CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS I.S.D.

DEPARTMENT OF

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

 

Welcome to our Web Site. You will find information about our department and staff as well as its APA accredited Internship Program. For more specific information about the district and the surrounding area please return to the "cfisd home page" at www.cfisd.net. This site contains our complete Internship Brochure. We utilize the APPIC "Universal Application" and verification forms that you may download from their site at: www.appic.org

Thank you for visiting!

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES PROFESSIONAL STAFF

OUR MANDATE

PROVISION OF SERVICES

INTERN DISTRICT BENEFITS

DEPARTMENT ADDRESS

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY

ORGANIZATION OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

INTERNSHIP TRAINING SEQUENCE

INTERN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

ASSIGNMENTS AND SUPERVISION

INTERN EVALUATIONS

INTERN APPLICATION CRITERIA

 

THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

Our District is extremely proud of our psychological services department. The Department staff appreciates the support of our principals and administration for our service delivery model to the entire 100,000+ student population, their parents, and district employees.

  An Overview of the Department of Psychological Services

The district's Department of Psychological Services is highly recognized in the state of Texas . It has twenty-four (including two half-time) doctoral level professionals consisting of fifteen Licensed Psychologists, and nine in the process of becoming licensed.   All professional staff also are licensed by the Texas Board of Examiners of Psychologists as Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSP). Eight doctoral interns in its APA accredited Professional Psychology Intern Training program, and one secretary and one part-time assistant complete the members of the Department of Psychological Services.

The department has been recognized three times as the most outstanding psychological division of the Texas Psychological Association and once by the Texas Association of School Psychologists in 2002. The department received the last Award of Excellence for School Psychological Services given jointly by the American Psychological Association and the National Association of School Psychologists. Members of the department have been named the "Outstanding School Psychologist" in Texas by the Division of School Psychology, Texas Psychological Association.

In spring, 2004, the department opened the district’s Family Counseling Clinic serving students and families in our district. The department’s psychology interns are able to act as therapists under the supervision of licensed staff through “live and video supervision” as well as supervision and processing after the night’s sessions.

Many of our former Psychology Interns are employed as psychologists in schools across the country. Others have chosen a career in academia. Several have become Directors of their own Psychological Services Departments in their district. Finally, many Interns have elected to remain with our department when positions become available.

 

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Shawn Fleck, Ph.D. – Coordinator, Psychologist/LSSP
Indiana State University, 2000 (School Psychology). On staff since 1999.

Wes Baker, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP
University of Texas at Austin, 2010 (School Psychology)  On staff since 2009.

Gayle Callahan, Ph.D. -  Psychologist/LSSP/NCSP
University of Texas at Austin, 1993 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2009.

Stephanie L. Coleman, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Missouri, 2012 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2011.

Tara Cummings, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP
University of Houston, 2010 (Counseling Psychology) On staff since 2009.

Alicia Darensbourg, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP
Texas A&M University, 2011 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2010.

Michelle Delaune, Ph.D. - Psychologist/LSSP
University of Texas at Austin, 1995 (School Psychology). On staff since 1993.

Jamie Griffin, Ph.D. – LSSP
Oklahoma State University , 2009 (School)  On staff 2004-2008, 2010.

Sara Glennon, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP
University of Arizona, 2009 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2007.

Elise Hendricker, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP
University of Missouri, 2011 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2010.

Shawn Hirsch, Ph.D. – Internship Training Director, Psychologist/LSSP
Oklahoma State University, 2005 (School Psychology). On staff since 2006.

Karen McMullen, Ph.D. -  Psychologist/LSSP/NCSP                                                                        
University at Buffalo-SUNY, 2002 (Counseling/School Psychology). On staff since 2007.

KimHoang “TK” Nguyen, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Texas at Austin, 2012 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2011.

Marina Niznik, Ph.D. - LSSP
University of Texas at Austin, 2004 (School Psychology). On staff since 2000.

John Nomura, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP                                                                                                  
Oklahoma State University, 2007 (School Psychology). On staff since 2006.

Michelle Pastorek, Ph.D.  –Psychologist/ LSSP
Oklahoma State University, 2008 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2007.

Vivina Rivera, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Fellow
Texas A&M University, 2012 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2012.

Robin Schifano, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Fellow
Ball State University, 2002 (School Psychology). On staff since 2005.

Traci Schluter, Ph.D. - LSSP
University of Texas at Austin, 2001 (School Psychology). On staff since 1997.

