NHASP Protocol - New Hampshire Association of School

NHASP
Protocol
Volume 33, Issue II
Summer 2015
November 9-13 is National School
Psychology Awareness Week
by Tari Selig, New Hampshire Delegate to NASP
I
n conjunction with activities at the
national level promoted by NASP,
NHASP is encouraging members
to recognize November 9-13, 2015, as
National School Psychology Awareness
Week. Schools around the country will
be participating in activities designed
to engage school staff and students in
“connecting the dots” to create a positive
school climate and become productive
members of a thriving school community.
All children have the potential for greatness
and success. As parents and educators, we
can help them realize their vast potential—
achieving their goals, thriving in the
face of adversity, solving problems, and
continually growing as an individual—by
helping them to “connect the dots” along
the many pathways to success.
We can help students build upon their
strengths, skills, interests, and abilities
to connect the dots and thrive. This
includes helping them identify and
plan ways to accomplish short- and
long-term goals, creating a safe and
supportive environment, building positive
relationships, and encouraging them to
take on challenges and persevere when
things get tough. Working together,
we can help them connect the dots to
promote their competence, achievement,
and resiliency. Resources are available on the NASP
website (www.nasponline.org) as well as
the NHASP website (www.nhaspweb.
org). You are encouraged to be creative and
help students connect the dots. School
Psychology awareness week is about
promoting the profession and the benefits
Ψ
it has on the lives of children.
FALL CONFERENCE – October 26, 2015
School Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and
Postvention
by Christina Flanders, NHASP President
NHASP is pleased to have
Dr. Stephen Brock, Past
President of NASP, come to
New Hampshire for our fall
conference. Dr. Brock has
authored 11 books and over 250
publications, including being
the lead author of School Crisis
Prevention and Intervention:
The PREPaRE Model. He
will be presenting on relevant
statistics and demographics
associated with suicide that
are believed to inform risk
assessments, and will be discussing a variety
of suicide prevention strategies, including
school-based assessment of and
intervention with the suicidal
student. Finally, Dr. Brock
will explain how to respond to
the aftermath of a completed
suicide.
Many of us have known, or will
know, individuals who have
contemplated or completed
suicide, which makes knowledge
of preventative and intervening
strategies essential to our work.
Please join NHASP in Concord
at the Grappone Conference
Center on Monday, October 26, 2015 for this
day-long presentation. Ψ
What’s inside...
President’s Message................................. Page 2
Kate Grieve Named School
Psychologist of the Year.......................... Page 3
The PREPaRE Model.................................. Page 3
Practicum and Internship
Supervision.................................................. Page 4
Managing Stress and Avoiding
Burnout......................................................... Page 5
NASP Public Policy Institute.................. Page 5
NHASP Briefs............................................... Page 6
Scholarship Recipient for 2015............. Page 6
Meet Your NHASP Executive Board!.... Page 7
Handout: Suicidal Students:
Intervening at School........................Page 8-10
Authoritarian Parenting: A Recipe
for Violence................................................Page 11
SAVE THE DATE – March 25, 2016
Dr. David Kilpatrick,
Orthographic Memory
and Reading Difficulties
by Christina Flanders, NHASP President
Ever wonder about why some students respond
to reading intervention and others don’t seem
to? Dr. Kilpatrick has completed extensive
work in this area and will shed some light
on recent research regarding orthographic
memory (how we remember the words we
read) which may help to explain the nature
and causes of word-level reading disabilities.
In addition, Dr. Kilpatrick will be providing
participants with how most reading difficulties
can be identified, prevented, and corrected.
This should be an excellent workshop and
would be a great one to bring your school
reading interventionists, special education
teachers, and Title I teachers to with you!
More information about this workshop will
be provided in the coming months. Please
join NHASP in Concord at the Grappone
Conference Center on Friday, March 25, 2016
for this day-long presentation. Ψ
President’s Message
Greetings from my sunny porch in
Sanbornton as your new NHASP President!
I
t’s hard to believe it’s
August and I’m writing my
first message as NHASP
president. It feels as though
my boys were just having their
end-of-the-year school parties
and are now already thinking
of purchasing new backpacks
and colored pencils – not to mention the
summer reading assignments that have
been put off until mid-August.
A quick introduction is probably warranted
for those unfamiliar with me. I have had
the pleasure of being a school psychologist
for the past 10 years. This year, I have
also completed my first year as faculty in
Plymouth State’s Counselor Education
and School Psychology Department
where I teach in the School Psychology
program. Over my years in NHASP I have
completed two terms as NHASP secretary,
sit on various NHASP committees, and
have been Regional Representative for the
Lakes Region. I was also honored to have
been named the 2014 School Psychologist
of the Year and thoroughly love and
appreciate the workings of our profession
– but enough about me, on with business.
NHASP leadership has been hard at
work over the past year with state action
planning to update our organization’s
Strategic Plan for 2015-18. You can
check out more details on our website
in the coming months, but our four
main goals include: Student Outcomes,
Collaboration, Professional Development,
and Organizational Excellence. Please be
looking for and thinking of ways in which
you can get involved in one or more of
these goals in the coming school year!
