National School Psychology Week

School Psychology Awareness Week is now National School Psychology Week!  For the first annual National School Psychology Week, WSASP has collaborated with NASP to bring you a full week of activities to celebrate our profession!  We look forward to your engagement in these activities all week.  We would love to hear about all the amazing things you do to celebrate this week!  Post on the WSASP Facebook group or on your social media accounts with our NSPW hashtags (#SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo #waedu #waleg #waelex)so we can support and celebrate one another!  You can also email gpr@wsasp.org to share or if you have any questions.

We have worked with the Governor’s office to obtain an official proclamation for School Psychology Awareness Week this year (unfortunately we were unable to change the name to National School Psychology Week due to a clerical error). 

Monday: Awareness
Looking back to School Psychology Awareness Weeks of the past, today we will focus on raising awareness about our profession!

• Raise awareness about our workload and the impact of the school psychologist shortage in Washington!

• • Print this page, write in your total students (that is total students, gen ed and special ed, at all the sites you cover), and the number of schools you work at.

  • Take a selfie holding up the sign (with a matching facial expression).

  • Post that pic on your social media, and copy these hashtags on the post

  • • #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo #waedu #waleg #waelex

• Share the WSASP Who Are School Psychologists infographic on your social media accounts

• • Copy these hashtags on your post:

  • • #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

• Participate in the “Virtual Postcard Campaign” by mailing a letter to your elected representatives! Please remember to complete the form as we track all contacts to you elected officials!

Tuesday: Appreciation

Today we will show appreciation to one another and the other amazing people we get to work with. Join WSASP in showing appreciation!

• Compliment a Colleague

• • Show appreciation for a fellow School Psychologist, in your district or otherwise! Compliment a colleague on social media. Make sure you use our hashtags:  #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo #waedu #waleg #waelex #gratitudeworks

• Gratitude Works 

• • Participate in the "Gratitude Works" campaign, with a variety of ideas for engaging students, classes, or your whole school in gratitude.  

  • Present awards to those you are grateful for:

  • • Possibility in Action Award 

    • • The “Possibilities in Action” Partner program is a great way to recognize colleagues, either through their own efforts or by encouraging the efforts of others, make an exceptional difference in the lives of students and families by supporting the possibilities within each student. This could be a teacher, administrator, coach, community provider, parent mentor, or any other individual who stands out in your mind as going above and beyond the call of duty to help students achieve their best.

    • Student POWER Award

    • • The Student POWER Award is a way to recognize one or more students of any age for exceptional efforts and individual achievements. This award is focused on personal goals and achievements and was created with the purpose of honoring those students who, through the support of others and their own efforts, make a difference in their own lives or the lives of others.

      • Specifically, the award recognizes students for progress towards goals, personal optimism, willing problem solving, eagerness to work hard, and dedication to others.

    • Power of One Award

    • • Publicly celebrate, recognize, and honor fellow school psychologists’ special contribution to students’ positive outcomes and to others in the school community and field. This can include a colleague or colleagues, a school psychology leader who has made a special difference, or a school psychologist who has served an important role in one’s career.

Wednesday: Advocacy

Today we will focus with thousands of school psychologists across the country in raising our voices to our elected officials at the federal, state, and local level. 

• Send letters to your federal and state elected officials on important topics

• • Click here to contact to your federal representatives

  • Click here to contact to your state representatives 

• Sent this letter to your school board, raising awareness about school psychologists and what we do with your locally elected officials. 

• • Alternatively, you could present directly to your school board.  WSASP has provided this template presentation to help you get started! 

• Post about Advocacy Action Day on your social media accounts.  Sample messages are provided here:

• • Today is NSPW Advocacy Action Day! Join me in advocating for increased access to school psychologists for students here and across the country. www.nasponline/aad #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

  •  Join me & school psychologists across the country today in telling Congress to support policies to address the shortage of school psychologists other school-employed mental health professionals www.nasponline/aad #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

  •  School psychologists are more important now than ever! In order to meet the mental health needs of our students, we need investment in the right professionals. Join @nasponline's Advocacy Action Day and tell Congress address the shortage of school psychologists. www.nasponline/aad #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

  • Today is National Association of School Psychologists’ Advocacy Action Day! School psychologists across the country will be contacting their members of Congress to advocate for issues important to students across the country. These professionals have never been more critical to support our kids. Join me in advocating for increased access to school psychologists and more. http://bit.ly/NASPAAC #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

  • Join me & school psychologists across the country today in telling Congress to support legislation to increase access to school-employed mental health professionals for students across the country. http://bit.ly/NASPAAC #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

Thursday: Allyship

• Post about how school psychologists support social justice on your social media accounts.  See a sample message provided here:

• • I am a school psychologist, and I stand for social justice for all of my students. School psychologists provide culturally responsive services to students and families from diverse backgrounds. Please support policies and legislation that help all students succeed, such as those supporting the rights of LGBTQ+ students, equitable access to education regardless of race or zip code, and fair discipline practices.#SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #waedu #waleg #waelex

• Share the NASP Social Justice and School Psychologists infographic on your social media accounts

• Endorse the School Psychology Unified Anti-Racism Statement and Call to Action as an individual and add this to you email signature

• • WSASP has endorsed this as an organization, but you can also endorse this as an individual practitioner.

Friday: Affirmation

To wrap up this week celebrating school psychology we focus inward.  As mental health professionals, we know the importance of self-care, and today we are focusing our own self-care practices.

• Post a gif or picture of your favorite go-to self-care activity on your social media accounts. Remember to use the hashtags: #SPAW2020 #NASPadvocates #WSASPadvocatestoo  #selfcare

• Take care of yourself!

• • Going into this weekend, make sure to engage in some self-care as we move into the holiday season!