2024 ISPA Annual Virtual Convention

Registration is Opening Soon!

Please join us for the ISPA Annual Virtual Convention. 

 

Registration Cost

  ISPA Member Student/Intern/Retiree NonMember
Single Day $95.00 $50.00 $135.00
Both Days $155.00 $80.00 $200.00

 


For check payment: MAIL completed form to ISPA Convention, Department 4651, Carol Stream, IL 60122-4651
For credit card payment: FAX completed form to (847)864-7580 or EMAIL [email protected]
Purchase Orders are not accepted.

Please contact Shirley Pitts at [email protected] with any registration changes or cancellations.



 
Printable Registration

Cancellation Policy

ISPA will attempt to honor all requests.  Refunds (less $25 administrative fee) are only available through March 6, 2024.  No refunds will be issued after this date.  Refunds will be issued 3 weeks following the close of the event in the form of original payment.  All cancellation and changes must be made to in writing to  [email protected] No cancellations will be accepted by phone. 

Workshop Information

Presenter Bios
 

 

Thursday, March 14, 2024
8:00am - 9:30am

Workshop 1: Party of One? No Problem! How YOU Can Build Safe, Affirming, and Supportive School Climates for LGBTQIA+ Students and Families(1.5 PD Credit)

Presented by Julie Herbstrith, Ph.D.

This workshop will present individual and systems approaches to supporting LGBTQIA+ children and families. Participants will be provided with the knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to help them facilitate positive relations with LGBTQIA+ students and families. Practitioners will be provided a safe, open space to learn and ask questions about LGBTQIA+ issues, which will facilitate their ability to create an authentic, informed dialogue with students and families who belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition, participants will learn how to leverage psychological principles to facilitate systems change in schools.

10:00am -11:30am

Workshop 2: Keeping Up with New Technology in Practice: Intro to AI, VR, and Wearables (1.5 PD Credit)
Presented by Dan Florell, Ph.D., NCSP

Abstract:

Rapid technological changes have come in just the past couple of years leaving practitioners with a bewildering array of products to choose from and use in practice. A small sample of these technologies include artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and wearable technology. This webinar will keep practitioners in the loop of the major changes in technology by introducing these technologies and helping them to envision how they might be incorporated into their practice.   

Learning Objectives:

Based on the content of this workshop, attendees will be able to:

  • Explain ways that virtual reality can be integrated into assessment and counseling services.

  • Describe how artificial intelligence can be incorporated into practice.

  • Incorporate wearable devices into service provision and understand the information these devices provide.

11:30am- 12:30pm

Lunch / Awards

 

12:30pm - 2:00pm

Workshop 3: Changing the Game in ADHD Treatment: Why Medication is not the First, Only, or Best Option (1.5 PD Credit)
Presented by Charles A. Barrett, Ph.D., NCSP

This interactive session will review evidence-based behavioral treatment options for students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  Particular emphasis will be given to how assessment findings can inform treatment options.  Because school psychologists serve a consultative role, suggestions for interventions that can be implemented at home will also be provided.  Brief attention will be given to the evaluation process, including the importance of using a broad ecological perspective to rule out alternative explanations for children’s behavior, and the role of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) as a tier 3 intervention to support students prior to special education eligibility.

Learner Objectives

  1. After this session, attendees will know a variety of behavioral treatment options that can be implemented at school or at home for children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

  2. After this session, attendees will know how to use assessment data to inform intervention options for children with ADHD.

  3. After this session, attendees will understand how to use a broad ecological perspective to rule out alternative explanations for children’s behavior.

  4. After this session, attendees will understand the role of Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) as a tier 3 intervention to support students prior to special education eligibility.

2:30pm - 4:00pm

Workshop 4: I'm Rubber and You're Glue: Helping families build fortitude and resilience  (1.5 PD Credit)  

Presented by Dr. Ray Kotwicki, MD, MPH, DFAPA

This course will include a deep dive into the factors that confer resilience to developing human beings.  Data from trauma research and historical disasters will inform principles for educators, caregivers, and clinicians working with clients / patients who need to cultivate resilience.  At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
1) Define the term resilience and apply it to psychological development.

2) Describe the stress - diathesis model and how nature and nurture interact to confer vulnerability and           
    resilience, and may lead to mental illnesses.

3) Outline practical strategies and interventions to help students and families maximize resilience and prevent
     related sequelae of psychological distress.
 

