Nancy Gentile
Kent Primary School
845-225-5025 x351
Ms. Gentile has been a School Psychologist at Kent Primary School since
1986. She has a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from American University and
a Masters degree in School Psychology from Queens College. She holds a post-
masters certification from Fordham University in Child and Adolescent
Therapy and Family Intervention. She is certified by the State of New York
and a member of National Association of School Psychologists, New York
Association of School Psychologists and the Association for Play Therapy.
Who Are School Psychologists?
We are here to help your child achieve their best.
School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially,
and emotionally. We have specialized training in both education and mental
health and know how to identify and lower barriers to learning. These
barriers can include developmental or learning disabilities, behavior
difficulties, teaching styles, school or classroom climate, problems at home
or with friends, substance or alcohol abuse, violence, and mental health
problems such as anxiety or depression.
Our goal is to collaborate with parents, school staff, and other
professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments
so that all students can learn.
What School Psychologists Do?
School psychologists work with students individually and in groups, as well
as address school- and district-wide issues such as bullying prevention and
positive behavioral supports. We use many different approaches, but
generally provide these core services:
Prevention
Design programs for children at risk of failing at school.
Promote tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity within the
school community.
Develop programs to make schools safer and more effective learning
environments.
Provide crisis prevention and preparedness information and training.
Collaborate with school staff and community agencies to provide services
directed at improving mental and physical health.
Develop partnerships with parents and teachers to promote healthy school
environments.
Consultation
Collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to find effective
solutions to learning and behavior problems.
Help others understand child development and mental health and how they
affect learning and behavior.
Strengthen working relationships between teachers, parents, and service
providers in the community.
Evaluation
Evaluate eligibility for special services.
Assess academic skills and aptitude for learning.
Determine social-emotional development and mental health status.
Evaluate learning environments.
Intervention
Provide psychological counseling to help resolve interpersonal or family
problems that interfere with school performance.
Work directly with children and their families to help resolve problems in
adjustment and learning.
Provide training in social skills and anger management.
Help families and schools manage crises such as death, illness, or community
trauma.
Research and Planning
Evaluate the effectiveness of academic and behavior management programs.
Identify and implement programs and strategies to improve schools.
Use evidence-based research to develop and/or recommend effective
interventions.
We work very closely with teachers, school social workers, school
counselors, and other staff to coordinate services. This can be in the
context of an IEP team, crisis response team, or general education support
team.