Your NASP membership will expire on June 30, 2013. I invite you to renew your membership at www.nasponline.org/membership. To provide members with greater flexibility, if you renew by June 30, you can choose to pay your dues in three installments. Visit www.nasponline.org/membership/duesinstallments.aspx to learn more about the installment program.

The Future Faculty Interest Group is the latest addition to NASP’s 29 Interest Groups. This group provides individuals who aspire to school psychology faculty positions with a forum for discussing and relating information about the requirements of faculty positions, research and publishing within the field, and mentorship opportunities for academic and professional development through NASP. To participate, join the Future Faculty Interest Group Community at http://communities.nasponline.org/nasponline/communities1/viewcommunities/communitydetails?CommunityKey=9005845a-51a4-469c-88f3-a4f10dd31bed.

Read NASP’s testimony regarding ending the school-to-prison pipeline to Senators Durbin and Graham on Zero Tolerance and Positive Discipline and Behavior at http://www.nasponline.org/advocacy/docs/Dubin_Graham_12_10_12.pdf.
Sign up for the live webinar, ‘Sexting and Online Solicitation: A Discussion for School Psychologists’ coming April 18 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to describe the issues of online solicitation and sexting, describe the risk factors that lead to these incidents, and identify free prevention resources that can be easily implemented. Members can register for only $20, and participants receive 1 documented NASP-, APA-, and NBCC-approved CPD credit. Please register at https://nasp.inreachce.com/Details?mediaType=bae80c37-9ab1-49da-b01a-1b5db926a477&groupId=6da44621-08de-4719-8546-ead40d9700e0.
It’s not too early to think about how you’ll use your summer break. If you’re looking for intensive training for advanced practitioners, make sure you plan to attend the NASP 2013 Summer Conferences. With topics including academic interventions, behavior management, creating trauma-informed schools, legal compliance, and more, you won’t want to miss this chance to get practical skills and up to 18 hours of documented CPD at each conference. Join us in Cincinnati, OH, July 8–10 and Albany, NY, July 22–24! Register at http://www.nasponline.org/conventions/2013/summer-conferences/index.aspx.

NASP is cohosting with George Washington University (GW) our annual Public Policy Institute, July 17–19 (3-Day) or July 17–19 and 22–23 (5-Day, GW graduate credit only), in Washington, DC. The Public Policy Institute will feature national experts in policy, education, and school psychology. The sessions will focus on professional advocacy and how both administrative and legislative policies are advanced. Participants will engage in a hands-on Capitol Hill experience and earn over 12 NASP-approved CPD credits. Registration is now open at http://www.nasponline.org/advocacy/ppi/2013/index.aspx.

I hope you will renew your NASP membership so I can continue to send you the latest updates from NASP. If your address or e-mail will be changing this spring, please visit www.nasponline.org and update your information at ‘View My Account’ so we can continue to stay in touch.

Sincerely,

Charlotte Wieck
NASP State Delegate – IA

NASP continues to develop resources to support us in our day-to-day practice. I hope you take advantage of all the membership resources available to you!

Whether you were able to come to the convention or not, you can download the session handouts at www.nasponline.org/conventions/2013/program/handouts.aspx. You can search by presenter, session title or number.

NASP has released a new Youth Gun Violence Fact Sheet at www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis_safety/Youth_Gun_Violence_Fact_Sheet.pdf. This fact sheet contains information on firearm deaths in the United States, homicide and suicide at school, and weapons in the home. Also included are factors connected to school shootings and policy issues related to curbing gun violence.

NASP has joined forces with the American School Counselor Association and the National Association of Secondary School Principals to help begin a national dialogue to increase understanding about mental health and its impact on youth. Schools in every state and district are invited to join the dialogue by committing to holding a school assembly on mental health before the end of 2013. NASP and ASCA are currently working to compile resources to help you plan your mental health assembly and this information will be accessible in the upcoming weeks. Express your commitment here to hold a mental health assembly at your school at www.nassp.org/Homepage-Docs/National-Dialogue-on-Mental-Health.
For statistics on 2012 legislative involvement by NASP members, read our report at www.nasponline.org/advocacy/Capwiz_2012.pdf.

NASP released two new books at the convention, ‘School Psychologist as Counselor’ and ‘Depression in Children and Adolescents.’ Pick up your copy in the NASP store at www.nasponline.org/publications/index.aspx.  Special new release pricing is available until March 14. There, you can also get a copy of Keynote Speaker Richard Gerver’s book ‘Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today.’

Share your experiences, ask questions, and provide support to fellow school psychologists in the NASP Communities. Visit http://communities.nasponline.org to review and join in the discussions. Recent conversations include medically fragile students, scoring software on Macs, and confidentiality during testing.

Registration is now open for the summer conferences in Cincinnati and Albany. You can register at www.nasponline.org/conventions/2013/summer-conferences/index.aspx. The Cincinnati conference will be July 8-10 and Albany will be July 22-24. Summer conferences will have advanced content sessions designed for advanced practitioners as well as the opportunity to earn up to 18 hours of documented CPD.

Thank you for joining me as a member of NASP as we work to support the success of all students!

Sincerely,

Charlotte Wieck
NASP State Delegate – IA

I am glad many of you were able to join me in Seattle last week. This year, approximately 5,000 of our colleagues came together to hear latest research and news in the field, network with each other, and enjoy the Emerald City.

Whether you were at the convention or unable to attend this year, you can purchase a session recording package at http://www.nasponline.org/conventions/2013/registration/session-recording.aspx. Session Recording Packages let you get top convention content and between 5.5 and 10.25 hours of documented NASP-, APA-, and NBCC-approved CPD per package, right from your desk!

There are some valuable conversations going on in the NASP Member Exchange Community that I encourage you to read. Visit http://communities.nasponline.org to review and join in the discussions. Recent conversations include truancy and ED evaluations, dyslexia in high school, and what I wish private practitioners knew about schools.  There is also a host of Interest Group Communities—from autism to crisis management to urban school psychology—that will allow you to connect with your colleagues on topics of interest.

NASP released two new books at the convention, ‘School Psychologist as Counselor’ and ‘Depression in Children and Adolescents.’ Visit the NASP store at http://www.nasponline.org/publications/index.aspx to pick up your copy at a special new release price.  There, you can also get a copy of Keynote Speaker Richard Gerver’s book ‘Creating Tomorrow’s Schools Today.’

The January/February issue of Communiqué is available online at http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/index.aspx?vol=41&issue=5. This issue includes articles ‘Online Sexual Solicitation: The Role and Responsibility of Parents and School Psychologists,’ ‘Meet the New (and Improved?) DSM-5,’ and ‘Expanding the Role of the School Psychologist in the Delivery of School-Based Mental Health Services.’

Thank you for joining me as a member of NASP as we work to support the success of all students!

Sincerely,

Charlotte Wieck
NASP State Delegate – IA