A lot of the time, it isn't worth taking a day off as the 18 emails and 3 voice mails sometime prove. The voice mails were actually much lower than I expected. I caught up on those and photocopied some stuff that need to go through a fax machine and then headed over to the middle school to do some testing.
By the 3rd subtest I decide that if the student isn't communication impaired then they should be. Later, after I return to the office, I learn that he is already classified communication impaired. Yay for my my diagnostic abilities. I usually don't like to read up on the previous testing of students because I want to go in fresh. That and the fact that I often don't have time to look up the previous information until report time.
Following the testing, I had a period before some counseling. I spend that period gathering information and speaking with people regarding a few other students. After this, counseling. I meet with two of my boys and we discuss interacting with students and teachers. Fairly benign stuff.
I get back to the office for a leisurely 5 minute lunch before getting reading for my 1:00 initial referral conference. The parent doesn't show up until 1:40 after I call the home. The case is the unusual one that I have mentioned before. The one that needed an interpreter for a fairly rare language in my neck of the woods. The parent gives consent to test so the clock is not ticking: 90 days.
I go back to my office after speaking with my supervisor regarding the initial and another case. I use the rest of my time to score the test from the morning and send a few more emails. Thus the day is at the end.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Tuesday, December 8th
The day started off with the manifestation determination meeting for the incident from last Friday. It was determined that the incident that resulted in a 10 day suspension was not a manifestation of the student's disability and a functional behavior assessment and a review of his placement is not in order. The end result is that the student will face the 10 day suspension unless the school administration decides to change their decision and reduce it. If they don't reduce it, I have to arrange for home instruction to begin on the 5th day of the suspension.
About 10 minutes into the meeting, it is interrupted and I'm informed that there is another risk assessment over at the high school and there is no one else around, so after my meeting I have to head on over to do the risk assessment. The meeting didn't actually take very long and within 45 minutes I find myself meeting with a student in their guidance counselor's office. The outcome of the assessment is that the student did not present as a danger to themselves but seems to be in need of counseling. I wait for the student's mother with the student and counselor and we all meet to discuss what has happened and provide them with a list of resources. From the meeting it seems that the mother could also use the resources herself.
Following this, I return to my office and play phone tag with a number of people and respond to some emails about my lawyer-involved case. I speak to a department head about one of my students who is being a bit obstinate. I also talk to another guidance counselor about a student of mine who is having difficulty in their math class. The guidance counselor brings up the idea that the student might need some counseling for stuff that is going on at home. I tell her that may be the case but it would be better to refer the family to outside counseling resources.
Now it isn't a matter of my not wanting to counsel the student. It is a matter of what in-school counseling is about and it is easier to define what it isn't than what it is. It isn't psychotherapy. IEP related counseling is to address issues that impact school performance. There are so many students in schools that could benefit from counseling, both regular and special education, that you would need to employ a fleet of counselors but it is over-prescribed for what it is in school. There are some schools that have instituted school-based counseling clinics as part of district services but they are few and far between and take place after school day hours. My heart goes out to the student but he would be better served by obtaining services from within the community since it is a family situation. In fact, the whole family would benefit.
After this and a lunch, I start typing yesterday's risk assessment. I'm only partly finished when it is time to staff a student that I tested. The student is clearly eligible but the issue remains what to do for the student. This is again one of those situations where the student needs more treatment outside the school setting than within because that is where the resources lie. The student doesn't need an out of district placement; the student needs appropriate treatment for their condition.
Following this I talk with a few of my coworkers about some of the crazier situations that are coming up and how it seems to be tied partly to this time of year. After this it is time to race home. I have a personal day on Wednesday but I'll pay for it on Thursday.
