East Tennessee Internship Opportunities

Lynchburg City Schools ( https://apps2.winocular.com/lynchburgva/jobs/Jobpost.exe )

Posting Date:  9/5/19

Position:  Psychologist Intern (2 Positions) Preschool/Elementary and Preschool/Secondary Focus

Jobs Description: Under the Direct Supervision of a Licensed School Psychologist, the School Psychologist Intern provides the full range of psychological services to schools and centers or to a diagnostic unit.  They systematically collect, analyze, synthesize, and interpret information necessary to guide services such as consultation, counseling, behavioral assessment and intervention planning.  They conduct psychological evaluations in the educational setting. 

Job Qualification:  Must have completed all requirements to function as a School Psychologist Intern as defined by their current College. Must be eligible to begin the one-year internship as prescribed by the college awarding the degree. 

Duties and Responsibilities:  1. Completes psychological evaluations that include as appropriate areas of personal-social adjustment, intelligence-scholastic aptitude, adaptive behavior, language and communication skills, sensory and perceptual-motor functioning, and environmental-cultural influence.
2. Participates in eligibility meetings and process.
3. Consults with school personnel and parents to increase understanding of students.
4. Provides liaison services with community agencies and private practitioners.
5. Provides information/training related to relevant educational needs.
6. Provides crisis and non-crisis interventions.
7. Gathers data and disseminates new knowledge to improve learning and behavior.
8. Assists with analysis and evaluation of data related to effectiveness of educational/behavioral interventions.
9. Models professional and ethical standards appropriate to the profession.
10.Participates in a meaningful and continuous process of professional development.

Employment Information:  10.5 month position. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by this employee. The Psychologist Intern will be required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other related duties as assigned by the principal or appropriate administrator. Lynchburg City Schools reserves the right to update, revise, or change this job description and related duties at any time.

Salary:  $27,000

To access more information and to apply 

 https://apps2.winocular.com/lynchburgva/jobs/Jobpost.exe

Anderson County (ktowe@acs.ac) 

The intern will begin placement at an elementary school setting which will encompass a variety of students with and suspected of disabilities. The school houses multiple programs including inclusion, resource, comprehensive, and a classroom designed to address the needs of students with Autism. Adequate assessment, evaluation, communication, and programming skills will all be important.

Our district attempts to offer a continuum of services to our students and also a continuum of experiences to our school psychologists. Our goal is to not have our psychologists as just "testers" but truly believe in the importance of building relationships in the schools and the communities. The biggest draw to the area is it's scenery. Norris Lake State Park is gorgeous all year round. Proximity to Knoxville and the Great Smokey Mountains is also a great asset.

Blount County (nicole.webb@blountk12.org) 

School psychologist interns work a minimum of 1200 hours (i.e., full-time experience for one school year) and assist their supervisors with the full range of duties under direct training and supervision. Blount County Schools offer a culturally diversified training experience, services at all levels of the public school system, opportunities to attend professional development, and evaluations of the school psychologist intern's performance, competency, and readiness for entry-level practice. Supervision is tailored to individual needs and program requirements. Supervision will include ample direct (in person) supervision, in addition to other supervisory methods (e.g., email, phone) regularly provided. In addition to the minimum requirements of the university and/or NASP, interns in Blount County work closely with their supervisors to learn organizational and time management strategies, to become fully integrated members of their school teams, and to ensure best practices in the services provided. Supervision is typically extensive at the beginning of the internship and is gradually reduced as the intern becomes more independent (while maintaining the required minimum).

The support and supervision offered at Blount County Schools is truly exceptional! It is a wonderful place to work, and we have a great team of school psychologists. We are nestled right up against the Great Smoky Mountains, in the greater Knoxville area. Blount County offers affordable housing, safe, family friendly communities, a growing range of food and entertainment options, and a variety of outdoor activities (e.g., greenways, hiking trails, lake access). Blount County is also within short drives to surrounding cities (e.g., Knoxville, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg) that offer additional attractions and outdoor activities, including the following: McGhee Tyson Airport, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove, Indoor and outdoor waterparks, Dollywood, Sunsphere & Market Square, Neyland Stadium, Farmers Markets, etc.

