24-25 Elementary School Psychologist

School Psychologist Job Description  

About St. HOPE Public Schools 

Since 2003 St. HOPE Public Schools has passionately worked toward the mission of graduating self-motivated, industrious and critical thinking leaders who are committed to serving others, passionate about lifelong learning and prepared to earn a degree from a four-year college. St. HOPE Public Schools includes three charter schools:  PS7 Elementary School, PS7 Middle School, and Sacramento Charter High School located in the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento. 

We’ve raised the bar and our schools are producing extraordinary results with closing the achievement gap and helping our scholars reach their fullest potential. Our student demographics have a much higher percentage of minority and low-income scholars, yet our state testing scores show much better results than District averages. A few examples of how our model is succeeding include:  

• Sacramento Charter High School was recognized by the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) for being the highest performing High School for black students in the state of California.
• PS7 and Sacramento Charter High School were named California Education Champions by the National Action Network for being 2 of 16 predominantly African American schools that performed in the top 25% of all schools in California, and each scored a 10/10 when compared to similar schools.  For context, this year there were a total of 90 predominantly African American schools in California, of which 70 performed in the bottom 25% of all schools.
• PS7 has twice been named a Title 1 Achievement Award winner, and has been recognized as a California Distinguished School and as a federal Blue Ribbon School nominee for its educational outcomes with low-income students.
• In 2020, 93% of Sac High scholars were accepted into four-year colleges and we are proud to have among the highest percentage of scholars admitted to UCs and CSUs in the Sacramento region.  100% of our scholars graduated meeting UC/CSU requirements compared to district and state averages of 44%.  100% of our scholars with an IEP graduated meeting UC/CSU requirements compared to district averages of 12% and state average of 15%.

 At St. HOPE Public schools we believe in the power of the classroom teacher and know that having three years in a row of excellent teaching can overcome the average achievement deficit between low-income scholars and others.  We consistently ground ourselves in this belief and prioritize collaboration so that we are building upon scholar success year after year. Alignment is essential - we work hard to ensure different teachers, grade levels, curriculums, and academic focus areas are all coordinated and working together coherently.  We take the time needed with our teachers to plan out curriculums that transition smoothly across grades, and foster a collaborative work environment with consistent expectations and support across grades and campuses. 

• At PS7 Middle School, our results highlight the power of three years of good teaching. Our 6th graders enter our system with only 9% of our scholars on or above grade level in math compared to the district average of 25%.  Then after spending three years at PS7 Middle that same group of scholars promotes from 8th grade with 48% of scholars on or above grade level in math compared to the district average of 32%. This same trend is evident in English Language Arts with our 6th graders entering our system with 25% on or above grade level and promoting from 8th grade with 57% on or above grade level compared to the district average of 43%.  

In addition to prioritizing academic achievement, we prioritize school culture. We host several engaging scholar and family events throughout the school year, and we seek to provide a well-rounded experience for our scholars with  far more elective courses than are available at traditional schools. We value our teachers and offer every teacher a robust coaching and support plan in order to develop our teachers into the best possible educators. Their daily efforts are what make this learning environment as successful as possible for our scholars. 

In addition to St. HOPE Public Schools, St. HOPE is a family of nonprofits that also stands for economic growth and revitalization.  One of St. HOPE’s most prized development projects in Oak Park is the 40 Acres Art and Culture Center on Broadway unveiled in 2003.  The project involved refurbishing the old Guild Theater and Woodruff Hotel Buildings at 35th street and Broadway, a building that had been vacant.  40 Acres currently includes the Guild Theater, Underground Books, Old Soul Co., twelve loft apartments, and it’s newest addition, Fixins Soul Kitchen.  

Although St. HOPE Public Schools has come a long way in the last 18 years, there is still so much more to accomplish. St. HOPE Public Schools looks forward to continuing its vision of being one of the finest urban TK-12 public school systems in the nation and seeks outstanding individuals who are committed to this journey and willing to do whatever-it-takes to provide our scholars with the best education possible!  Our future depends on it. Our scholars deserve it. 

Ready to Join the Team? 

