Psychologist

Dr. Nina Burleigh

Nina.Burleigh@pgcps.org

WHEN SHOULD I CONTACT A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

BEHAVIORS

• When a student indicates that they are worried about being bullied
• When a student verbalizes they are depressed or show signs of it
• When a student has experienced thoughts about suicide and/or hurting others
• When a student is dealing with a lot of internal family problems (situations like divorce, separations, and death)
• When a student appears to be dealing with identity issues
• When a student demonstrates being stressed and anxious frequently
• When a student is involved with drugs and alcohol
• When a student is talking about dropping out of school
• When a student has intense fears of violence and terrorism
• When a student expresses low self esteem
• When a student is experiencing a change in academic performance
• When a student has difficulty with a relationship with students, adults and persons of authority

ACADEMICS

• When a student is not performing on grade level
• When a student is having difficulty with a particular academic domain
• When a student appears to be having severe learning problems
• When a student is acting out inappropriately
• When a student has a high number of absenteeism from class
• When a student appears unable to stay on task
• When a student does not complete assignments

SERVICES

• ASSESSMENT
• CONSULTATION with teachers, parents school personnel and community professionals
• EDUCATION – Providing workshops and in services on such topics as Crisis Management, working with students who have disabilities, suicide  awareness and prevention programs; Classroom Management Techniques; Evidence Based Learning Strategies; Prevention Of Bullying And Aggression Program; Preventing Child Abduction; Pre-referral Interventions; Social Skills Training; Anger Management Programs; Substance Abuse; Child Abuse Reporting; Sexual Harassment Training; Individual and Group Counseling; Class Observations; Reviewing Medical Records

INTERVENTION

• Help students develop skills to solve conflicts and problems independently
• Provide individual and group counseling for children and families
• Assist students, families, and schools in dealing with crisis and loss
• Teach students social skills, self-management, and coping strategies

PREVENTION

• Identify potential learning difficulties
• Design programs for children at risk for failure
• Provide parents and teachers with the strategies to cope with disruptive behaviors.
• Help foster tolerance, understanding, and appreciation of diversity in the school community
• Develop school-wide initiatives to make schools safer and create a more supportive learning environment

RESEARCH AND PLANNING