In other news, NHASP has created
new opportunities for school psychology
graduate student engagement by creating
“Student Assistant to the Board” positions
which will allow a handful of students
the opportunity to see what being on the
NHASP Executive Board is all about. We
are excited about getting the opportunity
NHASP Protocol
to help shape the professional
experience of up and coming
school psychologists. There are
so many ways to get involved in
NHASP initiatives and activities,
which are great ways to maintain
your professional skills, network
with others in the state, learn
about national and state initiatives, and
advocate for the well-being of children
and adolescents. I can’t say enough about
the members of NHASP and the amount
of work these volunteers do for children
and practitioners in our state. Of course,
NHASP members are always welcomed
to our monthly board meetings, which
are held at 2 Pillsbury Street, Concord on
the 5th floor from 4:00-6:00. Check our
website for the 2015-16 dates.
Be sure to check out the upcoming
conferences, including Stephen Brock
coming on October 26 to speak about
suicide prevention, intervention, and
postvention, as well as David Kilpatrick
coming on March 25 to discuss the
impact of orthographic memory deficits
on reading acquisition. Both should
provide excellent professional development
opportunities! This year we will also be
trying something new: There will be no
winter meeting, but instead, we will have
a summer (or later spring) meeting so
that those snowflakes don’t threaten our
planned activities as they have in previous
years. I suppose, however, the snow could
certainly fly in NH in May or June, but
my fingers are crossed for sunshine and
warmth.
I’m excited to see what this year brings for
NHASP and welcome your comments and
suggestions. For now, I’ll soak up the last
few weeks of heat, and find that new puppy
roaming around my yard to play with.
NHASP Executive Board
2015–16
Christina Flanders, President
[email protected]
Trish Raymond, President-Elect
[email protected]
Nate Jones, Past President
[email protected]
Molly Ware, Secretary
[email protected]
Dave Smith, Treasurer
[email protected]
Tari Selig, NASP Delegate
[email protected]
Region 1 Representative
(Nashua, Manchester, Salem)
Amy Bahan
[email protected]
Region 2 Representative
(Greater Concord)
Audrey Willis
[email protected]
Region 3 Representative
(Lakes Region) 
Lauryn Barton
[email protected]
Region 4 Representative
(Monadnock area, Keene)
Jonas Taub
[email protected]
Region 5 Representative
(Upper Valley)
Mary Ann Salvatoriello
[email protected]
Region 6 Representative
(Seacoast)
Katie Freeman
[email protected]
Region 7 Representative
(North Country)
Emily Russell
[email protected]
Warmly,
Christina Flanders, NHASP President
This hermit crab can't wait for
school to start!
Page 2
Summer 2015
www.nhaspweb.org
Committee Chairs
Nate Jones, Nominations/Elections
[email protected]
Tricia Raymond, Membership
[email protected]
Virginia Smith Harvey & Cindy Waltman,
Ethics & Professional Standards
[email protected], [email protected]
Jonas Taub, Research
[email protected]
Amy Bahan, Scholarship
[email protected]
Kate Salvati & Tricia Raymond, Conferences
[email protected], [email protected]
Dave Smith & Peter Whelley, Finance
[email protected], [email protected]
Nate Jones & Tari Selig, Government
Professional Relations
[email protected], [email protected]
Associate Positions
Peg Dawson, Study Group Facilitator
[email protected]
Nate Jones, Certification Liaison
[email protected]
Nate Jones, NHPA Liaison
[email protected]
Audrey Willis, State SPAN Contact
[email protected]
Nate Jones, Webmaster
[email protected]
Robert Rodriquez & Lauryn Barton, Assistant
Webmasters
[email protected], [email protected]
David Smith, Newsletter Editor
[email protected]
Student Representative (to be determined)
Kate Grieve Named School
Psychologist of the Year
K
a t e
w a s
is happy to be working
nominated by her
at all levels (elementary,
superintendent,
middle, and high school)
Ellen Small, for the third
in Raymond as it allows her
year in a row. Ellen lauded
to support students as they
Kate for her compassion
transition from one building
for her students, her
to another, as well as to
dedication to her job, and
advocate for consistency
her contributions to the
between buildings in the
Raymond School District
district. She is passionate
over the past six years. She
about her involvement with
noted that Kate had been
developing safety plans,
Kate, Kate, and Nate
instrumental in the district’s
completing risk screenings,
implementation of the Olweus anti- and improving tier II intervention
bullying program, stating that students strategies, as well as about data collection
have embraced the program due to and progress monitoring.
Kate’s enthusiasm. In addition, Ellen Kate is grateful to the people who have
praised Kate’s ability to quickly establish inspired her to work harder and become
rapport with staff, students, and parents, “the professional I am today” and she
describing her as both knowledgeable in considers it an honor to have been chosen
her field and able to explain things in from among many other deserving
an easy to understand fashion. Tellingly, colleagues in the state.
Ellen wrote that Kate was “worth her
weight in gold” for her efforts in helping As NHASP’s award recipient, this
the district to adopt a response to past spring Kate attended the EDies,
intervention model, her student advocacy New Hampshire’s annual excellence
in performing functional behavioral in education awards. She has (or will
assessments, and her skills at collecting have) her name engraved on the plaque
that hangs in the NH Department
and interpreting student data.
of Education. Further, NHASP will
New Hampshire counts itself fortunate significantly defray her costs to attend
that Kate lighted here. Kate earned her February’s NASP Convention in New
educational specialist degree in school Orleans. Congratulations anew to Kate
psychology from Lewis and Clark College for all that she does on behalf of students
in Portland, Oregon, after obtaining her in Raymond! Both they and NHASP are
bachelor of arts in psychology from St. lucky she has chosen to call the Granite
Michaels in Colchester, Vermont. She State her home.
Ψ
Interested in Being Trained in The PREPaRE Model: NASP’s School Crisis and Intervention Curriculum?
