Dear Iowa School Psychologists,
I hope your school year is off to a good start. I am pleased to write to you this month with a number of resources available exclusively to NASP members.
NASP is offering several opportunities to expand your professional expertise in the coming months. You can join your NASP colleagues in the online discussion atwww.nasponline.org/communities/default.aspx?g=posts&t=669 about the Communiqué series on disproportionality in special education. Take this opportunity to ask questions or contribute ideas on the articles that inspire us to think more deeply about how to improve our effectiveness in working with an increasingly diverse student population.
Of course, the professional development event of the school year will be the NASP 2010 Annual Convention, March 2–6, 2010, in Chicago. Registration is open, so visitwww.nasponline.org/conventions/index.aspx to find out who is presenting the featured sessions and what the hot topics are this year, as well as to get the how-to on hotel accommodations, registration, and travel arrangements. If you need assistance convincing your supervisor that you should attend, check out the top ten reasons atwww.nasponline.org/conventions/2010supervisors.aspx.
As a member, you get a significant savings off your convention registration fee and the hotel rates are very attractive. As an added bonus, NASP members who register by November 18th will be eligible to win one of eight prizes! The grand prize is a complimentary four-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Chicago during the NASP convention and a convention registration fee refund.
During the month of October, NASP members save $10 off thealready discounted member price on the purchase of the new book, ‘The Psychology of Multiculturalism in the Schools: A Primer for Practice, Training, and Research,’ edited by Janine M. Jones. Visitwww.nasponline.org/publications/booksproducts/multicultural.aspx to see the table of contents and a sample chapter.
Mark your calendar and plan to participate in National School Psychology Awareness Week, November 9–13, 2009. This year’s theme, ‘See the possibilities in you. We do!’ seeks to promote students’ resilience, optimism, and academic achievement by encouraging them to see the possibilities in themselves and their world. Visitwww.nasponline.org/communications/index.aspx to learn more about resources and activities available to promote the profession now and throughout the year.
To help you increase your visibility, NASP provides articles that you can adapt and post on your school r district website. The latest offerings, available atwww.nasponline.org/communications/webpage/index.aspx, include materials on positive behavior intervention and supports, mood disorders, talking to children about violence,cyberbullying, and much more.
To further assist you in supporting families, the new Communique Online offers handouts formatted for easy distribution to parents and colleagues. As always, you can find the current and past issues of CQ at www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/cqmain.aspx. You will also want to see the latest features which allow you to post your professional accomplishments and favorite Web links. Take a moment to contribute.
Share the value you find in your NASP membership with a colleague, and you could win $250! NASP’s fall Member-Get-A-Member campaign offers you the tools to make encouraging a colleague to join NASP easy, and for each member you recruit you will be entered into a drawing to win $250. The campaign ends Tuesday, November 17, so get started at www.nasponline.org/membership/mgm.aspx today.
I look forward to continuing to communicate with you throughout the school year and to seeing you in Chicago in March.
Deb Schwiesow
Your NASP Delegate