PreK School Psychologist

ABOUT OUR DISTRICT:

The Syracuse City School District is undergoing a new phase of innovation and transformation with the goal of ensuring that all students graduate high school with the skills needed to be ready for college and career. For Syracuse, all means all - including students who fall behind or have been considered "hard to serve" for a host of reasons. The School Board and Syracuse community have charged the Superintendent with improving student achievement, and he is seeking a dedicated and diverse team of school leaders and teachers to partner with him in moving the district toward its goals. The Syracuse City School District represents 34 schools and 4 alternative education programs, serving 19,000+ students Pre-K-12 of whom 77% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 18% are served by the Office of Special Education and 78% are students of color.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The PreK School Psychologist applies theory, principles and methods to prevent, assess, evaluate, formulate and implement a plan of action based on student needs and strengths.  The PreK School Psychologist will facilitate the learning, social-emotional, and adaptive functioning of preschool students and their families residing within the Syracuse City School District.  A PreK School Psychologist intervenes to address the mental, social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental conditions and disabilities experienced by students within our school communities as outlined in the Syracuse City School District Practitioners Model for Evaluation.  Due to the necessity of working with families to provide and/or coordinate comprehensive evaluation services for students, a District's PreK School Psychologist work hours may at times occur outside traditional school hours requiring a flexible work schedule.  

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assessment and Interpretation
  • Identifies and assesses the learning, development, social-emotional functioning, and needs the environmental factors that affect learning of preschool aged students residing within the Syracuse community.
  • Assess and identify the development, functioning, and needs of preschool aged students to provide families, school staff, and/or caregivers with appropriate, high-quality interventions for targeted skill development. 
  • Conducts psycho-educational assessments for preschool aged students that are appropriate to the focus of concern and in accordance with prevailing professional standards.  This includes conducting observations of preschool students in their natural environment (home, preschool classroom, community daycares, etc.).
  • Conducts assessments with consideration of student’s ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and/or other identified relevant individual barriers that may impact the student student’s ability to access classroom learning, school readiness, and development of age-appropriate skills and acquisition of knowledge. 
  • Assists in the identifying factors in the learning environment that may affect the student’s access to learning and strategize with teachers and families to plan and implement strategies to support the student’s development and growth.
  • Integrates data from assessment procedures and develops hypotheses relative to: (1) instructional and educational programming and (2) program eligibility and placement.

Direct intervention for Students, Families, and Classrooms 

• Conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations and assessments for preschool students in various settings.
• Utilize a variety of assessment tools and techniques to gather data on cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral development.
• Observe students in various settings to gain insights into their behavior and interactions.
• Write detailed evaluation reports and present results to the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE).
• Collaborate with teachers, parents, and other professionals to develop individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and intervention strategies.
• Provide consultation and support to teachers and parents regarding developmental and educational concerns and provide appropriate intervention strategies.
• Communicate assessment results and recommendations effectively to families, classroom staff, and the evaluation team.
• Maintain accurate and confidential records of assessments and interventions.
• Stay current with best practices and developments in the field of school psychology.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• New York State School Psychologist Certificate 
• Provide own transportation throughout the community (mileage is reimbursed with submission of accurate records)
• Training and or experience with Culturally Relevant Education (preferred)
• Prior demonstration of exemplary attendance is expected of any candidate for hire.
• The successful candidate will be required to pass a fingerprint-based background check, at the cost of $101.75 to the candidate.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of early childhood development.
• City Residents are encouraged to apply

SALARY/SALARY RANGE:

• The current starting salary for SCSD Teachers is $53,000. With proof of outside related experience and college transcripts, the salary will be increased pursuant to the Unit 1 contractual agreement.
• Teachers will have opportunities to teach in our Summer School Programs, receiving an hourly rate of $42.69.
• Teachers of color or those with experience and a deep background in Urban Education may qualify for the District's Urban Fellowship Program.  For details of the program and its requirements, please click HERE.

This posting is not used for current Unit 1 staff transfer requests. A separate electronic form will be shared for tenured Unit 1 staff to request a location transfer. Please expect the form to be shared in Spring 2024