NJASP Spring Conference 2022

NJASP Spring Conference

 May 6, 2022

     Virtual conference with the opportunity to earn additional CPDs following the event!  See below for details.   

Keynote 

Engaging Hearts and Minds and NASP Update

Workshop description: The keynote will include NASP updates and resources.  Dr. Klose will discuss how Engaging Hearts and Minds of children and youth, adults with whom we work, and systems in which we serve can provide a foundation for engaging in meaningful and effective services and proactive change. 

Learner objectives: 

• Increase understanding and meaningful engagement of all members of the school environment as a strategy for enhancing student outcomes.
• Learn how NASP is addressing member needs.
• Learn about NASP resources, activities, and advocacy efforts.


Bio: Dr. Laurie McGarry Klose   is the owner and CEO of RespectED, a consulting firm that provides services to schools and families. She has worked as a faculty member at Trinity University and Texas State University and as a campus and district-based school psychologist in California, Massachusetts and Texas. Along with service on numerous state and national committees, Laurie’s leadership positions include President of Texas Association of School Psychologists, Texas Delegate to the NASP, South Eastern Delegate Representative to the Board of Directors of NASP, and the Chair of the NASP Ethics and Professional Practices Board and is the 2021-22 NASP President. 

8:00 am to 4:00pm Full Day Workshop

Workshop 1: PREPaRE Workshop 1, Third Edition, Comprehensive School Safety Planning:  Prevention Through Recovery

Participants must attend both A.M. and P.M.  sessions to receive the NASP PREPaRE 1 certificates.  Please note that this session will be will not be recorded as an on-demand session to earn additional CPD.  

Workshop Description: In this 1-day workshop participants will learn how to establish and sustain comprehensive school safety efforts that attend to both physical and psychological safety. The workshop addresses critical components needed to develop, exercise, and evaluate safety and crisis teams and plans and conduct building vulnerability assessments. The model also integrates school personnel and community provider roles in providing school-based crisis preparedness and response activities. Additional topics addressed also include media/social media, communication, reunification, students with special needs, culture, and memorials. After this workshop, participants will be better prepared to improve their school’s climate, student resilience, and crisis response capabilities of school personnel. With updated research and strategies, this workshop makes a clear connection between ongoing crisis prevention, mitigation, protection, response, and recovery.

Learner Objectives:

• To gain knowledge and skills to establish and sustain comprehensive school safety and crisis prevention and preparedness efforts.
• To gain a clear connection between ongoing school safety and crisis preparedness.  
• To understand the unique needs and functions of school crisis teams.

Speakers: Barbara Bole Williams, PhD, NCSP and Terry Molony, Psy.D., NCSP

Bio:  Barbara Bole Williams, PhD, NCSP is a professor and coordinator of the School Psychology Program at Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ.  Before becoming a graduate educator, Barbara had extensive experience working in New Jersey public schools as a school psychologist and director of special services.  She holds a PhD from Temple University.  She is past President of New Jersey Association of School Psychologists (NJASP) and past New Jersey Delegate and Delegate Representative for the Northeast Region for the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). She is the immediate past Chair of the NCSP Certification Board for NASP.  Currently, she is a member of NASP Program Accreditation Board.  She was honored as the recipient of the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from NASP conferred at the 2011 NASP Convention in San Francisco, CA.     

In addition to being a school psychologist, Barbara is certified by the National Organization of Victim Assistance (NOVA) as a Crisis Intervention Specialist and NOVA Trainer.  She is also a Trainer for the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) PREPaRE Curriculum, an evidence-based crisis prevention and intervention training curriculum developed by and for school crisis professionals. She also serves as Ethics and Professional Practice Chair for NJASP Executive Board.

Bio:  Terry M. Molony, Psy.D., NCSP is a retired school psychologist from NJ, where she infused positive psychology into every day practice. She is an assistant clinical professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine as well as an assistant professor in the School Psychology Program at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Terry was selected as NASP’s 2014 School Psychologist of the Year.  

9:45 am -12: 15 pm Morning Workshops

Workshop 2: Integrating REBT Into Your School-Based Counseling Practice

Workshop Description: This workshop will help participants integrate Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) into their school-based counseling practice. REBT, developed by Albert Ellis, Ph.D., is an evidence-based form of cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy that focuses primarily on present thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. During the course of this workshop attendees will learn the theoretical underpinnings of REBT, learn to case conceptualize using the REBT A-B-C model, and practice integrating REBT techniques into their already existing counseling modalities. Attendees will be introduced to REBT as a stand-alone therapeutic practice, as well as how to use REBT techniques interspersed with their existing counseling skills. In addition to introducing attendees to the fundamentals of REBT practice, case examples and practice exercises will be presented. Attendees are encouraged to bring examples from their own cases to discuss and re-conceptualize through an REBT framework.