Lacy Skinner, MA. - LSSP                                                                                
Southern Methodist University, 2000 (Psychology)
University of Florida (School Psychology) On staff since 2004.

Joyce Sosa, Ph.D. - Psychologist/LSSP
Texas A&M University, 1990 (School Psychology). On staff since 1998.

Sophia Tani-Prado, Ph.D. – Psychologist/LSSP
TexasA&MUniversity, 2010 (School Psychology)  On staff since 2009.

Kristen Towne, Ph.D. - Psychologist/LSSP
Texas A&M University, 1995 (School Psychology). On staff since 1994.

Shannon Viola, Ph.D. –Psychologist/LSSP
Oklahoma State University, 2009 (School Psychology).  On staff since 2008.

OUR MANDATE

  The mandate of the Department of Psychological Services is to provide quality, broadly based psychological services to the entire school district through a comprehensive service delivery system. To meet this end, the department has targeted the following needs/goals:

•  To encourage programs and provide services that result in prevention of mental health and educational difficulties.
•  To maximize the impact of psychological services by emphasizing indirect services to large populations of students considered at risk for emotional/behavioral interference with their education and to the families of those students
•  To provide direct services to small targeted groups of students who are determined to be in most extreme risk of school failure due to emotional/behavioral factors, to the families of these students, and to staff who are responsible for their education.
•  To coordinate with and compliment the community health and educational system through participation in local, state, and national professional and service organizations.

The Department of Psychological Services plays a significant role in the development, implementation, training, and on-going operation of preventative programs such as…

•  provision of teacher, counselor, and administrator in-service training in areas related to the psychological needs of staff and students.
•  development and implementation of a crisis intervention policy which involves the education of administrators, counselors, and teachers regarding the need for advanced preparation for crises and applying the district plan in every building.
• emphasis of suicide prevention as a district priority. Efforts include in-service training for school staff and administrators on assessment of lethality. The policy and methods for early detection of suicidal behavior have been distributed to every teacher in the district.

The Department of Psychological Services emphasizes the use of indirect services including…

• consultation with teachers in programs such as PPCD (early childhood), Pre-Kindergarten, Life Skills, Elementary Alternative Education Program (SOS) and Adaptive Behavior classes. Consultation also is available to help planning for students with Autism, Traumatic Brain Injury, Tourette’s, Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, and Conduct Disorder.
•  liaison with outside agencies and practitioners to ensure continuity of care as students move between the school and hospitals, private therapy, juvenile justice system, and other school districts.

The Department of Psychological Services provides direct services to at-risk students, their families, and district staff through…

• provision of regularly scheduled individual and/or group counseling as well as on-going case management for students identified as having an emotional disturbance.
• administration of comprehensive psychological evaluations for the purpose of qualifying students under Texas Education Agency criteria for handicapping conditions such as Emotional Disturbance, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder.
• intervention in crisis situations that necessitate emergency response to assist students seriously affected by the situation.
• presentation of parent education/training workshops for those parents dealing with their children's poor grades, emotional disturbance, Autism, TBI, ADD, or adolescence.

 

OUR PROVISION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

The Cypress-Fairbanks Psychological Services Department utilizes a broad service delivery model. It helps the district respond to the numerous behavioral and emotional needs of its students. A summary of the continuum of services of the department and an approximate percentage of time spent in each service follows:

ROLE	PERCENTAGE OF TIME
Consultation	20%
Behavior Management	10 - 20%
Counseling	30%
Crisis Intervention	As Needed
Suicide Prevention	As Needed
Psychological Evaluations	10 - 20%
Staff In-services/Presentations	<5%
Parent Education	5%
School-Community Relations	<5%
Professional Involvement	<5%

The district psychologists and psychology interns do not meet with students without referral and written permission of the students’ parents/guardians unless it is a crisis situation. In that case, the parents/guardians will be notified as soon as possible and given possible recommendations. Psychological services staff would not consist of any type of evaluation unless agreed upon by the psychologist/psychology intern, parents/guardians, and appropriate school personnel during a special education ARD committee meeting held at the school.

 

PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Training Director:  Shawn Hirsch, Ph.D.

The Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Department of Psychological Services follows a Practitioner-Scholar Model that emphasizes providing psychology interns the skills and training necessary to become successful practitioners. That is, interns practice thinking critically and evaluating the findings of empirically based knowledge within the context of a broad base of practically applied experiences. They also learn the importance of continuing their professional education by attending and/or presenting at conventions and workshops that increase their professional expertise, maintain current knowledge in the profession, and pursue areas of specialization within their chosen field.

