12/9/09: Heritage: Maryvale meeting
8:00am-1:30pm (5.5 hours)
This morning Mike Munella, Shaun Silverwood, and I all met with Heritage teachers, related service providers, and program directors to organize meetings for their students' IEP reviews this spring. We went through lists of students with meetings due, and established whether the child needed a re-evaluation or just an annual review. Also, based on this division, we further discussed whether testing psychologically or for other related services (OT, PT, etc.) was necessary.
I learned a lot today about further prep work necessary on the part of the staff at the school agencies we visit. I also learned how much cooperation and communication between the school psychs at CSE and agency staff is needed to make things flow and things get done the way they should. The relationships established are essential to make the whole process work; I'm realizing this more. A clear and organized review of everything ensures that nothing gets overlooked or done wrong come time for CSE meetings; all laws and regulations are met properly while also addressing any needs the student has and changes needed.
12/10/09: Snow day, no testing, agency closed.
(1 hour)
We only gathered files and testing materials to head out and test, all BPS schools closed
12/11/09 Office Day
8:00am-12:00pm (4 hours)
Today we worked in the office to prepare for the wave of Falk CSE meetings coming up in January. In between phone conference meetings I sat in on, I pulled and sorted files for Mike for some of the nearest meetings. I also helped work on agendas for these upcoming meetings.
12/14/09 Falk: Cambridge testing
8:00am-1:30pm (5.5 hours)
This morning we visited Falk's Cambridge location to test several students for their upcoming CSE re-evaluation meetings. The first two tests went well; one student scored a 116 IQ on a Stanford V abbreviated and a Bender visual-motor gestalt, which is remarkable in comparison to his peers. However, the effort is not there in his work ethic. He openly admitted he does not want to be seen as the smartest to teachers because he feels it will mean increased responsibility and workload. It was a frustrating and sad situation. Fortunately, when we spoke with the student's teacher we found he does actively participate in classroom activities and completes tasks. The third student was unwillingly pulled out of gym class to be tested; he scored very low. The results were deemed invalid due to his poor attitude and little desire to take part in tasks.
This helped me learn about external factors that can seriously lower the validity of scores in psychological evaluations. Things such as attitude, mindset, health, medication irregularity can all throw off scores and make them not reportable. The more testing I observe, the more I can pick out these behaviors and consider them when reviewing and understand a testing score.
12/16/09 Office day
8:00am- 12:30opm (4.5 hours)
This morning we stayed at the office to prepare for upcoming CSE meetings. While Mike typed up his reports, I pulled files for several Falk students that have meetings. I did the usual file pulling from the file room and sorted through them to pull out necessary information to write up a psych consult; latest IEP, past psych consults and evals, and the most recent educational evaluation. These things are important materials for Mike to draw up a consult and refer to past valid documents. 8:00am-1:30pm (5.5 hours)
This morning Mike Munella, Shaun Silverwood, and I all met with Heritage teachers, related service providers, and program directors to organize meetings for their students' IEP reviews this spring. We went through lists of students with meetings due, and established whether the child needed a re-evaluation or just an annual review. Also, based on this division, we further discussed whether testing psychologically or for other related services (OT, PT, etc.) was necessary.
I learned a lot today about further prep work necessary on the part of the staff at the school agencies we visit. I also learned how much cooperation and communication between the school psychs at CSE and agency staff is needed to make things flow and things get done the way they should. The relationships established are essential to make the whole process work; I'm realizing this more. A clear and organized review of everything ensures that nothing gets overlooked or done wrong come time for CSE meetings; all laws and regulations are met properly while also addressing any needs the student has and changes needed.
12/10/09: Snow day, no testing, agency closed.
(1 hour)
We only gathered files and testing materials to head out and test, all BPS schools closed
12/11/09 Office Day
8:00am-12:00pm (4 hours)
Today we worked in the office to prepare for the wave of Falk CSE meetings coming up in January. In between phone conference meetings I sat in on, I pulled and sorted files for Mike for some of the nearest meetings. I also helped work on agendas for these upcoming meetings.
12/14/09 Falk: Cambridge testing
8:00am-1:30pm (5.5 hours)
This morning we visited Falk's Cambridge location to test several students for their upcoming CSE re-evaluation meetings. The first two tests went well; one student scored a 116 IQ on a Stanford V abbreviated and a Bender visual-motor gestalt, which is remarkable in comparison to his peers. However, the effort is not there in his work ethic. He openly admitted he does not want to be seen as the smartest to teachers because he feels it will mean increased responsibility and workload. It was a frustrating and sad situation. Fortunately, when we spoke with the student's teacher we found he does actively participate in classroom activities and completes tasks. The third student was unwillingly pulled out of gym class to be tested; he scored very low. The results were deemed invalid due to his poor attitude and little desire to take part in tasks.
This helped me learn about external factors that can seriously lower the validity of scores in psychological evaluations. Things such as attitude, mindset, health, medication irregularity can all throw off scores and make them not reportable. The more testing I observe, the more I can pick out these behaviors and consider them when reviewing and understand a testing score.
12/16/09 Office day
8:00am- 12:30opm (4.5 hours)
More and more I'm learning what is necessary to draft a consult and what information needs to be drawn upon. I also learn more about the frustrations and issues experienced at CSE. Missing or incomplete files and other disorganization issues are often experienced, so problem solving and communication skills are essential. We often have to call school psychs or directors at the agencies a student is placed at to have necessary information faxed over to us if not available here. A rapport with other psychs and program directors is very advantageous. Using IEP direct to locate files and retrieve information is also a tool often utilized. Even the problems and issues experienced here in preparing for meetings is helping me develop skills needed to be a school psych; even those not typically associated with school psychology.
SPRING 2010
1/19/10 Falk Delaware Evaluation and Office
10:00am - 2:15pm (4.25 hours)
Today Mike and I went out to Stanley Falk Delaware to evaluate a child with a classification of ED with ADHD. We ran our usual batteries of tests; the Bender visual-motor and the Stanford Binet V. Things went fairly smoothly; the child needed some prompting and redirecting. He scored out in the average to low average range. Afterwards we returned to the office to pull files and prep for future meetings.
Little by little, I get to observe more and more evaluations with children of varying disorders and mental capacities. I pick up more details in Mike's demeanor that reflect proper rapport and test administration techniques and how to react to different children appropriately.
1/20/10 Falk Cambridge Meeting, Psych Dept. Meeting
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 2:30pm (4.25 hours)
This morning Mike Munella and I went to Stanley Falk's Cambridge location to meet with their school psychologist Naomi Carey. While chatting about students with upcoming evals and consults, Naomi and Mike split up the workload of all the Stanley Falk School kids with meetings this spring through BPS. We figured out if the student on the agendas for each day needed consults or re-evals, and by when.
