Washingtonville Celebrates National School Psychologist Week

During National School Psychologist Week, the Washingtonville Central School District has been honoring the essential role psychologists play in a school setting. 

School psychologists play a vital role in students’ academic, behavioral, social and emotional well being, ensuring they have the resources and tools to succeed. From evaluations and counseling, to crisis intervention and promoting positive mental health, school psychologists support diverse learners, strengthen family-school partnerships and advocate for every student to reach their full potential.

One critical task of a school psychologist is to evaluate students who might need additional academic or behavioral support. What makes these specific services stand out is that Washingtonville is the only district in the county with a funded preschool evaluation unit. This opportunity allows the district to help surrounding schools with testing and resources to ensure the well-being of every child at an early age.

“Early intervention is crucial for providing support early,” said Kathryn Luttman, CPSE Chairperson and NYS Certified School Psychologist for the school district. “We see so many children; if we catch them early, by the time they get to kindergarten, they don't even really need any services. We've caught them up. It's very valuable because I feel like we help prepare them for school and get them ready.”

In addition to early intervention, the district provides a plethora of services for students including a multi-tier system of support (MTSS), which is a framework schools use to make sure every child gets the academic, social, emotional or behavioral help they need, right when they need it. 

“It's a building level initiative to make sure that struggling students are being captured, even if they don't meet the threshold of necessarily needing to be evaluated or needing special education services, but are getting some type of academic support,” said Kerri Lopuzzo, a psychologist at the middle school. 

Washingtonville schools also offer group and individual counseling, as well as crisis response services. At the middle school, Ms. Lopuzzo has previously ran several afterschool clubs and welcomes individuals wholeheartedly to further provide students with a safe space.

“Whether subtle or not, having a little safe space sticker on my door helps students who might be hesitant to speak about challenging topics feel a little more comfortable, especially with the way that the world is right now,” Ms.Lopuzzo said. “Knowing that regardless of your background, your skin color, your nationality or your religious beliefs, you are welcome to come into the space and enter it with open arms.”

Faculty and staff throughout the district also participate in initiatives such as Adopt a Family, to support families during the holiday season and fulfill their holiday wish lists. Beyond seasonal holiday drives, school psychologists help bridge the gap between school and home by connecting parents with year-round county resources. These include external counseling services and Food4Kids, a dedicated nonprofit organization working to fight childhood food insecurity.

For veteran school psychologists across the district, serving in different schools over the course of their careers offers a special perspective, allowing them to observe students' growth and development firsthand throughout the years.

Dr. Tara Skiff, a school psychologist who currently works at the high school, previously spent five years at Taft Elementary School. For her, having the opportunity to see her former students today is what makes her role in Washingtonville so special. 

“Being at Taft my first five years of my career and then moving out of state for three years, I never really thought that could be a possibility that I could experience because you're working with them, and then they do move on and then you're going on with life,” said Dr. Skiff.

For psychologist Christie Berard, being at the middle school offers a special perspective to building meaningful connections and tracking student growth over time. Her role at this educational level allows her to support students during a critical transitional period in their lives.

“I think we are in a unique position because the high school is right next door, and we can kind of follow up and see how they're doing,” she said. “I do think that it's rewarding to see what kids accomplish once they've been released into the wild, especially because I used to work at Round Hill. Seeing the progress throughout the years is just phenomenal.” 

With the theme of National School Psychology Week being to inspire connection, school psychologists throughout the district have offered families some advice:

“Don't be afraid to make those connections and take a leap of faith,” said Dr. Skiff.

“I would say take time to communicate because I think we're all so quick to just sit on our phones and not talk,” said Ms. Luttman. “Put down your phones, have family dinner.”

“My hope is that the school is a safe place for all kids, that they get excited to come here and to learn,” said Ms.Lopuzzo “Education is a really powerful thing.”