Specifically, the emphasis of the internship is to introduce the interns to the breadth of psychological services possible within a school district and train entry-level psychologists for the practice of child and adolescent psychology. Important to our model are the competencies necessary to be a successful practitioner. The specific skills that are unique to psychology include behavioral interventions and management, psychological assessment, therapeutic treatments determined to be effective, individual and group counseling that may follow from assessment, and consultation with school personnel and parents. Training also emphasizes the ability to use these skills in different settings and with a diverse range of children and adolescents, to act and present information in a professional, ethical manner, and to communicate recommendations effectively to students, parents, school personnel, and other mental healthcare professionals.

Our internship training program has been fully accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1992. Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. Psychological Services is a member of the Association of Psychology Post Doctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). We follow all APPIC guidelines and Match Policies.

If you are applying to our program please use the APPIC Universal Application. We participate in the National Match.

OUR MATCH NUMBER IS: 157811
 See details at end of web site.

Deadline is November 16

 

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY AND GOALS

Philosophy and Goals

The Department strives to provide an opportunity for interns to gain practical experience through the application of curriculum knowledge to applied settings. Interns will acquire experience and increasing independence in a variety of therapeutic techniques, settings and populations. Opportunities are provided for interns to pursue individual interests and research throughout the course of the year.

To meet this end, the training program targets the following Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: DIRECT SERVICES:

1. CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS: Interns will demonstrate competence with a variety of therapeutic techniques with students of diverse student populations and across age levels and presenting problems.
1. Interns will follow district and departmental policies regarding directly working with students ensuring signed consent by parents and students when appropriate.
2. Interns will establish effective relationship with referred students.
3. Interns will apply appropriate counseling strategies with individuals and groups.
4. Interns will demonstrate sound ethical principles and practice confidentiality and disclosure when appropriate.
5. Interns will evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions with students and modify accordingly in order to best assist students.
6. Interns will effectively terminate counseling cases when appropriate or at the end of the rotation.
2. EVALUATION/ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES: Interns will produce written Behavioral and Psychological Evaluations with useful recommendations.
   1. Interns will follow district and departmental policies regarding evaluation procedures.
   2. Interns will appropriately conduct observations, and Student, Parent, and Teacher Clinical interviews for evaluations.
   3. Interns will select appropriate objective and projective measures for each evaluation.
   4. Interns will administer and score measures following standardized procedures.
   5. Interns will integrate evaluation data into a synthesized, informative report.
   6. Interns will make recommendations to school personnel and parents consistent with acceptable practices in the field and consideration for school resources.
   7. Interns will effectively communicate evaluation findings and recommendations to school personnel, student, and parents including eligibility for services.

3. CRISIS INTERVENTION: Interns will demonstrate effective crisis intervention skills.
Interns will follow district and departmental policies regarding limits of confidentiality with students.

1. Interns will assist school personnel upon request in the event of a student crisis.
2. Interns will notify and seek appropriate supervision from assigned site supervisor or other department psychologist.
3. Interns will appropriately follow up on crisis cases.

GOAL 2: INDIRECT SERVICES:

4. CONSULTATION: Interns will demonstrate competence in consultation activities with school personnel, agency personnel, and parents regarding professional and psychological issues.

1. Interns will follow district and departmental policies regarding consultation procedures.
2. Interns will provide appropriate consultation services to school personnel following accepted psychological practices.
3. Interns will provide appropriate consultation services to students’ parents following accepted psychological practices.
4. Interns will provide appropriate consultation services to support personnel following accepted psychological practices.
5. Interns will respond and complete requests for consultative assistance in a timely manner.
6. Interns will make recommendations to school personnel and students' parents consistent with acceptable practice in the field and with consideration for school resources.
7. Interns will communicate findings and recommendations clearly to school personnel, students’ parents, and students when appropriate.

 
5. MEETINGS AND IN-SERVICES: Interns will attend, participate, and present at scheduled professional meetings and in-services conducted within the district.

1. Interns will participate in assigned school meetings when invited and notified such as A.R.D. committee meetings and staffings.
2. Interns will attend scheduled intern and psychological staff training activities including group supervision, case study/assessment group, colloquia, and C.H.A.T.S. meetings.
3. Interns will assist Psychological Department staff in the provision of in-services to assigned building and district staff.