SPRING 2010
1/19/10 Falk Delaware Evaluation and Office
10:00am - 2:15pm (4.25 hours)
Today Mike and I went out to Stanley Falk Delaware to evaluate a child with a classification of ED with ADHD. We ran our usual batteries of tests; the Bender visual-motor and the Stanford Binet V. Things went fairly smoothly; the child needed some prompting and redirecting. He scored out in the average to low average range. Afterwards we returned to the office to pull files and prep for future meetings.
Little by little, I get to observe more and more evaluations with children of varying disorders and mental capacities. I pick up more details in Mike's demeanor that reflect proper rapport and test administration techniques and how to react to different children appropriately.
1/20/10 Falk Cambridge Meeting, Psych Dept. Meeting
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 2:30pm (4.25 hours)
This morning Mike Munella and I went to Stanley Falk's Cambridge location to meet with their school psychologist Naomi Carey. While chatting about students with upcoming evals and consults, Naomi and Mike split up the workload of all the Stanley Falk School kids with meetings this spring through BPS. We figured out if the student on the agendas for each day needed consults or re-evals, and by when.
Later this afternoon, I attended a Psych Dept. meeting with Mike to learn more about how psychologists communicate and keep up on trends and new policies and practices within the BPS system.
I really like the rapport between the school psychologists and service providers. They work together to achieve common goals and help one another out when they're swamped. I see this alot in meetings and conferences about students and workloads.
1/21/10 CSE Meetings and Consults with School Counselors
10:00am - 2:15pm (4.25 hours)
This morning I attended some CSE Meetings at Falk Cambridge to update IEPs of children all classified as Emotionally Disabled. Afterwards, I met some of the Falk school counselors, Ms. Mosher and Ms. Martino. I was very impressed with them; they were very helpful with Mike for consults of students with upcoming meetings. They commented on progress, strengths, shortcomings, etc. Once again, the rapport I noted between these colleagues was heart warming.
1/22/10 CSE Meetings at the office, pull files and learn about MDR process
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00 - 2:30pm (4.25 hours)
This morning we had CSE Meetings at the Office (School 12) for two students. Later on, I returned to help pull files and sort through archives for past psychs and relevant documents. I also sat in on discussions about the MDR process and ways of handling problem students with more than 10 days of suspensions.
This semester I'm starting to learn more about all the things we do, more of the legal reasons, educational standards, etc. It's nice being able to connect these things to relevant things I have learned in the classroom, particularly about rapport and IDEA laws.
1/25/10 Heritage visit, School 45 visit
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:30pm (5.25 hours)
This morning Mike and I went out to the Heritage Maryvale location to drop off some Vinelands to teachers of students for upcoming CSE meetings. Mike and I chatted with the teachers and learned a little bit about the students, all of whom are very low functioning and hence couldn't be tested using methods such as the Binet V.
Later that afternoon, I had the privilege of going to visit School 45, one of the biggest international bilingual schools in Buffalo. It houses children of every nationality and many Hispanic children. Mike and I went to visit Ms. Coleman regarding a student named Grace that had an upcoming CSE meeting. She was in a low functioning classroom at School 45. I then got a tour of the school and met with Deb, another bilingual school pysch that works for the City of Buffalo. She was very helpful and insightful about her schooling, what her job entails, and how she obtained her goals. She also gave me contact people and advice in my own studies to become Bilingual Certified. The day helped a lot to teach me more specifically what someone like me (bilingual) could do in school psychology. This really helped me see the different routes I can go, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip out there.
1/26/10 Summit site visits
11:30am - 2:30pm (3.0 hours)
Today we went out to Summit to eyeball some kids that had upcoming CSE meetings. These children were low functioning and autistic students. We observed some of the kids in their classrooms just to paint a better picture of who they are so that Mike could adequately write up a consult or evaluation for the child based on meeting type. We also talked with some teachers and service providers.
I had never been in Summit before, nor have I had the opportunity to observe many autistic children, so this help expand some firsthand experiences of working with and observing children in the special education spectrum. Once again, I met new people and teachers and see how they individually contribute to a child's education plan.
1/27/10 CSE Meetings and office work
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
This morning and afternoon we had CSE meetings for two different schools. I sat in on the meetings of children I helped pull files for or visited to observe. It's nice putting names to faces, meeting parents, and hearing their own thoughts about their child's progress and education. Afterwards it was back on the grind, pulling files and preparing for upcoming meetings. I like reading into the student's file to learn what I can about symptoms, tendencies, and other health impairments the child has.
1/28/10 ESL Workshop
8:00am - 10:00am, 11:30am - 3:30pm (6.0 hours)
Today was interesting because it pertained to things I need to learn to become a school psychologist. In between classes I attended an ESL workshop to discuss the practices and problems in ESL test administration and other aspects. It reinforced a lot I had already learned, both in my practicum and in my other classes. It particularly appealed to me because I would be working specifically with children deemed ESL or LEP (Low English Proficiency).
1/29/10 Falk Cambridge CSEs and Office - FBA/BIPs
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:30pm (5.25 hours)
This morning we began at Stanley Falk Cambridge Location for some CSE meetings for kids whose files I had pulled the week before. Later it was back to the office to prepare for some upcoming meetings, and learn about FBAs and BIPS (Functional Behavioral Assessment, and Behavior Intervention Plans, respectively). Elaina Wurl spoke with the school psychs about the use of these in IEPs, as some rules and processes may change in the near future. This is another example of how I am learning specific aspects of the career firsthand from professionals.
2/1/10 Office Day
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
Today Mike wrote reports and tried to get ahead as him and Shaun were taking on the wave on Stanley Falk meetings still. Therefore, I helped organize, pull files, make copies, and fill out 408 forms for them to help make meetings run quickly and smoothly. The busy work is part of the job for them; their clerks do not do this stuff. So, I try to do whatever I can to help out. I like being able to take load off of them, even if it is petty as these little things. One way or another it needs to be done. It also helps me appreciate all the work that needs to be done long before and after meetings to make everything legitimate and properly finalized.
2/2/10 Office Day
11:30am - 2:15pm (2.75 hours)
Today I continued to sort through files, pull out important psych reports and other documents, as well as translate a few old documents that were in Spanish, written prior to the students residency in the U.S. Mike and Shaun have a lot of CSE meetings coming up in the next month or so, so everyone's buckling down and doing all they can to help make everything run efficiently and have everything amply prepared in time.
2/4 Office day/Agency CSE meetings at School 12
11:30am - 2:15pm (2.75 hours)
We had agency CSE meetings at the office today, which doesn't happen often. Usually, they are in the schools themselves. Due to my school schedule this semester I don't always get to participate in these meetings like I used to, so it was a special treat.
More and more I get to meet new people; administrators, SLPs, special ed teachers, counselors, etc. My rapport and experiences is constantly growing, and I learn new things from everyone. My ability to work with different kinds of people is also developing well, too.
