SCASP

SCASP Steering Committee Meeting Minutes Jan. 20, 2010

In attendance:  Mary Ann Carpenter, Rose Velasquez, Michelle Fourre, Susan Langer, Dana Zapanta, Connie Freeman, Endora Hsia, Mary Kushmeric, Greg Malone

 1.                  Workshops

a.       ELL Panel discussion Feb. 23 (Tuesday) from 1:00 – 4:00pm at SCOE in the Board room is confirmed.  Panel members will include Zenia Lemos (Windsor), Pam Moulton (Windsor and pvt. Practice), and Rose Velasquez (SELPA).  Michelle Jacobson is invited to participate but has not confirmed her availability.

b.      RAD presentation on April 26 (Monday) 8:30-12:00 noon at SCOE (room TBD).  Presenters are Dr. Mary Sue Sams, Clinical Psychologist, and Dr. Deborah Medansky, Developmental Pediatrician.  They will be provided with a $200 stipend each   Kathy Bregder was ill and unable to attend so we do not yet have clarification of whether SELPA will be able to pick up some of the cost by opening this workshop to nurses and counselors in the county.

2.                  Mary Kushmeric brought forth a question about the new Sonoma Co. Assmt. Plan that includes a box for “Post Secondary Transition.”  She asked, “Is post-secondary transition an area of functioning in which someone might suspect a disability?”  Greg Malone commented that this trend in assessment was in part generated by the Junior College.  They wanted High School staff to assess students with a WAIS prior to matriculating to their campus.  SCASP Steering agreed psychs should have a voice and input into the assessment role.  Mary stated that her process has included putting assessment on the Transition Plan in the past.  The question is posed, is this part of a change in the law?  Rose checked with Kelly Brooks (SELPA Program Specialist who coordinates the IEP forms) who stated that the SELPA adopted the California State IEP forms and that was the format of the form.

3.                  Mary K. raised another question for discussion:  “Do other districts use and report grade equivalent (GE) scores in academic testing, and if so, how are they utilized?”  Discussion about the poor reliability and validity of GE scores ensued, but many voiced that teachers have difficulty explaining Standard Scores in a way that parents can recognize and that parents often gravitate to a “grade level” score to understand their child’s academic functioning.  It was suggested that SCASP create a statement on Grade Equivalency, reliability and validity.  Mary K., Greg Malone, and Susan Langer agreed to serve as a Task Force on this item. Rose V. agreed to take psychologists statement to SELPA Steering Committee to be disseminated to Special Ed. Directors and Coordinators.

4.                  Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) as a means to determine eligibility:  There wasn’t sufficient time to discuss this item, but someone suggested we email Ken Rugg who has presented 2 out of 3 sessions to psychologists on RTI.  This item was tabled for another meeting until more members can read the document (Kathy Bredger sent to the psychs).  It is a fairly lengthy document.

5.                  Other business: Mary Ann Carpenter announced she is doing another presentation to the Kaiser Child Clinical unit in February on Behavior Management, sample plans, etc.

6.                  NEXT SCASP STEERING MEETING: Feb. 23 11:30 to 12:30 just prior to the ELL Panel presentation at Mi Burrito (up near the Airport Cinema and Kaffee Mocha). 

PRESENT: Teresa Knapp, Michelle Fourre, Connie Freeman, Kathy Bregder, Greg Malone, Angela Bowles, Rose Velasquez

1.      Future Workshops: Mary Ann will check w/ Mary Sue Sams and Deborah Medansky, a developmental pediatrician about doing a spring presentation on trauma and RAD.  We are looking at dates in April: 20, 22, 26, or 27.

• ELL Panel:  Steering is checking Feb. 23 as a date for the panel discussion (Pam Moulton, Rose Velasquez, Zenia Horning, and Michelle Jacobson).  Presentation would include discussion of ELL report content, use of interpreters, legal issues, etc.
• BASC-II:  Steering committee found that Cecil Reynolds would charge about $3000 to do the presentation (including expenses).  Other options still include Melinda Susan doing an advanced version for SCASP for free (SCMH has requested that she do an intro version for them), or find a professor from one of the colleges (e.g., from Jan Paulus HSU, Sacramento State, Berkeley, etc.), or combine with Mendocino COE to coordinate a presentation.
• Misc. discussion: Steering spent some time debating the pros and cons of charging a nominal fee to attend workshops and then opening attendance up to School Counselors, nurses, and so forth.  Nothing was decided.  Input is welcome.

2.                  CASP PAC  item: Rose has offered time at her Mexican timeshare as an auction item for the Political Action Committee (PAC) auction.  She will contact CASP to see if another region or affiliate could offer the flight accommodations.

  3.                  Steering decided to pass a basket to collect donations for Michelle Jacobson’s family in light of her recent disaster (the crane that was present to remove a hazardous tree fell on her roof breaking the house in half.)

  4.                  Next SCASP Steering Meeting: Jan. 19, 12:30 in Windsor at Mary’s Pizza 

SCASP Minutes  11/4/2009

 Present: Teresa Knapp, Angela Bowles, Dave Dixon, and Michelle Fourré. Connie Freeman, Mary Ann Carpenter, Rose Velásquez, Greg Malone, Suzy Tribbey, Kathy Bredger. 

