School Psychologist

Position Summary:Westmark School is a creative and supportive college preparatory school dedicated to educating, empowering, and celebrating students with distinct learning styles, providing the tools necessary to achieve successful and fulfilling futures. Over the past forty years, the school has earned acclaim for transforming the lives of Grades 2–12 students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and other diagnosed language based learning differences (LBLD). Situated in Encino, California,

Westmark School seeks a School Psychologist to lead and manage the Counseling department, provide a comprehensive counseling program, and serve a key role in creating and sustaining an atmosphere of emotional wellness among students. Reporting to the Associate Head of School, the School Psychologist will be expected to demonstrate collaboration, leadership, and advocacy to promote students’ social-emotional and academic success. Westmark School believes that social-emotional learning, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) work are intricately intertwined. The school strives to use restorative and trauma informed practices as a framework for SEL and DEIB within the community. This is a wonderful opportunity for an experienced professional to support students and faculty to foster a positive, engaging, and caring school environment; and overall community well-being and belonging.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Social-Emotional and Behavioral SupportProvides short-term individual student counseling and social pragmatics in grades 7-12. Designs and implements positive behavior support plans for whole classrooms and individual students.Based upon data gathered from observations and evaluations, write social-emotional and behavior-based goals that address a student’s area of identified need.Provides parent/guardian and outside professional consultation; serves as a consultant to parents and guardians to enhance their understanding of cognitive, behavioral, and learning needs; leads and manages research-based parent education workshops related to students’ social-emotional wellness. Uses restorative practices to assist students in resolving conflicts and repairs. Supports the growth of faculty and staff within SEL and restorative practices. Provides classroom-wide instruction in social-emotional learning curriculum (RULER) and human development classes. Assessments, Progress Monitoring, and InterventionObserves students in the classroom, as necessary.Maintains regular contact and monitors identified students; participates in regularly scheduled progress monitoring meetings.Analyze and aggregate data to inform practices and decision making.Gathers and analyzes comprehensive assessment data to provide guidance on the determination of student support plans.Coordinates referrals to other professionals such as speech/language and occupational therapists or community agencies, as necessary.Provides individual summer student screening assessments.Provides support and assistance with student IEPs and learning profiles; makes recommendations to the IEP team based on the findings of each assessment and specific to the identified disability as it relates to classroom performance and access to core curriculum.Ensures that assessment results/reports are presented in a manner that is accessible to parents/guardians and professionals and that clearly articulates the strengths and needs of the student. Department ResponsibilitiesRepresents the Westmark School mission in all interactions within the School community.Manages, evaluates, and mentors the School Counselor for Grades 1-6.Provides both parent education and professional development for faculty and staff. Consults with staff on how to develop and maintain optimal learning environments.Provides consultation and support in curriculum development and implementation.Partners with Marketing and Communications to communicate resources to the School community, as needed.Contributes to a positive school environment that is supportive and reflects a high standard of moral character; actively and positively participates as a team, colleague, and staff member.In collaboration with the Associate Head of School, generates professional and departmental goals, as well as determines a timeline and plan for achieving these goals. Participates in formal evaluations covering all duties and responsibilities.Remains informed of current research and information regarding learning, emotional, and behavioral disorders.Remains informed of the California Department of Education and DSM-5 criteria for handicapping conditions and disorders as well as all federal regulations and state laws as it relates to this field (e.g. timelines, assessment requirements, IEP meeting documentation, etc.).Maintains professional records per California state licensure requirements.Maintains active membership in professional organizations.Prepares reports as required by the Head of School.Maintains and carries out adopted policies by the Administration.Attends all scheduled meetings, including all professional development meetings, mentoring meetings, continuing education seminars, and professional learning community meetings before, during, or after school hours, as required by the Head of SchoolNetworks with community organizations to understand area resources, as well as educates area professionals on topics related to learning disabilities. Maintains the confidentiality of students and their families’ records; reports, notes, conversational meetings, and testing situations.Additional duties, as assigned.

Qualifications Master's degree from an accredited college or university in Educational Psychology or related field.Valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPS) with an authorization in School Psychology. We also welcome applications from school psychologists who are actively pursuing a PPS credential that is anticipated to be cleared by the time of employment.Trained in the assessment and diagnosis of learning disorders, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents.Training in restorative and trauma informed practices preferred. Skilled in interpreting psychological and psycho-educational reports.Excellent interpersonal skills to interact with a variety of people and personalities within and outside of the organization.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit in on meetings and work on a computer for long periods of time; and is regularly required to walk, reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, talk, and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

COVID-19: Westmark School follows Centers for Disease Control and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health protocols for K–12 schools. All faculty and staff are required to be fully vaccinated for the COVID-19 virus, including any booster shots.

Westmark School is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit and job performance. School policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, religion, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical conditions (including genetic characteristics or information), sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, and local laws.