Not Your Average School Psychologist Podcast

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Colleen Katzenmoyer talks to us about school psychologists serving in the role of administrator. Dr. Katezenmoyer provides recommendations for becoming an administrator coming from a non-instructional position and shares meaningful tips on how to be an effective administrator by connecting with staff and students. Listen in for how you can make sure that the students in your setting are “in good hands.” 

On today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Tim Runge talked about his work at the state-wide level, implementing large-scale change in educational practices across Pennsylvania. He shared his experiences implementing a state-wide adoption of Integrated Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (IMTSS), including recommendations for how to apply basic consultation skills in larger contexts. Listen for tips on how to meet schools where they are and how to start small to make big changes a reality. Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) website: https://www.pattan.net/ Pennsylvania Intermediate Unit (IU) map: https://gis.penndot.gov/bpr_pdf_files/maps/education/statewide_iu_and_districts_web_map.pdf For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Tai Collins talked about the effectiveness of peer-mediated interventions in supporting students’ academic and behavioral success. He also offered recommendations for adapting interventions to fit a school’s context. Through his description of building authentic opportunities for peer-mediated interventions, Dr. Collins shared tips on how to use problem-solving skills to build on students’ strengths, and how peer-mediated interventions offer unique opportunities to deliver effective interventions for Black youth and to empower minority students as leaders.For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In today's episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Sandy Chafouleas talked about the Feel Your Best Self Toolkit, which focuses on teaching students skills in emotion coping strategies. We learn more about the program, and most importantly about puppets! Stay to the end to hear some great advice on how we can grow by getting out of our silos. Happy listening! Check out the Feel Your Best Self Toolkit here: https://www.feelyourbestself.org/ For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, we talked with Ms. Jen Wilger and Dr. Mary Kay Braccio of the Temple Grandin School. They shared about the Temple Grandin School model and approach for educating and supporting neurodivergent students to meet their educational and personal goals. Ms. Wilger and Dr. Braccio highlighted core elements of an effective approach to working with neurodivergent students and the importance of grounding everything we do in a foundation of support and collaboration with multi-disciplinary colleagues, with families, and with students. They share an important reminder for all of us, that we are all “always working on something.” For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

Welcome to our Season 6 preview to celebrate NASP week! In this episode, we talked with Shawna Rader Kelly, a NASP leader and school-based school psychologist who shared her experiences from her positions in practice and leadership. She talked about finding the “not-so-average" in everything we do as school psychologists, from identifying small ways to start raising our voices in advocacy, to empowering each other, to using our problem-solving skills to address common challenges in school systems. Shawna also shared her goals for NASP's Excellence in School Psychological Services designation for districts and tips for how it can be used as a helpful guide for all school psychologists.  For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In our Season 5 finale episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, we talked with Dr. Robin Hojnoski about the role of school psychologists in early education and in non-traditional settings. Dr. Hojnoski shared how school psychologists in traditional roles could make more intentional, proactive connections with early childhood settings. Dr. Hojnoski also talked about the application of her school psychology background across multiple non-traditional roles in education. Listen in for how to apply the NASP Practice Model as a guide for your work in any setting.  For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, we talked with Dr. Andy Garbacz about family school partnerships. He talked about his research on how school psychologists can conceptualize family engagement in a multi-tiered systems of support framework. He also identified common barriers to forming these family-school partnerships, and how schools can reflect on their own practices in engaging families. As the new editor of the Journal of School Psychology, Dr. Garbacz also shared his vision for the journal and for the field. For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, we talked with Dr. Julie Fogt about the implementation of positive behavior supports to address the needs of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Dr. Fogt highlighted strategies that bring the magic of simplicity to addressing even the most challenging of behaviors. Listen in for 3 key tips for consulting with a new teacher to set them up for success! Dr. Fogt is the director of the Centennial School at Lehigh University. Check out information about the Centennial School here. For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org.  