Blount County Schools in beautiful East Tennessee currently has an opening for a school psychologist intern for the 2019-2020 school year. School psychologist interns will be provided mileage for travel within the district at the district’s standard rate each month. A $25,000 stipend will also be provided. For additional information, please refer to the Intern Application Packet and/or contact Nicole Webb at nicole.webb@blountk12.org.

Link to the Intern Application Packet: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XHlOC7dNrcA7PUpZov3dF_A4s1YrAqkjP89y-Hgyh8U/edit?usp=sharing

Link to district website: http://www.blountk12.org/

Bradley County (rwhite@bradleyschools.org)

Internships with Bradley County Schools would allow for an intern to serve at all levels of education (pre-school -high school). Interns are assigned to one school psychologist for the purposes of supervision and support. However, they are provided a vastly diversified experience and work with other school psychologists to ensure a variety of experiences. Initially, interns have limited autonomy however, with time and supported experience, they have greater autonomy based the supervisors recommendation and their level of comfort. School psychologists are responsible for:

Attending and providing support in general education team meetings, conducting evaluations for eligibility, determination/program planning, conducting screenings for suspected disabilities, completing FBA's and manifestation determinations, providing psychological support services on a routine basis for students with significant social/emotional needs, writing psycho-educational reports, academic achievement testing as well as a variety of other assessments, attend IEP meetings for eligibility and IEP development, attend parent/teacher meetings to discuss concerns regarding developmental, academic and/or social/emotional difficulties, interns are not assigned to specific schools but provided with opportunities among multiple levels to gain a varied experience.

Grainger County (lisasetsor@gcs123.net)

Responsibilities would include conducting meetings, evaluations of all types, Edplan documentation and report writing, interpretation of RTI2 data and behavioral and/or academic consultation. Regarding the question about number of schools, it would depend on how much time an intern would be available to be in Grainger County, but it would probably range from 1-3 schools. There are 7 schools in Grainger County. The level of supervision/autonomy would depend greatly on the intern's level of training and expertise- we would need to know something about them to make such decisions.

Grainger County Schools is a small district and is an excellent area to begin a career. Being a smaller district, there is an opportunity to get a wide range of experiences. There is also the opportunity to build friendships and relationships and to be part of a community. Our current psychologists have many years of experience and have mentored interns in the past.

Hamilton County (petros_kathy@hcde.org)

Currently, we have our interns participating in a cohort that meets with one of the district's assessment facilitators (certified school psychologist that is assigned to district level support). Individually, the interns are assigned to a tenured psychologist serving two schools. This pairing includes 2 hours per week of direct, one-on-one supervision.

In an effort to ensure a well-rounded experience, each intern will have the opportunity to participate in a minimum of two Autism Peer Review presentations and two ED Peer Review presentations per semester. Each intern will have the opportunity to participate in system-wide Ex Ed PD events and school psychology staff meetings / PD. Each intern will have the opportunity to participate in the Southeast Communities of Practice. Each intern will have the opportunity to participate in the quarterly Coffee and Collaboration meetings with the Supervisor of Assessment.

Finally, each intern will have the opportunity to shadow the following psychologists in specialized settings: Wendy Davis, Private / Homeschool Assessment Team, Kristin Cobb, Preschool Assessment Team,  and Linda Davis, Dawn School / Liaison to Psychiatric Hospitals.

We are thankful to have the UT Chattanooga program in our city. This has afforded us the opportunity to support and then employ a large number of interns throughout the years. In terms of our school district, we have a very diverse make-up allowing educators / practitioners the opportunity to grow in areas that may be less familiar to them. It also allows for one to try to match their internship / employment with areas of interest and personal strength. From PK to high school / collegiate hybrid programs (79 school in total), interns in HCDE can access a variety of learning environments.

As a city, Chattanooga is known as the Scenic City for good reason. From hiking the area mountains to paddle boarding the TN River; experiencing new musical acts at Riverbend to participating in art appreciation at the annual 4 Bridges Arts Festival; the city offers much to do!

