Poster Presentations

I'm from the Country of Africa: Adapting Cultural Adjustment Curriculum for Younger Refugee Students-Andrea Alvarado

This poster presentation will provide school psychologists with information on effective practices for providing social-emotional support for newcomer refugee and immigrant students. A description of the process for adapting a cultural adjustment curriculum for elementary students is presented with an emphasis on successful adaptations. Attendees will gain an understanding of both best practices for working with refugee students as well as specific successful adaptations for younger refugee students.

Effectiveness of Truancy Court as an Intervention-Kathleen Carlson, Kaite Haaland, Tiffany Joel, and Jeremy Wilson

While there have been significant strides in school engagement in Colorado during the past ten years, some districts continue to struggle with student engagement and truancy. In this poster presentation, participants will learn about truancy court as an intervention used to re-engage habitually truant students.  A program evaluation was conducted in a large school district in Colorado to examine what impact truancy court has on school attendance and student engagement.  Extensive data were collected to examine the effectiveness of this intervention, and the results will be shared. 

How Mobility Affects Adolescents: Interventions for School Professionals for Integrating Mobile Students and Families-Brittany Johnstone

This poster presentation aims to identify ways that School Professionals and School Psychologists can assist mobile adolescents and their families through the school transition process. It presents data on the prevalence of family mobility during adolescence and the academic and socioemotional effects that mobility can have on students. Finally, this poster presents a few suggestions for a tiered-approach to addressing how schools can work to integrate mobile families and students into the school environment. The poster presents ideas for a New Family Welcome Kit that includes important information for new families entering the school.

The Role of a School Psychologist in Concussion Management-Krista Klabo

Helping current and future school psychologists understand their role in concussion management. Discover resources available that practitioners can access when needed. Learn about current research and how to implement these strategies into your present intervention system.                    

The Effects of Music as an Intervention on the Academic Performance of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Megan Maloy

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurobehavioral disorder characterized by over activity and impulsiveness beyond what is considered normal development.  Early recognition, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD are important to minimize the impact of ADHD on the individual's behavioral, and academic development.  Often, children with ADHD prefer the use of external stimulation, such as the music, while completing homework tasks.  Studies have found that music may have a positive impact on the academic performance of children with ADHD.  This poster presentation will address music as an intervention for ADHD, the research findings, and guidelines for implementation.

A school-based collaborative approach for working with refugee students-Brad Reimers, Robyn Hess

Refugee children enter into schools with many factors placing them at risk for school failure and social isolation. School psychologists and counselors are uniquely qualified to address these needs through implementation of cultural adjustment groups. Cross discipline collaboration, such as through the co-facilitation of cultural adjustment groups, is integral for successfully working within the schools. Attendees will learn about how school psychologists and counselors can bridge their expertise towards serving refugees from a multicultural, evidence-based approach. 

Using Comprehensive Assessment Data To Drive Mental Health Practice-Lee Morgan

4.5 million dollars was allocated to expand mental health throughout the school district over three years.  Within the first year 1.5 million dollars was used to improve student attendance, behavior and academic achievement.   The Mental Health Expansion Initiative is important to the school district because:  mental health services are aligned to address the needs of students with significant behavioral challenges; and it addresses the disproportionate number of African American students overrepresented in discipline referrals.

School Psychologists as Consultants in Curriculum Implementation-Brittany Johnstone, Ron Dolgin, Ariel Haytas

As systematic change is taking place with the implementation of Common Core and other national initiatives, teachers are asked to change their practice without sufficient support or guidance. School psychologists, can support teachers with curriculum implementation through teacher mentoring, curriculum modeling, and constructive feedback. Our research has shown that supporting teachers through implementation of new curricula increases the fidelity of implementation and student outcomes (CAN WE SAY THIS??).  This presentation will focus on skills and strategies that school psychologists can adopt from coaching practices to use with teachers who are implementing new curricula and practices.

A Comparison of In-School Mental Health Practices in China and the United States-Libby Malone, Ariel Haytas, Elizabeth Savage, Gloria Miller, Beilei Li

Three presenters participated in an international practicum placement in Beijing, China through the Child, Family, and School Psychology Department at the University of Denver. Through working with mental health teams at the secondary level in multiple public schools in Beijing, the presenters gained knowledge of the in-school mental health practices and interventions used. This presentation looks at the differences between in-school mental health practices and interventions used in China and the United States. The role of the mental health provider in each country will also be discussed along with the effects of culture on interventions and practice.