In this episode of the Prepared School Psych Podcast, host Jenny Ponzuric interviews Tracie Hewitt, an experienced licensed educational psychologist and certified parenting coach. Tracie shares her insights on effective parenting, the importance of listening and building trust with parents, and how to handle difficult conversations in the school setting. She emphasizes the significance of parental involvement in the educational process and provides practical advice for school psychologists and educators to enhance their communication and rapport with parents. Tracie also reflects on her career journey and offers valuable tips for new professionals in the field. This episode is rich with actionable strategies, focusing on the importance of trust, honesty, and collaboration between school psychologists, educators, and parents.

Resources:

Acronym meaning:

SDC = special day class which is a self-contained special education classroom

SEIS = special education IEP software used in many districts throughout CA

Pre-Referral Intervention Manual-Fourth Edition

⁠https://amzn.to/40t4qVV⁠

Episode on Leveraging Collaborative Practices in MTSS with Dr Amy Merenda: https://youtu.be/wVynaVNRTMM?si=5H6_716a1IETA-b9

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to the Prepared School Psych Podcast

00:10 Meet Tracie Hewitt: Licensed Educational Psychologist

00:47 Tracie's Philosophy on Parenting

01:27 Icebreaker: Favorite TV Shows and Books

03:22 Colleagues' Perspective on Tracie

04:29 Journey into School Psychology and Private Practice

06:22 Consulting and Coaching Parents and Families

08:46 Importance of Parental Involvement

12:01 Building Trust and Communication with Parents

20:36 Handling Difficult Conversations with Parents

27:17 Reflecting on Early Experiences as School Psychologists

29:06 Empowering Parents as Advocates

29:44 Practical Tips for Parents in IEP Meetings

39:43 Building Trust Between Home and School

42:57 Advice for New School Psychologists

49:36 Staying Prepared and Up-to-Date

52:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The information and advice provided are for guidance purposes only, and all participants are required to follow federal and state law and their school district guidelines and policies.