PSU Counselor Education and School Psychology Department
Faculty from PSU’s CESP Department trained over 30 participants this past spring, including graduate students in school psychology and
school counseling, in The PREPaRE Model. They will be offering this 3-day, 2-workshop training again on October 2, November 6, and
November 13 at a reduced rate for NH professionals ($180 total for 3 days). Learn the roles and responsibilities of being a school crisis team
member, including crisis prevention and preparedness, as well as crisis intervention and recovery. Space is limited. Contact Sally Kilfoyle at
[email protected] for more details.
NHASP Protocol
Page 3
Summer 2015
Practicum and Internship
Supervision: A lot is in it for you
by Christina Flanders, Cynthia Waltman, Leo R. Sandy
Continued from page 11
T
wo years ago we wrote about
the benefits of being a sitesupervisor and tried to dispel
the reasons for not supervising an
intern. Besides becoming immortal,
supervising a future school psychologist
is a rewarding opportunity to stay
involved in current school psychology
issues and practices.
The Institute was a success. It was a
wonderful opportunity for networking
across disciplines and the conversation
and training was thought provoking. If
anyone has ever attended a workshop
at the Silver Fox Inn you know
about the fabulous food prepared
by Susan. She did not disappoint
us. One colleague (who will remain
anonymous) expressed his remorse and
We now have another reason for you pleasure when he acknowledged that
to supervise an intern or practicum he ate 9 desserts in one day!
student….You will be welcome to
participate in the PSU Supervision The school psychology program
Institute next summer. In July we at PSU is growing. We truly need
held the 1st Annual PSU Supervision more qualified site-supervisors. It
Institute. The institute was funded is a valuable experience for you,
by PSU’s HRSA grants and offered our students, and the children and
a weekend-long training in beautiful adolescents they will serve. Please
Waterville Valley. One of the goals of contact us if you would like to serve
the grants is to increase the behavioral as a site-supervisor. Or if you would
health workforce in NH. To do like to start slowly, consider having a
this we recognize the importance of pre-practicum student this fall. In this
having qualified site-supervisors and capacity a student will spend 25 hours
responded to this need by offering the with you shadowing and interviewing
1st Annual PSU Supervision Institute you about the profession.
sponsored by PSU’s Counselor
Education and School Psychology Watch for details about the 2nd Annual
Department and co-sponsored by PSU Supervision Institute next summer!
NHASP. Dr. Joan Struzziero, co-author If you would like to be on our email list
of “Professional Development and please contact our grant administrator,
Supervision of School Psychologists: Sally Kilfoyle, sakilfoyle@plymouth.
From Intern to Expert,” led the edu. Our first NH School Psychology
institute for school psychologists. Dr. Supervision Fellows include: Cynthia
Struzziero included 3 hours of ethics Waltman, Christina Flanders, Tari
in her training. Dr. Melissa Luke, from Selig, Ryan Long, Jonas Taub, Tricia
Syracuse University, joined us to lead Raymond, and Lex Burton. Ψ
the training for the school counselors
and clinical mental health counselors.
Leo Sandy presented on Supervision
and Social Justice and Nancy Puglisi
guided us in a mindful meditation.
NHASP Protocol
Authoritarian
Parenting
Page 4
conviction that he is absolutely superior to
others.” Armstrong concluded her paper
by raising some important questions: Just
suppose someone had stopped the father
from brutally beating his son? What if
Hitler had somehow faced the rage he
felt, instead of playing it out in the world?
What if he had acknowledged his shame,
instead of launching into his compulsive
schemes for wiping out others? As humans,
we restage our childhood stories out in the
world. In Germany where the rule of the
father was absolute, where you had to love
your father no matter how he humiliated
you, the results stand clear to be seen by
us all. When it comes to child rearing, we
reap what we sow.”
There seems to be a lesson unlearned
here. When I read about the fanatical
obsession and indiscriminate violence
of fundamentalist Muslims and their
American counterparts preoccupied
with anti-Muslim fear and hatred that
has been generalized to all immigrants –
legal and illegal – I wonder how similar
their childhoods might have been. I
also have come to the conclusion that
as a world culture, the only way we can
stop fear, hatred, bigotry, and violence
is to raise children in a more humane
way, especially boys. To do this I suggest
the book, Building a better Man: A
blueprint for decreasing violence and
increasing prosocial behavior in men
(2014) by William Seymour, Ramel
Smith, and Héctor Torres. It may be a
slow, progressive process, but until we do,
we will not be able to prevent violence,
abolish war, and establish social justice. Ψ
Summer 2015
www.nhaspweb.org
Managing Stress and Avoiding Burnout
I
t doesn’t take survey results to
convince school psychologists that
the population as a whole experiences
a chronic level of stress. Indeed, one of
the most frequently requested conference
topics here at NHASP is for the treatment
of anxiety. Published research clearly
documents the pervasive nature of stress
across our society. Former NHASP
President John (Jack) L. Morse, Ph.D.,
has taken this finding a step further by
querying school psychologists attending
state conferences in New Mexico, New
Hampshire, and Mississippi about
the influence stress has on their job
performance (Wisconsin is next on
the schedule). Jack did this through
the NASP Speaker’s Bureau, and one
component involves him reporting back
the results to each state and offering
recommendations for managing stress
and avoiding professional burnout. Jack
has done this with the other two states
and it is now New Hampshire’s turn for
the feedback.
