FASP South Region

South Region

This is your region if you are in one of the following Counties:
Dade, Monroe

Your FASP Regional Representative is:

Joan Kappus

Email: jponey2@yahoo.com

South Region

This year, FASP is acknowledging School Psychologists from around the state with a "Monthly Recognition of Excellence." June's winner came from the South Region:

Cristy Pena works for Dade county and has for over 20 years, at least. Besides being the district chairperson for psychologists based out of the district office, she has been the internship coordinator for many years. She runs a top notch internship program and has been dedicated to training school psychologists for several years. Christy is always available to answer questions for both interns as well as supervisors and provides excellent leadership and guidance. She also serves as Sue's assistant or second in command and helps to lead, organize and inform the 250+ school psychologists that work in Dade. It is a very challenging and diverse district and the fourth largest in the country. There is never a question or a problem that Cristy cannot handle or manage. She is called on to provide guidance and leadership as well as fill in on extremely difficult cases. Cristy is truly a leader amongst our colleagues and an asset to the profession.

Executive Board Meeting Highlights – April 30-May 1

Budgets cuts impacting school psychologists are a major concern. Duval County School Psychologists have been placed on 10 month contracts resulting in significant financial loss. Palm Beach is anticipating a 10% cut while Polk County School Psychologists are also bracing for cuts.

Advocacy information has been placed on the FASP webpage to assist psychologists in addressing these issues. Also, FASP Executive Board members are available for consultation.

LEGISLATIVE

Bob Cerra, FASP Lobbyist, stated that the upcoming budget is one of the worst for education in recent memory. There is an expected 3.42% reduction in funding.

Retirement – COLAS are being suspended for new employees

Retirement will be based on your highest eight years of your salary rather than the previous highest five years.

With the exception D.R.O.P. enrollees, all employees will be required to pay 3%of their salary into their retirement.

Vacation days and overtime will no longer be used to calculate your final retirement compensation.

NASP

Sarah Valley, NASP Delegate, reported that the prohibition of serving students in your school district has been removed by the NASP Ethics Committee. However, the rule continues to apply to students within the schools served by you.

Sarah also talked about a project “Back the Pack”, a drive to provide food for students who may have little or no food on weekends. Please follow this link to learn more about this most worthy project: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/
vp/42587983#42587983

DOE UPDATE

David Wheeler stated that if parents make a request for an evaluation, the district must proceed or send a notice of refusal. Saying that they must wait for RtI is unacceptable. The evaluation has to be done concurrently with interventions.

IMPORTANT DATES

FASP Elections – May 13 – June 12 PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL

FASP Awards nominations due June 30, 2011

FASP Executive Board meeting – July 18, St. Petersburg, FL – All members are welcome to attend

Summer Institute – July 19-24 – St. Petersburg, FL

FASP Executive Board meeting – October 29, St. Petersburg, FL – All members are welcome to attend

Fall Conference – October 30 – November 1st

Contact your FASP Regional Representative and keep them updated about activities and special projects being conducted by you and your colleagues in the South Region so that those events can be published here on your FASP web page.