About 10 minutes into the meeting, it is interrupted and I'm informed that there is another risk assessment over at the high school and there is no one else around, so after my meeting I have to head on over to do the risk assessment. The meeting didn't actually take very long and within 45 minutes I find myself meeting with a student in their guidance counselor's office. The outcome of the assessment is that the student did not present as a danger to themselves but seems to be in need of counseling. I wait for the student's mother with the student and counselor and we all meet to discuss what has happened and provide them with a list of resources. From the meeting it seems that the mother could also use the resources herself.
Following this, I return to my office and play phone tag with a number of people and respond to some emails about my lawyer-involved case. I speak to a department head about one of my students who is being a bit obstinate. I also talk to another guidance counselor about a student of mine who is having difficulty in their math class. The guidance counselor brings up the idea that the student might need some counseling for stuff that is going on at home. I tell her that may be the case but it would be better to refer the family to outside counseling resources.
Now it isn't a matter of my not wanting to counsel the student. It is a matter of what in-school counseling is about and it is easier to define what it isn't than what it is. It isn't psychotherapy. IEP related counseling is to address issues that impact school performance. There are so many students in schools that could benefit from counseling, both regular and special education, that you would need to employ a fleet of counselors but it is over-prescribed for what it is in school. There are some schools that have instituted school-based counseling clinics as part of district services but they are few and far between and take place after school day hours. My heart goes out to the student but he would be better served by obtaining services from within the community since it is a family situation. In fact, the whole family would benefit.
After this and a lunch, I start typing yesterday's risk assessment. I'm only partly finished when it is time to staff a student that I tested. The student is clearly eligible but the issue remains what to do for the student. This is again one of those situations where the student needs more treatment outside the school setting than within because that is where the resources lie. The student doesn't need an out of district placement; the student needs appropriate treatment for their condition.
Following this I talk with a few of my coworkers about some of the crazier situations that are coming up and how it seems to be tied partly to this time of year. After this it is time to race home. I have a personal day on Wednesday but I'll pay for it on Thursday.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday, December 7th
I start the day with two classroom observations. In one classroom, the student did nothing but draw something completely unrelated to class for 20 minutes. After that, I put my name on the conference room schedule for counseling and testing in the middle school. After I get back to the office, I print out some paperwork and send some emails regarding the manifestation determination I have tomorrow. Then the internet goes out. But that is okay because 10 minutes later I get sent for a risk assessment on a kindergartener. The kid doesn't even know what death is but he definitely has something going on with him but not enough to consider a danger. While I'm at the school, I confirm the presence of the paraprofessional that speaks a certain language for another meeting on Thursday. I sure hope the district gets the language line approved soon.
After the assessment, I return and call the mother of the student to fill her in on my interaction with the child. Following that I have lunch and sit down to type up my classroom observations. Just as I'm getting ready to type up the risk assessment, another situation comes up involving a student from last week. The case manager and I go over to the school and my co-worker suggests that I handle the logistics while she handles the contact with the student. So I speak with the principal and the guidance counselor to get information and she meets with the student. The situation is resolved and doesn't require a risk assessment or crisis screening. After an extended meeting with the principal and classroom teacher, we return to the office.
The one thing that concerns me is the way the principal kept looking to me for answers. When we were all together (my co-worker/student case manager), the principal kept looking to me. I feel that it was a bit disempowering to my co-worker. I don't know if this is a product of being the older staff member or the male staff member or if I'm just imagining it. In the first two cases, I don't necessarily feel that it is a correct reaction to have. In the case of the latter, it is just my hubris. I'll have to talk about it with my co-worker.
After the assessment, I return and call the mother of the student to fill her in on my interaction with the child. Following that I have lunch and sit down to type up my classroom observations. Just as I'm getting ready to type up the risk assessment, another situation comes up involving a student from last week. The case manager and I go over to the school and my co-worker suggests that I handle the logistics while she handles the contact with the student. So I speak with the principal and the guidance counselor to get information and she meets with the student. The situation is resolved and doesn't require a risk assessment or crisis screening. After an extended meeting with the principal and classroom teacher, we return to the office.
