Pupil Services Staff

SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS

Stratford school psychologists apply extensive psychological knowledge to the understanding of the relationship between school, teacher, and student. They provide both direct diagnostic psychoeducational intervention and indirect consultation service to educators, parents, and students. Psychological services are available for all of Stratford's students, preschool to high school, both public and non-public.

School psychologists provide individual psychoeducational evaluations of students for the purposes of diagnostic assessment, evaluating and recommending revisions in a student's school program, planning special education placement, and/or making a referral to school or community agencies for special services. The school psychologists help plan educational programs based upon identified strengths and needs of individuals and groups of students. They also assist teachers working toward the solution of management problems of students whose learning or adjustment difficulties interfere with classroom activity. School psychologists provide significant input into the decision-making process for special education services.

SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS

School social work is a specialization of the social work profession which applies social work principles and methods to the provision of education. The purpose of social work practice is to help schools enable students to achieve optimal learning in academic, social, and emotional areas. The expertise of school social workers prepares them to intervene in human behavior and social systems toward the goal of effective living. School social workers systematically collect, analyze, synthesize, and interpret information needed to develop an appropriate service plan for referred students and their families. As members of interdisciplinary teams, school social workers, using a systems approach, formulate this information into a useful summary of the student's school and family history, functioning strengths and weaknesses, and special needs. They focus on ways to ameliorate conditions in the school, home, and the community that interfere with student achievement, linking school and the home with the community resources.

SPEECH CLINICIANS

Speech clinicians provide remedial and supportive programs designed to help students correct or improve communication weaknesses and disorders. Students provided services include those with disorders resulting from organic and/or functional impairments of hearing, expressive or receptive language, articulation, voice, or dysfluent. Students services exhibit communication weaknesses that directly impact academic performance and, therefore, are in need of intervention/remediation as part of their overall educational program. Speech clinicians also provide ongoing, direct and indirect, consultative support to classroom teachers in support general curriculum instruction.