Presidential Perspective 
September 2025
Dear ISPA Colleagues,
Happy Fall! I hope you had a wonderful, restful, and rejuvenating summer break. As we transition from our 24-25 year into our new academic year, I hope we can continue the energy from last year of Collaborating for Advocacy as we move forward to this year’s theme of Building Connections, Creating Community.
This theme reflects who we are and where we are going as an association. The ISPA Governing Board is completing a three-year strategic plan, actively working with legislators to make changes that support children’s mental health and address shortages, and is seeking to provide opportunities for members to come together in meaningful ways. This year, we are shifting back to in-person events for both our Fall Conference (November 12-13,2025 in Downers Grove) and Winter Convention (January 14-16,2026 in East Peoria). Connection and community are at the heart of our work.
At this time, I’d like to share ISPA’s two overarching strategic goals, which are Organizational Excellence and Support to School Psychologists, and how they connect to this year’s theme of Building Connections, Creating Community.
By focusing on Organizational Excellence, we hope to strengthen our current leaders and build a pipeline for new leaders by connecting with our members through outreach by your regional director and committee co-chairs. Our organization is made up of your colleagues who volunteer their time in addition to their other professional and personal commitments. Perhaps, at this time, you are being called to become more involved in your state association to ensure its continuity. If so, please reach out so we can connect with you. Here is a link to share your interest: Governing Board Areas of Need.
We are seeking to foster stronger collaborations and partnerships with other key stakeholders in education, mental health, and advocacy to enhance our impact working on behalf of children, youth, and families in Illinois. Our Governmental Affairs Committee members have advanced key legislation such as SB1560, which mandates universal mental health screenings in schools starting in September 2026.
The recent signing of SB1560 for universal mental health screenings in Illinois is an opportunity for us as school psychologists to shine and share our knowledge. This legislation positions Illinois as a national leader in proactive mental health care. In line with our goal of building connections, ISPA has been invited to join the ISBE workgroup guiding statewide implementation. It is wonderful that we have been given a seat at the table to enable us to share our expertise as these frameworks are being built. Our Convention Committee members are already planning conference/convention topics that align with universal mental health screenings, which will be offered at our upcoming in-person events. Our goal is to provide you with workshops and training, so you are equipped to support your districts and schools with tools to successfully carry out SB1560. Through this, we hope to foster communities of practitioners learning and growing together to help promote enhanced support for our students.
To build a sustainable organization, your state association must engage in activities that ensure financial stability. At our June Governing Board meeting, our Budget, Planning, and Development Committee brought to the board a balanced budget for approval. This budget will allow us to continue advocating on behalf of school psychologists in Illinois through our lobbyist, as well as offer high-quality, low-cost professional development.
A key purpose of your state association is to provide support to you as a school psychologist, whether you are a practicing school psychologist, graduate student, or trainer. Our association is only as strong as the connections and collaboration we have with each other. In other words, you matter! And what you do matters because it benefits some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society, the children and youth of our state.
As part of our commitment to providing Support to School Psychologists, ISPA is continuing to provide professional development and continuing education to our members and allied professionals. Our in-person events allow you to stay up to date on evidence-based practices as a school psychologist, and just as important, time to interact and connect with your peers. We want to help you be equipped to address the academic, behavioral, and mental health needs of the diverse groups of students and families you serve. Our goal is to provide you with resources and services that support you in developing your professional identity. Our Career Services Committee members have developed a mentorship program that they rolled out last year and are continuing to build upon this year. ISPA wants to build professional communities of practice that enhance your ability to serve students across the state of Illinois.
A cornerstone of Building Connections, Creating Community is ensuring that ISPA remains relevant and meets the needs of our members. Currently, our regional directors offer member meetings via GoToMeeting to connect with you; for example, they host evening meetings and lunch and learn sessions. Across our state, we have school psychologists working in urban, rural, and suburban settings as well as working with diverse, unique school populations. To that end, ISPA is seeking to better meet your needs by finding members who may be interested in leading targeted professional interest groups for members to meet and connect with each other around common issues. Please go to the following link (Professional Interest Groups) if there is a group you are interested in or might be willing to help lead. I hope that these groups can serve as a space to connect with colleagues who share similar experiences, exchange resources, and build professional communities within our larger ISPA family.
Our strategic goals of Organizational Excellence and Support to School Psychologists through leadership development, collaboration with key stakeholders, advocacy work, financial stability, professional development, mentorship, resources for members that promote academic, mental health, wellness and belonging in schools anchors our work in connection and community by ensuring ISPA remains as a trusted and vibrant professional home for you and your professional growth.
I am honored to serve as the ISPA President this year with the goal of creating sustainability for our organization and providing ongoing support to you so you can in turn support our students. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to students, to each other, and to the future of school psychology in Illinois.
Kind regards,
Kathleen Loomos Ostry, Ph.D.
President, Illinois School Psychologist Association