Hawkins County(angela.jackson@hck12.net)

The Special ed Department Staff meets weekly as a team with the Special Ed Supervisors. During the meeting, we determine which schools each staff member, including the school psychologists, would be assigned to that week. Our school psychologist performs the following job tasks: Testing, IEP Meetings, 4.5 meetings, assisting with conducting FBA meetings, and evaluations. We also provide annual training on CRT. They are also expected to work with students who exhibit aggressive behaviors, consult with teachers and principals as needed, and assist us in providing professional development for our teachers.

We all have a good working relationship. We respect each other as professionals. We are a team effort group of hard working adults. The area is beautiful. We are very close to Knoxville and Johnson City.

Knox County(melissa.massie@knoxschools.org)

Interns would be exposed to the full array of psychological duties in 1-3 schools. They would share schools with a licensed psychologist, providing daily support as long as group and individual supervision on a weekly basis. By second semester, interns would serve a school independently with the same level of support offered but with an autonomous experience.

Knox Co has a staff of 40 psychologists allowing for expertise to develop in individuals. As such, there is exceptional supervision/support opportunities for interns. Further, Knox Co. is a geographically large district serving rural, urban, and suburban areas providing a rich experience for interns. Knoxville is a diverse city with a variety of activities to enjoy during off hours. It is less than an hour from the Smoky Mountains for those who enjoy outdoor recreation.

Kingsport City

Intern will work with 3 district school psychs and Director of Special Ed., office will be located at Admin. Support Center with other school psychs, Assessment exp. Prek - 12, various collaboratives, including one for just school psychs, professional learning, experience with Specialized Learning Environments - responsibilities include Testing, RTI data conferences, School level collaboratives, District level collaboratives, schools - 8 Elementary Schools (3 PreK - 5, 5 K - 5), 2 Middle School (6 - 8), 1 High School (off-site: blended learning site), 1 Alternative School (6 -12), and 1 PreK Center. 

Kingsport is centered in the Tri-Cities, close to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge (Smokey Mtn.), driving Distance of the many state parks and outdoor activities, minor league baseball team, ETSU within 40 min. drive, and driving distance of several state and national parks

Maryville City Schools

The intern would rotate between all 7 schools with the most time allotted for elementary (K-3). He/she would work directly with 3 of the district's psychologists. Interns would be given assessment caseloads to manage under the direct supervision of a licensed psychologist including social skills instruction. The amount of autonomy will depend upon the grade band with the greatest amount of autonomy occurring in 4-7 grades. Intern responsibilities will include social skills instruction, consultation for RTI/behavior, and assessment including report writing.

MCS' expectations of school psychologists are multi-faceted. We expect thorough assessments, well written reports, direct social skills instruction for students on the spectrum, and for psychologists to be members of our special education teams, not just consultants but active participants.

McMinn County (rcreasman@mcminnschools.com)

Direct supervision by Doctoral and Masters level school psychologists. School Psychologist will be assigned a caseload that they will be responsible for from the RTI2 process through IEP development and placement. Opportunity to work with Doctoral level BCBA in developing FBA's and BIP's. The School Psychologist will have the opportunity to work with students in a wide range of grade levels and disabilities. We utilize RTI2 in all grades. Individual schools utilize RTI-B. There will be several opportunities for professional development. Our psychologists attend several several conferences each year and are responsible for disseminating information to staff. They also are involved in leading trainings for staff. Involvement in district-wide planning for both general and special education services. Serve in a quasi-supervisory role with SPED teachers in the schools. Involvement in threat assessments when necessary.

We are a rural system but are blessed with access to resources which allow us to provide necessary services to our students. We are a very technologically advanced system and use those resources to provide educational opportunities to our students. We have 7 elementary schools (Pre-K - 8TH) and 2 high schools. Our schools are very community oriented with a lot of parental involvement. We serve about 6000 students, 1000+/- SPED students. There are many opportunities for outdoor activities such as The Smoky Mountains, Cherokee National Forest, Ocoee Whitewater Rafting, Hiwassee River Rafting, Watts Bar Lake (fishing/boating) and lots of areas to hike. Each of these are within a 1-2 hour drive from our location. We are less than a one hour drive to Knoxville or Chattanooga and within 3 hour drive of professional sports in Atlanta and Nashville. Small town environment that is close to big time entertainment.