2/5 Falk Cambridge CSE Meetings
8:00am-11:00am (3.0 hours)
Today I was able to stay for a couple of CSE meetings before class at my favorite site, Stanley G. Falk Cambridge location. The Assistant Principal, Mark Blesy is such a nice and helpful guy to work with. He's very friendly and always asking about my studies and offering input and advice whenever I need it. It's an example of the rapport I've been able to establish by repeating my participation and presence in these agency schools. I sat in on meetings that Mike was involved with with consults or evaluations. Afterward, I met another counselor and stopped in to say hello to Ms. Hammond, the Principal. I really have a strong interest in their program and truly enjoy working with them and their school psychologist, Naomi.
2/8 Baker Academy eval
12:00pm - 3:15pm (3.25 hours)
Today was like no other that I have ever experienced at my time with Buffalo CSE. I have never feared for my own safety and that of others. Nor have I been kept up and night worrying and thinking about a troubled child like I did after this eval. We tested a boy, 6th grader, named Marteze. He was deemed ED/ADHD and attended their 6:1:1 class. He was up for a re-eval so Mike was going to do a whole battery of tests. He had planned the Bender-Gestalt, the Woodcock Johnson, and portions of a Binet V Abbreviated. To establish a little rapport, Mike usually asks pertinent information about the student's life; how he's doing in the classroom, any medications, allergy, hearing and vision okay. Opening statement from the kid, "If that kid looks at me one more time, I'm going to stab him". He said this with no affect, as if he had just said "I'm going to walk the dog." He's been known to try bringing in weapons before, too! This child rides his bus and had just had a physical altercation with Marteze the week before. We found out after that the boy's target is a quiet kid, that never provokes and usually keeps to himself. That made that threat even worse! His disorganized thought was apparent. He said moments later that he aspires to be a police officer! I was appalled immediately. He also went on to complain about his teacher and his peers. Mike and I exchanged a nervous look as we handed Marteze a newly sharpened pencil. Testing began and he became increasingly more resistant and less cooperative. In efforts to save the validity and reliability of the test, Mike calmly kept asking him to give his best efforts. Once Marteze got the the spelling portion, he started switching hands, making his letters illegible. The tougher the material got, the worse he responded. He hit a barrier with math. He purposely kept all the signs to addition, regardless of what the problem called for. He was also getting verbally uncooperative and hostile. Finally he snapped at Mike's promptings. He nastily replied, "You're aggravating me!". And Mike made a fatal error. He simply replied, "Ditto." When Marteze demanded he explain, Mike commented calmly that he was frustrated with Marteze's lack of effort. Marteze snapped. He took his sharp pencil, stabbed our testing book, threw it across the room at the wall, and kicked his chair out. He lashed out, swore, and stormed out and was escorted back to his classroom. I was completely appalled. He very well could have stabbed one of us! Following this, we spoke with staff, administration, and counselors. We requested that he be wanded down daily for weapons, and have extra staff in place for busing. When we returned to the office, Mike immediately wrote his report and we sent out admissions packets for Baker Day Treatment, with has an intensive psychiatric component.
I really like the rapport between the school psychologists and service providers. They work together to achieve common goals and help one another out when they're swamped. I see this alot in meetings and conferences about students and workloads.
1/21/10 CSE Meetings and Consults with School Counselors
10:00am - 2:15pm (4.25 hours)
This morning I attended some CSE Meetings at Falk Cambridge to update IEPs of children all classified as Emotionally Disabled. Afterwards, I met some of the Falk school counselors, Ms. Mosher and Ms. Martino. I was very impressed with them; they were very helpful with Mike for consults of students with upcoming meetings. They commented on progress, strengths, shortcomings, etc. Once again, the rapport I noted between these colleagues was heart warming.
1/22/10 CSE Meetings at the office, pull files and learn about MDR process
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00 - 2:30pm (4.25 hours)
This morning we had CSE Meetings at the Office (School 12) for two students. Later on, I returned to help pull files and sort through archives for past psychs and relevant documents. I also sat in on discussions about the MDR process and ways of handling problem students with more than 10 days of suspensions.
This semester I'm starting to learn more about all the things we do, more of the legal reasons, educational standards, etc. It's nice being able to connect these things to relevant things I have learned in the classroom, particularly about rapport and IDEA laws.
1/25/10 Heritage visit, School 45 visit
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:30pm (5.25 hours)
This morning Mike and I went out to the Heritage Maryvale location to drop off some Vinelands to teachers of students for upcoming CSE meetings. Mike and I chatted with the teachers and learned a little bit about the students, all of whom are very low functioning and hence couldn't be tested using methods such as the Binet V.
Later that afternoon, I had the privilege of going to visit School 45, one of the biggest international bilingual schools in Buffalo. It houses children of every nationality and many Hispanic children. Mike and I went to visit Ms. Coleman regarding a student named Grace that had an upcoming CSE meeting. She was in a low functioning classroom at School 45. I then got a tour of the school and met with Deb, another bilingual school pysch that works for the City of Buffalo. She was very helpful and insightful about her schooling, what her job entails, and how she obtained her goals. She also gave me contact people and advice in my own studies to become Bilingual Certified. The day helped a lot to teach me more specifically what someone like me (bilingual) could do in school psychology. This really helped me see the different routes I can go, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip out there.
1/26/10 Summit site visits
11:30am - 2:30pm (3.0 hours)
Today we went out to Summit to eyeball some kids that had upcoming CSE meetings. These children were low functioning and autistic students. We observed some of the kids in their classrooms just to paint a better picture of who they are so that Mike could adequately write up a consult or evaluation for the child based on meeting type. We also talked with some teachers and service providers.
I had never been in Summit before, nor have I had the opportunity to observe many autistic children, so this help expand some firsthand experiences of working with and observing children in the special education spectrum. Once again, I met new people and teachers and see how they individually contribute to a child's education plan.
1/27/10 CSE Meetings and office work
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
This morning and afternoon we had CSE meetings for two different schools. I sat in on the meetings of children I helped pull files for or visited to observe. It's nice putting names to faces, meeting parents, and hearing their own thoughts about their child's progress and education. Afterwards it was back on the grind, pulling files and preparing for upcoming meetings. I like reading into the student's file to learn what I can about symptoms, tendencies, and other health impairments the child has.
1/28/10 ESL Workshop
8:00am - 10:00am, 11:30am - 3:30pm (6.0 hours)
Today was interesting because it pertained to things I need to learn to become a school psychologist. In between classes I attended an ESL workshop to discuss the practices and problems in ESL test administration and other aspects. It reinforced a lot I had already learned, both in my practicum and in my other classes. It particularly appealed to me because I would be working specifically with children deemed ESL or LEP (Low English Proficiency).
