The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has designated November 11-15, 2024 as National School Psychology Week, with the theme "Spark Discovery". This week marks an annual opportunity to recognize school psychologists' work to help youth thrive. School communities throughout Maine and the U.S. will participate in activities and initiatives designed to celebrate these critical professionals.

School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen the connections between home, school, and the community. They apply their expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior to help children and youth succeed socially, behaviorally, emotionally, and academically.

School administrative units (SAUs) across Maine rely on school psychologists to support students in a variety of ways during their school experience. Through a partnership with the University of Southern Maine, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) continues to support and fund work to increase the number of school psychologists in the state. One project, Maine School Psychology: Collaborative Affiliations in Rural Education (CAREs), aims to increase the number of credentialed school psychologists in rural communities.

"We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with rural schools across the state in this endeavor, and we look forward to delivering a low-residency, specialist-level school psychology training program that is accessible to educators across the state," Dr. Jamie Pratt, chair of the Department of Educational and School Psychology at the University of Southern Maine, said.

This year for National School Psychology Week, the "Spark Discovery" theme is meant to evoke a sense of pride in school psychologists' scientist-practitioner training, as school psychologists support their communities in exploring connections and pursuing new ideas. As Dr. Peter Faustino, NASP President, states, "As we celebrate National School Psychology Week, I would like us to remember the profound impact that positive, supportive relationships have in fostering growth and transformation. The power of meaningful connections kindles curiosity, inspires learning, and sparks the discovery of new possibilities in our schools and communities."

NASP has developed a variety of resources for National School Psychology Week, including five days of thematic activities to spark discovery with students, families, and communities.

For more information about the Maine School Psychology CAREs project and other program opportunities, please reach out to Dr. Jamie Pratt at the University of Southern Maine at [email protected]. For further information about NASP, please contact Mary MacLennan, Maine NASP Delegate, at [email protected] or NASP Director of Communications Seth Lipkin at [email protected] or 301-347-1649.