School Psychologist job description
A School Psychologist is a professional who helps students and teachers stay on task and mentally healthy. They utilize their expertise in mental health, behavior modification, and learning abilities to ensure that everyone’s mental well-being is adequately cared for and taken into consideration.
Use this School Psychologist job description to find reliable candidates for your school or other institution. Feel free to change responsibilities and requirements based on your needs. Another job title you can use for this role is educational psychologist job description. Similar job titles include Behavior Support Assistant.
What is a school psychologist?
School psychologists help children and students of all educational levels manage social, emotional, behavioral, and learning problems. They work at schools, universities, community services, and mental health institutions.
What does a school psychologist do?
School psychologists design and implement interventions for a wide spectrum of difficulties children may face, for example, performance anxiety, learning difficulties, or anger management issues. Emphasizing on students’ personal and social strengths, they encourage wellbeing and a healthier mindset. In collaboration with educational staff, they create and implement prevention programs to tackle common school problems, such as dropping out and bullying.
School psychologist responsibilities include:
- Assessing eligibility for community support services
- Evaluating and counseling high-risk students
- Promoting academic achievements
School psychologist job requirements and responsibilities vary based on the characteristics of the targeted group and educational setting. For example, at colleges, career decisions can be stressful for students, so experience with career guidance is needed. Similarly, high school students can benefit from guidance when deciding which post-secondary institution to attend.
To craft an effective school psychologist job description, make sure to customize this template to the position at hand.
Job brief
We are looking for an experienced school psychologist to join our team and cater for our students’ mental health and wellbeing.
Together with teachers, administrators, and other specialists (e.g. occupational therapists), you’ll design effective programs for children who face social or emotional problems, developmental or learning disorders, and disabilities. You’ll implement these programs in individual or group sessions. You will also occasionally counsel and guide parents and teachers.
To succeed in this role, it’s important to be able to analyze complex information from different sources (e.g. reports, school grades, teacher perspectives, etc.). Compassion, patience, and resilience will help you meet the daily job tasks and be a good role model for our students.
If you see yourself in this role and you want to make a difference in our students’ lives, we’d like to meet you.
Responsibilities
- Design mental-health intervention and prevention programs
- Implement counseling and educational methods (e.g. breathing or mental imagery techniques)
- Collaborate with educational staff to create coordinated plans
- Evaluate and report on student progress (e.g. using psychometric tests)
- Set learning goals based on each student’s emotional, cognitive, and social strengths
- Refer students to community services if needed
- Research new methods to improve children’s wellbeing (e.g. mindfulness)
- Resolve classroom or school crises
- Mentor and support teachers of high-risk children
- Guide parents in facilitating children’s progress
Requirements and skills
- Proven experience as a school psychologist in a diverse educational setting
- Knowledge of various methods to prevent or treat mental-health problems and other difficulties
- Strong understanding of state education policies and regulations
- Effective communication and counseling skills
- Integrity and professionalism
- A positive, patient, and resilient personality
- State license to work as a school psychologist
- Master’s degree in School Psychology or similar educational field; a Ph.D or Psy.D is a plus
Frequently asked questions
- What does a School Psychologist do?
- School Psychologists help students overcome learning disabilities or emotional issues by providing counseling and an IEP if necessary for their needs. They may provide therapy sessions, allowing students a safe space to ensure their mental health stays at healthy levels.
- What are the duties and responsibilities of a School Psychologist?
- The School Psychologist is in charge of managing student issues regarding mental health. If a student experiences a traumatic event, the Psychologist often assists them in therapy while during the school day. Their expertise is beneficial when students can't afford further help.
- What makes a good School Psychologist?
- Social Perception skills are essential for understanding students' needs to meet them appropriately with diverse abilities. Good School Psychologists demonstrate knowledge and application of other statutes regulating the professional practice. They also know how to apply APA/NASP Ethical Guidelines.
- Who does a School Psychologist work with?
- A School Psychologist works alongside a Special Education Teacher, often assisting in creating and managing student IEPs and 504s. Students diagnosed with disorders like Autism or Down's Syndrome may also have appointments with these professionals.