Learner Objectives:

• Participants will learn the theoretical underpinnings of REBT. [NASP 2020 Practice Model Domain 1 & 10]
• Participants will understand how to use the REBT A-B-C model to case conceptualize client/student problems. [NASP 2020 Practice Model Domain 1 & 4]
• Participants will learn to integrate REBT concepts and strategies into their existing counseling modalities and practices. [NASP 2020 Practice Model Domain 4]
  

Bio: Alfred F. Mancuso, Psy.D., NCSP is the chairperson of the Department of Psychology and Counseling and director of the School Psychology Doctoral Program at Georgian Court University (GCU) in Lakewood, NJ. He is a professor of psychology and counseling, serving on the full-time faculty since 2007. He holds a doctorate from Alfred University (Alfred, NY) and is a state and nationally certified school psychologist. He completed the primary (#8820) and advanced certificate (#2960) training programs at the Albert Ellis Institute subsequent to completing his graduate work. Dr. Mancuso maintains an active, part-time school-based practice, regularly consults with school districts across NJ, and also serves as the director of the GCU Evaluation Center. His specialty areas include working with adolescents and young adults using psychotherapy and diagnostic assessment and intervention particularly within the areas of social-emotional disorders, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Dr. Mancuso is a member of the APA, APA Div. 16, NASP, and NJASP.

Workshop 3: Remediating Reading, Writing, and Executive Function Difficulties:  A Case Study

Workshop Description: This workshop discusses the executive control difficulties exhibited by children diagnosed with ADHD and how these difficulties can impact reading and writing skill acquisition. The workshop will provide an in-depth case study of a 7-year-old child exhibiting reading, writing and executive function difficulties. A multidimensional approach that addresses motivation and behavior, targets specific orthographic skills, draws on evidence-based remedial techniques, collaboratively establishes goals, and monitors progress will be described within the case study framework.


Learner Objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe how executive function difficulties can affect the development of reading and writing skills.
• Participants will be able to describe the relationship between motivation and executive functions and ways to use motivation to increase self-regulation.
• Participants will be able to describe intervention approaches that strengthen orthographic processing, graph-motor functioning, and self-regulation. 
  

Bio: George McCloskey, Ph.D., is a professor and Director of School Psychology Research in the School of Professional and Applied Psychology of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and holds Diplomate status with the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology. Dr. McCloskey has amassed 40 years of experience in test development, teaching, research, and assessment and intervention work with a wide range of clients and developed a comprehensive model of executive control used to guide assessment and intervention of executive function and skill deficits.  

Dr. McCloskey is the lead author of the books Assessment and Intervention for Executive Function Difficulties and Essentials of Executive Functions Assessment and his most recent writing on interventions for executive function and executive skills difficulties appears in Chapter 10 of the book Essentials of Planning, Selecting, and Tailoring Interventions for Unique Learners.  He also is the author of the McCloskey Executive Functions Scales (MEFS) available fall 2016 from Schoolhouse Press.

Workshop 4: Ethics for School Psychologists:  Challenges and Opportunities

Workshop Description: This session will focus on the ways the National Association of School Psychologists’ 2020 Principles for Professional Ethics address ethical responsibilities of school psychologists. Resources will be presented and utilized to take a problem-solving approach to resolving ethical dilemmas. Scenarios will be discussed that are relevant to practice in the current climate of crisis response related to the pandemic, the intersection of law, procedure and unspoken rules, and other related issues raised by practitioners throughout the state. Be prepared to participate, learn something new and take away tools to make your professional functioning more ethical and just.


Learner Objectives:

• Participants will practice using a problem-solving model to address ethical issues.
• Participants will discuss and examine various sources of influence that can contribute to ethical dilemmas, particularly related to equity, access, social justice, and anti-racist polices and actions.
• Participants will discuss accepted and evolving standards and principles pertaining to different  scenarios in the current school and community environments.
  

Bio:   Dr. Laurie McGarry Klose is the owner and CEO of RespectED, a consulting firm that provides services to schools and families. She has worked as a faculty member at Trinity University and Texas State University and as a campus and district-based school psychologist in California, Massachusetts and Texas. Along with service on numerous state and national committees, Laurie’s leadership positions include President of Texas Association of School Psychologists, Texas Delegate to the NASP, South Eastern Delegate Representative to the Board of Directors of NASP, and the Chair of the NASP Ethics and Professional Practices Board and is the 2021-22 NASP President.  

12:15 pm -  1:30 pm Lunch

1:30 pm - 4:00 pm Afternoon Workshops

Workshop 5: Advocating for School Psychology, Children, and Youth

Workshop Description: This paper presentation will focus on the critical importance of advocacy. Participants will gain an understanding of the components of effective advocacy. Specific strategies for advocating at the school and district level will be reviewed. Participants will develop an understanding of the importance of school psychologists in advocating for systems change, and implementing educational reform.