Unsurprisingly, Jack found that our
profession experiences a high level of
personal stress. Based on nearly 150
surveys of school psychologists, over 80
percent acknowledged distress in the
past three years. Correspondingly, nearly
70 percent acknowledged that their
personal stress levels contributed to them
providing a reduced level of care, with
almost 45 percent endorsing that they
had provided inadequate treatment due to
personal stress levels and over 50 percent
admitting to working when too stressed
to be effective.
While these are powerful and concerning
findings that deserve a targeted response,
the results should not be construed
to indicate that school psychological
services are being delivered wholesale
in a substandard manner, but rather
that the folks delivering those services
subjectively feel that they would be more
effective if they were experiencing less
stress personally.
Given the medical ethic of “Physician,
heal thyself,” it would be reasonable to
expect professionals to regularly engage
in activities designed to ameliorate the
effects of stress. Fortunately for us, Jack’s
report back to NHASP is chock full of
effective strategies for individuals to use
to increase their sense of accomplishment.
And do not stress about having missed
this great presentation, for it has not
yet occurred! The executive board in
conjunction with Jack is planning on a
January or February event (most likely a
half-day on a Saturday, but Jack might also
be able to visit a few regional meetings)
to present his suggestions. It is possible
this would meet criteria to be considered
as professional development hours in
“ethical practice,” a requirement for those
of us who hold the NCSP endorsement.
So stay alert to communications from the
board about this upcoming event.
Ψ
George Washington/
NASP Public Policy
Institute (PPI)
by Lauryn Barton
School Psychology Intern,
Plymouth State University
E
ach year NHASP supports two or
more active members to attend
the George Washington/NASP
Public Policy Institute (PPI) offered
in Washington, DC. This year, Emily
Russell and I (Lauryn Barton) were able
to attend. Some of the topics discussed
included the federal role in education,
2015 Children’s Budget, engagement,
how to create trauma-sensitive schools,
grassroots advocacy, how to improve
student outcomes, and facilitating safe
and healthy students. It was a busy three
days that included a Capitol Hill visit on
the last day where we met with legislators
to advocate for children and the profession
of school psychology during the week of
their vote on the Reauthorization of the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA). I recommend that anyone
willing to attend do it! It’s an eye-opening
experience and one that allows you to feel
more connected to our ever-changing
public policies. To leave feeling as though
I now have the tools and knowledge to
meet with public officials (without feeling
distantly removed) is very rewarding. Ψ
The NHASP Executive
Board unwinding at
Hermano’s in June.
Giveaway NHASP Stress Brain.
NHASP Protocol
Page 5
Summer 2015
NHASP Briefs
Early Career Group
T
he state association will again host an
Early Career Peer Mentoring Group
for school psychologists in NH with
five or fewer years of experience. All early
career school psychologists are welcome
to attend any or all sessions. The group
is facilitated by Jonas Taub along with a group
of experienced school psychologists in NH
who share their experience and perspectives.
The group will meet every third Thursday of
the month, starting in September and ending
in May. Meetings are held from 4:00 to 6:00
PM at PSU-Concord Campus, 2 Pillsbury
Street, 5th Floor. RSVP is not required,
but it is appreciated to help plan for space.
Professional Development hours will be
provided. For more information about the
group, there is an article in the Summer 2013
(page 7) edition of the Protocol (accessible in
the Members Only section of the website).
Contact Jonas ([email protected]) with
questions or if you are interested in attending.
We look forward to seeing many of you at the
meeting. The 2015-16 dates are as follows:
9/17, 10/15, 11/19, 12/17, 1/21, 2/18, 3/17,
4/21, and 5/19
NH DOE SAIF Subcommittee
In June several members of NHASP were
asked to participate on a New Hampshire
Department of Education sub-committee
of the Professional Standards Board. The
committee was tasked with providing
suggestions for the revision and update of
certification standards for the SAIF (Specialist
in the Assessment of Intellectual Functioning)
endorsement. The SAIF endorsement is
unique to New Hampshire. Educators who
are admitted to and successfully complete the
program are qualified to administer cognitive
and academic assessments in a school setting.
NHASP members John Willis (director of
the SAIF Program at Rivier College), Dave
Smith, and Jonas Taub participated in a
couple meetings in Concord and were able
to assist in this process. All were thanked for
their work by committee chair Angela Friborg
of the Manchester School District.
Attention School Psycholog y Graduate
Students
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be
an executive board member of NHASP? Well,
here’s your opportunity to learn more about
NHASP Protocol
that. NHASP has created “Student Assistant
to the Executive Board” positions. Apply on
the association website (www.nhapweb.org)
for this great opportunity to become involved
in the workings of NHASP while gaining
valuable leadership experience and knowledge
about our profession.
Spring Conference 2015 A Success
Over 125 attendees at last spring’s conference
were treated to the latest information about
executive functioning from two perspectives:
assessment and intervention. A considerable
research base exists that clearly shows the
benefits to measuring and addressing directly
these skills that students will need in order
to become effective and efficient learners.
The presentation by Peter Isquith, Ph.D.,
along with invited guest Peg Dawson, Ed.D.,
received very positive reviews from those
attending. As always, SERESC in Bedford
made for excellent hosts with scrumptious
food as well as climate and technology
accommodations that made the day a treat.
Hope you were able to join us.
NHASP Election Results
This past spring’s elections saw Trish Raymond
chosen as president-elect for 2015-16 (the start
of a three year term that also includes a year as
president and a year as past-president). Dave
Smith was re-elected to a second consecutive
two-year term as treasurer. Elections take place
yearly (next spring we will choose another
president elect as well as a secretary) so it’s
never too late to consider getting involved
with your association.