The ideal candidate will bring passion and grit to the mission and vision of St. HOPE Public Schools and a desire to positively impact the Oak Park community and help close the achievement gap for our scholar population. They will have a willingness to learn, grow and work hard along the way. At St. HOPE Public Schools, we live by five key pillars: 

High Expectations- You not only set the bar high for every scholar, but also for yourself.  You possess a clear vision for what excellence looks like for scholar work, scholar behavior, and your craft. 

Choice & Commitment- You understand how your work impacts life outside of your office or classroom. You wake up every morning and commit yourself to doing what's best for our scholars. 

More Time- You are one of those people that goes above and beyond in all areas of life. Some people may even say you do too much, but you know that more time equals better results. 

Focus on Results- Everything you do is done with purpose because you are dedicated to growth. You believe in data and work tirelessly to reach your goals. You are a problem solver and find feedback empowering. 

Power to Lead- You are a natural influencer. You can't help but train and nurture scholars and peers. People are attracted to you because of the way you equip them to succeed. 

Position Summary 

St. HOPE Public Schools is seeking a highly qualified School Psychologist to join the team! This person must be a results-driven leader who is committed to the SHPS Mission. Key attributes to describe our School Psychologist include: (1) psychoeducational expert; (2) student advocate; (3) relentless achiever; (4) continuous learner; (5) critical thinker; (6) effective communicator; (7) problem solver; and (8) people person with excellent interpersonal skills. 

Candidates must hold the belief that all children can succeed academically and socially and this belief must drive him or her to be relentless in his or her work. 

The School Psychologist reports to the Dean of Instruction and Culture. 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Screen and evaluate referred scholars including selecting appropriate instruments, administering tests, observations, and writing reports which state the evaluation findings and provide for educational program recommendations.
• Participate in the development of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBA), and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP).
• Participate as a member of the multi-disciplinary team and the individualized education program (IEP) team contributing evaluation findings and collaborating on the scholar’s educational plan.
• Provide collaborative consultation and documentation of results including assisting staff with suggestions and implementation of RTI, pre-referral intervention strategies, and providing recommendations and modifications to assist staff in working with special education students in the classroom setting.
• Provide individual and group services to scholars and/or parents that emphasize improved educational performance and/or conduct.
• Consult with parents, teachers, and other appropriate staff regarding the child’s program and any adaptations/materials needed to facilitate improved performance in the classroom or at home.
• Provide direct services through a variety of methods (e.g., Individual or Group Counseling).
• Maintain appropriate data on students to document current levels of performance and other pertinent information. Re-evaluate, as appropriate, to determine the extent of progress and effectiveness of therapy.
• Establish and monitor the necessary caseloads, procedures, and resources to manage school psychologist services to students/staff and work cooperatively to accomplish the goals of the IEP.
• Provide staff training to improve the support of all scholars as appropriate.
• Adhere to the ethical standards and codes of the profession and to the established rules, regulations, and laws governing special education programs. Participate in activities that promote professional development and use clinical/educational research to enhance therapy services.
• Attends and participates in school-wide events both during and after-hours to promote stakeholder engagement and satisfaction
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

Required: 

• Holds a valid PPS credential in the area of School Psychology
• Pass a criminal background check
• Have demonstrated success in the field

Highly Desired (but not required): 

• At least 2 years of full-time relevant experience in an urban, underserved community
• Bilingual speaking, reading, and writing abilities (Spanish)

Knowledge of: 

• All areas of special education including: behavior management techniques, learning theories, curriculum development and vocational development
• Current laws and regulations pertaining to students with disabilities
• Policies and procedures pertaining to IEP’s
• Best practices in assessment
• Microsoft Excel, Word, and Google Docs

Salary

$87,000 starting salary; Signing Bonus offered 

This is a full time exempt position and includes a comprehensive benefits package. 

To Apply 

All candidates for this position must submit the following two pieces of information. Please note you must submit both documents or your application will not be considered. 

1. Resume
2. A thoughtful cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of this position and stating how you heard about this opportunity

Submit the application materials via our website at https://www.sthope.org/public-schools-career-opportunities 

As an equal opportunity employer, SHPS prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying against any protected group, including actual or perceived discrimination, on the basis of the actual or perceived characteristics of age, ancestry, color, disability, ethnic group identification, gender expression, gender identity, gender, marital status, pregnant, parenting or lactating status, genetic information,  nationality, national origin, immigration status, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in any SHPS activity, including hiring and employment.