Special Education at NNPS
Vivian Vitullo
Director of Special Education
(757) 283-7850
Psychological Services
School psychologists are qualified to provide a broad range of skills to address student needs and to improve school support systems.
Our school psychologists' skills enable them to offer comprehensive psychological evaluations, as well as consult with school personnel in relation to students' learning, behavior, and environments. They provide individual, group, and organizational interventions, including counseling. School psychologists work with children individually and in groups. Additionally, they provide trainings to teachers regarding various learning and mental health topics. Their training allows them to look at the efficacy and effectiveness of academic programs, classroom agendas, and treatment interventions, and their expertise in research and planning provides a strong base in the development of interventions.
Administration
Richard Dirmeyer, Supervisor
(757) 283-7850 x.10528
Erika Boerger Daniel, Coordinator
(757) 283-7850 x.10414
Preschool/PEEP
Denbigh Early Childhood | Katie Dolak, (757) 591-4963 x.30592 |
Gatewood PEEP | Katie Dolak and Amanda Gallimore |
Marshall Early Childhood | Nancy Hunyady, (757) 591-4917 x.54590 |
Watkins Early Childhood | Amanda Gallimore, (757) 591-4963 x.30590 |
All PEEP school psychologists are based out of Gatewood PEEP Center.
Elementary Schools
Achievable Dream Academy | Donna Benjamin, (757) 886-7744 x.33590 |
Carver | Angie Roberts, (757) 886-7744 x.33590 |
Charles | Rebecca Kohaut,(757) 888-3200 x.31590 |
Deer Park | Laura Gorenc, (757) 928-6838 x.42590 |
Discovery Stem Academy | Tamera Toney, (757) 928-6838 x.42590 |
Dutrow | Anne Hearth, (757) 886-2705 x.44590 |
General Stanford | Rebecca Kohaut, (757) 888-3200 x.31590 |
Greenwood | Michaela Schulze, (757) 886-7744 x.33590 |
Hidenwood | Hunter McEnroe, (757) 591-4700 x.58670 |
Hilton | Katie Dolak, (757) 591-4963 x.30592 |
Jenkins | Hunter McEnroe, (757) 283-7850 x.10414 |
Katherine Johnson | Erika Daniel, (757) 283-7817 x.41590 |
Kiln Creek | Laura Gorenc, (757) 886-7772 x.51590 |
Knollwood Meadows | Rebecca Kohaut, (757) 888-3200 x.31590 |
McIntosh | Anne Hearth, (757) 886-2705 x.44590 |
Newsome Park | Arielle Elder, (757) 283-7850 x.10414 |
Palmer | Hunter McEnroe, (757) 881-5000 x.48590 |
Richneck | Arielle Elder, (757) 886-7772 x.51590 |
Riverside | Cathy Turner, (757) 886-7600 x.49590 |
Sanford | Michaela Schulze, (757) 886-7600 x.49590 |
Saunders | Donna Benjamin, (757) 591-4917 x.54590 |
Sedgefield | Tamera Toney, (757) 591-4900 x.28590 |
Stoney Run | Kristina Atkins, (757) 886-7755 x.29610 |
Yates | Amanda Gallimore, (757) 591-4963 x.30590 |
Middle Schools
Achievable Dream Middle & High | Tamera Toney, (757) 591-4744 x.63290 |
Crittenden | Angie Roberts, (757) 591-4900 x.28590 |
Ella Fitzgerald | Anne Hearth, (757) 886-2705 x.44590 |
Gildersleeve | Michaela Schulze, (757) 283-7850 x.10414 |
Hines | Angie Roberts, (757) 591-4900 x.28590 |
Huntington | Angie Roberts, (757) 247-2567 x.17590 |
Passage | Arielle Elder, (757) 886-7600 x.49590 |
Washington | (757) 928-6860 x.26590 |
High Schools
Achievable Dream Middle & High | Tamera Toney, (757) 591-4744 x.63290 |
Denbigh | Tina Atkins, (757) 886-7755 x.29610 |
Heritage | Theresa Nickens, (757) 247-2567 x.17590 |
Menchville | Laura Gorenc, (757) 886-7772 x.51590 |
Warwick | Donna Benjamin, (757) 591-4700 x.58670 |
Woodside | (757) 283-7850 x.10414 |
School psychologists provide a variety of services that promote student success and improve school support systems, including:
Consultation and Collaboration
- Give healthy and effective alternatives to teachers, parents, and administrators to address difficulties in learning and/or behavior
- Help others understand child development and how it affects learning and behavior
- Strengthen working relationships between educators, parents, and community services
- Work with teachers to support effective, individualized instruction
- Participate in assessment and eligibility teams to determine a student's most appropriate educational placement
Assessments
- Conduct psychological evaluations to assess abilities, learning strengths and weaknesses, and emotional/social functioning
- Design and implement curriculum based assessments
- Conduct functional behavioral assessments (FBAs) to drive the design of Behavior Intervention plans (BIP)
Interventions
- Utilize a problem-solving framework to identify and address learning and behavior problems that interfere with school success
- Provide counseling, social skills training and mentoring for students struggling with social, emotional and behavioral problems.
