I'm the school psychologist responsible for working with students in preschool through third grade for Grandview Heights Schools. 

As a school psychologist, my job is to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally by collaborating with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments.  I have graduate training in both psychology and education, including mental health and educational interventions, child development, learning, behavior, curriculum and instruction, assessment, consultation, collaboration, and school law. Here are some of the things that school psychologists do in the school setting:

School Psychologists Work With Students to:

• Provide counseling, instruction, and mentoring for those struggling with social, emotional, and behavioral problems
• Increase achievement by assessing barriers to learning and determining the best instructional strategies to improve learning
• Promote wellness and resilience by reinforcing communication and social skills, problem solving, anger management, self-regulation, self-determination, and optimism

School Psychologists Work With Students and Their Families to:

• Identify and address learning and behavior problems that interfere with school success
• Evaluate eligibility for special education services (within a multidisciplinary team)
• Support students' social, emotional, and behavioral health
• Make referrals and help coordinate community support services

School Psychologists Work With Teachers to:

• Identify and resolve academic barriers to learning
• Design and implement student progress monitoring systems
• Design and implement academic and behavioral interventions
• Create positive classroom environments

School Psychologists Work With Administrators to:

• Collect and analyze data related to school improvement, student outcomes, and accountability
• Implement school-wide prevention programs that help maintain positive school climates conducive to learning
• Promote school policies and practices that ensure the safety of all students by reducing school violence, bullying, and harassment
• Respond to crises by providing leadership, direct services, and coordination with needed community services
• Design, implement, and garner support for comprehensive school mental health programming

School Psychologists Work With Community Providers to:

• Coordinate the delivery of services to students and their families in and outside of school
• Help students transition to and from school and community learning environments, such as residential treatment or juvenile justice programs