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Mrs. Kretz-Harvey - High School Psychologist |
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FAQFrequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
Is what I discuss with my school psychologist confidential?
Are psychological evaluations confidential? All evaluations conducted by Mrs. Kretz-Harvey are kept confidential. Only individuals who have a legitimate right and need to know will be allowed supervised access to this information. All psychological files are stored in locked filing cabinets in Mrs. Kretz-Harvey's office. If the student is being evaluated for special education services, the Director of Pupil Services also keeps a copy of the report in secure filing cabinets in the Pupil Services Office. Teachers who work with this student will be provided supervised access to the file if there is a legitimate need for further information. This information, however, is more typically conveyed by the assigned special education teacher or school psychologist. Will future colleges/employers know my child was evaluated? Colleges and/or employers do not have a right to access any information pertaining to school counseling services, meetings with the school psychologist, or psycho-educational evaluations. This information is NEVER released by Mrs. Kretz-Harvey without a SIGNED consent from the student (if 18+) or parent (for students under 18). Verbal communication regarding such information is not provided either without the signed consent stating what is to be shared. There are times that you may wish to request communication. Such communication may be beneficial for students who have prior special education classifications or a Section 504 Plan and who are pursuing post-secondary schooling. This communication may help colleges provide the necessary assistance and accommodations for students with disabilities. Communication with the school psychologist and outside agencies/evaluators may also be desired if the student is seeking disability assistance or is undergoing additional/further outside evaluation. Special Education is the term used for a variety of services that are offered for students with disabilities that substantially impact their educational functioning. In order to qualify for special education services, a student must have a documented disability, and such documentation of evaluations and diagnoses must be provided to the school psychologist and the Committee on Special Education. Evaluations can also be conducted here at school by the school psychologist, speech/lanugage therapists, and/or occupational therapist, depending on the area of concern. Special Education services are provided under 13 specific categories, which have specific criteria for qualification: autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, learning disability, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health- impairment, speech or language impairment, traumatic braininjury, visual impairment including blindness. The documented disability MUST significantly impact educational performance in order to qualify for services. Some accommodations that are provided through Speical Education services include, but are not limited to, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, resource room assistance, and testing accommodations. Some of these services may also be provided to students who do not qualify for services under Special Education criteria. If you are concerned that your child may have a disability that significantly impacts educational performance, the first step should be to contact the school psychologist and/or the high school Student Assistance Team (SAT)coordinator, Mrs. Erika Tschopp. Students typically are initially referred to the SAT team to review the information and then may be referred to the psychologist, occupational therapist, and/or speech- language therapist for further evaluations and/or review of information provided. If the student is deemed to demonstrate a disability, the student will then be referred to the Committee on Special Education (CSE)for further review and eligibility determination. A Section 504 Plan is NOT related to Special Education. This plan is related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is a civil rights act for persons with disabilities. This act was designed to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities. In order to qualify for a Section 504 Plan, a person must demonstrate that they have a disability that impacts a major life activity (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, working, learning). The major life activity that is typically impacted within the school setting, and the basis for a plan, is learning. Within the school setting, Section 504 Plans are general education plans that contain accommodations/modifications for students with qualifying disabilities, who need these accommodations/modifications in order to "level the playing field" within the educational setting. Some typical accommodations/modifications include, but are not limited to, preferential seating, homework checking plans, increased home/school communication, separate location/area of minimal distraction for test taking, extended time for exams or particular types of projects. If you think your child may have a disability, or does have a disability, that is impacting their educational performance please feel free to call and we can discuss the next steps you may want to consider. Disabilities under Section 504 criteria are much broader than disabilies defined under Special Education criteria. Some of the disabilities that may qualify for a plan include, but are not limited to, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Central Auditory Processing Disorders, and severe vision deficits. Please note that diagnosis of a disability does not result in automatic qualification for a Section 504 Plan. A student must also demonstrate that their disability impacts