Save These Dates for the 2017 OSPA Fall Conference
Adding to the Toolbox: Student Safety & Counseling Strategies
Thursday, November 9th-Friday, November 10th at the Hilton Polaris (Columbus, Ohio)
Thursday, November 9th (9:15-12:00; 1:30-4:30)
Providing for School and Student Safety: Threat Assessment and Intervention Planning (A.M.) &
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (P.M.)
Linda M. Kanan, Ph.D
Dr. Linda M. Kanan received her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of Denver. She is a School Psychologist with over 30 years of experience in education. Her experience includes 21 years of working directly with adolescents in secondary school settings, specializing in crisis intervention and school safety issues. Dr. Kanan was the first Director of the Colorado School Safety Resource Center, created by legislation in that state. She was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver, Morgridge College of Education for 21 years. She has taught Crisis Prevention and Intervention in Schools at Colorado universities since 2005, and is the author or co-author of several publications on crisis prevention in schools. She has recently authored an independent report reviewing findings and providing recommendations from an investigatory arbitration related to a tragic shooting at one Colorado high school. Dr. Kanan has trained nationally and internationally on topics related to the safety and wellbeing of students, schools, and staff.
Presentation Summary: School professionals face increasing student threats to the safety of the school and its staff and students. Attendees will understand and implement the steps to a best practice process of gathering and evaluating information to determine the level of concern and then to create appropriate and effective action and support plans. This discussion of threat assessment includes lessons learned from current examples in schools.
Self-injury is a complex yet increasingly common concern for today’s youth, and school personnel search for information to assist them in a helpful response. This part of the workshop will provide an understanding of the myths and realities of deliberate self-injury in youth and case examples will help to illustrate the continuum and overlap of causes, motivators, and symptoms. The session will highlight current research and outline best practice recommendations for assessing risk and strategies for responding to youth and their families.
Friday, November 10th (8:00-11:15; 12:45-3:45)
Brief, Solution-Oriented Counseling in Schools
Kathleen Minke, PhD, NCSP
Dr. Kathleen Minke holds degrees in school psychology from James Madison University (Ed.S.,1984) and Indiana University, (Ph.D., 1991). She worked as a practitioner in Virginia, Indiana and Maryland. Since 1991 she has been a professor in the school psychology program at the University of Delaware where her interests include counseling, family school collaboration, and multi-tiered systems of support. She is a licensed psychologist and serves as a consultant to Delaware’s Positive Behavior Supports initiative. She is active in the National Association of School Psychologists and was a co-author of the 2015 NASP Practice Model Implementation Guide. She currently is the Strategic Planning Coordinator for the NASP Board of Directors and served as NASP president during 2010-11.
Presentation Summary: Solution-oriented counseling stresses working from the student’s view of the problem and moving quickly to generate possible solutions, utilizing existing client resources. It is a research-supported, culturally sensitive, positive approach well suited for the practical realities of school settings and school problems. This session provides an overview of the approach and offers guidance on how to become more solution-oriented in your day-to-day work. Attendees will be able to describe principles and techniques of solution-oriented and narrative approaches to counseling, learn to implement strategies to monitor effectiveness and outcomes of counseling, and be able to identify opportunities to integrate brief therapy approaches with current practices.
Wednesday, November 8th (6—9 p.m.)
Ethics Session
Kathy McNamara, Ph.D., NCSP
Associate Dean, College of Sciences & Health Professions and Professor of Psychology
Dr. Kathy McNamara received her doctorate from Kent State University in 1985, and worked as a practitioner for 15 years before being appointed to the Psychology Department faculty at Cleveland State University. She directed the School Psychology program at CSU until 2010, when she was appointed Chair of the Psychology Department. Kathy served as the Central region representative to the NASP Ethics Committee for 9 years, and chaired the committee for 5 years. She served as the OH Delegate to NASP from 2009 to 2015, serving on its Board of Directors. Kathy has served on the OSPA Executive Board in various capacities since 1984, including many years as Chair of the Ethics Committee. She has published several book chapters, is a frequent and popular presenter on the topic of professional ethics, and co-authored a book on the Response to Intervention model.
Presentation Summary: Upholding ethical standards in the face of daily pressures from administrators, staff, and parents is an important consideration for practitioners in all settings. Join Dr. McNamara for a discussion of relevant and timely ethics-related concerns. This session satisfies NCSP and State Board of Psychology requirements for continuing education in ethics.