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, we talked with Dr. Joe Kovaleski, whose expertise and advocacy helped to pave the way for our current multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) frameworks in schools. Dr. Kovaleski shares how our field has evolved, and he provides suggestions for how we can move forward to more effectively meet the needs of students by addressing instructional targets more directly. Listen in for his insightful tips on how to self-monitor your progress as a school psychologist!For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In the latest episode of the Devereux Center for Effective Schools’ podcast, Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Luisa Moats shares about her connection to school psychology and highlights what school psychologists should know about reading assessment and effective reading instruction. Dr. Moats addresses the importance of all educators understanding the foundations of language-based learning. Dr. Moats shared many helpful resources in this podcast. Check them out here: The Reading League International Dyslexia Association (IDA) Decoding Dyslexia (Parent Movements) Learning Disabilities: From Identification to Intervention (2nd ed.) (Fletcher, Lyons, Fuchs, and Barnes, 2018) American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers (3rd ed.) (Moats, 2020)  For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org. 

In our first Season 5 episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Imad Zaheer shares about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and how it can be applied in school settings within a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework. Dr. Zaheer addressed how school psychologists can integrate ACT into Tier 1 practices. He also offered a great ACT strategy for how to change a “but” to an “and!” Dr. Zaheer is an Assistant Professor of School Psychology at St. John's University and is a co-founder of the Nurturing Environments Institute.For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org.  

In today's Season 4 finale of Not Your Average Schools Psychologist, Dr. Katrina Hermetet shares information about Tourette Syndrome, including prevalence, comorbidity, and treatment. She offers practical recommendations for addressing the needs of students with Tourette Syndrome in the classroom and through the assessment process. Dr. Hermetet also describes how she advocates for students and gives them a voice. Dr. Hermetet discusses the following resources for information about Tourette Syndrome and how you can advocate for students:Tourette Association of America: https://tourette.org/  Tourette Association of America Resources: https://tourette.org/resources/overview/  Strategies for Advocacy: https://tourette.org/public-policy/take-action/  Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT) Overview: https://tourette.org/research-medical/cbit-overview/  Dr. Hermetet shares a story about Obed West, the 2025 award recipient for a Yes I Can Award for Self-Advocacy. For more information about Obed West and his story, see the Council for Exceptional Children press release: https://exceptionalchildren.org/sites/default/files/2025-02/Obed%20West%20-%20Self-Advocacy.pdf

In today's episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Kevin Van Laeken shares about his experiences as a school psychologist and a behavior analyst. He discusses his goal for making challenging concepts understandable and his experiences running his own BCBA test prep company. Mr. Van Laeken also shares recommendations for BCBAs, school psychologists, and professionals working in both fields.Check out Mr. Van Laeken's company, Behavior Analyst Supervisor: https://behavioranalystsupervisor.com/

In today's episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Byron McClure shares his strengths-based approach to school psychology. He talks about how the power of "why" can help probe for greater understanding and initiate change processes for the benefit of students. Dr. McClure also shares his journey that led to his development of the School Psych AI platform. He explains how school psychologists can leverage this tool to expand their role so they may address larger systemic needs in schools and school psychologist retention.Visit Dr. McClure's website for information about his book and his most recent work here: https://www.byronmcclure.com/Check out School Psych AI here: https://www.schoolpsych.ai/Dr. McClure talks about ethical guidance for School Psych AI. See this document for more details: https://www.schoolpsych.ai/_files/ugd/cbd354_0ff04eb2133b49bda73dbd2205fe242a.pdf 

In today's episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. George DuPaul discusses ADHD assessment and intervention across the lifespan, as well as how to connect different systems of care in pediatric school psychology. Dr. DuPaul also addresses the future of ADHD research and how to leverage technology for information gathering.Dr. DuPaul mentioned the following free resources for ADHD:- Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD): https://chadd.org/ - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ For more information about the CES, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org.

In today's episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist, Dr. Katie Eklund shares about her work with Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), specifically her contributions to Tier 2 interventions. Dr. Eklund also discussed how she is working to address mental health shortages in schools and bridge the research-to-practice gap. For more information on Dr. Eklund's work to recruit, train, and retain mental health professionals in schools, please visit https://www.metricscenter.org/. For more information about CES, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org.