GOAL 3: PROFESSIONALISM:

6. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT: Interns will demonstrate professional conduct in all aspects of their work as district employees and psychology interns and seek appropriate supervision when necessary.
   1. Interns will work cooperatively with school and other district personnel.
   2. Interns will follow all district procedures related to the Employee Code of Conduct.
   3. Interns will demonstrate an understanding of the impact of psychologists’/interns’ roles and behaviors on school and district personnel.
   4. Interns will demonstrate and follow ethical standards of practice.
   5. Interns will demonstrate sensitivity to cultural, individual, family, and environmental diversity.
   6. Interns will demonstrate theoretical understanding of psychopathology, child and adolescent development, and behavior management.
   7. Interns will maintain an organized style that permits timely, careful completion of assigned tasks.
   8. Interns will demonstrate knowledge of Federal and State Regulations and Laws governing the rights of students and their families as well as Education laws.
   9. Interns will demonstrate self-direction, motivation, and interest in continued professional growth by attending and/or presenting at professional workshops or continuing education opportunities.
7. SUPERVISION : Interns will develop competence in supervision and management activities, both as a recipient and as a provider when opportunities are available.
   1. Interns will maintain appointments for scheduled supervision.
   2. Interns will accept supervision suggestions and feedback in a professional manner.
   3. Interns will independently consult with assigned site supervisors and other departmental staff outside of scheduled supervision when necessary and appropriate.
   4. Interns will come prepared for supervision.
   5. Interns will practice supervision skills by acting as primary supervisor for any Practicum Student assigned to one of their schools and maintain communication with assigned departmental psychologist.
   6. Interns will function in a generally independent, professional manner in assigned settings.

Goal Setting

In addition to regular training, interns are asked to set goals for the year that fit within the framework of the internship experience. These goals can include individual projects relating to program development, program evaluation, community outreach, and professional presentations. Progress on individual projects is reviewed formally at quarterly evaluation sessions and on an on-going basis during weekly colloquia and case study groups.

 

 ORGANIZATION OF THE INTERN TRAINING PROGRAM

Interns engage in an organized sequence of activities under supervision. During the first week they are oriented about the intern program and the department's services to the district. Assignments to both site supervisors and schools are made and training plans are individually developed for each intern. Interns spend each week in approximately three to five settings that present the full spectrum of elementary and secondary assignments (a high school or alternative school, one to two junior highs, and one to three elementary schools) with a varying degree of responsibility in each setting. The total amount of assigned time in their combination of schools will be 4.0 days per week.

Each intern will receive a minimum of one-half-hour of individual, face to face supervisory time weekly with each assigned site supervisor for each day assigned with that supervisor. Weekly group supervision sessions are also conducted with the Director of Training in order to provide interns with an opportunity to review overall progress, concerns and organizational issues.
Interns may have the opportunity to participate in additional learning experiences if they choose.  The district’s Family Counseling Clinic is supervised by two licensed staff members and takes place one evening a week for approximately 15 – 20 weeks.  Interns provide therapy services to screened families.  Other additional optional experiences include presenting a 3-week parenting education series to community parents.  

Attendance is required at weekly colloquia designed to provide a forum for didactic materials relevant to appropriate professional functioning within the training experience. Monthly, the interns attend a meeting hosted by C.H.A.T.S. (Council of Houston Area Training Sites), a consortium of Houston area APA-accredited intern sites. The training meetings are rotated between all participating sites.

Staff may attend these meetings along with the interns. Interns also may participate in statewide workshops and conferences with financial assistance from the department or at their own expense.

Interns also attend both a weekly case study/assessment group and treatment group that meet prior to colloquium on Friday mornings. Assessment group not only gives interns an opportunity to discuss cases with other interns, but also with rotating staff members. In addition, the group focuses on objective and projective evaluation instruments and other assessment tools that may be used in psychological evaluations.   The treatment group focuses on the training of various empirically-supported treatments and provides interns the opportunity to consult with staff members about cases throughout the year.

 

 INTERNSHIP TRAINING SEQUENCE

Interns are in their schools Monday through Thursday providing psychological services. Individual supervision with each of their site supervisors is scheduled at mutually agreed upon times during the week.

