FEBRUARY 2021 | ISSUE 4

FEBRUARY
NEWSLETTER
CSULB SPSA OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER

Hello School Psych Family,

IN THIS ISSUE: Happy 2021! (I know its February but usually it takes me a good month
to get into the habit of writing the new year on my papers) I hope
Tips from Brenda everyone had a great start to the semester! If you need some help with
Faculty Spotlight getting a grip on this semester, then our social chair Brenda Hernandez
Psychs to Follow has helpful tips for you. We hope the fieldwork fair was helpful for
SPSA Social everyone and we thank you all for attending! Check out Dr. Shahroozi's
advice for fieldwork in this month's faculty spotlight. If you're like me and
enjoying scrolling through Instagram during study breaks, consider also
checking out some school psychologist accounts to follow.
In honor of Black History Month, check out Reading Rockets list of books you can share with the
children in your lives or at your fieldwork site:
https://www.readingrockets.org/booklists/favorite-books-black-history-month. Also check out a
list of resources curated by NASP to help get the conversation started with students on racism
and inequity: https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-
podcasts/diversity-and-social-justice/social-justice/external-social-justice-resources. And finally
consider looking at the Center for Racial Justice in Education's Black History Month guide for
educators & families: https://centerracialjustice.org/resources/black-history-month-resource-
guide-for-educators-and-families/
If you're looking for a gift for your Valentine, your fieldwork supervisor, or anyone then consider
buying SPSA's sticker. Show off your program pride on your laptops, water bottles, notebooks,
forehead, etc. with a Long Beach School Psychology sticker. Stickers are 2 x 4 inches and are $5
including shipping and handling. The funds from these stickers will be used for the school
psychology program for future events: hosting speakers, fieldwork fairs, and more. Any money
raised will come right back to the department. All stickers will be mailed out within a few weeks of
ordering. If you’re interested, the purchase link is:
https://commerce.cashnet.com/CSULB-SLD2?itemcode=SLD2-SPSA

Got a suggestion for the

next newsletter? Let us
know at
csulb.spsa@gmail.com
 START YOUR SEMESTER AND YEAR STRONG!

By: Brenda Hernandez

HOLA!
I’m Brenda a second-year school
psychology student and SPSA’s social
chair for 2020-2021. With the start of a
new semester and year, I will share
some awesome and helpful resources
for a successful start!
Good luck with your semester! Enjoy
some pictures of my fur baby, Coco ☺

TIME MANAGEMENT
Pomodoro Technique
This is a free resource to help you
stay focused on completing any
task or assignment. It helps me
ignore any distractions for 25-
minute periods, which after we earn
breaks. Find it by Google searching
and clicking on their website link.

SELF-CARE
Mindfulness
Here are a few apps and websites that
offer free mindfulness activities that I
use personally and with students I
provide counseling services.
• Mindful Life Project (both website and
an app)
• Liberate (app that offers meditation
led by folks of color)
 Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Reza Shahroozi

This semester Dr. Shahroozi is teaching our Risk & Resilience course and Consultation & Collaboration. As a current
school psychologist and alum from our program, Dr. Shahroozi is a valuable resource for us and always here to guide
us! Thank you Dr. Shahroozi for participating in this month's faculty spotlight.

What is your favorite thing(s) about being our professor and

being part of our school psych program?
My favorite thing about being a professor in this program is
having the privilege of shaping the hearts and minds of future
school psychologists. I get to weave pieces of my knowledge and
personal and professional experiences into my courses and
lectures. If I've done my job right, at some point in the future,
some of what I shared will enable future school psychologists to
better serve our youth in the schools. Being a part of CSULB's
school psych program is a coming full-circle moment for me
because I get to give back to a program that launched me into a
career that I love and wouldn't trade for anything. I have great
admiration and respect for our past and present faculty, and it is
an honor to teach here.

What's a fun memory you have from graduate school?

There are too many from which to choose, but I'll share two fun
moments: 1) There was the 2010 NASP Conference I attended as a
2nd year student in the program. Shooting the breeze with the
faculty and meeting students from all over the country was a
blast. Bonding with my cohort over slices of Chicago deep-dish
pizza is a memory I'll always cherish. 2) I'll never forget my first
assessment clinic client. She was a young girl with Autism and
laughed hysterically as she kicked me in the shins between
subtests. The fun part was collaborating with Dr. Jim Morrison
(our assessment professor at the time) to construct a test battery
that fit her needs and a behavioral management system to keep
her engaged. I might be dating myself, but the collaboration
times with Jim felt a lot like working with Dr. Greg House to solve
a medical mystery.
 What did you think you would grow up to be when you
were little?
Originally, I had designs on becoming a pediatric surgeon.
I knew early on in my life that I wanted to work with
children, and I was fortunate enough to find school
psychology.

What is your favorite place on campus?

My favorite place on campus is the Community Clinic for Counseling and
Educational Services. I say this because it's where I see the next crop of SP
students meeting their clinic clients and parents and it brings back fond
memories.

In honor of Valentine's Day coming up, if you

could star in any romantic comedy or romantic
movie, which would it be and why?
Haha, now that's a tough question. It would
probably be Groundhog Day (starring Bill
Murray) because true love is selfless...and the
scene where Punxsutawney Phil takes the wheel
of the car is epic.

What advice do you have for first years deciding where they want to do
their practicum?
First years would do well to pick a practicum site where there is a supervisor
who is passionate about teaching and training. This is the time where you
want to learn how to do things the right way. I also think it behooves one to
find a site with diverse populations and the opportunity to witness more than
testing and placing.

What advice do you have for second years applying for internships &
deciding where they want to intern next year?
Second years would also benefit from my previous answer, but on top of that I
would advise that you intern at a district that values you beyond the reports
that you write and students you service. Look for sites and supervisors that
provide formal professional development opportunities, dedicated supervision
hours, and have the willingness to help you grow as a person and as a
professional. Ask these kinds of questions during your interviews because it's
just as important that you evaluate them as much as they evaluate you.
 School Psychs To Follow Online

Tiffany Lee
Instagram: @schoolpsychtiffany
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c/TiffanyLee/featur
ed
The Calming Corner School Psych
Instagram: @thecalmingcornerschoolpsych
Blog: http://www.thecalmcorner.com/

Like That School Psych

Instagram: @like_thatschoolpsych
https://linktr.ee/like_thatschoolpsych

Mrs School Psych

Instagram: @mrsschoolpsych
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn
OKFCgwz28lsk_28Gcc1Zg

Erica
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/c
hannel/UCPP7Afdsd83eaJu
HSPfkK7g

Disclaimer: The accounts listed are merely recommendations by SPSA

& are not in any way endorsed by CSULB's School Psychology program
 School Psychs To Follow Online

Sym the Psych

Instagram:
@acurlyhairedschoolpsych

School Psych Memes

Instagram: @school_psych_memes

School Psyched! Podcast

Website:https://schoolpsychedpodcast.wordpress.com/

School Psych Finds

Instagram: @schoolpsychfinds

The Thriving School Psych

Instagram: @thrivingschoolpsych

Disclaimer: The accounts listed are merely recommendations by SPSA

& are not in any way endorsed by CSULB's School Psychology program

Be sure to follow CSULB SPSA

on Instagram at: @csulb.spsa