Office Hours with
Dr. John Kelly
In this webinar series we will be talking with Dr. John Kelly and mental health leaders as they address best practices in supporting mental health in K-12 schools.
Register now to watch the webinars live or watch the recordings later! You will also receive a certificate of attendance to submit for professional development credits.
Mar 2 – Dr. Charles Barrett – It’s Always About the Children: Educators Bringing Their Whole Selves to the Profession
Mar 9 – Dr. Byron McClure – How a Human-Centered Design Approach Might Transform Schools
Mar 16 – Dr. Mitchell Samet – Creating and Implementing Effective Suicide Response Practices in Schools
Mar 23 – Dr. Jack Naglieri –A Social Justice Approach to Identifying Gifted Students
Mar 30 – Dr. Kelly Vaillancourt – Strategies to Support Student and Educator Wellness
Apr 27 – Kathleen Kryza – Teach Peace: Developing Hope and Empathy in Schools and Classrooms
May 4 – Dr. Celeste Malone – Culturally Responsive Mental Health
May 11 – Dr. Katie Eklund – Universal Screening for Mental & Behavioral Health in Schools
It’s Always About the Children: Educators Bringing Their Whole Selves to the Profession
March 2, 2022
Presented by: Charles A. Barrett, PhD, NCSP
Charles Barrett often says, “Teachers are special people who take care of other people’s children as if they were their own.” Given the myriad challenges facing all educators—principals, central office administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists—more than ever before, everyone needs encouragement. Using personal experiences as a child with a stutter, and anecdotes that inform his teaching and clinical practice, Charles will inspire and motivate attendees to view their respective roles serving children through the lens of purpose, which leads to passion, and ultimately unlocks the potential of young people.
Charles A. Barrett, PhD, NCSP is a Coordinator for Diagnostic and Psychological Services with Loudoun County Public Schools. Additionally, he is an adjunct lecturer at Northern Virginia Community College, the Graduate School of Education at Howard University, the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University, and the Department of Psychology at Millersville University. An award-winning educator for his commitment to students, families, schools, and communities, Charles has held various leadership positions with the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and frequently speaks to a variety of professional and lay audiences about promoting positive outcomes for children. To learn more about Charles, including his books on a variety of topics that are relevant to educators and communicate hope and wholeness, visit www.charlesbarrett.org.
Human Centered Design to Transform Schools
March 9, 2022
Presented by: Byron McClure, PhD, NCSP
Across the nation, district and school leaders are shifting towards practices that are equitable, fair, and create favorable outcomes for students who have historically been marginalized. Many schools and district leaders, educators, practitioners, and other key stakeholders still have questions about how to thoughtfully design and transform schools. In this session, participants will receive an introduction to design-thinking and the human-centered design approach.
Dr. Byron McClure is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist who redesigned a high school in Southeast, D.C. His work centers around influencing change and ensuring students from high-poverty communities have access to a quality education. Dr. McClure has extensive knowledge and expertise in mental health, social-emotional learning, and behavior. Dr. McClure has done considerable work advocating for healing-centered practices for all students, particularly, for African-American boys. He has designed and implemented school-wide initiatives such as SEL, restorative practices, MTSS, and trauma-responsive practices. Dr. McClure created Lessons For SEL, in which he designed SEL lessons where youth of color (especially Black males), as well as students who are LGBTQ, homeless, in the foster care system, and from high-poverty communities could see themselves represented. Dr. McClure helped his school win the 2019-2020 Whole Child Award. He has presented across the country as a panelist, featured, and keynote speaker. He believes in maximizing everyone’s limitless potential. His latest project includes the Healing Centered conversations Podcast (everyone check it out and subscribe!), where he gives listeners the insight to promote collective healing by putting people first, leading with empathy, and fostering a healthy sense of well-being through meaningful conversations
Creating and Implementing Effective Suicide Response Practices in Schools
March 16, 2022
Presented by: Mitchell J. Samet, Ph.D.
Effective suicide response plans in the schools necessitates comprehensive prevention and awareness strategies. Dr. Samet will discuss vital components of school-based suicide prevention and response policies and procedures.
Mitchell J. Samet, Ph.D. is a NY licensed Psychologist, a former School Psychologist, Adjunct Graduate Professor and a NYASP Board Member. Dr. Samet currently chairs the School and Youth Workgroup for the NYS OMH Suicide Prevention Council, trains extensively in suicide prevention and intervention, and consults with numerous school districts and organizations on this topic. Dr. Samet co-authored A Guide for Suicide Prevention in NY Schools and is a developer and trainer of Helping Students At Risk for Suicide, an evidenced-based intervention and prevention program which was recently published in NASP’s School Psychology Review.
A Social Justice Approach to Identifying Gifted Students
March 23, 2022
Presented by: Jack A. Naglieri, Ph.D.
Researchers have estimated that approximately 1,250,000 students of color in public schools today are smart enough to be included in gifted educational programs but were not identified (Brulles, Lansdowne & Naglieri, 2022). A key factor is the demands of the intelligence tests used to identify very smart students favors those with good academic skills. Test instructions, content of the verbal and quantitative questions and the verbal expression demands are an obstacle for many students of color. To address these issues Naglieri, Brulles and Lansdowne (2021) created verbal and quantitative tests, that can be solved regardless of the language a student knows, which have minimal knowledge demands and are combined with a nonverbal test of general ability. Three research studies have shown that these three general ability tests yield very similar scores across gender, race, ethnicity and parental educational levels (Selvamenan, 2022).