Membership Renewals Ongoing
Our membership year runs from July 1 until
the following June 30. This year, the executive
board made a five percent discount available
for timely renewals. Over 100 members took
advantage of this savings and, as of the end of
August, paid memberships were approaching
130. Many thanks to all of those who have
renewed so far. Working alone, we each do a lot
for the children of New Hampshire. Working
together, we can do even more.
Winter Meeting Moved
Given the vagaries of New England weather
these days the executive board has decided to
forgo the winter meeting this year. Instead,
a similar offering will take place sometime
in the May-July range (can you say: to be
Page 6
Scholarship
Recipient for
2015
by Amy Bahan, Region 1 Representative
The NHASP Scholarship Committee is
pleased to announce that the scholarship
recipient for 2015 is Diana Stoianov.
Diana is currently enrolled at Northeastern
University pursuing her Certificate of
Advanced Graduate Studies in School
Psychology with additional concentration
in Applied Behavioral Analysis. She holds
student leadership positions in both
Northeastern’s chapter of the Student
Affiliates for School Psychology (SASP)
and NASP. During her practicum this
year Diana has been a proponent of the
student voice and has worked to ensure
that school staff base educational and
behavioral services on student strengths and
preferences. Diana is a Dover, NH resident
and will be completing her internship in
the Hampstead, NH School District in the
upcoming year. Congratulations Diana!
determined). The board is always looking for
suggestions for topics, so don’t be shy: let us
know what you’d like to hear about. Also, if
you have an idea for a snazzy name for this
repurposed event (clearly we can’t call it the
‘winter meeting’ if it happens in June) pass
that along as well.
The Ever-Changing Job Market
At the end of June and again in late August I
searched both edjobsnh.com and schoolspring.
com for school psychologist job openings
in NH schools. I posted the results to the
NHASP Facebook page. At the end of June,
folks quickly posted two additional anticipated
openings, meaning that at that time there were
10 openings in the state, all full-time. In late
August there were 6 openings, two of which
were part-time. Curiously, only one district
appears on both lists, suggesting that 9 out
of 10 districts advertising or anticipating
openings in June were able to hire someone
within at least two months. Now, possibly,
some of the more recent openings are due
to practitioners leaving one district to go to
another. But it might make an interesting
study to define what really is meant by a
“critical shortage.”
Ψ
Summer 2015
www.nhaspweb.org
Meet Your NHASP Executive Board!
M o l l y Wa r e
currently serves as
secretar y on the
NHASP executive
board. She has
worked as a school
psychologist in
Bedford, NH for three years. Prior to that,
Molly worked as a school psychologist in
Westford, MA. Molly earned her B.A.
in psychology at SUNY Albany and
then attended UMASS Boston where
she earned her M.Ed and Ed.S Degree
in Counseling and School Psychology.
In addition to school psychology, Molly
enjoys cycling and hiking. She lives in
Manchester, NH. Ta r i S e l i g h a s
been a school
psychologist in the
Litchfield School
District since 2008.
She received her
master’s degree from
UMass Boston after
working in a psychiatric hospital. Tari
became active on the NHASP executive
board, first as Government Public
Relations Rep and then as a Website
Editor. She became NHASP president
during the 2012-13 school year, and was
elected NASP Delegate in 2014. Tari has
worked on committees at the department
of education to assist with rewriting the
minimum standards guidelines for school
psychological practice as well as with
developing recommendations for effective
personnel evaluations for specialists who
work in schools. In her free time, Tari
enjoys painting.
The NHASP Executive Board has
13 members: 5 elected officers, 7
appointed regional representatives,
and the NASP-elected delegate.
NHASP Protocol
Dave Smith, NCSP,
earned his MSEd. in
school psychology
and counseling from
Bucknell University
in Lewisburg,
Pennsylvania. He
worked for 30 years
in various NH
schools before “retiring” in June of 2014.
This fall he is covering a maternity leave
for the district psychologist in Springfield
VT. Almost a regular at board meetings,
Dave has served in multiple roles for
NHASP, including a stint as president
in 2000-01, five years as newsletter
editor, and he is currently serving his
fifth (nonconsecutive) term as treasurer.
He and his wife Heidi Fishman live in
Norwich VT with their four children.
Ma r y
A n n
Salvatoriello is a
m o m o f e l e ve n ,
married to her
husband, Rick,
for 45 years. She
currently does
private contracting in school psychology
for the towns of Cornish and Unity, N.H,
and therapy for special needs students at
The Regional Resource Center housed
at Hartford High School in Hartford,
VT. She received her undergrad degree
in psychology from Caldwell University,
her M.Ed. in special education of the
multi-handicapped and her Ph.D. in
special education and school psychology
certification while attending Boston
College. She holds teaching certifications
in several areas of special education as well
general education and is a licensed clinical
mental health counselor. She has been
the regional rep for NHASP for region 5
in the Upper Valley area for many years. She enjoys continuing education, travel,
painting, cooking, listening to books on
tape, and kayaking at her pond house.
Page 7
Tr i s h R a y m o n d
has been a school
psychologist
i n E x e t e r, Ne w
Hampshire since
1997. Prior to
earning her master’s
degree from the
University of
Southern Maine, she worked for three
years in residential treatment as a youth
and family counselor in the Staff Intensive
Unit at Sweetser Children’s Services.
In addition to being a certified school
psychologist in NH, Trish is a licensed
psychological examiner in Maine and is a
nationally certified school psychologist.