The one thing that concerns me is the way the principal kept looking to me for answers. When we were all together (my co-worker/student case manager), the principal kept looking to me. I feel that it was a bit disempowering to my co-worker. I don't know if this is a product of being the older staff member or the male staff member or if I'm just imagining it. In the first two cases, I don't necessarily feel that it is a correct reaction to have. In the case of the latter, it is just my hubris. I'll have to talk about it with my co-worker.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Friday, December 4th
The morning begins with our weekly department meeting. Some of the issued that are covered include parents that don't come to meetings or respond to phone calls, bullying, and lack of space for testing/meetings/counseling.
Following the meeting, I was supposed to go to a meeting for my professional learning community but I got sidetracked. I had to go to the high school because one of my students got into big trouble. Now there will be a manifestation determination on Tuesday. And that led to the weekend.
Following the meeting, I was supposed to go to a meeting for my professional learning community but I got sidetracked. I had to go to the high school because one of my students got into big trouble. Now there will be a manifestation determination on Tuesday. And that led to the weekend.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Thursday, December 3rd
Today began with a trip to the middle school to meet with an assistive technology specialist that has been creating assignments for a student of mine on a specific classroom software program. I was there while the student's teachers came in to look at the assignments since the stuff was created from the material that the teachers gave the specialist. Overall it went well. It was interesting to see just what the finished products looked like but it still seems like it is a lot of work. My biggest contribution was running to find one of the tech people in the building to found out the address and port for the proxy server so that we could download something.
Following this, I met with two middle schoolers for counseling. It was not the most exciting or interested of my groups. One of the participants kept asking to go back to class.
I returned to the office to find a phone message from a parent that I had finally settled all the meeting arrangements for next Tuesday. The parent, after telling me that any day would be fine, informs me that the day that I chose is not fine...of course. So after much juggling, I finally arrange it for next Thursday. I spend a good portion of the rest of the day contacting all the parties involved and getting things changed around.
I also call two cognitive rehabilitation departments to gather some more information on neuropsychological evaluations. Amazingly, the doctors that I left messages for both call me back before I leave for work...within an hour of leaving my messages. I chalk this up to their being Ph. D. doctors and not M.D. doctors. I end the day by updating my boss about the information I've gathered.
Following this, I met with two middle schoolers for counseling. It was not the most exciting or interested of my groups. One of the participants kept asking to go back to class.
I returned to the office to find a phone message from a parent that I had finally settled all the meeting arrangements for next Tuesday. The parent, after telling me that any day would be fine, informs me that the day that I chose is not fine...of course. So after much juggling, I finally arrange it for next Thursday. I spend a good portion of the rest of the day contacting all the parties involved and getting things changed around.
I also call two cognitive rehabilitation departments to gather some more information on neuropsychological evaluations. Amazingly, the doctors that I left messages for both call me back before I leave for work...within an hour of leaving my messages. I chalk this up to their being Ph. D. doctors and not M.D. doctors. I end the day by updating my boss about the information I've gathered.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday, December 2nd
It all begins with some counseling in the high school. My first student of the day asks me to teach him how to tie a Windsor knot for his ROTC uniform. Probably one of the more unusual requests that I have received. Looking back on it, it is a little sad that he asked me to do something that you usually learn from your father. Even more sad since I know that his father is still in his home. Follow that session and several failed attempts to find other students, it is back to base.
Once I'm back at the office, I type up my counseling notes and logs for the past two days. Then I type up the nothing risk assessment from the day before. Once all of that is done, I have lunch and then head over to the local court house to pay for the parking ticket I got when I went to one of our schools with notoriously poor parking. It was a real BS ticket considering I wasn't obstructing a crosswalk and there were not signs saying that I couldn't park beyond such and such point.
