In this episode, I’m sharing a simple framework to help you figure out what is actually getting in the way of your workflow before you start throwing random productivity strategies at the problem. Because honestly, none of us has time to test 25 new hacks just because TikTok said they work.

I’ll walk you through my GAP framework: gather the data, analyze the breakdown and prioritize one strategy to try. We’ll look at common issues around knowledge, systems and executive functioning, plus practical ways to make overwhelming tasks feel more manageable.

The goal is simple, choose a strategy that actually fits the problem you have and give yourself enough time to see whether it works.

Highlights:

(01:30) - Stop collecting productivity tips and start figuring out what is actually slowing you down

(03:04) - The GAP framework: gather, analyze and prioritize

(05:12) - When the system is the problem, here’s how to start fixing it without overhauling everything

(07:08) - Why overwhelming tasks often lead to doing absolutely nothing

(08:38) - Report writing on the calendar, but somehow email suddenly feels very important

(10:04) - Pick one strategy, test it, collect the data and adjust from there

Prepared School Psych Community: https://jennyponzuric.com/prepared-school-psychologist/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=workflow&utm_term=august

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

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Before we start throwing strategies at our workflow, we need to know what problem we’re actually trying to solve. In this episode, I’m breaking workflow challenges into three key areas: knowledge, systems, and executive functioning.

Because sometimes the issue isn’t that you need another planner, another app, or another color-coded system.

I’ll walk you through practical questions to help you spot where things may be getting stuck, from district expectations and team communication to procrastination, distractions, emotional control, and flexibility.

Think of this as your workflow check-in before we move on to strategies in the next episode.

Highlights:

(01:42) - The knowledge gaps that can quietly make your workload harder

(03:36) - Why your personal systems matter before you ever sit down to write a report

(05:11) - The workflow struggles I still recognize in my own practice

(06:02) - Why executive functioning can derail even the best systems

(07:05) - A quick self-check for procrastination, distraction, and emotional control

(08:12) - The three workflow categories to assess before choosing your next strategy

Prepared School Psych Community: https://jennyponzuric.com/prepared-school-psychologist/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=workflow&utm_term=august

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

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I’m looking at one of the biggest energy drains in school psychology: trying to change circumstances that simply are not ours to control.

By sorting our workflow into three categories, control, influence, and no control, we can stop pushing against immovable walls and focus on where our effort can actually make a difference.

I’ll walk through practical examples involving assessment deadlines, evaluation tools, caseload responsibilities, scheduling, and data collection.

I’ll also share a simple exercise to turn frustration into action, advocacy, or permission to let something go. Because honestly, a workable plan feels much better than repeatedly arguing with reality.

Highlights:

(01:45) - Why our workflow frustrations can be more exhausting than the work itself

(03:12) - Recognizing the deadlines and requirements we genuinely cannot control

(05:19) - Using research, relationships, and data to influence district decisions

(07:24) - Finding the parts of your workflow that are actually yours to redesign

(10:38) - Turning three current frustrations into clear next steps

(12:05) - Letting go without giving up on your students or your values

Prepared School Psych Community: https://jennyponzuric.com/prepared-school-psychologist/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=workflow&utm_term=august

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

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I’m exploring what workflow really means in school psychology and special education, because it is far more than a flowchart. From referrals and assessment plans to testing, communication, report writing, and meetings, every evaluation depends on systems that can either reduce friction or create more of it.

I also look at personal workflow, including planning, procrastination, boundaries, and the small habits that quietly shape how manageable your week feels.

Before reaching for another productivity strategy, the first step is identifying the actual problem you are trying to solve.

Highlights:

(01:30) - Why workflow can mean something different to every evaluator

(02:41) - What really happens between referral and the final meeting

(04:20) - The difference between a flowchart and real-life workflow

(05:01) - Recognizing the personal habits that create bottlenecks

(06:35) - Why the wrong productivity strategy can make things worse

(08:08) - Naming the exact problem before choosing a solution

The Prepared School Psych Community: https://jennyponzuric.com/prepared-school-psychologist/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=workflow&utm_term=august

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

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In this episode, I’m sharing what I’m working on for the upcoming school year, including one big announcement I have not shared with many people yet: I’m writing a book.

I’m talking about why I decided to do it, how I’m building in accountability, and why a long runway feels right for this project.

I’m also sharing the four priorities guiding my year: writing, simplification, adventure, and health. This is not about adding more pressure.

It is about creating a life that feels organized, energizing, and sustainable, so I can do meaningful work without spending the whole year simply trying to keep up.