Meigs County (david@meigsboe.net)

Past interns have been very successful. Interns are provided with detailed and complete supervision., They receive a variety of situations in which to learn throughout the PK thru 12 grade range.

Rural small, but near major cities. Great support from administration and staff.

Monroe County 

2-3 assigned schools. We prefer to provide direct oversight for a brief period of time then transition to the intern working autonomously to get a better feel of what a full-time School Psychology position would be like. We strive to provide a very well-rounded placement and include interns in all staff development trainings/conferences, etc. We pride ourselves on giving interns the most welcoming and most outstanding placement possible.

We are a small, rural district but have amazing resources available to support our students and staff. The Special Education Supervisor is a trained School Psychologist and understands the workload and decisions that must be made by School Psychologists. Our Central Office team (which includes our interns) is very team-oriented and provides a wealth of support to every team member. We enjoy having interns and have found that 100% of our previous interns report the internship with Monroe County as a wonderful learning opportunity and each has made it known that they would love the opportunity to work in Monroe County full-time.

Oak Ridge Schools (mjhebrard@ortn.edu)

The scope of the internship would include experience in all of our schools, with an experienced school psychologist. From the preschool to the high school, new staff members need a wealth of experience to meet the needs of a future position. Availability to work in a confidential setting, or within the same space of current school psychs, is available. School psychs work closely with the RTI process, assess students, serve on the team for an IEP, and assist teachers with behavior concerns by conducting direct and indirect observations.

High expectations of students and schools from our parents and community. High achieving schools. Very competitive pay with top districts in the state. Great opportunity for professional growth, practical experience, and hands-on student experiences.

Polk County

Potential School Psychology interns would shadow an experienced school psychologist and at times, toward the end of the internship, be allowed to handle some cases independently with review from supervisor.

Lots of outdoor activities. Close proximity to Chattanooga and Knoxville

Rhea County (kellyleann@rheacounty.org)

Internship in Rhea County would give the intern a variety of experiences at each tier (elementary, middle, and high school). There are 4 Elementary Schools, Two Middle Schools and one High School. Examples of experiences the intern would get: Participating in IEP team meetings, assessing students using a variety of instruments, help problem solve RTI data issues and interventions, assist with FBAs and BIPs,  assist with Child Find activities - Fun Day for Pre-K students (county wide), and screen 4th grade students for giftedness, and learn how to use the I-Ready assessment and EasyCBM.

Rhea County is nestled at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in the Tennessee River Valley. There are many outdoor activities to do in the county from boating on the Tennessee River, world class waterways for fishing, to hiking in Pocket Wilderness.

Rhea County Courthouse and Scopes Trial Museum:

• Without a doubt, Dayton's biggest claim to fame is the trial of John T. Scopes. This prominent case is sometimes called "The Scopes Monkey Trial" in reference to the debate over the teaching of evolution in public schools.

The site of the 1925 Scopes Evolution Trial, the Rhea County Courthouse is now a National Historic Landmark housing the Scopes Trial Museum. Inside you'll find photos from the trial, information about its key players, creation vs. evolution and other local history. Courtroom tours are available. The Courthouse is at the intersection of Market Street and Hwy 30.

• Watts Bar Lake & Dam

The sprawling 38,000-acre lake above Watts Bar Dam is one of the state's best sport fishing areas whether you like to fish a bobber for bluegill or bream, cast plugs for feisty bass or set your hook into giant rockfish. The area provides sport fishing, rustic camping, water sports, picnic facilities and hiking trails. Nestled near the majestic Cumberland Mountains, Watts Bar Lake features 783 miles of shoreline and provides the largest inland nesting population of ospreys in the Southeast. Ospreys nest May-July concentrated between the Euchee Boat Dock and Thief Neck Island. Concentrations of great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, and great egrets may be seen near Long Island. Waterfowl and bald eagles are common in winter and be sure to look for white-tailed deer, raccoon, woodchuck, muskrat, fox, mink, skunk and coyote.