 

Friday, March 15, 2024

8:00am - 9:30am

 

 

 

 

Workshop 1: Evidence-Based Assessment and Clinical Decision-Making in School Psychology (1.5 PD Credit)

Presented by W. Joel Schneider, Ph.D.

 Description: Surveys continue to indicate the practitioners allocate the hulk of their time to clinical assessment and related activities. Through applied examples, strategies for enhancing confidant clinical decision-making via the evidence-based assessment framework will be outlined.

10:00am -11:30am

Workshop 2: Explaining Testing Results to Kids (and their families!) (1.5 PD Credit)


Presented by  Liz Angoff, Ph.D.

Description:

Talking to kids about learning and developmental differences is tricky!  Yet, if we do not have these conversations with our children, they tend to create their own narratives for why things are hard - and these narratives are often negative and isolating.  As a result, too many children face anxiety and depression on top of their learning challenges.  School Psychologists are in a unique position to help kids change this narrative and their relationship to learning - for life.

In this workshop, you will learn a 4-step approach to helping children develop an accurate and hopeful self-narrative, using empowering and personalized language to explain a diagnosis or difference to the children you work with.  This approach builds on research looking at how to talk to young people about their differences using collaborative, growth-mindset, and neurodiversity-affirming frameworks to show them the power of their amazing brains! 

11:30am -12:30pm
  

Lunch 

 

12:30pm - 2:00pm

Workshop 3: Navigating the Complexities of Autism Assessment (1.5 PD Credit)
Presented by  Dr. Ray W. Christner, Psy.D., NCSP, ABPP

 

Description

In the evolving landscape of adult autism understanding, clinicians are increasingly encountering referrals to assess the presence of adult autism.  Overlapping symptoms and differences, including coexisting conditions, often compound this intricate process and present a challenge in achieving accurate identification.  Misdiagnosis or misinterpretation of symptoms and differences can lead to unsuitable interventions and support, thereby impacting the quality of care.  This webinar aims to delve into the art and science of assessing adult autism, with a focus on maintaining diagnostic standards and embracing neurodivergent-affirming practices.  This will include a discussion of using standardized measures and collaborating with the individual to understand their experiences.  Utilizing two case examples, the presenter will offer insights into differentiating autism from other conditions, ensuring a thorough and empathetic approach to diagnosis and subsequent recommendations for intervention and support.

As the understanding of autism continues to evolve, school psychologists are more frequently faced with the task of evaluating the existence of autism.  The complexity of this task is heightened by overlapping symptoms and differences, including the presence of coexisting conditions, making the accurate identification of autism a challenging endeavor.  Incorrect identification or misinterpretation of these symptoms and differences can result in inappropriate interventions and support, adversely affecting the standard of care and education.  This webinar is designed to explore the nuanced art and science of evaluating autism, emphasizing the importance of upholding diagnostic standards while adopting practices that affirm neurodiversity.  It will cover the use of standardized assessment tools and the importance of working closely with individuals, families, and school staff to grasp the unique experiences of the individual student.  Through the examination of a case study, the presenter will share insights on distinguishing autism from other conditions, advocating for a comprehensive and compassionate approach to identifying autism, and offering guidance on interventions and support tailored to the individual’s needs.

Learning Objectives

Those attending this webinar will be able to:

  1. Identify components of a comprehensive evaluation process to evaluate autism and explore differential diagnosis.

  2. Discuss the integration of neurodivergent-affirming and standard assessment approaches for a comprehensive, respectful, and supportive evaluation.

  3. Use evaluation data and collaboration to identify support, accommodation, and intervention options. 

2:30pm - 4:00 pm

Workshop 4: A Season for Champions (1.5 PD Credit)

Presented by Andrea Clyne, Ph.D., LP

This session will celebrate school psychologists as champions for children and for schools, focusing on our strength, empowerment, and capacity for growth. At a time when the mental health and academic needs of children and youth are at an all-time high, the services of school psychologists are more relevant and necessary than ever. Continuing to show up for children and families during seasons of struggle reveals school psychologists as champions.

Learning objectives:

  • Explore your identity as a school psychologist and reaffirm a deep purpose in your work.

  • Learn ways to cultivate your agency as a champion for children and youth.

  • Identify practices that support school climate improvement so that staff morale is boosted and students experience belonging and inspiration at school.