Trish became involved in NHASP as
membership chair during the 201314 school year. She also served as the
seacoast area regional representative in
2014-15. Trish is currently the NHASP
president-elect and continues to serve
as membership chair. She lives in Wells,
Maine with her husband and daughter.
She enjoys kayaking, swimming, boating
and wakeboarding at Mousam Lake,
making summer her favorite season of
the year.
K a t i e Fre e m a n
is beginning
her second year
working as a school
psychologist in the
Newmarket School
District. Following
her internship
(Newmarket School District), she
graduated with her master’s degree from
Plymouth State University in May,
2014. Katie has been active in our state’s
organization through regional meetings
and early career group attendance, as well as
several board meetings. She looks forward
to continuing her association involvement
as seacoast regional representative this
year. Katie lives in Milton, NH, with her
Ψ
husband and two dogs.
Summer 2015
Suicidal Students: Intervening at
School
From Helping Children at Home and School III: Handouts for Families and Educators (NASP, 2010). Purchase the CD-ROM with over 300 handouts at http://www.nasponline.org/hchs3.
BY STEPHEN E. BROCK, PHD, NCSP, California State University, Sacramento
MARY ANN RIFFEY, MA, Roseville Joint Union High School District, CA
Suicidal ideation and behaviors have a tremendous effect on learning. Within a typical high school classroom of
30 students, it is likely that 3 students will have made suicide attempts within the past year. In most cases, these
students will be psychologically unavailable for academic instruction. Districts have been held liable when they
failed to provide suicide prevention programs and adequate supervision of suicidal students. For these reasons
and more, it is critical that providers of school mental health services and other personnel are informed about
suicide prevention and intervention, and that school suicide prevention and intervention plans are in place.
SUICIDE PREVENTION
School suicide prevention actions may include the use of suicide prevention and awareness curricula, staff
training programs, and risk screening.
Suicide Prevention and Awareness Curricula
Curriculum programs typically target the entire student body. They strive to raise the school’s overall
responsiveness to students who are at risk for suicidal ideation and/or behaviors. They acknowledge that
peers are an important part of an adolescent’s life, and that young people usually will share suicidal
ideation with peers. Goals of curriculum programs include increasing awareness of the problem, providing
knowledge about the behaviors associated with suicide, and describing available resources.
Because of developmental issues and the fact that suicide is rare among younger children, elementary
schools’ suicide prevention efforts should focus more exclusively on prevention programs that enhance
problem solving, decision making, and coping skills.
Effectiveness of prevention and awareness programs. Historically, these programs have not always
been viewed as effective. Concerns have included the observations that very few adolescents attending
these programs attempt or commit suicide, that the programs may have a tendency to normalize suicidal
behavior, and that they may have a negative effect on students with a history of suicidal behavior.
Programs developed more recently have responded to these concerns and have been supported by empirical
research. Specifically, the Signs of Suicide (SOS) program incorporates a curriculum component with a brief
screening for depression and other suicide risk factors. The goal is to make automatic the action steps required
when confronting suicide (i.e., Acknowledge, Care, and Tell, or ACT). Using a randomized control-group model,
researchers demonstrated that the SOS program significantly lowered self-reported suicide attempts over a 3month period (Aseltine & DeMartino, 2004). In addition, relative to the control group, evaluation data suggested
that SOS program participants had greater knowledge and more adaptive attitudes about depression.
Resiliency and warning signs. Programs that promote resiliency are often reported to be helpful in the
prevention of suicidal ideation and behaviors. It is rare for an individual to commit suicide suddenly and unexpectedly.
Rather, suicide is typically the result of a lack of resiliency factors and an accumulation of risk factors (especially
mental illness). Further, many people who are suicidal may display warning signs that predict their behavior.
Table 1 summarizes these resiliency factors, risk factors, and warning signs. It is important to note that the
absence of resiliency factors and the presence of risk factors do not perfectly predict suicidal ideation and
behaviors. However, these variables do signal the need to increase vigilance for suicide warning signs.
School Staff Training
Education of school staff members is frequently identified as an essential component of any prevention
program. Teachers are the school professionals who spend the most time with at-risk students. It is crucial
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Table 1. Resiliency, Risk Factors, and Warning Signs
Resiliency Factors
N
Family support and cohesion
N
Good conflict resolution skills
N
General life satisfaction
N
Ties to neighborhood and community
N
Good family communication
N
High self-esteem
N
Parent involvement and engagement
N
Easy access to mental health resources
N
Peer support and close social networks
N
Restricted access to lethal means
N
School connectedness
N
Feeling that one has a purpose in life
N
Adaptive coping/problem-solving skills
N
Effective medical and mental health care
N
Cultural/religious beliefs that discourage suicide
Risk Factors
N
Previous suicide attempt(s)
N
Mental disorders (particularly depression)
N
Alcohol/substance abuse
N
Comorbid disorders
N
Family history of suicide
N
Hopelessness/helplessness
N
Impulsive or aggressive behavior
N
Self-injurious behavior (e.g., cutting)
N
Sexual and/or physical abuse
N
Easy access to lethal suicide methods
N
Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
N
Physical illness
N
Isolation
N
Significant others have died by suicide
N
Barriers to mental health treatment
N
Relational, social, work, or financial loss
N
Cultural/religious beliefs that allow suicide
N
Local epidemics of suicide
N
Unwillingness to seek mental health assistance
Warning Signs
N
Making direct suicide threats
N
Abrupt changes in appearance
N
Putting personal affairs in order
N
Altering patterns of sleeping or eating
N
Giving away prized possessions
N
Inability to concentrate or think rationally
N
Talking about suicide and death
N
Suddenly and unexpectedly acting happy
N
Talking about having no reason to live
N
Showing drastic changes in behavior/mood
N
Withdrawing from family and friends
N
Increased use/abuse of alcohol and/or drugs
N
Losing interest in once pleasurable activities
N
Running away from home
Note. From ‘‘Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors,’’ by S. E. Brock, J. Sandoval, and S. Hart, 2006, in G. G. Bear and K. M. Minke (Eds.),
Children’s needs III: Development, prevention, and intervention, p. 227. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Copyright 2006 by the National Association of School Psychologists. Adapted with permission.
