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Please make sure to contact FASP's Membership Chair, Paula Lewis, with any updated information.

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West Central Region

This is your region if you are in one of the following Counties:
Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, and Polk

Your FASP Regional Representative is:

Rebecca Sarlo

Email: sarlo@usf.edu

 

Regional Representative News

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 Information

Pasco County
Amelia Van Name Larson, Ed.S.
Supervisor of Student Services
District School Board of Pasco County
7227 Land O' Lakes Blvd.
Land O' Lakes, FL 33617
813.794.2363
Email: avanname@pasco.k12.fl.us

Polk County
Pam Stein
Psychological Services
1907 South Floral Avenue
Bartow, Florida 33830
Phone: 863.534.0961
Fax: 863.534.0028
Email: pam.stein@polk-fl.net

Pinellas County
Nancy Deane
Psychological Services
Pinellas County Schools
301 4th St. SW
Largo, FL 33770
Phone: 727.588.6054
Email: DEANEN@pcsb.org

Hernado County
Dr. Connie Cordill
Student Services Department
919 North Broad Street
Brooksville, Florida 34601
Email: cordill@gate.net

Hillsborough County
Dr. Tracy Schatzberg
Supervisor
Psychological Services
School District of Hillsborough County
Phone: 813.273.7095
Fax: 273.7341