December 2011

Dear Fellow SCCASP Members,

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Which, of course, means Winter Break is just around the corner. Before the break begins, we are hoping that you’ll join us for a panel presentation and winter social that will take place on December 6^th. Special Education Directors, Laurie Clarque-Breton, Ray Easler, and Debbie Toups, as well as Assistant Special Education Director, Rose Dumond, will join us for a panel discussion that will address topics that are very important in the field of School Psychology. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Thank you to those who attended the School Psychology Week Social in Los Gatos on November 15^th. It was a great way to network and connect with school psychologists throughout the Bay Area and to recognize the district contacts who help SCCASP to disseminate important information to each district on a regular basis. We are also very happy to welcome some new faces to the SCCASP Board: Stephanie Haluck, School Psychologist from Campbell Union High School District, has joined our team as the new President Elect, Jeannette Medina, School Psychologist from Campbell Union High School District, is the new SCCASP Secretary, and Karen McGee, Retired School Psychologist from Sequoia Union High School District, has volunteered as our newest Member at Large. These new members have already jumped at the opportunity to coordinate events, contribute to the newsletter, and share ideas at the SCCASP Board meetings. It is with the help of the district contacts and other SCCASP volunteers that our organization has now reached a new record number for membership. Thank you!

Mark your calendars for Friday, January 13^th, so that you may attend the Best Practices for School Psychologists in the Assessment of English Learners Workshop by Dyana Vukovich, MA, NCSP. This is a full-day workshop that is appropriate for all school psychologists (mono- and bilingual), which will cover the special factors one must consider when assessing students who are classified as English Language Learners. Please see the attached workshop flyer for additional information about the event and registration.

As the calendar year comes to a close, the SCCASP Board is beginning to plan for the workshops and social events that will take place during the 2012-2013 school year. If you have any suggestions for presentation topics, know of any great presenters, or would like to volunteer on the SCCASP Board, please contact me ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or another board member with your suggestions. We’d love to hear from you.

In closing, we are all aware of the impact that budget cuts have had on our school districts, but there have also been recent news reports about the effect budget cuts have also had on resources that are generally available to those in need during the holiday season. Area food banks and social service agencies are collecting donations to help the needy through the holidays. For those who are interested in making a contribution, the following website has list of agencies in need. Some of the agencies listed are also those who provide Medi-Cal and Ch. 26.5 mental health services to students in our county:

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_19341320

Thank you and have a Happy Holiday Season!

Janine Bauman

SCCASP President