Join us as we kick off season 4 of the podcast with a conversation with Dr. Nikole Hollins-Sims. In this episode, Dr. Hollins-Sims shares how to navigate various systems as a school psychologist and “dream out loud” to achieve one’s professional aspirations.  Check out Dr. Hollins-Sims' most recent work at www.hollinssimsconsult.com/.   For more information, visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org.  

In our Season 3 finale episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Charles Barrett shares about his experience as a school psychologist and how he prioritizes student connection and staff collaboration. Additionally, learn if Dr. Barrett ever sleeps and how to view Home Alone from a different perspective!    Dr. Barrett shared many helpful resources in today’s episode.  NASP Exposure Project (NASP-EP) (nasponline.org)  Charles Barrett - SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY  Charles Barrett on the App Store (apple.com)  Charles Barrett - Store  Social Justice in Schools: A Framework for Equity in Education (guilford.com)  Watch Home Alone | Prime Video (amazon.com)  For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Shirley Woika and Dr. Anne McGinnis share their knowledge about special education law including common misunderstandings related to the law in practice and advice for school psychologists to successfully navigate special education law.

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Shirley Woika and Dr. Anne McGinnis share their knowledge about special education law including common misunderstandings related to the law in practice and advice for school psychologists to successfully navigate special education law. Join us on 10/7 for Part 2!

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist we are joined by a medical doctor, Dr. Stuart Greene. Dr. Greene helps us understand the emergency room processes for children and adolescents with mental health concerns so as school psychologists we have a better understanding of the supports to provide in the moment and moving forward. For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Mark Shinn continues his discussion on how to make assessment meaningful and reduce data fatigue, keeping it simple with effective instruction, his impactful career in the field of school psychology, and much more!  Dr. Shinn shared many helpful resources in today’s episode.  ⁠Right to Read⁠ ⁠Sold a Story⁠  For more information visit us at ⁠www.centerforeffectiveschools.org⁠ 

Welcome back to Season 3 of Not Your Average School Psychologist Podcast! In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Mark Shinn discusses how to make assessment meaningful and reduce data fatigue, keeping it simple with effective instruction, his impactful career in the field of school psychology, and much more!  Join us on 9/3/2024 to hear Part 2 of Dr. Shinn's episode! Dr. Shinn shared many helpful resources in today’s episode.  Right to Read Sold a Story  For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Farmer talks to us about the four categories of low value practices, examples of low value practices in the field, how to identify low value practices and much more!  Dr. Farmer shared many helpful resources in today’s episode.  Sold a Story on Apple Podcasts  How to Sell a Pseudoscience (Anthony R. Pratkanis)   Farmer, McGill, Lockwood, Dombrowski, Canivez, & Zaheer (2022) Warning Signs for Hype in School-Based Assessment.pdf (eiu.edu)  For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Nickerson talks to us about promoting safe and supportive schools through violence and bullying prevention and intervention, utilizing multi-disciplinary teams, best practices for lockdown drills, and much more!  Dr. Nickerson shared many helpful resources in today’s episode.  School Crisis: The PREPaRE Model, 2nd Ed (nasponline.org)  Preparing for School Crises: Two States, One Vision (nasponline.org)  Lockdown Drills Connecting Research and Best Practices for School Administrators, Teachers, and Parents | Books Gateway | MIT Press  For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Sara Rich and Dr. Brit’ny Stein share valuable insight into their work as school psychologists implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in rural communities. Drs. Rich and Stein discuss partnering with Native American communities in Oklahoma, give advice for early career school psychologists, and much more!  Drs. Rich and Stein share many helpful resources in today’s episode. NASP Resources for Serving Indigenous Students, Families, & Communities  Crucial Conversations The Lazy Genius For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Erika McDowell shares tips on implementing inclusive PBIS/MTSS practices, encourages listeners to get well and thrive, provides recommendations for being adaptive and much more!   Learn more about the work Dr. McDowell is doing!   Inspired Minds Collide Building Thriving School Communities Focused on Wellness and Equity by Leveraging MTSS For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org 