for them to be able to identify and to bring to the
attention of school psychologists those students they
suspect or believe may be suicidal. A good practice for
school districts is to provide staff with periodic training
sessions, using suicide intervention scenarios and roleplaying to apply the knowledge and to practice skills.
UCLA’s Technical Assistance Sampler on School
Interventions to Prevent Youth Suicide provides a wealth
of information on suicide prevention, intervention, and
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|
postvention (i.e., follow-up) and identifies specific
gatekeeper training programs available throughout the
country (see Recommended Resources).
Suicide Risk Screening
It is possible to screen an individual efficiently and briefly
for suicide risk. These screenings rarely yield false
negatives, but they will often yield false positives. Thus,
a second-stage evaluation of all positive results is
Suicidal Students
Page 9
Summer 2015
From Helping Children at Home and School III: Handouts for Families and Educators (NASP, 2010). Purchase the CD-ROM with over 300 handouts at http://www.nasponline.org/hchs3.
required. Limitations of school-wide screening include
the fact that suicidal ideation waxes and wanes over time
and circumstances. Thus, multiple screenings may be
necessary to capture all potentially at-risk students. An
additional limitation is the relative lack of acceptance
among school administrators, school psychologists, and
other school personnel of school-wide suicide risk
screenings. Given these difficulties, school-wide screening may be most useful when there is concern regarding
suicide contagion, the possibility that other students may
attempt suicide following the suicide of a peer.
SUICIDE INTERVENTION
Even the best prevention efforts will not eliminate all
instances of suicidal ideation and behavior. Thus, schools
must develop procedures for responding to the presence
of a suicide threat and the occurrence of suicidal behavior.
Goals of suicide intervention include ensuring student
safety, assessing and responding to suicide risk, determining needed services, and ensuring appropriate care.
Both general staff procedures and specific risk
assessment and referral procedures need to be developed.
These procedures should be followed whenever a staff
member suspects a student is at risk for suicidal behavior.
They identify how such a student will be brought to the
attention of a school mental health professional who has
been trained to conduct suicide risk assessment and who
is competent to make referral decisions.
General staff procedures include:
N Staying with the student thought to be suicidal
constantly and without exception
N Not allowing the student to leave school
N Not promising to keep suicidal ideation confidential
N Determining if the student has the means to commit
suicide at hand (and, if it is safe to do so, requesting
that such means be relinquished)
N Taking the student to a prearranged, nonthreatening,
and private room
N Notifying the school psychologist and school principal
that a student is suspected to be suicidal
After informing the student of the actions that have been
taken to ensure his or her safety, and upon the arrival of
the school psychologist and/or principal, the staff
member’s responsibilities for the suicidal student are
concluded. The resources listed below provide additional
information regarding the suicide risk assessment that
would be conducted by the school psychologist.
SUMMARY
Suicide is a reality in U.S. public schools. Prevalence data
suggest that in a typical high school, 1 suicide occurs
within each 5-year period and approximately 170
nonfatal suicidal behaviors occur each year. Many of
these incidents will not come to the school’s attention.
Suicidal behavior is a problem that diligent school mental
health practitioners, in partnership with other school
personnel and community-based professionals, must
address to develop effective prevention and intervention
plans.
REFERENCE
Aseltine, R. H., & DeMartino, R. (2004). An outcome
evaluation of the SOS Suicide Prevention Program.
American Journal of Public Health, 94(3), 446–451.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
Print
Berman, A. L., Jobes, D. A., & Silverman, M. M. (Eds.).
(2006). Adolescent suicide: Assessment and intervention. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Brock, S. E., Nickerson, A. B., Reeves, M. A., Jimerson, S.
R., Feinberg, T., & Lieberman, R. (2009). School crisis
prevention and intervention: The PREPaRE model.
Bethesda, MD: National Association of School
Psychologists.
Brock, S. E., Sandoval, J., & Hart, S. (2006). Suicidal
ideation and behaviors. In G. G. Bear & K. M. Minke
(Eds.), Children’s needs III: Development, prevention,
and intervention (pp. 225–238). Bethesda, MD:
National Association of School Psychologists.
Capuzzi, D. (2002). Legal and ethical challenges in
counseling suicidal students. Professional School
Counseling, 6, 36–46.
Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA. (2003). A
technical assistance sampler on school interventions to
prevent youth suicide. Los Angeles, CA: Author.
Online
American Association of Suicidology: http://www.
suicidology.org
Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program: http://www.
mentalhealthscreening.org/sos_highschool
Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education (SAVE): http://
www.save.org
Stephen E. Brock, PhD, NCSP, is a Professor of School
Psychology at California State University, Sacramento, and
Mary ‘‘Annie’’ Riffey is currently employed as a school
psychologist with the Roseville Joint Union High School
District, Roseville, CA. Dr. Brock is a founding member of the
National Emergency Assistance Team (NEAT) of the
National Association of School Psychologists.