1/29/10 Falk Cambridge CSEs and Office - FBA/BIPs
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:30pm (5.25 hours)
This morning we began at Stanley Falk Cambridge Location for some CSE meetings for kids whose files I had pulled the week before. Later it was back to the office to prepare for some upcoming meetings, and learn about FBAs and BIPS (Functional Behavioral Assessment, and Behavior Intervention Plans, respectively). Elaina Wurl spoke with the school psychs about the use of these in IEPs, as some rules and processes may change in the near future. This is another example of how I am learning specific aspects of the career firsthand from professionals.
2/1/10 Office Day
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
Today Mike wrote reports and tried to get ahead as him and Shaun were taking on the wave on Stanley Falk meetings still. Therefore, I helped organize, pull files, make copies, and fill out 408 forms for them to help make meetings run quickly and smoothly. The busy work is part of the job for them; their clerks do not do this stuff. So, I try to do whatever I can to help out. I like being able to take load off of them, even if it is petty as these little things. One way or another it needs to be done. It also helps me appreciate all the work that needs to be done long before and after meetings to make everything legitimate and properly finalized.
2/2/10 Office Day
11:30am - 2:15pm (2.75 hours)
Today I continued to sort through files, pull out important psych reports and other documents, as well as translate a few old documents that were in Spanish, written prior to the students residency in the U.S. Mike and Shaun have a lot of CSE meetings coming up in the next month or so, so everyone's buckling down and doing all they can to help make everything run efficiently and have everything amply prepared in time.
2/4 Office day/Agency CSE meetings at School 12
11:30am - 2:15pm (2.75 hours)
We had agency CSE meetings at the office today, which doesn't happen often. Usually, they are in the schools themselves. Due to my school schedule this semester I don't always get to participate in these meetings like I used to, so it was a special treat.
More and more I get to meet new people; administrators, SLPs, special ed teachers, counselors, etc. My rapport and experiences is constantly growing, and I learn new things from everyone. My ability to work with different kinds of people is also developing well, too.
2/5 Falk Cambridge CSE Meetings
8:00am-11:00am (3.0 hours)
Today I was able to stay for a couple of CSE meetings before class at my favorite site, Stanley G. Falk Cambridge location. The Assistant Principal, Mark Blesy is such a nice and helpful guy to work with. He's very friendly and always asking about my studies and offering input and advice whenever I need it. It's an example of the rapport I've been able to establish by repeating my participation and presence in these agency schools. I sat in on meetings that Mike was involved with with consults or evaluations. Afterward, I met another counselor and stopped in to say hello to Ms. Hammond, the Principal. I really have a strong interest in their program and truly enjoy working with them and their school psychologist, Naomi.
2/8 Baker Academy eval
12:00pm - 3:15pm (3.25 hours)
Today was like no other that I have ever experienced at my time with Buffalo CSE. I have never feared for my own safety and that of others. Nor have I been kept up and night worrying and thinking about a troubled child like I did after this eval. We tested a boy, 6th grader, named Marteze. He was deemed ED/ADHD and attended their 6:1:1 class. He was up for a re-eval so Mike was going to do a whole battery of tests. He had planned the Bender-Gestalt, the Woodcock Johnson, and portions of a Binet V Abbreviated. To establish a little rapport, Mike usually asks pertinent information about the student's life; how he's doing in the classroom, any medications, allergy, hearing and vision okay. Opening statement from the kid, "If that kid looks at me one more time, I'm going to stab him". He said this with no affect, as if he had just said "I'm going to walk the dog." He's been known to try bringing in weapons before, too! This child rides his bus and had just had a physical altercation with Marteze the week before. We found out after that the boy's target is a quiet kid, that never provokes and usually keeps to himself. That made that threat even worse! His disorganized thought was apparent. He said moments later that he aspires to be a police officer! I was appalled immediately. He also went on to complain about his teacher and his peers. Mike and I exchanged a nervous look as we handed Marteze a newly sharpened pencil. Testing began and he became increasingly more resistant and less cooperative. In efforts to save the validity and reliability of the test, Mike calmly kept asking him to give his best efforts. Once Marteze got the the spelling portion, he started switching hands, making his letters illegible. The tougher the material got, the worse he responded. He hit a barrier with math. He purposely kept all the signs to addition, regardless of what the problem called for. He was also getting verbally uncooperative and hostile. Finally he snapped at Mike's promptings. He nastily replied, "You're aggravating me!". And Mike made a fatal error. He simply replied, "Ditto." When Marteze demanded he explain, Mike commented calmly that he was frustrated with Marteze's lack of effort. Marteze snapped. He took his sharp pencil, stabbed our testing book, threw it across the room at the wall, and kicked his chair out. He lashed out, swore, and stormed out and was escorted back to his classroom. I was completely appalled. He very well could have stabbed one of us! Following this, we spoke with staff, administration, and counselors. We requested that he be wanded down daily for weapons, and have extra staff in place for busing. When we returned to the office, Mike immediately wrote his report and we sent out admissions packets for Baker Day Treatment, with has an intensive psychiatric component.
2/9 Falk Cambridge testing
8:00am- 2:00pm (6.0 hours)
Today was a very interesting testing experience. After some CSEs, I stayed after to observe Mike test some kids with CSE meetings in the coming week. Boy, am I glad I did. I stayed because I hadn't worked at all with the functional program kids. They are lower functioning students that are often MD (Multiply Disabled). They are mostly MR and ED identified. Therefore, they have the program tailored to meet real-life daily living needs of the students. They are more oriented in developing daily living skills and achievements based on more than academic subjects like Math. These kids will get their IEP diplomas.
We had three students, two boys and a young lady. The first boy was quiet but cooperative, and scored in the low range. The young girl was a heartbreaking experience. We spoke beforehand with Miss Nahrebeski, their counselor about the students. She requested to sit in on the testing to calm the students. The young girl really needed prodding and reassurance from Ms. Nahrebeski. The girl was abused and neglected, lived with her mother. She modeled her mother's inappropriate and promiscuous actions out in the community; she didn't know any better. The doctors had to put her on birth control and have heavy supports in the place for the poor girl. She was very timid and scored fairly low, but consistent with past scores.
Then came Lorenzo. He was our last customer of the day, thank goodness. We were warned he's overly friendly, but if triggered or uncomfortable, he can have violent snaps and episodes. Thankfully, Lorenzo cooperated very well, overall. He was very sidetracked and often went off on unrelated tangents and asked questions. He entered the room and sang Happy Birthday to Mike because he told him his was in the coming weeks. He was autistic-like in nature; he kept repeating things and has body movements like hand flapping and rocking back and forth. He had an obsession with his post-graduation plan: buy a suit, a train ticket, and ride the Amtrak to various cities. He told us that about 20 times in our testing session. Afterward, as a promised reward for getting through the eval, Ms. Nahrebeski allowed Lorenzo to play the trumpet (air trumpet) for us. Wonderful performance! He was quite a fellow, I learned a lot from testing him; it took more than an hour as opposed to the usual 20-30 minutes needed. Ms. Nahrebeski was absolutely wonderful in explaining her role in setting them up in adult programs and work programs based on their abilities. I truly enjoyed this trip and expanded my experiences.
