School Psychology Updates: October 1, 2021

OCTOBER: A month of many relevant awareness topics!

Please see the October calendar below from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). This resource can be a useful planning tool for celebrations and advocacy throughout the month. To plan for the entire year, view the full calendar by CLICKING HERE.

Spotlight on Learning Disabilities: Dyslexia Awareness Month!

For additional information and resources to support students with dyslexia:

• Check out these facts sheets on dyslexia
• Read stories from people living with dyslexia
• Complete the Demystifying Dyslexia Course
• Check out NC DPI's Science of Reading page!

2021 Exceptional Children Educator of Excellence Nominations:

The 2021 Educator of Excellence nomination process is open.

Please see the memo linked on the right for additional details. 

Nominations due by 10/08!

Website Updates!

NC DPI Exceptional Children Division has recently updated their webpage.

• How do I find the Exceptional Children Division page?
  • From the DPI Main page, click on Districts and Schools > Classroom Resources > Exceptional Children
• Where is the school psychology page from here?
  • From the EC Division page, click on Resources for Unique Needs > School Psychology

UPCOMING Professional Learning Opportunities:

	2021 SEL Exchange Virtual Summit Beyond Talk: Building Tomorrow Together October 14, 2021 Registration and agenda
NCSPA Hybrid 2021 Fall Conference: Making a Difference: Prioritizing Equity and Access in Comprehensive Services October 24 - 26, 2021 Registration is now open!
	2021 70th Conference on Exceptional Children November 17 - 19, 2021 Call for proposals is still open: These sessions will be held on Thursday, November 18, and Friday, November 19. Please visit the following link for more information and to submit a proposal: bit.ly/70thCallForProposals Koury Convention Center, Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons Registration Available September 15, 2021 This year’s theme is: “Going Platinum: Honoring the Past, Treasuring the Present, Shaping the Future.”
What participants are saying about our self-paced, online SLD course:  "Completing the case study in sections as I learned about each particular section was so helpful" "The interactive pieces of the videos were really helpful and helped me stay engaged" "I loved being able to work at my own pace and learn this new model" "I liked having the notes to print and save for later use. Very informative" "Being able to walk through the PD at my own pace, rewind, reread...take my time to really understand the content"	ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO ALL EDUCATORS!    Click on the picture below to get started today

SLD Resources to Support Practice:

If it's been a while since you've visited these resources, or, if you are having challenges finding them, please visit the pages below for these useful tools and resources to support effective evaluation and identification practices.

SLD Policy and Resources on NCDPI's Exceptional Children website Specific Learning Disability Resource page on the School Psychology website

Legislative Updates:

STAY TUNED - Funding appropriations for the 2021-2022 fiscal year appear to be close!

Subscribe to the Legislative Updates Listserv

Visit the K-12 Education Legislation and Reports page for additional updates

To stay informed and get involved in the advocacy efforts of school psychologists on behalf of students in NC public schools, visit NCSPA's Advocacy webpage and stay tuned in to their regular legislative alerts.