SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

About KIPP Bay Area Schools

In the San Francisco Bay Area, one KIPP elementary school, eight KIPP middle schools, and three KIPP high schools are closing the achievement gap between low-income students and their more advantaged peers. These innovative, tuition-free, college-preparatory schools are located in the underserved neighborhoods of Bayview Hunters Point and the Western Addition in San Francisco, Redwood City, East San Jose, San Lorenzo, and West Oakland.

KIPP, the Knowledge Is Power Program, is a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory public schools dedicated to preparing students in underserved communities for success in college and in life. There are currently 183 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving more than 70,000 students. 85% of KIPPsters matriculate to college, and graduate at four times the rate of their peers.

KIPP Bay Area Schools operates eleven schools in the Bay Area serving over 3,000 students; with plans to grow to serve 11,000 students in the next several years.

Position Overview

At KIPP Bay Area Schools, the School Psychologist, under the leadership of the Director of Special Education, and in collaboration with program specialists, school leaders, and teachers, will use effective strategies to serve the needs of exceptional students within KIPP Bay Area Schools region.  The School Psychologist assists teachers, parents, and students in understanding, preventing and addressing learning, behavioral, developmental, and emotional difficulties. By collaborating with teachers, school leaders, families, and other mental health professionals, the School Psychologist works to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students. The School Psychologist acts as an educator by helping others understand more about child development, behavioral challenges, and behavior management techniques.  At KIPP Bay Area Schools, the School Psychologist is responsible for evaluation, consultation, program development, and professional practice as it pertains to student development, behavior issues, and academic difficulties.

Roles and Responsibilities

This position will include the following roles and responsibilities:

Evaluation

• Student eligibility. Identify students with disabilities by assessing student characteristics including cognitive and perceptual abilities, emotional adjustment, adaptive behavior, language development, learning potential and social needs utilizing non-discriminatory tools.
• Legally defensible reports.  Prepare comprehensive and defensible psychoeducational reports of each student assessed; interpret assessment findings for staff, parents, and other authorized persons as necessary.
• Positive behavior intervention.  Perform functional behavioral analyses and assist in the development, evaluation and monitoring of behavior support plans or behavior intervention plans.
• Student mental health. Conduct Educationally-Related Mental Health Service (ERMHS) assessments in order to evaluate social/emotional development and mental health status of students.  Provide a continuum of developmentally appropriate mental health services, including individual and group counseling, behavioral coaching, classroom and school-wide social– emotional learning programs, positive behavioral support, and parent education and support.

Consultation

• General education teachers. Consult with teachers in the development and implementation of classroom methods and procedures designed to facilitate student learning and to overcome learning and behavior challenges.
• Parents. Consult with parents to assist in understanding the learning and adjustment processes of children.
• School leadership.  Serve as a resource to school leaders in areas related to instructional strategies, school attendance, discipline, student social/emotional needs and child abuse recognition and reporting.

Program Development

• Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.  Participate with other faculty and staff members to design and promote tiered interventions and supports to address students who are at risk of failing at school.
• Crisis intervention.  Serve as a member on a crisis management team to address the mental health of students when necessary, (e.g. death, illness, community or school trauma), conduct risk assessments and support staff with crisis management as needed.
• Community partnerships.  Develop relationships with other related professional personnel and public agencies, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health clinics and welfare departments, to better support students who are being served by such community agencies.

Student Diversity in Development and Learning

• Diversity. Recognize issues of diversity that affect routine interactions with other people and organizations.
• Flexibility. Modify or adapt routine practice to effectively meet these diverse needs.
• Cultural sensitivity. Demonstrate sensitivity and skills needed to work with families, students, and staff from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Professional Practice

• Ethical Practice. Apply ethics and standards of professional practice in the delivery of school psychological services and observe relevant laws and policies that govern practice.
• Time Management.  Adhere to IDEA timelines and to schedules, policies and procedures as determined by KIPP Bay Area Schools.
• Team Member.  Attend and participate in a variety of meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars and committees, including, but not limited to, IEPs, parent-teacher conferences, and Student Study Meetings.
• Professional Growth.  Maintain professional standards and competence through participation in professional growth opportunities provided by KIPP Bay Area Schools and in self-directed professional growth activities.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Desired Characteristics

• Master’s degree in School Psychology preferred;
• Valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential with School Psychology Authorization required;
• Minimum two years of experience preferred;
• Knowledge of federal and state special education law and best practices for special education;
• Bilingual (English-Spanish, Vietnamese, or Mandarin) preferred;
• Demonstrated success with students from educationally under-served areas;
• Excellent organizational, planning, and implementation skills;
• Ability to manage the ambiguity and multiple priorities inherent in an entrepreneurial environment;
• Ability to communicate and interact effectively with multiple constituencies;
• Detail-oriented team player willing to roll up sleeves and get the job done;
• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP Bay Area Schools and our students.
• Ability to travel within SF Bay Area with own transportation (mileage reimbursed).

Salary & Benefits
We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits package, depending on experience and qualifications.

To Apply
Please become thoroughly familiar with www.kippbayarea.org before applying. Submit your application online at http://kippcareers.force.com/JobDetail?id=a0Xd0000006Uhb7. Email careers@kippbayarea.org with any questions.

KIPP Bay Area Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, handicap, age, religion, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.