2/11 Falk Cambridge CSEs/Office Day
11:30am - 2:15pm (2.75 hours)
Today we continued CSEs at Falk Cambridge. I got to meet some new special ed teachers, and of course some parents that were quite a handful. Afterward, we returned to the office and I pulled some files for Mike for consults for Falk in the next week. I can pick out a lot more useful information out of a file or psych report now. I'm able to identify and recognize more terminology and disorders than last semester, which is something I take a lot of pride in. I can also draw better conclusions from past psychs and reports, and I can properly look at past scores and identify the range and norm for these. Tests and measures with Professor Servoss has helped a little with that, and I expect to be able to expand on it more later on.
2/12 Office Day
8:00am - 9:45am (1.75 hours)
This morning I stopped in for awhile to help Mike pull files and prepare for a ton of Heritage Agency meetings which start the day after Falk meetings conclude. I pull all the files (hunt them down at times) of these kids and sort through to find relevant information and past psych. I then copy them, highlight scores and especially pertinent or useful info that I come across while scanning through. This makes it a lot easier for Mike to go through when writing consults or referring back to past reports in his own. I'm establishing more trust in myself, and he is in me at this point. I'm showing the ability to discern what's needed and what's not. In doing so, I help ease the process and help Mike stay on top of things for meetings. Any little bit helps!
2/16 - Lorenzo Wells CSE
8:00am - 12:30pm (4.5 hours)
Because we didn't have classes today, I had the opportunity and privilege to go out to my favorite, Falk Cambridge for Mr. Lorenzo's and his peers' CSE meetings for their triennial reviews. These guys also are graduating, and most adult programs need updated scores and testing for admittance, so our testing helped accomplish numerous things. Nobody was surprised by the happenings and animated dialogue that went on in our testing experience as reported by Mike. His scores were consistent and everyone felt they accurately reflected his ability. These kids were part of the functional program for Falk, which was a new spin on the "academy" style students that you typically saw at Falk, as I explained. At their individual meetings, I learned more about their supports that they have in place and what they specifically take and learn compared to the regular program of Falk students. As always, it was a pleasure going there and seeing all the familiar faces.
2/17 Cambridge CSEs, Psych Dept. Meeting & Office
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
This morning before class I swung by Cambridge to sit in on some CSE meetings; we have about another week and a half of Cambridge before they're done, then onto Heritage. They were the consults of kids not graduating that were in the functional program, so I learned a little more about qualifying credentials/diagnosis to be in that program. After class, I sat in for a part of Mike's Psych Dept. meeting at OTC on Main in the Tri-main building. Of course, with union matters, I didn't think it would be best to be part of it as an 'outsider' so I stayed for a little while and headed back to the office to pull some files and help out one of the CSE Chairs get organized and prepare for her own CSEs. It's a great feeling to be trusted enough to be able to help out others in the office with whatever I can. I like how they can rely on one another so well.
2/18 Falk - Makowski CSEs
11:30am - 2:30pm (3.0 hours)
After class today, I jetted out to the StanleyG. Falk- Makowksi satellite school that's located at the Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center (lot of Stanleys). Over winter break, I went out with Mike in January to test a few little guys over there. They cater to the younger program; we had 6 and 7 year old boys to test. They had a really nice wing of a beautiful building over by the old War Memorial. I really liked their setup there, much more so than the Delaware or Olmstead location that is in Kensington High School. These children were all classified as ADHD/OHI. It was hard to test them, they did wander off in their attention span, and one had a very troubled home life. He spoke of Mom losing her license and fighting with her boyfriend a lot. Just another window of insight into a BPS kid's life. It's really heart wrenching what I see daily. I really appreciate more and more what my home life was like growing up in a rural setting. However, little things like that help diversify my experiences. Otherwise, testing went smoothly. We talked with teachers after, and observed the kids in their classrooms. For one child, we recommended an OT followup based on his poor performance in the Bender-Gestalt. After testing, we watched him cut with scissors, and he also performed poorly with this task. Today, we had their CSE meetings. Parents didn't show up, which was expected. Recommendations were agreed upon, and we implemented twice weekly OT for the needy child.
2/23 Maryvale (Heritage) eval
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
I was able to return to Heritage's Maryvale location to observe and evaluate a boy named Tymair. He is fairly low functioning; deemed MR/Autistic. However, compared to his peers, his functioning and academic skills were far superior. His non-verbal was incredible; he scored out above average! Verbal, naturally, was a struggle for him. However, all and all, he scored very well. Spelling and math were decent, but deciphering patterns he was magnificent. It was so great to see such a nice young boy with so much up against him do so well. Based on his amazing scores for his diagnosis, we sent out admissions packets to City Honors in their special ed placement.
NOTE 3/15: Tymair was officially accepted into City Honors! He's so excited to go there!
2/25 Heritage CSEs and Office day
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today we started reviewing kids' IEPs for annual and triennial meetings at Heritage. It was interesting because they have a large adult population, ages 19-21. Many kids are graduating in June, and will go on to adult programs. Therefore, even if they were not up for re-eval, Mike tested them so they had necessary documentation for admission into these community programs. Most (with the exception of Tymair) were low functioning and only required Vinelands for the teachers to fill out. This rated their adaptive skills and functioning adequately. It was neat to learn about all the post-school opportunities for these limited young adults. On the other hand, it was very sad to see students my age, even older than me in these classes. Here I am, 20 years old, and about to graduate with 2 degrees. These kids need help feeding themselves. Experiences like this make me feel very grateful for everything I have.
2/26 CSEs at School 12, Heritage Green Acres
8:00am-10:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (5.75 hours)
Today we had the CSE meeting for my buddy Marteze from Baker. First, we had a foreign family's phone conference, which was disastrous. The sister had to translate for a middle eastern mother of a girl at Baker. This took a long time and communication was very impaired and difficult. Then came Marteze. He lives with grandma, as his mother is unfit to take care of him and his siblings. Grandma is oblivious to the situation. She said the boy he taunts and threatens has been a life long friend. Also, she claims he's never in school because they suspend him. We deduced that Marteze is either calling the house claiming he's a school staff and notifies her of his suspension to avoid school, or her time perception is off by weeks. It was obvious she's struggling to manage him. She was out of touch with reality and had no idea of the intensity of the problem we were facing, and what grave concerns we have for her grandson.
