Parents and staff urge board to maintain school psychologist after administration signals position will be centralized

Board members and multiple public speakers raised strong objections after the administration disclosed that a school-psychologist position at the high school would be absorbed under the proposed budget.

Board discussion and administration response: a board member asked for the district's plan after seeing letters from high-school English and special-education staff describing the school psychologist's role in evaluations, crisis response and transition planning. The administration said a districtwide plan has been developed by Director of Special Programs and will be shared with cabinet and building administrators; officials repeatedly said the plan is intended to prevent any loss of services. "We have an extensive plan that will cover all of our needs across the entire district so that there will be no loss of service," an administrator said, describing a districtwide reallocation that incorporates social workers, counselors and other staff.

Public comments: several parents and community members said the psychologist's role cannot be fully absorbed without reducing responsiveness and continuity of care. Christine Lenhart, who identified herself as a school counselor and mental-health practitioner, cited professional association ratios and said eliminating the position would raise the district's student-to-psychologist ratio above recommended levels. "The National Association of School Psychologists and the New York State Association of School Psychologists recommends school psychologists to student ratio at approximately 555 to 1. If this cut goes through, our psychologists will have 1,017 students to 1," Lenhart said. Another parent recalled examples of rapid crisis response and transition support provided by the psychologist and asked the board to consider restoring the position.

Why it matters: school psychologists perform assessments, consult on interventions, attend committee meetings and coordinate with external services (for example, pathways to OPWDD and other agencies). Several speakers said those duties are highly specialized and that centralization risks reducing the embedded, day-to-day presence at buildings.

Board options: board members said they would review the administration's plan quickly and consider options, including funding the position through the board's budget process if necessary. One board member noted the board could direct the administration to restructure other lines to maintain the position, and several asked for an expedited update before the April 22 budget vote.

Ending: the administration said it would work quickly and promised a response; community speakers asked the board to retain or restore the position in the final budget.