In the inaugural episode of Roots to Leaves, Kari Oyen, Assistant Professor of School Psychology at the University of South Dakota and Central Regional Representative on NASP’s GDPR Committee, interviews Jean Ramage, a NASP legend who once served as NASP’s President and played a key role in developing the first strategic plan. In discussing past trends, Jean looks towards the future of the profession and discusses what we need to consider under the next renewal of IDEA and how we can address shortages.

Guest School Psychology Review (SPR) editors, Jessika Bottiani, Catherine Bradshaw, and Anne Gregory discuss some of the key findings in their SPR Special Issue “Closing in on Discipline Disproportionality,”. They delve into the promising approaches and critical challenges to closing racial and ethnic gaps in schools’ use of exclusionary and punitive discipline practices. They emphasize the need to catalyze scientific rigor in the next generation of evidence-based interventions to close the discipline gap and why this matters to outcomes for students.

In this episode, guests discuss the current state of social justice training, practice and research as well as future directions for the field.

This episode covers a range of school-related social justice issues occurring in diverse communities, addressing resistance to social justice advocacy efforts or practices, and engaging in challenging conversations related to privilege.

This episode focuses on Indigenous Americans and covers some of the issues indigenous communities face in the United States, the role of colonial policies in displacement and cultural erasure, and resources that can help educators best support indigenous students and families.

In this episode, podcast guests discuss important terminology, research, and aspects of school psychology practice that can assist educators in best serving LGBTQ+ students in educational settings.

This episode focuses on school disciplinary policies that result in pathways to the juvenile justice system and poor educational outcomes. Guests also discuss the role school psychologists have in promoting culturally relevant preventative and responsive school-wide practices that are sensitive to a range of external factors that impact student behavior.

This presentation will review the laws and regulations associated with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) with detailed discussion on determining eligibility and developing and reviewing a Section 504 plan. The session will be delivered through PowerPoint presentation with supplemental materials that include excerpts from legal decisions.

Mindfulness research suggests that cultivating a mindfulness practice is related to physical and mental health benefits for all ages and backgrounds. Specifically, mindfulness programs in schools can lead to improved attention, self-regulation, and empathy in children. This skill-based workshop will demonstrate activities to teach formal and informal mindfulness practice, including games and counseling strategies. Participants will learn to use the activities in schools with diverse populations, as well as to enhance their personal lives.