowerment Plan (IEP) For School Psychologists
Presented by: Amber Harris-Green

Coldstream 3

Ethics rarely arrives in black and white. In this fast paced, game based session, teams tackle messy, realistic school scenarios where defensible answers compete. Earn points, defend your reasoning, and challenge your colleagues as we apply the NASP Principles for Professional Ethics to the gray areas practitioners actually face.

Materials will be provided by your presenter.

Classroom Management: Myths Versus Evidence-Based Practices — Part 1

Presented by:  Kathleen Aspiranti

Bourbon Room

Good classroom management practices have the potential to not only reduce existing problem behavior but also to prevent the development of new problems and psychological disorders. However, there have been a number of classroom management myths that have permeated education systems. This presentation will provide a nuanced understanding of myths surrounding classroom management and identify high-leverage practices that support the behavioral needs of nearly all students. 

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District Transformation, National Recognition: The Dual Power of NASP ESPS

Presented by:  Jessie Birdwhistell, Megan Thomas, & Brooke Saurer

Clark Room

Discover how the NASP Excellence in School Psychological Services (ESPS) recognition program elevates local practices and provides national recognition. This session explores the dual power of ESPS designation, demonstrating how aligning with national standards drives systematic district transformation, improves student outcomes, and serves as a powerful tool for workforce recruitment and retention, positioning your team as a recognized leader.

Materials will be provided by your presenter.

When the Standard Isn't Standard: Ethical Decision Making in the Gray — Part 2

Presented by: Amber Harris-Green

Coldstream 4 & 5

Ethics rarely arrives in black and white. In this fast paced, game based session, teams tackle messy, realistic school scenarios where defensible answers compete. Earn points, defend your reasoning, and challenge your colleagues as we apply the NASP Principles for Professional Ethics to the gray areas practitioners actually face.

Materials will be provided by your presenter.

Classroom Management: Myths Versus Evidence-Based Practices — Part 2

Presented by:  Kathleen Aspiranti

Bourbon Room

Good classroom management practices have the potential to not only reduce existing problem behavior but also to prevent the development of new problems and psychological disorders. However, there have been a number of classroom management myths that have permeated education systems. This presentation will provide a nuanced understanding of myths surrounding classroom management and identify high-leverage practices that support the behavioral needs of nearly all students. 

Click here for presentation materials.

Beyond MAP Scores and ODRs: Understanding Child Development to Identify Student Needs and Support Student Success

Presented by:  Leslie Vaughn, Rachel Rice, & Jessie Birdwhistell

Clark Room

School teams do a great job of identifying when students are struggling with academics or demonstrating externalizing behaviors. What is more difficult is when students are struggling with adaptive skills, executive functioning, internalizing behaviors, and social skills. This presentation will provide an overview of the domains of child development toward supporting our school teams in addressing the whole child. This presentation will walk participants through how to identify concerns in development, and once concerns are identified, how to best target and support those identified concerns and monitor student progress. The ultimate goal of intervention is to support student progress so that the student no longer requires intervention. However, in cases where the student does not make progress and may present with a disability, this presentation will help participants better understand areas of eligibility for special education and how various domains of development align with those areas.

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Considering Exclusion Factors in Evaluations of ML Students: Assessing “Opportunity to Learn”

Presented by: Skip Cleavinger 

Coldstream 4

When school psychologists evaluate multilingual learners (MLs) who are suspected of having a disability, determining if an ML students' core instruction has been appropriate is a challenge.  In this session, we will present an assessment matrix that addresses 5 critical areas of instructional support for MLs and 3 areas of essential literacy support.  

Materials will be provided by the presenter.

Digital Kids: Navigating Screen Time for Healthy Development

Presented by: Melissa Pascua

Coldstream 5

This presentation has been shared with 11 different groups of parents or staff in Jefferson County Public Schools this past year. It explains the increase of ASD, emotional dysregulation, anxiety and depression among students in the past 15 years.

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More Than Grades: Understanding Academic Competence in Kentucky Students

Presented by:  Katherine Frye & Natalie Peyton

Bourbon Room

Academic competence is an important construct for understanding and supporting students’ academic success. This session will review the conceptual foundations and practical relevance of academic competence for school psychologists and present ratings from a national sample of students, highlighting how Kentucky students compare to their peers and implications for practice.

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Building Better and Inclusion-Oriented Programs for Students with Autism and Complex Support Needs: A Practical Approach

Presented by:  Rob Pennington

Clark Room

In this session, Dr. Pennington will discuss the current state of educational programming for students with complex support needs in schools and offer two analogs to facilitate reflection on participants’ current practice. He will then describe three areas in which school psychologists can work to support educators in maximizing students’ with CSN opportunities to construct enviable lives within self-selected communities. He will offer a pragmatic approach to teacher support.

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Beyond the Score: Uncovering the Hidden Patterns of Dyslexia

Presented by: Becki Robertson & Riverside Insights

Coldstream 4 & 5

Dyslexia isn't revealed by a single low score—it's revealed through patterns. This case study-driven session moves beyond surface scores into pattern-based identification, integrating cognitive, linguistic, and achievement data alongside observations, instructional history, and performance data—building a repeatable framework for confident, clear, defensible, and instructionally relevant recommendations.

Click Here for Presentation Materials

2025 KY State of School Psychology Report

Presented by: Dr. Allison Wittum & Dr. Dan Florell

Coldstream 4 & 5

This session will present findings from the 2025 KAPS State of School Psychology Survey. The survey results will provide information on topics such as current demographic and professional characteristics of school psychologists in Kentucky, the roles and responsibilities of school psychologists, levels of job satisfaction/burnout, and the use of technology platforms such as artificial intelligence. Trends over the past 20 years of KAPS survey data will be reviewed and discussed to reflect on areas of change in the field. 

Materials provided by presenter.

Empowering Students with Anxiety, Depression and ADHD

Presented by:  Nick Benge

Bourbon Room

So often educators hear from students reasons for failure (test, homework, paying attention, etc...) due to anxiety, depression and ADHD.  This presentation focuses on what you can control and that is yourself and your thought patterns.  

Presentation Materials Click Here.

The NASP Exposure Project: An Implementation Model

Presented by:  Stacia Angell & Alysa Gordon

Clark Room

The profession of school psychology faces ongoing workforce shortages and a critical need for greater diversity to better serve increasingly multicultural student populations. The NASP Exposure Project was developed to address critical workforce shortages and improve diversity within the school psychology profession. By implementing presentations for high school and undergraduate students, this initiative seeks to expand awareness of the field and attract culturally and linguistically diverse future practitioners. The outcomes of this presentation will provide participants with information about the Exposure Project, the importance of the project, and practices and resources to implement the project within their districts.

Materials provided by presenter.