Jack A. Naglieri, Ph.D. is Research Professor at the University of Virginia and Senior Research Scientist at the Devereux Center for Resilient Children. He published 23 books, 51 tests and rating scales, and 300 research papers. He is widely known for his emphasis on innovative approaches to assessment of intellectual ability using tests such as the Cognitive Assessment System-2nd Edition, Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Tests, Autism Spectrum Rating Scale, Comprehensive Executive Function Inventory and most recently the Naglieri General Ability Tests: Verbal, Nonverbal and Quantitative. He has an extensive test development and research program with emphasis on psychometric quality, equitable assessment, academic interventions and uniting sound theory with practice.
Strategies to Support Student and Educator Wellness
March 30, 2022
Presented by: Kelly Vaillancourt, Ph.D.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront the importance of prioritizing students’ social emotional learning and mental and behavioral health. It has also raised the importance of supporting educator wellness. This session will highlight key components of a comprehensive mental and behavioral health service delivery system; describe the elements of an effective school community partnership, and highlight key practices schools can implement on day one that promote student and staff wellness.
Dr. Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach is a nationally certified school psychologist and the Director of Policy and Advocacy for the National Association of School Psychologists. In this role she collaborates with policymakers, national and state organizations, and individuals to advance NASP’s public policy agenda and increase access to comprehensive school psychological services. Prior to assuming this role, Kelly was a school psychologist in Virginia for 8 years. Kelly is a nationally recognized expert on issues including school mental health and comprehensive school safety, and she has authored numerous articles, book chapters, and presented nationally on these topics and the intersection of public policy and educational practice.
Teach Peace: Developing Hope and Empathy in Schools and Classrooms
April 27, 2022
Presented by: Kathleen Kryza
“If we are to reach real peace in the world, we shall have to begin with the children.” Ghandi. In these tumultuous times, it is more essential than ever to teach the skills of peace building in our classroom. Learn the neuroscience behind empathy and hope, along with ideas for developing empathy and hope in your classrooms and with your students. Teaching students peaceful ways of being within themselves and with their peers not only impacts student success, but also sends them out of our schools as agents in creating a more peaceful world.
Kathleen Kryza is an outstanding international presenter/consultant who has been teaching and presenting for over 30 years. She is the author of six educational books and has been included in several instructional videos. Kathleen is passionate, informed and committed to bringing the best educational pedagogy to schools and teachers.
Culturally Responsive Mental Health
May 4, 2022
Presented by: Celeste Malone, Ph.D.
Celeste Malone, PhD, MS, is an associate professor and coordinator of the school psychology program at Howard University. She received her PhD in school psychology from Temple University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in child clinical and pediatric psychology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to obtaining her doctorate, Dr. Malone received her master’s in school counseling from Johns Hopkins University. Her primary research interest relates to multicultural and diversity issues embedded in the training and practice of school psychology. Specifically, Dr. Malone focuses on multicultural competence, the ability to work effectively with diverse populations through the application of cultural knowledge and to demonstrate awareness of and sensitivity to cultural issues. The overarching themes of her research are: 1) development of multicultural competence through education and training, 2) diversification of the profession of school psychology, and 3) the relationship between culturally responsive practice and PK-12 student outcomes. Related to her interest in professional issues in school psychology, Dr. Malone has continuously held leadership positions in psychology professional associations. She is an elected member of the American Psychological Association (APA) Board of Educational Affairs, the governance group which develops policies for education and training in psychology. Dr. Malone is also the President-Elect of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and will serve as the 2022-2023 NASP President. Notably, she will be the second person of color to ever serve in this role. Dr. Malone has been recognized for her ongoing leadership and commitment to social justice in psychology by presidential recognitions from NASP, the Maryland School Psychologists’ Association, and APA Division 16 School Psychology.
Universal Screening for Mental & Behavioral Health in Schools
May 11, 2022
Presented by: Katie Eklund, Ph.D.
Universal screening is a proactive approach of using brief and efficient measures to identify students at risk for future difficulties. Data is then used to help connect children with much needed services and supports. Schools provide an ideal setting for identifying at-risk students due to the large number of youth in school and the ability to provide follow-up care without some of the traditional barriers to accessing care in the community (e.g., cost, insurance, transportation). On the basis of research that shows positive outcomes may be achieved through early identification and intervention, recent educational policy and legislation places an increased focus on using universal screening measures to help provide supports to children in schools.
Dr. Katie Eklund is an Associate Professor and Co-Director of the School Psychology Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to entering academia, Dr. Eklund worked in public education for 10 years as a school administrator, school psychologist, and school social worker. She is currently a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and licensed Psychologist. Dr. Eklund’s research focuses on school mental health, including early detection and intervention for children who have behavioral and social-emotional concerns, culturally-responsive mental health interventions, social emotional learning, school climate, and school safety. Dr. Eklund serves as Co-Director of the Madison Education Partnership, a research-practice partnership between Madison Metropolitan School District and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also serves as Co-Director of the School Mental Health Collaborative, a center focuses on conducting research that informs policy and practices related to the promotion of the social emotional and behavioral success of all students.