Later on that afternoon, I went out to Heritage's Green Acres location to observe some kids and chat with teachers. Mike observed all the kids on his agenda for upcoming CSE meetings. We spoke with teachers, aides, and service providers about the students' progress. It was a bit of a different experience and different setting, seeing at it's more toward Amherst as opposed to being in the city of Buffalo..
3/2 Hopevale site visit
11:15am - 2:30pm (3.25 hours)
Today I was able to visit Hopevale, out in Hamburg where Mike used to work. We spoke with administrators and teachers. We sat down with Shaun and the Hopevale staff and divided up work. We discussed who needed testing versus consults, and whether some kids weren't testable or not. Then, I got to take a tour of the school, observe some classrooms, and meet teachers. I heard all kinds of stories, as Mike had good relationships with all of his former co-workers. I liked being introduced to yet another agency school.
3/4 Office Day
11:15am - 2:30pm (3.25 hours)
Today we worked in the office. Things have been so hectic lately that it was a much needed regrouping day. I spent some time chatting with the bilingual school psychologist, Juliana Becker a lot more today. We went into detail about all the different evaluations and what sets her job apart from others. I learned a lot! After, I pulled files for Mike and helped prep for upcoming meetings and evaluations.
3/9 Summit CSEs
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today I sat in on the end of some of Shaun and Mike's CSE meetings at Summit. I had not worked with these children, but I wanted to visit the school. After Mike finished up, we went for a tour through the school and I learned about some of the supports and features they have that tailor to their student population, which is majority, MR/MD and largely autistic. A lot of certain aspects are specific to the kinds of kids they service. They have sensory rooms, behavior teams, and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) supports; their behavior modification program, which is unique to them. It was nice that I could expand out so much this semester and work in different agencies that service certain special education children. They all have 'SCIP - R training' which most of the agencies have. They explained that the staff all has to attend this training to learn proper holds and physical ways of appropriately and safely dealing with students in different scenarios.
3/11 Summit CSEs and Office
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today was a repeat of Tuesday, I sat in on meetings for a bit. After, I observed some OT sessions and a PT session that were going on in the OT/PT rooms. Each student has special exercises to focus on needs. I had never seen an actual session, so that was a nice experience. The staff was wonderful in answering questions and explaining the reasoning for certain exercises. Afterward, we returned to the office for more prep work.
3/13 Summit and Office
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today we wrapped up the Summit CSE meetings for week. We have one more on the 19th. I enjoyed working with their staff. After a couple of meetings Mike and I returned to the office to work on files for Autistic Services; there's a whole wave of meetings coming up for them. Shaun and Mike showed me some of the specifics of IEPs on IEP Direct and I helped organize prior notice forms, release of information, and notifications.
3/16 Office Day - Juliana Becker
11:15 am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Mike needed a catch up day to prepare some reports for a wave of CSE meetings that we have coming up. I pulled a lot of files for him and starting fishing through for important psych reports. After, I went downstairs to talk with Julie some more. Yesterday was my grad school interview at RIT. I found out today I got in there, and into NU yesterday! I shared the news with her and the other people at the office. We discussed my Bilingual Extension and how to go about obtaining it. Ann Marie Roberston is a graduate of the School Psychology program at NU, so she had a lot of insightful details that helped a lot. I accepted at Niagara, so she was wonderful in helping me. I spent most of my afternoon discussing courses in school psychology. Hearing their input and experiences was very helpful for me!
3/19 Summit CSE, Office, CSE re-do
8:00am - 9:45am,12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
Today was the end of Summit Service's CSE meetings. I sat in on a couple and then chatted with counselors about their roles with the students' programs. Afterward, I went to class and and they finished up at Summit, we went back to the office immediately to re-do a CSE meeting of a child who needed to change some services and hold it with the parent and staff this time. The parent demanded this, so it was a little tense and regimented, but just goes to show that the parent has the ultimate say and what they say goes sometimes. Things were agreed upon and the child's IEP was finalized and developed to take in account what the parent had requested. I learn a lot about the role of parents and teachers as well as outside service providers. They all work together to create these IEPs. They don't always agree, but all are necessary to get things accomplished to ensure the child is getting all the necessary supports.
3/22 Office, drop off Vinelands to AS.
12:00pm - 3:00pm (3.0 hours)
After class, I took a drive up to Autistic Services in Williamsville to drop off some Vinelands with Mike and talk with some teachers. I met the education director, Sandra Klimas prior to meeting with teachers. She is absolutely wonderful. She really resonated with me and has a great rapport with everyone she works with. Later, I met some teachers of the students we needed Vinelands for. We were able to observe a few and chat about their progress and needs this school year. This will help Mike write up a more accurate and thorough report for the triennial reviews.
3/23 Office Day
11:15 - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today we did a lot of preparation for Autistic Services. This is been the first time I have worked with mostly autistic students. Reading through their files, I have learned a lot about their tendencies, supports, and special alerts. Reading their background history is usually disheartening, seeing as most appeared to develop normally as infants until a certain point. Mike's waiting on Vineland completion by the teachers so he can write up some reports for their meetings. I have been reading more intensively through their IEPs and past history to learn a little more through primary resources.
3/25 CSE meetings at School 33 Montessori
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
This afternoon we had to sit in at one meeting at Montessori because a parent did not want a particular school psychologist testing their child. It was brief and I didn't meet many people, however the meeting went fine. The parent was quite agreeable; some people just rub each other the wrong way. I went back to the office with Mike to pull some files and help him organize things until I had to return to class. Any little bit helps him!
3/29 Hopevale and Autistic Services
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm-4:00pm (5.75 hours)
Before class today, I went out to Hopevale for a bit to pick up some paperwork and meet some more staff. I observed some different classrooms and met new teachers and counselors that had some papers for Mike for some CSEs that he had coming up.
After class, we worked at the office for awhile. I did some odd jobs for Mike and Shaun to keep busy. Later on, we went out to Autistic Services to pick up the completed Vinelands and discuss them with the teachers.
8:00am- 2:00pm (6.0 hours)
Today was a very interesting testing experience. After some CSEs, I stayed after to observe Mike test some kids with CSE meetings in the coming week. Boy, am I glad I did. I stayed because I hadn't worked at all with the functional program kids. They are lower functioning students that are often MD (Multiply Disabled). They are mostly MR and ED identified. Therefore, they have the program tailored to meet real-life daily living needs of the students. They are more oriented in developing daily living skills and achievements based on more than academic subjects like Math. These kids will get their IEP diplomas.
We had three students, two boys and a young lady. The first boy was quiet but cooperative, and scored in the low range. The young girl was a heartbreaking experience. We spoke beforehand with Miss Nahrebeski, their counselor about the students. She requested to sit in on the testing to calm the students. The young girl really needed prodding and reassurance from Ms. Nahrebeski. The girl was abused and neglected, lived with her mother. She modeled her mother's inappropriate and promiscuous actions out in the community; she didn't know any better. The doctors had to put her on birth control and have heavy supports in the place for the poor girl. She was very timid and scored fairly low, but consistent with past scores.