1. The meeting was called to order at 12:00 and the Agenda was reviewed and approved with an addition by Mary Ann Carpenter. 

2. Teresa Knapp recapped the Affiliate Leadership Days.  

• She noted that the APA’s MLA has not gone away but that CASP and NASP are monitoring it closely and will go against it if it should go forward.  Also a candidate for APA President has gone on record saying he opposed the Act as it divided the group and would bar folks from its membership roll.
• There is an amendment being recommended to regulations that would require employees to NPS and NPA to have higher education units that addressed Positive Intervention and Students with Autism.  There no suggestions that School Psychologists would require further training.
• There was a call to review the By-Laws and determine if any changes are necessary 

As a side note, Steering agreed that Teresa, who inherited several old affiliate binders, could go through those binders and throw out any duplicates to save office space. 

3. Discussion of PAC donation was made.  Rose Velásquez offered a time-share week in Mexico but suggested that airfare should be included and wondered if anyone else could come up with frequent flyer miles or something other travel arrangement.  The group decided to think on this. 

4. SCASP Holiday Party is scheduled for December 10, 2009 at 4 pm to be held at Legends (Bennett Valley Golf Course) 3330 Yulupa Ave.  Steering agreed that the gathering would be open to all psychologists in the county as an opportunity to invite all psychologists in the county to network and consider joining the organization. 

5. Kathy Bredger reported that Melinda Susan would be happy to do an advanced training on the BASC but it would most likely follow the basic training she did last year for psychologists but is trying to schedule for MH professionals.  We will wait to see when this can be scheduled for SCASP. 

6. Mary Ann Carpenter will be meeting with Mary Sue Sams, Ph.D., and wanted to know if the group would like her to talk to Dr. Sams about another training for SCASP. 
   The groups wondered if she would consider something surrounding ED students, possibly abused children for sometime in the spring. 

7. Discussion of Panel on ELL assessments was also thrown about and the group decided to contact Pam Moulton, Michelle Jacobson, Zenia Horning and Rose Velásquez to lead the panel discussion.  An afternoon in February would allow a network get together following the discussion.  Members agreed to make the contact with those bilingual psychologists. 

8. Steering agreed to post minutes on the website: www.scasp.org, rather than email to everyone. 

9. Michelle Fourré wanted folks to remember that December 9^th is the deadline for CASP nominations for awards, including OSP. 

10. Next meeting is scheduled for 3:00 December 10^th, one hour before the SCASP Holiday gathering.

 Respectfully Submitted by

Rose Velásquez 

SCASP Minutes 9/13/09

Attendees: Teresa Knapp, Rose Velasquez, Michelle Fourre, Connie Freeman, Kathy Bregder, Eric Dick, Greg Malone

1. Reviews of the Kickoff Luncheon were mostly positive, but some felt the presentation was too clinical and not school based.  Interest was expressed in having a presentation on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) either this year or next.  If anyone knows of a good speaker for this topic contact Teresa Knapp, SCASP President at tknapp.rcss@gmail.com
2. Alan Murakami contacted Teresa to request we resume the brown bag roundtable discussions.  Topics of current interest are RtI and current practices with ELL assessment.  In related news, SELPA will be sponsoring 3 RtI workshops: Nov. 10, 2009, Jan 19, 2010. and March 2, 2010 from 9:00 to 12:00.  The presenter is a practicing school psychologist, Ken Rugg from Lodi who is currently implementing RTI.  The new SELPA Director, Catherine Conrado, knows him and is encouraging all local school psychs to attend.  Each date is different and builds upon the prior date’s presentation.  However, psychs would not be required to attend all 3 dates. Topics will be reading programs and RtI, reading interventions, what the average day of an “RtI School Psychologist” looks like, etc.  The question was posed:  will these 3 dates be sufficient to fulfill the brown bag networking request?  Should SCASP plan an additional date in February 2010 with a different topic?  It was decided this would be too many at this time.  The group agreed that when we have a roundtable discussion,  it should be goal driven and set up with specific topics in advance so everyone would know if they wanted to attend, had something to share, and were available to network.
3. A request for a workshop on ED came through the SCASP website.  Given the breadth and scope of Emotional Disturbance the question is “What portion of the ED topic would be addressed?”   Other topics for workshops included ELL, Cognitive Behavior Therapy for the School Psychologist, and a more in-depth workshop on the BASC.  Cecil Reynolds presented to the psychs in Oakland or Melinda Susan could present again.  Group agreed it would be helpful if there is an emphasis on how to use BASC-II results to design interventions.
4. Dave Dixon was unable to attend so discussion regarding his question concerning “pathology vs. normalization” was tabled until he could be there.
5. Connie Freeman and Kathy Bregder were handling paperwork to change the SCASP checking account authorized signatures to just the two of them, dropping (by his request) Al Cognata.  The current balance is $3,307
6. REMEMBER: We need to nominate a colleague for the Region 1 Outstanding School  Psychologist award.  DEADLINE to submit packet (via Rose Velasquea) to CASP is December 9, 2009.
7. The winter gathering is scheduled for Dec 10, 2009 with the location to be determined.
8. The next Steering Committee meeting will be held Nov 4, 2009 at 11:30 at Jhanthong Banbua (2400 Mendocino Ave).