Date Available:
08/27/2024 Portland Public Schools is seeking highly qualified, collaborative School Psychologists to join our School Psychology team for the 24-25 school year. This is a full-time position,benefit eligible position. Successful candidates must demonstrate excellent professional judgment, and clear, effective communication skills, in order to work successfully with parents and teams of school-based and interdisciplinary professionals. Expertise in administering and interpreting a variety of psychological assessments for school-aged students is required, as is certification through the Maine Department of Education as a school psychologist. Experience and interest in working with diverse populations and English Learners is highly preferred.
Primary Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychological assessments and complete written psychological reports in accordance with PPS Regulations and ethical standards for Psychological Assessment.
• Accurately administer, score, and interpret psychological measures of intelligence, personality, behavior, achievement, adaptive functioning, and developmental maturity.
• Receive and review available developmental information from school and outside resources about student behavior(s) and selects evidence-supported or evidence-based psychological interventions.
• Conduct effective observations of students as part of the evaluation process, as needed.
• Facilitate data-driven meetings in order to determine student eligibility for special education and related services under the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations.
• Demonstrate a collaborative, problem-solving orientation during all meetings, with a focus on getting to a solution that is best for the student.
• Develop strong, positive relationships, and with students, parents and guardians, educators, administrators, community members, and colleagues.
• Participate positively and effectively in grade-level, team, school- and district-level meetings and workgroups.
• Engage in ongoing professional development to stay connected to best practices and new developments in the field

Other Responsibilities

• Provide core behavioral intervention services, in collaboration with school staff, including but not limited to: conducting functional assessments, counseling (individual and group), and planning behavior interventions.
• Deliver crisis response and intervention services to students, families and staff, as needed.
• Participate in mediations, administrative reviews, hearings and due process proceedings, as needed.
• Participate in disciplinary proceedings: expulsions, manifestations, and causation meetings, as needed.
• Perform related work and other duties, as needed.

Professional Knowledge

• Interventions and instructional supports to develop academic skills and promote learning,
• Interventions and strategies to promote social and emotional functioning and mental health.
• Biological, cultural, developmental, and social influences on behavior and learning
• Principles for working with diverse student and community populations
• Strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools
• Evidence-based school practices that promote learning and mental health
• Principles and research related to resilience, social and emotional learning, multi-tiered prevention and intervention
• Varied models of consultation, communication, collaborative problem-solving (including active listening skills), and counseling

• Research design, statistics, measurement, varied data collection and analysis techniques, and program evaluation sufficient for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings
• Ethical, legal, and professional standards
• Design and expectations of general and special education across the district

Credential Requirements
Maine State fingerprint (CHRC) authorization
Website: http://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/fingerprinting/index.html
Maine State School Psychologist 093 (B-12) certificate.
Website: http://www.maine.gov/doe/cert/initial/application/index.html
Portland Public Schools is committed to maintaining a work and learning environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, marital/civil union status, ancestry, place of birth, age, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability, as defined and required by state and federal laws.