Job Description

ABOUT OUR DISTRICT:

The Syracuse City School District is undergoing a new phase of innovation and transformation with the goal of ensuring that all students graduate high school with the skills needed to be ready for college and career. For Syracuse, all means all – including students who fall behind or have been considered “hard to serve” for a host of reasons. The School Board and Syracuse community have charged the Superintendent with improving student achievement, and he is seeking a dedicated and diverse team of school leaders and teachers to partner with him in moving the district toward its goals. The Syracuse City School District represents 34 schools and 4 alternative education programs, serving 19,000+ students Pre-K-12 of whom 77% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 18% are served by the Office of Special Education and 78% are students of color.

The School Psychologist applies theory, principles and methods to prevent, assess, evaluate, formulate and implement a plan of action based on student needs and strengths. The School Psychologist will facilitate the learning, social-emotional, and adaptive functioning of students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. A School Psychologist intervenes to address the mental, social, emotional, behavioral, and developmental conditions and disabilities experienced by students within our school communities as outlined in the Syracuse City School District Practitioners Model for Evaluation. Due to the necessity of working with families and community based agencies to provide and/or coordinate comprehensive evaluation services for students, a District’s School Psychologist work hours may at times occur outside traditional school hours requiring a flexible work schedule.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assessment and Interpretation
  • Identifies and assesses the learning, development, and social-emotional functioning and needs of individuals and groups and the environmental factors that affect learning
  • Conducts psycho-educational assessments appropriate to the focus of concern and in accordance with prevailing professional standards
  • Conducts assessments with consideration of the characteristics of the student or group of students including ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and handicapping considerations
  • Assists in the identifying factors in the learning environment that may affect the student and assessing the degree of impact
  • Integrates data from assessment procedures and develops hypotheses relative to: (1) instructional and educational programming and (2) program eligibility and placement
• Direct intervention for Students
  • Provides academic or social-emotional-behavioral interventions to students to support the teaching process and to maximize learning and adjustment
  • Teaches students how to develop effective learning strategies, adaptive skills, and pro-social skills
  • Counsels students on educational and personal adjustment issues
  • Evaluates effectiveness of individual and group interventions and modifies interventions based on data collected
  • Uses assessment data about the student and the environment(s) to develop appropriate interventions and programs
  • Crisis intervention
  • Suicide assessment
  • Collaborate to develop and monitor Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals and behavior plans.
  • Attend parent-teacher conferences as needed
  • Attend team meetings as needed
  • District crisis team member
  • Collaborate with all school personnel to assess student’s social/emotional obstacles to academic success
  • Consult with therapists, doctors, parents, child protective, law guardians, family court
  • Develop/facilitate/coordinate prevention activities and intervention strategies that include Non-Violence services, programs and training
  • Work collaboratively with college/university partners on District initiatives
  • Supervise any psychologist students assigned by local colleges or universities as approved by the psychologist and the Office of Student Support Services.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• New York State School Psychologist Certificate
• Provide own transportation throughout the community (mileage is reimbursed with submission of accurate records)
• Training and or experience with Culturally Relevant Education (preferred)
• Prior demonstration of exemplary attendance is expected of any candidate for hire.
• The successful candidate will be required to pass a fingerprint-based background check, at the cost of $102.50 to the candidate.
• City Residents are encouraged to apply!

SALARY/SALARY RANGE:

• The current starting salary for SCSD Teachers is $53,000. With proof of outside related experience and college transcripts, the salary will be increased pursuant to the Unit 1 contractual agreement.
• Teachers will have opportunities to teach in our Summer School Programs, receiving an hourly rate of $42.69.

This posting is not used for current Unit 1 staff transfer requests. A separate electronic form will be shared for tenured Unit 1 staff to request a location transfer. Please expect the form to be shared in Spring 2024.