- Help families and schools deal with crises such as death, illness, or community trauma
- Assist with development and implementation of individualized academic and behavioral interventions (i.e. through the Child Study process)
- Monitor and collect data to determine intervention effectiveness
Prevention
- Design programs for children at risk of academic failure
- Provide parents and teachers with the skills to cope with disruptive behavior
- Implement school-wide prevention programs that help maintain positive school climates
Adapted from NASP article "What is a School Psychologist?"
http://www.nasponline.org/about_sp/whatis.aspx
What type of training do School Psychologists receive?
School psychologists are highly trained in both clinical psychology and educational psychology. They must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they work, following completion of a master's degree, post-master's training, and site-based internship. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB) or the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The majority of school psychologists work in public schools, however, other settings of practice include private school systems, clinics and hospitals, private practice, and universities. School psychologists are trained to serve all age groups from infancy through college, although they primarily serve school-aged children.
How do I know if my child's school has a school psychologist?
A school psychologist is assigned to every school in Newport News, though most psychologists have 2-3 schools. To locate your child's school psychologist, please call their school or refer to our staff directory.
What does a psychoeducational evaluation for my child look like?
School psychologists assess students suspected of having a disability as part of the process in determining eligibility for special education services. A school psychologist administers a cognitive battery to obtain a level of intellectual functioning and academic potential. This battery also provides a better understanding of the student's processing strengths and weaknesses. Social-emotional assessments are used to obtain data about a student's emotional and behavioral functioning. A strong aspect of assessment is the collaborative process in which the school psychologist obtains the teachers' and parents' perspectives. This allows the school psychologist to develop a comprehensive picture of the student, his or her functioning, and how interventions can be developed. Through this process, a multidisciplinary team is developed to determine if a disability is interfering with a student's ability to learn.
Do school psychologists only work within special education?
No. School psychologists in Newport News serve students in general and special education through working with teachers and staff on creating positive behavioral models, offering professional development to parents and teachers, and providing counseling and crisis intervention. Interventions may be developed for students in the general or special education population who may be experiencing challenges in academic, behavioral, and/or social-emotional functioning.
I believe my preschool-age child is having difficulties. Is a school psychologist available to address their needs?
In Newport News, several school psychologists serve at the Program for Educating Exceptional Preschoolers (PEEP) sites. These psychologists are highly trained in child development and can conduct early intervention evaluations and provide consultation to parents. If you have concerns about your preschool child's development, social interaction, emotional adjustment, and/or behavior, please refer to our Staff Directory to contact a PEEP psychologist. If you have any further questions, you can also refer to the NNPS Child Find policy.
The National Association of School Psychologists website has several handouts available for download on a variety of topics for parents and educators. They are also available in multiple languages.
Response to Intervention
www.nasponline.org/resources/factsheets/rtiprimer.aspx
www.pbis.org
www.rti4success.org
www.interventioncentral.org
Parenting
www.familyeducation.com
www.positiveparenting.com
Disabilities and Learning Differences
www.ldonline.org
www.chadd.org
www.pbs.org/wgbh/misunderstoodminds/index.html
www.allkindsofminds.org/parent-toolkit