Then came Lorenzo. He was our last customer of the day, thank goodness. We were warned he's overly friendly, but if triggered or uncomfortable, he can have violent snaps and episodes. Thankfully, Lorenzo cooperated very well, overall. He was very sidetracked and often went off on unrelated tangents and asked questions. He entered the room and sang Happy Birthday to Mike because he told him his was in the coming weeks. He was autistic-like in nature; he kept repeating things and has body movements like hand flapping and rocking back and forth. He had an obsession with his post-graduation plan: buy a suit, a train ticket, and ride the Amtrak to various cities. He told us that about 20 times in our testing session. Afterward, as a promised reward for getting through the eval, Ms. Nahrebeski allowed Lorenzo to play the trumpet (air trumpet) for us. Wonderful performance! He was quite a fellow, I learned a lot from testing him; it took more than an hour as opposed to the usual 20-30 minutes needed. Ms. Nahrebeski was absolutely wonderful in explaining her role in setting them up in adult programs and work programs based on their abilities. I truly enjoyed this trip and expanded my experiences.
2/11 Falk Cambridge CSEs/Office Day
11:30am - 2:15pm (2.75 hours)
Today we continued CSEs at Falk Cambridge. I got to meet some new special ed teachers, and of course some parents that were quite a handful. Afterward, we returned to the office and I pulled some files for Mike for consults for Falk in the next week. I can pick out a lot more useful information out of a file or psych report now. I'm able to identify and recognize more terminology and disorders than last semester, which is something I take a lot of pride in. I can also draw better conclusions from past psychs and reports, and I can properly look at past scores and identify the range and norm for these. Tests and measures with Professor Servoss has helped a little with that, and I expect to be able to expand on it more later on.
2/12 Office Day
8:00am - 9:45am (1.75 hours)
This morning I stopped in for awhile to help Mike pull files and prepare for a ton of Heritage Agency meetings which start the day after Falk meetings conclude. I pull all the files (hunt them down at times) of these kids and sort through to find relevant information and past psych. I then copy them, highlight scores and especially pertinent or useful info that I come across while scanning through. This makes it a lot easier for Mike to go through when writing consults or referring back to past reports in his own. I'm establishing more trust in myself, and he is in me at this point. I'm showing the ability to discern what's needed and what's not. In doing so, I help ease the process and help Mike stay on top of things for meetings. Any little bit helps!
2/16 - Lorenzo Wells CSE
8:00am - 12:30pm (4.5 hours)
Because we didn't have classes today, I had the opportunity and privilege to go out to my favorite, Falk Cambridge for Mr. Lorenzo's and his peers' CSE meetings for their triennial reviews. These guys also are graduating, and most adult programs need updated scores and testing for admittance, so our testing helped accomplish numerous things. Nobody was surprised by the happenings and animated dialogue that went on in our testing experience as reported by Mike. His scores were consistent and everyone felt they accurately reflected his ability. These kids were part of the functional program for Falk, which was a new spin on the "academy" style students that you typically saw at Falk, as I explained. At their individual meetings, I learned more about their supports that they have in place and what they specifically take and learn compared to the regular program of Falk students. As always, it was a pleasure going there and seeing all the familiar faces.
2/17 Cambridge CSEs, Psych Dept. Meeting & Office
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
This morning before class I swung by Cambridge to sit in on some CSE meetings; we have about another week and a half of Cambridge before they're done, then onto Heritage. They were the consults of kids not graduating that were in the functional program, so I learned a little more about qualifying credentials/diagnosis to be in that program. After class, I sat in for a part of Mike's Psych Dept. meeting at OTC on Main in the Tri-main building. Of course, with union matters, I didn't think it would be best to be part of it as an 'outsider' so I stayed for a little while and headed back to the office to pull some files and help out one of the CSE Chairs get organized and prepare for her own CSEs. It's a great feeling to be trusted enough to be able to help out others in the office with whatever I can. I like how they can rely on one another so well.
2/18 Falk - Makowski CSEs
11:30am - 2:30pm (3.0 hours)
After class today, I jetted out to the StanleyG. Falk- Makowksi satellite school that's located at the Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center (lot of Stanleys). Over winter break, I went out with Mike in January to test a few little guys over there. They cater to the younger program; we had 6 and 7 year old boys to test. They had a really nice wing of a beautiful building over by the old War Memorial. I really liked their setup there, much more so than the Delaware or Olmstead location that is in Kensington High School. These children were all classified as ADHD/OHI. It was hard to test them, they did wander off in their attention span, and one had a very troubled home life. He spoke of Mom losing her license and fighting with her boyfriend a lot. Just another window of insight into a BPS kid's life. It's really heart wrenching what I see daily. I really appreciate more and more what my home life was like growing up in a rural setting. However, little things like that help diversify my experiences. Otherwise, testing went smoothly. We talked with teachers after, and observed the kids in their classrooms. For one child, we recommended an OT followup based on his poor performance in the Bender-Gestalt. After testing, we watched him cut with scissors, and he also performed poorly with this task. Today, we had their CSE meetings. Parents didn't show up, which was expected. Recommendations were agreed upon, and we implemented twice weekly OT for the needy child.
2/23 Maryvale (Heritage) eval
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
I was able to return to Heritage's Maryvale location to observe and evaluate a boy named Tymair. He is fairly low functioning; deemed MR/Autistic. However, compared to his peers, his functioning and academic skills were far superior. His non-verbal was incredible; he scored out above average! Verbal, naturally, was a struggle for him. However, all and all, he scored very well. Spelling and math were decent, but deciphering patterns he was magnificent. It was so great to see such a nice young boy with so much up against him do so well. Based on his amazing scores for his diagnosis, we sent out admissions packets to City Honors in their special ed placement.
NOTE 3/15: Tymair was officially accepted into City Honors! He's so excited to go there!
2/25 Heritage CSEs and Office day
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today we started reviewing kids' IEPs for annual and triennial meetings at Heritage. It was interesting because they have a large adult population, ages 19-21. Many kids are graduating in June, and will go on to adult programs. Therefore, even if they were not up for re-eval, Mike tested them so they had necessary documentation for admission into these community programs. Most (with the exception of Tymair) were low functioning and only required Vinelands for the teachers to fill out. This rated their adaptive skills and functioning adequately. It was neat to learn about all the post-school opportunities for these limited young adults. On the other hand, it was very sad to see students my age, even older than me in these classes. Here I am, 20 years old, and about to graduate with 2 degrees. These kids need help feeding themselves. Experiences like this make me feel very grateful for everything I have.