Learner Objectives:

• Participants will learn strategies for legislative advocacy and strategies for school and district level advocacy.
• Participants will gain an understanding of components of effective advocacy and the basics of advocacy at the local, state, and national level.
• Participants will understand the importance of school psychological services in education reform efforts.
• Participants will be updated on the advocacy efforts of NJASP in New Jersey.
• Speakers: Barry Barbarasch, Ed.D., NCSP, Debra Keeney, and Victoria Fultano, Ed.S., NCSP

Bio: Victoria Fultano, Ed.S., NCSP, is a third-year school psychologist in the Washington Township Public School district in southern New Jersey.  Victoria graduated from Montclair State University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and went on to earn her master’s degree and educational specialist degree in School Psychology at Rowan University.  She is a co-chair of the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists Government and Professional Relations committee.

Debra Keeney has been a school psychologist and an administrator for over 25 years. Her last district from which she retired was Westampton Township Public Schools in Burlington County. Debbie was the School Psychologist and Director of Student Services for Westampton. Debbie is serving as the Executive Secretary for NJASP, co-chair of NJASP Government and Professional Relations Committee, and is a Past President of NJASP. Debbie has represented NJASP on several NJ DOE working committees – Media and Violence brochure, SEL curriculum, and Prevention of Human Trafficking. Debbie is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer in Burlington County.

Barry Barbarasch, Ed.D, NCSP., has been a school psychologist for over 35 years, in New York and New Jersey. In addition to consulting with public and private schools, he is currently Adjunct Professor in the school psychology Masters/Certification program at Rowan University, and is an adjunct professor in the School Psychology doctoral program, at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has also been an adjunct professor at Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, and New Jersey City University. Barry is currently chairperson of New Jersey Association of School Psychologists Government and Professional Relations Committee, and has also served on the Government and Professional Relationships committee of the National Association of School Psychologists.  He currently serves on the NASP Credentialing Committee, and is Past President of the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists.

Workshop 6: The Day Frankie Left His Frontal Lobes at Home:  Teaching Elementary-age Students about Self-Regulation

Workshop Description:  This workshop discusses the development and use of a story format to teach elementary-age children about self-regulation executive functions and how they are or are not used by children in a school setting. Chapter synopses will be presented showing how each chapter addresses specific self-regulation executive functions and how the teacher and other school staff address difficulties. The read-and-discuss format of the book also will be discussed.


Learner Objectives:

• Participants will identify specific self-regulation executive functions and how students in a classroom use them.
• Participants will describe strategies that teachers can use to help students improve self-regulation.
• Participants will describe the benefits of the read-and-discuss story format for teaching elementary-age students about self-regulation.
  

Bio:  George McCloskey, Ph.D., is a professor and Director of School Psychology Research in the School of Professional and Applied Psychology of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and holds Diplomate status with the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology. Dr. McCloskey has amassed 40 years of experience in test development, teaching, research, and assessment and intervention work with a wide range of clients and developed a comprehensive model of executive control used to guide assessment and intervention of executive function and skill deficits.  

Dr. McCloskey is the lead author of the books Assessment and Intervention for Executive Function Difficulties and Essentials of Executive Functions Assessment and his most recent writing on interventions for executive function and executive skills difficulties appears in Chapter 10 of the book Essentials of Planning, Selecting, and Tailoring Interventions for Unique Learners.  He also is the author of the McCloskey Executive Functions Scales (MEFS) available fall 2016 from Schoolhouse Press.

4:15 - 5:15 Awards and Raffle

FEATURES OF OUR VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

• Conference attendees have the opportunity to earn additional CPDs following the event!

• 3 months of free access for all conferences sessions [with the exception of PREPaRE] will be available for registrants to review.
  

• Registrants will be provided with CPDs following the completion of a session evaluation the day of the conference.

• Registrants will be provided with additional CPDs upon passing a review quiz for all recorded sessions.
  

• A virtual awards ceremony and raffle giveaway will be hosted at the end of the conference!

• If you are unable to attend a live webinar for which you registered, you can access the content later to earn CPDS.

• Whether you plan to pay online via credit card or by purchase order, you must register online.  Go to http://www.njasp.orgto register online.  Email NJASPconference@gmail.com if you have difficulties.

• If you must cancel your registration, cancellation must be received by May 3rd, 2022, in order to receive a full refund.

• Registration closes on May 3rd, 2022, for both PO and credit card payments.  Please go to http://www.njasp.org to register online.

For a printed copy of the Spring Conference brochure:  2022 Spring Conference Brochure.pdf