School Psychologist (Bilingual Spanish and English)

Overview

Though 9 in 10 Latino young adults say a college degree is important for success in life, fewer than 15% age 25 or older hold a bachelor’s degree. Voices College-Bound Language Academies exists to change that. 

Voices is a public charter school network with a mission to prepare all students for the challenges of higher education through the context of an academically rigorous dual-immersion program. Every student, regardless of home language, graduates bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish. 

Role Summary

Voices Academies’ School Psychologist under the leadership of the Director of Special Education and in collaboration with Student Services Managers, School Leaders, and Teachers, will use effective strategies to serve the needs of exceptional students. The School Psychologist assists teachers, parents/guardians, and students in understanding, preventing and addressing learning, behavioral, developmental, and emotional difficulties. By collaborating with teachers, school leaders, families, and other mental and behavioral health professionals, the School Psychologist works to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students. The School Psychologist acts as an educator by helping others understand more about child development, behavioral challenges, and behavior management techniques. At Voices Academies, the School Psychologist is responsible for screening, evaluation, consultation, program development, and professional practice as it pertains to student development, social/emotional and , and academic needs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Screen and evaluate referred students within legal timelines including selecting appropriate instruments, administering tests, observations, and writing legally defensible reports in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act  (IDEA), which state the evaluation findings and provide educational program recommendations.
• Participate as a member of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team, contributing evaluation findings in parent/guardian friendly language, and collaborating with all members of the team to develop education plans.
• Collaborate with school staff around Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS)implementation, Student Study Team meetings, and crisis support.
• Collaborate to field requests for assessment and provide written response within legal timeline, such as an Assessment Plan and/or Prior Written Notice.
• Support with legal and effective Child Find systems that support school-site teams to identify students with suspected disabilities who require special education evaluation.
• Collaborate with the special education team to design and implement intervention strategies and programs.
• Conduct Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Educationally Related Mental Health Assessments (ERMHS) as required by IDEA, and provide behavior and mental health consultation to IEP team members, including support in drafting strong behavior intervention plans and behavior data tracking systems.
• Provide ERMHS services, such as individual and/or group counseling, to students in accordance with their  IEPs. 
• Helps all stakeholders understand child development and how it affects student performance academically and social/emotionally
• Assists in identifying needed community resources for students and makes appropriate referrals to resources to facilitate educational and behavioral interventions recommended for student success
• Receives and reviews available developmental information from school and outside resources about student behavior(s) and selects evidence-supported or evidence-based psychological interventions
• Accurately administers, scores, and interprets psychological measures of intelligence, personality, cognitive functioning, behavior, achievement, adaptive functioning, and developmental maturity
• Translates assessment plans and results to Spanish when needed
• Delivers crisis response and intervention services to students, families and staff, when needed
• Participates in disciplinary proceedings; which can include; expulsions, manifestation determination meetings, and/or causation meetings
• Demonstrated knowledge of, and support, Voices Charter School’s mission, vision, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior.
• Perform other duties as assigned and as required. 
• Work at assigned school site/s 

REQUIREMENTS:

• Experience:
  •  Two years of experience as a School Psychologist 
  • Completion of School Psychologist Internship
• Minimum educational level:
  • Master's Degree in School Psychology
  •  Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential 
  • Commitment to working with students from educationally underserved communities 
• High proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Google Suite; 
• Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to write clearly and persuasively and interact effectively with different audiences
• Excellent organization, time management and follow up skills, demonstrated ability to prioritize and successfully handle multiple cases concurrently 
• Spanish bilingual required

Other skills and traits

• Experience working in an urban public school 
•  
• An unwavering belief that all students can achieve at high levels and succeed in an inclusive environment that supports all learners
• Demonstrates ability to adjust to and use new approaches in the performance of his/her duties

• Regular requirement to stand, sit, walk, talk, hear, see, read, speak, reach, stretch with hands and arms, stoop, kneel and crouch 
• Lift and carry objects weighing up to 50 lbs 
• Occasional evening and or weekend work 
• Regular travel between school sites
• Willingness to be trained as needed 

Prior to Employment: Once an offer has been extended, a candidate must meet the following criteria to receive a final agreement:

• First Aid/CPR/AED Certification
• Clear Criminal Background Check
• Valid TB Clearance

• Highly competitive salary: $85,000 - $120,000 
• Medical benefits
• Exceptional growth opportunities
• Retirement plan

• Reports directly to the Director of Special Education 
• Exempt Position
• Position follows a 12 month work schedule
• At-Will Agreement

If you have any questions about this position, please contact our hiring team by email at [email protected]. 

Voices College-Bound Language Academies is an equal opportunity employer.                                                                                              It is the policy of Voices to afford equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, citizenship status, medical condition, or any other legally protected status.