School Psychologists

What is a School Psychologist?

School psychologists are highly trained specialists in the fields of psychology and education; they are the psychologists who know the most about education and the educators who know the most about psychology! School psychologists must have a minimum of specialist-level (master's + 30) graduate training in a school psychology program, including two years of full-time coursework and one year full-time internship.

NCPS has an outstanding team of school psychologists serving all of our schools. The school psychologists in Nash County Public Schools conduct comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations to help determine eligibility for Exceptional Children's services and to help guide development of IEP goals for eligible students. However, the school psychologists here do so much more than just test.  

NCPS school psychologists are heavily involved in the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, consulting with teachers and school staff to help identify students who need academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support; assisting with selecting and implementing appropriate interventions for students; and interpreting student data to determine responsiveness to interventions. They assist with school-based mental health supports and serve on district-level teams, including the Autism Support Team, Assistive Technology Team, and the MTSS District Team, and are trainers for programs including Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI/NC CDI), CHAMPS, SkillStreaming, and Resources for Resiliency.

Our school psychologists also help provide social-emotional support to students. This may include social skills or counseling groups, individual student counseling, and student check-ins. They are members of the School Crisis Teams, who along with other Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISP), provide Threat and Suicide Risk Assessments, Traumatic Event Debriefing, and assist with students transitioning back from hospitalization.