the majory life activity of learning. If you have any further questions about these plans, please feel free to contact myself or High School Guidance Counselor, Gary Michalak who is the Section 504 coordinator in the high school. What happens during an evaluation? The actual evaluation process will vary depending on the reason for referral. Some common procedures that the school psychologist will use may include, cognitive evaluation, academic achievement evaluation, social-emotional and/or behavioral evaluation, student observation in the classroom, student interviews, educational and psycho-educational record reviews, teacher interviews and/or progress reports, parent interviews, and various rating scales for students, parents, and teachers. When a student is referred for an evaluation, the process can take up to(but not exceeding) 60 calendar days. The evaluation, however, typically does not take this long. When the evaluation is complete, you will receive a written report in the mail. The school psychologist often meets with parents in person, or conferences with parents over the phone, in order to review the results of the evaluation and the contents of the report. If you have any questions or concerns about evaluations or reports, please be sure to call. Mrs. Kretz-Harvey is always willing to meet with parents to address questions and/or concerns. These meetings can be arranged for times during the school day, or before or after school if that works better with your schedule. Is the student interview portion of an evaluation confidential? Typically, evaluations will include a student interview with the school psychologist. This interview is vital to many evaluations, because it provides information about the student's perceptions of their learning styles, educational needs, classroom performance, reasons for difficulties, cognitive and academic functioning, social-emotional and behavioral functioning, and future goals. Much of this interview is often included in the evaluation report. The student interview, as well as all evaluation information, is not accessible to other individuals and is secured in the psychologist's office. All information gathered through the evaluation process may be, and often is, included in the final evaluation report. On occasion, there are some parts of the student interview that will be excluded from the evaluation report if it is not considered to be pertinent to the area of concern. If you have questions or concerns about the student interview, and information that will be shared in a report, please contact Mrs. Kretz-Harvey. How do I get help for my child/student? If your child/student is struggling socially, emotionally, or academically, the first line of action should be through the Student Assistance Team (SAT). This is a team of individuals, which includes, guidance counselors, the school psychologist, principal and/or assistant principal, and school nurse. When a student is referred to the SAT, information is gathered from the student's teachers, parent, and psychologist if the student has had prior evaluations. The SAT reviews all information and then determines the best course of action for interventions and/or further information gathering (which may include evaluations). The recommendations of the SAT team will be mailed to you following the meeting. If you have questions about the SAT or concerns that you would like to refer to the SAT, please contact Mrs. Tschopp, the high school SAT coordinator, or myself and we would be happy to discuss them with you. Does the school psychologist deal with discipline? Not in terms of the actual discipline assigned. I do, however, consult with administrators and teachers regarding certain discipline cases, when needed. This consultation typically occurs when a student begins to demonstrate a pattern of behavior problems that become persistent. When this occurs, I will often be asked to conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment and to assist in developing a Behavior Intervention Plan in order to extinguish the behaviors that are problematic. What is a Functional Behavior Assessment? A Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) is a type of evaluation that provides us with valuable information regarding maladaptive student behavior. The purpose of the FBA is to attempt to identify the purpose of a student's maladaptive behavior, the consequences of the behavior, and appropriate intervention strategies to extinguish the maladaptive behavior and to increase appropriate behavior. A student may be referred for an FBA when they have had a substantial number of discipline referrals, they are demonstrating a consistent pattern of maladaptive behavior, and/or they are demonstrating maladaptive behaviors that are substantially impacting their educational functioning. The actual evaluation process for an FBA may include any or all of the following: teacher, student, and parent interviews regarding the behaviors of concern, observation of the student, rating scales to be completed by the parent, teacher, and/or student, academic screening, review of discipline reports, and review of educational and psycho-educational records. Functional behavior assessments at the high school level are conducted by the school psychologist. When the assessment is complete, an appropriate Behavior Intervention Plan is typically drawn up and implemented in order to improve the student's behavior. How do I contact the school psychologist and/or guidance counselors? Mrs. Kretz-Harvey can be contacted at 679-1581, extension 2765 or via e-mail at hkretz-harvey@fcsd.wnyric.org. Mr. Hirschbeck can be contacted at 679-1581, extension 2716 or via e-mail at mhirschbeck@fcsd.wnyric.org. Mrs. Tschopp can reached at 679-1581, extension 2706 or via e- mail at etschopp@fcsd.wnyric.org. Mr. Michalak can be reached at 679-1581, extension 2707 or via e- mail at gmichalak@fcsd.wnyric.org. |
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