E 2010 National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402,
Bethesda, MD 20814—(301) 657-0270
Helping Children at Home and School III
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NHASP Protocol
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www.nhaspweb.org
Authoritarian Parenting: A Recipe for Violence
by Leo R. Sandy
S
ome time ago, I watched a powerful
documentary called Inheritance – a
story about Monika Hertwig, the
daughter of a death camp commandant
who later in life met, Helen Jonas, a Jewish
house slave whom her father, Amon Goeth,
kept and who witnessed horrific incidents
of brutality inflicted by this commandant
of Plaszow concentration camp in Poland.
In one of her conversations with Monika,
Helen asked her if something really bad
had happened to her father as a child
that made him become such a monster.
Since Monika was very young when her
father was committing sadistic acts on
Jewish prisoners, she did not have the
wherewithal to answer this question
(http://www.nowpublic.com/world/
inheritance-documentary-film-tells-storynazis-daughter). The question that Helen
asked peaked my interest and I pursued
the topic further.
I have known all along that authoritarian
parents are over controlling, demanding,
and restricting, express little affection,
and tend to use coercive and power
assertive disciplinary measures such as
hitting and threatening. Children raised
by such parents do not learn to think for
themselves (I was only following orders)
and tend to adopt a kiss up/kick down
stance toward others. They easily submit
to authority but treat people beneath
them with contempt and cruelty. I also
had read that child rearing before and up
to World War II in Germany was very
harsh and punitive. Children were often
beaten at home and at school as corporal
punishment was widely practiced. Thus,
I had always suspected that there was a
connection between coercive discipline
and the readiness of people to engage in
violence later on in life as individuals or
as part of a group.
In a paper written by Mary Katherine
Armstrong, entitled “Child abuse,
shame, rage and violence”, she stated that
“Whether it is a question of adolescent
gang violence, adults fighting in a bar,
NHASP Protocol
wife and child abuse, or acts of terrorism,
the origins of violence lie in abusing and
shaming children” (http://primal-page.
com/childabu.htm).
Unlike guilt that can make people beat
up on themselves (internalizing disorder),
shame can lead people to beat up on
others (externalizing disorder). Relative
to an internalizing disorder, when parents
uses conditional acceptance of children
but still love them, children want to
please their parents to an excess and feel
badly when they don’t meet their parents’
expectations. In the extreme, anxiety,
depression, and suicide are possible
outcomes. With an externalizing disorder,
parents tend to reject, overly punish, and
demean their children, and these children
often lash out at others. Sometimes, as
these children get older, they kill their
parents because they have developed
the wherewithal and strength to do so.
As adults, they may even kill their own
children, spouses, or partners.
Armstrong reported on brain research that
shows how exposure to early stress can
result in a brain that is oriented toward
survival rather than compassion. Thus,
the flight/fight response is on hair trigger
ready to respond to danger. In a nurturing
environment, however, children’s brains
develop very differently and such children
have the potential to develop empathy,
interpersonal skills, and creativity.
Besides being raised in a culture of war
long before WW II erupted, German
children were subject to intense shaming
and rigid upbringing. Their parents were
influenced by Dr. Daniel Gottlieb Moritz
Schreber, a prominent German doctor,
and self-proclaimed expert on child
psychology who recommended that the
“newborn baby…should be drilled from
the very first day to obey and refrain from
crying. Master the crying baby through
frightening it, and you will be master of
the child forever. From then on, a glance,
a word, a single threatening gesture will
Page 11
be sufficient to control
the child” (http://primalpage.com/childabu.htm).
At the same time, parents were warned
not to express any affection toward their
children. Obedience was the rule and
many young German children, especially
boys, learned their lessons all too well.
Stern parenting combined with a lack
of love leads to repressed rage which
craves an outlet. Armstrong noted that
“This shame/rage/violence cycle clearly
played itself out when Germans who
had been traumatized in childhood
took out their rage on Jews and others
who reminded them of themselves
when they were helpless children. They
projected onto others all their own
“bad” qualities which they had never
been able to accept in themselves. Jews
became dirty, greedy schemers, plotting
to overthrow the rightful authorities.
Concentration camp guards had the
perfect opportunity to restage their own
childhood traumas. Prisoners were helpless
to defend themselves or to escape. Their
captors, urged on by the state, indulged in
humiliating defenceless Jews. In fact, every
German’s repetition compulsion seems to
have found place in the hierarchy of terror
which characterized the Nazi period. Men
who had once been shamed as children
now had the opportunity to demand of
others the cadaver-like obedience their
fathers had exacted. They, in turn, gave
automatic, unthinking obedience to their
masters in the Third Reich’s hierarchy of
command.”
Armstrong went on to discuss the brutal
beatings given to Hitler by his father.
Hitler was later given to attacks of rage,
and the “shame of Versailles” was the
coup de grace that found its expression
in the holocaust. The dynamic is seen in
the reversal of felt inferiority. In one of
his speeches, Hitler said about German
youth, “His whole education and training
must be so ordered as to give him the
Continued on page 4
Summer 2015
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check out our website at
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The New Hampshire Association of School Psychologists publishes the Protocol, its official publication, four
times a year and distributes it to members as a membership benefit. We also send copies to all superintendents
of schools in New Hampshire and to members of the NASP newsletter editors’ network. NHASP’s goals are to
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