• Cherokee Removal Memorial Park

A short drive east across the highway 60 bridge brings you to the historic Cherokee Removal Park, one of the main staging areas for the Trail of Tears. In 1938 approximately 9,000 Cherokees and Creeks camped here waiting to cross the Tennessee River at Blythe Ferry. In 1998 Joe Byrd, then Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, visited Hiwassee Refuge marking the initial dedication. Phase I including the boardwalk and wildlife overlooks at the top of the bluff are complete and open year-round. Phase II includes the Visitor's Center which is now open, though staffing fluctuates and the Cherokee Genealogical Library. Phase III is a granite Memorial Wall. The park is open from sunrise to sunset and admission is free.

Scott County (debby.sexton@scottcounty.net)

We have five PK-8, one 5-8 middle school and one high school in our district. The school psychologist would be ask to go to a PK-8 schools as needed and also the high school inorder to experience all grade levels. The intern would have total supervision at the beginning of internship to insure all the rules and procedures were followed and to see the routine of the school psychologist. Autonomy would be given to the intern as much as could be manage. The responsibilities of the School Psychologist in our district consist of evaluation/assessment, attending eligibility meeting, completing reevaluation paperwork, doing classroom observations, providing guidance to the RTI teams, data teams, and all teachers when needed. In the summer and staff development days, school psychologist are ask to participate in staff development training for regular and special education teachers.

We are a small community, very welcoming and friendly. We do have a very high percentage of our students that are socially economically disadvantaged. Everyone pulls together/supports each other when there is a need in our schools and/or community. We are nestled in the mountains with the Big South Park being in part of our county. There are many areas available for hiking and horseback riding. Our county is 75 miles north of Knoxville.

Sequatchie County (Aharper@sequatchie.k12.tn.us)

The intern would serve in 3 schools: 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high school. WE currently have 2 school psychologists, an assistant, and an intern. The 2 school psychologists have broken their caseloads up where one handles behavior and the other address learning disabilities. The intern could choose who they would like to study up or do a rotation of the two sections.

We are only 40 minutes away from downtown Chattanooga and 2 hours away from Nashville. We have all of our schools on 1 campus and have the opportunity to give someone a look at a rural district.

Sevier County (sandyenloe@sevier.org)

Our school psychologists are primarily involved in evaluation activities. This includes initial evaluations and re-evaluations in the area of special education eligibility and programming. The school psychologists are part of the pre-referral process and the Response to Intervention process. Our school psychologists are also involved with daily consultation activities.

Sevier County has 28 schools offering a variety of settings including K-8, primary, intermediate, high school,one alternative school, a therapeutic based school and pre-school classes. We have 3 specialists who assist with children who have behavior difficulties or have been diagnosed with autism. There are also designated individuals to support behavioral and academic intervention, as well as student programming. As a department, we have established special education RTI-B and structured behavioral/emotional/social instruction. The schools in the system are participating in school-wide behavior support rograms specifically developed by each building.

In the area there is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which offers many outdoor activities and sites to see. The Arts and Craft Community and the Arrowmont School of Arts are located in our school district. Arrowmont offers classes on various types of artistic pursuits. Also in the area, there are numerous restaurants and shopping experiences available. The Dollywood theme park is located in Sevier County. We also have several convention centers which hosts many conventions and exhibitions.

Sweetwater City (nancy.crabtree@scstn.net)

There are four schools serving students preK through 8th grade in the school district. The psychologist and/or intern would go to any of the schools depending on the need (evaluations, re-evaluations, parent/teacher meetings, behavior plans, and/or consultations). Typically, the school psychologist has regular and frequent (daily) contact with the intern at the beginning of the year. As the year progresses and the intern's skills improve, the school psychologist will continue regular supervision, but face to face contact will decrease. The intern will also have more autonomy (i.e. holding meetings independently). The intern's responsibilities will be similar to those carried out by a certified school psychologist.

The school system is a small rural district with only four schools. An intern is typically viewed as one of the regular staff members at the schools. the intern also becomes very familiar with many of the school system's staff. Since the system is small, the supervisor is also very familiar with many of the cases and families. This helps when situations arise and parents need to be contacted.