Once I'm back at the office, I put my risk assessment report in interoffice envelopes and send them to the proper people. As I'm finishing that, my boss asks me to contact one of the other school psychologists that had been sent to one of the elementary schools to see about a student that was saying they wanted to kill themselves and tearing up the classroom. I was supposed to give my coworker information regarding the area psychiatric screeners. As I'm in the process of calling and leaving a message for my coworker, my boss comes in again and asks me to go over there as back up for my coworker. I put on my traveling shoes (figuratively speaking...I don't go around barefoot in my office) and head on over.
Upon arriving there, I find one of the more unique risk assessments that I have done while I've been in school districts. I'm loathe to describe the scene because it really marks out the situation and I'm concerned regarding confidentiality. It was one of the more chaotic situations I've seen though. After some time, the student calms down enough that the peak of the crisis is past but there are still concerns regarding the student's safety and the safety of other students so the students family told that the student must be screened and cleared before returning to school. The details are given to the family and the parent leaves with the student.
My feelings on the situation are along the lines of "too many cooks spoiling the pot." The situation was disorganized because of all the staff that got involved, myself included. I really didn't do much once I got there because I was coming into the situation after everything so I pretty much acted as the person who was most familiar with procedure.
Tomorrow, I'll probably talk about the situation with my co-worker.
Once I'm back at the office, I type up my counseling notes and logs for the past two days. Then I type up the nothing risk assessment from the day before. Once all of that is done, I have lunch and then head over to the local court house to pay for the parking ticket I got when I went to one of our schools with notoriously poor parking. It was a real BS ticket considering I wasn't obstructing a crosswalk and there were not signs saying that I couldn't park beyond such and such point.
Once I'm back at the office, I put my risk assessment report in interoffice envelopes and send them to the proper people. As I'm finishing that, my boss asks me to contact one of the other school psychologists that had been sent to one of the elementary schools to see about a student that was saying they wanted to kill themselves and tearing up the classroom. I was supposed to give my coworker information regarding the area psychiatric screeners. As I'm in the process of calling and leaving a message for my coworker, my boss comes in again and asks me to go over there as back up for my coworker. I put on my traveling shoes (figuratively speaking...I don't go around barefoot in my office) and head on over.
Upon arriving there, I find one of the more unique risk assessments that I have done while I've been in school districts. I'm loathe to describe the scene because it really marks out the situation and I'm concerned regarding confidentiality. It was one of the more chaotic situations I've seen though. After some time, the student calms down enough that the peak of the crisis is past but there are still concerns regarding the student's safety and the safety of other students so the students family told that the student must be screened and cleared before returning to school. The details are given to the family and the parent leaves with the student.
My feelings on the situation are along the lines of "too many cooks spoiling the pot." The situation was disorganized because of all the staff that got involved, myself included. I really didn't do much once I got there because I was coming into the situation after everything so I pretty much acted as the person who was most familiar with procedure.
Tomorrow, I'll probably talk about the situation with my co-worker.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tuesday, December 1st
Well, not a whole lot to talk about today. I went over with to the middle school and did some counseling. The theme for today appeared to be broken homes and divorced parents, even though I met with students individually.
I wrestled with trying to create a schedule for some upcoming meetings. The hardest thing to do is to find a place to have the meetings. It is ridiculous. No matter what district I've been in, meeting/counseling/testing space has been at a premium. Now that I share an office, I can't even have meetings or test or do counseling in my office. In the end, I manage to schedule the two meetings and get the letters out for them just in time for another risk assessment.
It turns out to be nothing. It is one of those referrals that you walk in and know right away that it was just something a kid said and didn't mean. Not even a chance of a risk. And so the day ends.
I wrestled with trying to create a schedule for some upcoming meetings. The hardest thing to do is to find a place to have the meetings. It is ridiculous. No matter what district I've been in, meeting/counseling/testing space has been at a premium. Now that I share an office, I can't even have meetings or test or do counseling in my office. In the end, I manage to schedule the two meetings and get the letters out for them just in time for another risk assessment.
It turns out to be nothing. It is one of those referrals that you walk in and know right away that it was just something a kid said and didn't mean. Not even a chance of a risk. And so the day ends.
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