2/26 CSEs at School 12, Heritage Green Acres
8:00am-10:45am, 12:00pm - 3:00pm (5.75 hours)
Today we had the CSE meeting for my buddy Marteze from Baker. First, we had a foreign family's phone conference, which was disastrous. The sister had to translate for a middle eastern mother of a girl at Baker. This took a long time and communication was very impaired and difficult. Then came Marteze. He lives with grandma, as his mother is unfit to take care of him and his siblings. Grandma is oblivious to the situation. She said the boy he taunts and threatens has been a life long friend. Also, she claims he's never in school because they suspend him. We deduced that Marteze is either calling the house claiming he's a school staff and notifies her of his suspension to avoid school, or her time perception is off by weeks. It was obvious she's struggling to manage him. She was out of touch with reality and had no idea of the intensity of the problem we were facing, and what grave concerns we have for her grandson.
Later on that afternoon, I went out to Heritage's Green Acres location to observe some kids and chat with teachers. Mike observed all the kids on his agenda for upcoming CSE meetings. We spoke with teachers, aides, and service providers about the students' progress. It was a bit of a different experience and different setting, seeing at it's more toward Amherst as opposed to being in the city of Buffalo..
3/2 Hopevale site visit
11:15am - 2:30pm (3.25 hours)
Today I was able to visit Hopevale, out in Hamburg where Mike used to work. We spoke with administrators and teachers. We sat down with Shaun and the Hopevale staff and divided up work. We discussed who needed testing versus consults, and whether some kids weren't testable or not. Then, I got to take a tour of the school, observe some classrooms, and meet teachers. I heard all kinds of stories, as Mike had good relationships with all of his former co-workers. I liked being introduced to yet another agency school.
3/4 Office Day
11:15am - 2:30pm (3.25 hours)
Today we worked in the office. Things have been so hectic lately that it was a much needed regrouping day. I spent some time chatting with the bilingual school psychologist, Juliana Becker a lot more today. We went into detail about all the different evaluations and what sets her job apart from others. I learned a lot! After, I pulled files for Mike and helped prep for upcoming meetings and evaluations.
3/9 Summit CSEs
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today I sat in on the end of some of Shaun and Mike's CSE meetings at Summit. I had not worked with these children, but I wanted to visit the school. After Mike finished up, we went for a tour through the school and I learned about some of the supports and features they have that tailor to their student population, which is majority, MR/MD and largely autistic. A lot of certain aspects are specific to the kinds of kids they service. They have sensory rooms, behavior teams, and ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) supports; their behavior modification program, which is unique to them. It was nice that I could expand out so much this semester and work in different agencies that service certain special education children. They all have 'SCIP - R training' which most of the agencies have. They explained that the staff all has to attend this training to learn proper holds and physical ways of appropriately and safely dealing with students in different scenarios.
3/11 Summit CSEs and Office
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today was a repeat of Tuesday, I sat in on meetings for a bit. After, I observed some OT sessions and a PT session that were going on in the OT/PT rooms. Each student has special exercises to focus on needs. I had never seen an actual session, so that was a nice experience. The staff was wonderful in answering questions and explaining the reasoning for certain exercises. Afterward, we returned to the office for more prep work.
3/13 Summit and Office
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today we wrapped up the Summit CSE meetings for week. We have one more on the 19th. I enjoyed working with their staff. After a couple of meetings Mike and I returned to the office to work on files for Autistic Services; there's a whole wave of meetings coming up for them. Shaun and Mike showed me some of the specifics of IEPs on IEP Direct and I helped organize prior notice forms, release of information, and notifications.
3/16 Office Day - Juliana Becker
11:15 am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Mike needed a catch up day to prepare some reports for a wave of CSE meetings that we have coming up. I pulled a lot of files for him and starting fishing through for important psych reports. After, I went downstairs to talk with Julie some more. Yesterday was my grad school interview at RIT. I found out today I got in there, and into NU yesterday! I shared the news with her and the other people at the office. We discussed my Bilingual Extension and how to go about obtaining it. Ann Marie Roberston is a graduate of the School Psychology program at NU, so she had a lot of insightful details that helped a lot. I accepted at Niagara, so she was wonderful in helping me. I spent most of my afternoon discussing courses in school psychology. Hearing their input and experiences was very helpful for me!
3/19 Summit CSE, Office, CSE re-do
8:00am - 9:45am,12:00pm - 3:00pm (4.75 hours)
Today was the end of Summit Service's CSE meetings. I sat in on a couple and then chatted with counselors about their roles with the students' programs. Afterward, I went to class and and they finished up at Summit, we went back to the office immediately to re-do a CSE meeting of a child who needed to change some services and hold it with the parent and staff this time. The parent demanded this, so it was a little tense and regimented, but just goes to show that the parent has the ultimate say and what they say goes sometimes. Things were agreed upon and the child's IEP was finalized and developed to take in account what the parent had requested. I learn a lot about the role of parents and teachers as well as outside service providers. They all work together to create these IEPs. They don't always agree, but all are necessary to get things accomplished to ensure the child is getting all the necessary supports.
3/22 Office, drop off Vinelands to AS.
12:00pm - 3:00pm (3.0 hours)
After class, I took a drive up to Autistic Services in Williamsville to drop off some Vinelands with Mike and talk with some teachers. I met the education director, Sandra Klimas prior to meeting with teachers. She is absolutely wonderful. She really resonated with me and has a great rapport with everyone she works with. Later, I met some teachers of the students we needed Vinelands for. We were able to observe a few and chat about their progress and needs this school year. This will help Mike write up a more accurate and thorough report for the triennial reviews.
3/23 Office Day
11:15 - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
Today we did a lot of preparation for Autistic Services. This is been the first time I have worked with mostly autistic students. Reading through their files, I have learned a lot about their tendencies, supports, and special alerts. Reading their background history is usually disheartening, seeing as most appeared to develop normally as infants until a certain point. Mike's waiting on Vineland completion by the teachers so he can write up some reports for their meetings. I have been reading more intensively through their IEPs and past history to learn a little more through primary resources.
3/25 CSE meetings at School 33 Montessori
11:15am - 2:15pm (3.0 hours)
This afternoon we had to sit in at one meeting at Montessori because a parent did not want a particular school psychologist testing their child. It was brief and I didn't meet many people, however the meeting went fine. The parent was quite agreeable; some people just rub each other the wrong way. I went back to the office with Mike to pull some files and help him organize things until I had to return to class. Any little bit helps him!
3/29 Hopevale and Autistic Services
8:00am - 9:45am, 12:00pm-4:00pm (5.75 hours)
Before class today, I went out to Hopevale for a bit to pick up some paperwork and meet some more staff. I observed some different classrooms and met new teachers and counselors that had some papers for Mike for some CSEs that he had coming up.
After class, we worked at the office for awhile. I did some odd jobs for Mike and Shaun to keep busy. Later on, we went out to Autistic Services to pick up the completed Vinelands and discuss them with the teachers.