In today’s episode of Not Your Average School Psychologist Dr. Nathan Clemens debunks some common myths about reading disabilities and dyslexia, discusses evidence-based recommendations for assessing and intervening with reading disabilities, shares about his time working with Dr. Edward Shapiro, and much more!   Dr. Clemens shares many helpful resources in today’s episode.  Academic Skills Problems: Fifth Edition: Direct Assessment and Intervention (guilford.com)  WWC | Practice Guides (ed.gov)   WWC | Find What Works! (ed.gov)  Google Scholar  For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org

Today on the podcast we talk with Drs. Jennifer Mautone, Maria Golden, and Maribeth Wicoff at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. They talk about working as a school psychologist in integrated care, interdisciplinary collaboration, an upcoming book release, and more! You can pre-order today: Family-School Success for Children with ADHD: A Guide for Intervention (guilford.com) For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org

Welcome back to the podcast! We kick off Season 2 talking to Dr. David Lillenstein about how he uses his role as a school psychologist to make a difference in students' lives, advocate for the profession of school psychology, and train individuals new to the field through internship. Dr. Lillenstein also shares helpful recommendations for all school psychologists around being visible, being patient, and being communicative.   For more information visit us at www.centerforeffectiveschools.org 

In the Season 1 finale episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Amber Sessoms about finding your authentic self (personally and professionally), being curious about the world around you, having productive conversations for intentionally helping students and communities succeed and much more! Dr. Sessoms shares many helpful resources in this episode including: Natural Inclination Bettina L. Love (2016) Anti-Black state violence, classroom edition: The spirit murdering of Black children, Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, 13:1, 22-25, DOI: 10.1080/15505170.2016.1138258 Speak Up Pocket Guide Cereal for Dinner Care Kits    Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania InSight The Four Agreements — don Miguel Ruiz

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Perri Rosen about suicide prevention in schools and within multi-tiered systems of support, applying the Zero Suicide Framework to school settings, the versatility of being a school psychologist, and much more! Dr. Rosen shares many helpful resources in this episode including: National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) (nasponline.org) DBT Skills in Schools: Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A) (guilford.com) Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner's Guide to Multi-level Prevention, (routledge.com) Home | Mental Health Technology Transfer Center (MHTTC) Network (mhttcnetwork.org) Prevent Suicide PA Learning (pspalearning.com)

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Brian Poncy about making evidence-based practices accessible to teachers and school psychologists, being functional with assessments, 5 core alterable variables to teaching a skill and much more! Dr. Poncy shares many helpful resources in this episode including: Measures & Interventions for Numeracy Development (M.I.N.D)

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Kirra Guard about supporting and coaching teachers, using high quality evidence to inform practices, partnering with adults in systems to improve service delivery and much more! Dr. Guard shares many helpful resources in this episode including: What Works Clearinghouse National Center on Intensive Intervention IRIS Center

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Brittany Zakszeski about the history of the public health model, accessibility, and feasibility of Tier 2 interventions in schools, understanding student needs through data and much more! Dr. Zakszeski shares many helpful resources in this episode including: The ⁠Resilience Education Program (REP) The Courage and Confidence Mentor Program ⁠Calm Cat: Relaxation Skills for Elementary Students⁠ The Positive Outcomes with Emotion Regulation (POWER) Program⁠: Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Secondary Students

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Nathaniel von der Embse about equitable screening, his partnership in the School Mental Health Collaborative (check it out at smhcollaborative.org), and much more!

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Jason Pedersen about why he pursued school psychology, how he has expanded his role as a school psychologist, and more!

In this episode of "Not Your Average School Psychologist" Podcast we talk with Dr. Barry McCurdy about his career journey as a school psychologist and how he has applied his skill set to a variety of roles to help all students succeed!

Welcome to Not Your Average School Psychologist Podcast! Hosted by psychologists with the Center for Effective Schools, our goal is to provide a resource for school psychologists to learn about evidence-based practices and hear interesting conversations with experts in the field. We will be releasing episodes starting in Fall 2023 so check back soon!