Fridays are spent in the Intern colloquium, case study group and group supervision. One Friday of each month interns attend a presentation hosted by one of a consortium of Houston area APA-accredited training sites (C.H.A.T.S.). During the second semester, interns will also present to staff on a research topic of their choice. After students finish school at the end of May and during June the interns will have increased opportunities for research, Dissertation, assisting in program development and evaluation, individual projects, and other opportunities agreed upon between the interns and the Director of Internship Training.

 

INTERN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct individual or group counseling/intervention for clients who have been referred by site supervisors
• Maintain case management responsibilities on referred cases
• Maintain positive, professional relationships with clients, supervisors, and other district personnel
• Confers with school personnel and parents of clients when necessary
• Accepts constructive supervisory feedback in an appropriate professional manner
• Assists in consultation to various programs and personnel in the district
• Assists in the preparation and presentation of selected topics for parent and teacher workshops
• Attends regularly scheduled intern colloquia and case study/assessment groups
• Complete individual presentations on a chosen research topic
• Conducts behavioral and psychological evaluations and re-evaluations on referred students under the supervision of their site supervisors, Director of Intern Training, and Coordinator of Psychological Services
• Conducts case and topical presentations during intern colloquia and case study/assessment group
• Participates in Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) committee meetings held for assigned clients who are in special education
• Assists site supervisors in response to students in crisis (e.g. suicide prevention and/or postvention).
• Maintains a log of all activities
• Participates in a minimum of two hours per week individual, face-to-face supervision with site supervisors and/or Director of Intern Training
• Performs other duties as requested by Director of Intern Training and Coordinator of Psychological Services

 

INTERN ASSIGNMENTS AND SUPERVISION GUIDELINES

• Two or three site supervisors per intern.
• Generally one or two primary placements per site supervisor.
• Each site supervisor will be responsible for scheduling at least one-half hour of individual, face to face supervision with each intern for each day they are assigned to that intern per week. The intern, with the assistance of assigned site supervisors, will complete an individualized training plan. The plan will be reviewed on a quarterly basis and amended as needed to insure a breadth of experiences, and balance services and training opportunities. Site supervisors of each intern will be responsible for completing a formal evaluation at the end of each semester. These evaluations will be approved by Director of Intern Training and Coordinator of Psychological Services. The evaluation is sent to the interns' universities. Individual, informal evaluations will be completed by the site supervisors after the first and third quarters (this could be done during the supervision session) and does not require written feedback to the Intern’s University. Should any problems arise during the internship the Department of Psychological Services adheres to school district policies as described in the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Employee Handbook. Interns receive a copy of this handbook during their first week in the district.

 

INTERN SUPERVISION AND INTERN EVALUATIONS

Interns will work for and be accountable to site supervisors together with the Director of Internship Training and Coordinator of Psychological Services.

Each site supervisor will schedule a minimum of one half-hour each week for individual, face to face supervision with an intern for each day the intern is assigned to them. Group supervision sessions will be weekly on Friday mornings with the Director of Internship Training to allow time for group processing of issues and concerns.

Interns will make case and topic presentations over the course of the internship year at the Friday morning Case Study/Assessment Group. Other interns and training staff may attend these presentations.

Interns will document their many and varied activities and experiences by completing weekly Intern Log Sheets, a copy of which they will retain at the end of the internship year to use for future licensure documentation. Informal, verbal evaluative feedback will be provided by each site supervisor at the completion of the first and third quarters. A formal, written evaluation will occur at the finish of the second and fourth quarters. This evaluation will be completed by site supervisors and approved by the Director of Internship Training and Coordinator of Psychological Services. Copies of these evaluations will be forwarded to the directors of the interns' university training programs. Evaluation criteria are based on skills required in the listing of Intern Duties and Responsibilities.

INTERN DUE PROCESS AND PROBLEM REMEDIATION

The Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. adheres to a policy of equal employment opportunities for all employees. On the basis of an individual’s race, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability the school district shall not fail or refuse to hire or discharge, nor shall it otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment; not shall the school district limit, segregate, or classify its employees, or applicant for employment in any way that would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affect the individual’s status as an employee (Employee Handbook, page 23).

If a perceived problem arises during the internship, initial steps are taken to resolve the problem through supervision between the intern and the site supervisor. The intern or the site supervisor also may contact the Training Director to intervene informally at this step. Should this not resolve the situation, the concern will be brought to the supervisors’ meeting for problem solving. If a case occurs that is determined to be detrimental to the intern’s professional growth and development, the intern’s duties may be reassigned and that particular function will be covered by the site supervisor serving that site. If all of the intern’s site supervisors would continue to have similar concerns after implementing a plan with the intern, then a professional development plan for the intern could be written to address specific remedial steps for the intern.

