| The Missouri Association of School Psychologists |
Meet the School Psychologist Karah Chapman, a school psychologist for Center School District, is currently Missouri's School Psychologist of the Year! Currently Karah serves as the organization's NASP delegate and is the chair of the Social Justice Committee. What is your role like in Center School District? I work within the special education department leadership to complete evaluations and help support compliance and strong instruction throughout special education in addition to working with district leadership to implement MTSS and Crisis Management support/planning. What inspired you to become a school psychologist? When I was coming to the end of my undergraduate psychology degree, I had a meeting with my advisor to plan my future, she asked me what I was going to do next. I had no idea, so she told me that she did have an idea that would fit me well. She sent me to the high school across the street to meet with the School Psychologist. So I set an appointment with her, and she swooned me with her description of the career and her love for it. I’m forever thankful for that meeting. What is one of the biggest challenges in your role? I would say the biggest challenge I have is wanting to do it all. School Psychologists have a skill set that spans so many facets that its hard to not jump into too many lanes. Share a warm fuzzy moment in your role: There are so many wonderful moments I’ve had over my career so far but recently I received an email from a teacher of a student who i’ve had the pleasure of working with who had a very difficult entry to our school. I spent many hard moments helping him de-escalate and trust. Her email was inviting me to an awards assembly where he was going to be awarded for most improved for his leadership in the classroom, behavior in class and specials. When I read that email my heart grew two sizes, tears welled up and I was reminded in that moment of why we do what we do. Has anything changed after achieving Missouri's School Psychologist of the Year award? I’ve been able to advocate for the field on a broader level. Its brought more awareness to others both those with whom I work daily and the broader community to what School Psychologists do. If you could give advice to yourself when you first started your career, what would it be? I would tell myself to trust in my training but to also know that there is always more to learn, to be patient with others, to listen and focus on building relationships. What is something others may not know about you? The first time I ever flew on an airplane was the summer following my freshman year of high school and it was to attend the National Association of Student Councils conference in Roseville, MN. | MEET THE SCHOOL PSYCH INTERN
What is your role like in Orchard Farm School District? In my current role, I serve learners and teachers by completing special education and gifted programing evaluations and supporting MTSS through consultation and problem solving. A motto I've adopted from grad school...It's all about kids and families! What inspired you to become a school psychologist? I was in my final year of undergrad and didn't know where to go from there. One day, a School Psychology professor presented on the field and I knew it was the best choice for me. I'm so glad I found a role where I get to wear so many different hats to serve others.
I think one of the biggest hurdles in School Psychology in time scarcity. There is always so much to do and prioritizing and being intentional with your time is the best way to overcome it. I've learned to make tasks, no matter how small, time bound and on the calendar. To-do lists without carved out time is a recipe for overwhelm.
One of my favorite moments as a School Psychologist was being invited to a first grade classroom's morning meeting by a student I was working with when they saw my "get to know you" beachball in my office. I learned so much about the students in the class. Moments like these really fill my School Psych bucket.
Continuing to learn and grow as a School Psychologist
Connect with other School Psychologists/School Psychologist Interns. My favorite ways to do this are being involved in MASP and using Twitter; having a social media platform that I use professionally to stay connected has been such a game changer!
In my spare time, I love watching movies and shows with my husband and getting couch time with my puppy, Tango. It's one of my favorite parts of my self-care plan! |
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