Highlights:

(01:30) - The big announcement I did not expect to make

(02:42) - Why accountability matters for a long-term goal

(04:26) - How simplifying my space helps reduce my mental load

(05:42) - Making room for small adventures throughout the year

(07:12) - Why health has to become a real non-negotiable

(09:03) - How all four priorities support one another

The Prepared School Psych Community: https://jennyponzuric.com/prepared-school-psychologist/

PSW Monthly: https://jennyponzuric.com/pswmonthly/

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

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In this episode, I’m keeping things light with a rapid-fire round of school psychologist “Would You Rather.”

We’re covering everything from full days of IEP meetings and jammed printers to awkward silences, oversized caseloads, and the unique horror of returning from vacation to 400 unread emails.

Play along and see where your answers land. Some choices are practical, some are mildly painful, and a few might reveal more about your school psych personality than you expected.

It’s a fun reminder that even in a demanding profession, there is plenty of humor hiding in the everyday chaos.

Highlights:

(01:30) - FBA or a full day of IEP meetings?

(02:18) - Jammed printer versus permanently empty toner

(03:42) - Public speaking or the world’s most awkward IEP meeting?

(05:11) - Bigger caseload or tougher individual cases?

(06:02) - Two extra summer weeks or protected planning days?

(07:05) - The school psych superpower I would choose every time

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

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Planning is one of my favorite topics, and in this episode, the second to last in my favorite resources series, I'm sharing the tool I use to plan, the steps I take to build a realistic plan instead of just a calendar full of meetings, and a story about a time I completely failed to plan properly.

I explain why a date on a calendar without the groundwork laid out for it is just a deadline waiting to surprise you, the simple rule I use to keep my day honest, and the questions I ask before saying yes to anything new, so I can protect my time and make realistic decisions instead of optimistic ones.

Highlights:

(02:44) - Why my calendar alone isn't a plan

(04:35) - How the 10-minute rule keeps my day honest

(05:23) - What actually needs to happen before that IEP meeting

(06:44) - What saying yes to a college class taught me about planning

(08:03) - The question I ask before taking on anything new

(09:20) - Why an honest calendar beats a beautiful one

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

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Specific Learning Disability evaluations are rarely about one test score or one neat table in a report. In this episode, I’m sharing three resources that help me build stronger, more defensible evaluations: essentials books, ecological validity, and intervention data.

I explain how each resource supports better decision-making, from translating complex processing terms into parent-friendly language to checking whether standardized scores match what teachers, parents, and students are seeing in real life.

Together, these tools help us move beyond isolated data points and create a clearer, more complete picture of the student.

Highlights:

(01:31) - Why SLD remains one of my favorite eligibility areas

(02:19) - How essentials books strengthen your interpretation

(04:39) - What ecological validity actually means

(06:22) - Why one test score should never tell the whole story

(07:31) - How intervention data sharpens eligibility decisions

(09:32) - What to do when intervention data is missing

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

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Other Health Impairment eligibility is not simply a diagnosis, a rating scale, and a struggling student sitting next to each other on the page.

In this episode, I’m breaking the process into three practical questions that help teams move from collecting data to making a clear, defensible decision.

I explore how to distinguish attentional concerns from ADHD-related characteristics, identify how limited strength, vitality, or alertness appears at school, and connect that evidence to educational impact.

The goal is not just to reach a yes or no, but to make the reasoning understandable to everyone involved.

Highlights:

(01:34) - The three-part framework for considering OHI eligibility

(03:31) - Why a diagnosis and off-task behaviour are not enough

(05:20) - Building evidence across settings and over time

(06:59) - How strength, vitality, and alertness look different at school

(10:20) - Connecting the diagnosis, symptoms, and educational impact

(12:38) - Why strong analysis matters more than a checklist

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

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In this episode, I’m kicking off a short series on some of my favorite resources and tools in school psychology. We’re starting with emotional disability, including the different names this eligibility category goes by and why the language can still feel so tricky to interpret.

I share three things I return to again and again: a practical book on identifying and assessing emotional disturbance, the habit of asking better why and how questions, and an FBA-informed approach to gathering meaningful behavior data.

None of these tools are flashy, but they can make complex evaluations clearer, more thoughtful, and much easier to explain with confidence.

Highlights:

(01:25) - Why emotional disability has so many different names

(02:48) - The questions in the criteria that still cause confusion

(03:58) - Why the social maladjustment chapter is such a useful resource

(05:22) - The underrated power of asking better questions

(07:38) - How to connect behavior to educational impact

(09:18) - Why FBA thinking makes ED evaluations stronger

Identifying and Assessing Students with Emotional Disturbance (Tibbetts, 2013)

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

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