Should a situation occur in which it becomes necessary to terminate an intern, a number of steps will occur prior to a decision to terminate. Initially, concerns will have been addressed during individual supervision. Steps to assist the intern will have been implemented, such as increased shadowing of the site supervisor, conjoint experiences, or increased training and supervision opportunities in a deficit area. If these steps are unsuccessful, then an intern’s responsibilities may be adjusted through the Supervisors’ Meeting process. If necessary, an intern’s assignments may be altered. The intern will have been advised of the areas of concern through individual supervision. Further, should concerns be pervasive, these concerns will be reflected on his/her quarterly evaluations. Since a mid-year evaluation is shared with the intern’s university training program, that institution also will be informed of concerns. Should none of these steps prove successful in improving the intern’s performance; a formal professional growth plan will be written with the intern and the Director of Training. If improvements are not forthcoming with the time frame specified in the professional growth plan, then the district’s personnel office would be contacted to be certain that appropriate steps are taken to insure that the rights of the intern and the department are protected. District procedures as explained in the district’s Employee Handbook would then be followed prior to termination of the internship. Additionally the district’s attorney is a resource who can assist in determining if due process procedures are followed to protect the intern and the department.

In certain situations in which a major infraction occurs, the internship may need to be terminated without going through the above steps. These infractions could include charges of unlawful behavior, substance abuse on the job, or charges of unethical behavior that are not immediately rectified through supervision. In these situations, the district’s personnel office and/or attorney would be contacted to determine the appropriate steps to follow to insure that due process procedures are followed.

The district’s Employee Handbook is given to each intern at the beginning of the internship and covers district expectations for its employees.

 

  INTERN DISTRICT BENEFITS

These are several benefits that are offered to the interns either through the psychological services department or the district as a whole. A few of the benefits provided are:

• Health Insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Time allowed to attend training seminars
• Office Space
• Laptop Computer
• Pager
• Intern schedule includes approximately 17 holidays
• Sick/Personal Leave (11 days)
• District and department organized in-service training sessions
• Clerical and professional supplies and equipment
• Secretarial support
• Access to district professional library
• Annual stipend of at least $20,000

The internship begins approximately August 15 and usually ends by the middle of June. The number of contract days is 208 and interns are expected to accumulate at least 2000 hours during that span.  The internship is considered a 10-month/2000 hour internship.  It is recommended that intern applicants explore the licensing requirements of all states in which they may wish to practice.

Due to changes in Texas laws requiring psychologists working in the schools be Licensed Specialists in School Psychology (LSSP) and the overwhelming number of applications we prefer applicants from School Psychology Training Programs. However, applicants from Clinical and Counseling Programs with experience working in school systems and considering a career providing psychological services in schools are encouraged to apply.

ADDRESS: We can be reached at: shawn.hirsch@cfisd.net
 OR:  
Shawn Hirsch, Ph.D.
Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D.
Dept. of Psychological Services
Cy-Fair Annex
22602 Northwest Fwy
Cypress, TX  77429
(281) 807-8180

 

APPLICATION CRITERIA

The completed application to our program will consist of:
 1) APPIC "universal" application including Program’s Verification of Eligibility for Internship (located at www.appic.org)
 2) Vita
 3) All official Graduate school transcripts (sent directly from school)
 4) Sample psychological evaluation
 5) Three (3) letters of recommendations

Other Recruiting Considerations include:
A. Professional Skills needed by Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D.
B. Prior experiences and interventions working in schools
C. At least 800 practicum hours in the provision of a variety of psychological services including assessment, consultation and interventions and treatment.

WE DO REQUIRE A PERSONAL, ON-SITE INTERVIEW AND DO NOT CONDUCTTELEPHONE INTERVIEWS.

Application deadline is NOVEMBER 16.

We will contact you by December 10 regarding your application status and interview scheduling in order for you to obtain lower travel fares with advance notice.

Additional Addresses:
APPIC Central Office
10 G Street, NE
Suite 750
Washington , DC 20002
(202) 589-0600

American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
150 First Street, NE
Washington , DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979

OUR MATCH NUMBER IS: 157811
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN CYPRESS-FAIRBANKS I.S.D.