Middle Tennessee Internship Opportunities

Cannon County (audrey.james@ccstn.net)

The intern would be supervised by our in house psychologist and the Special Ed Supervisor. Number of schools and work load will depend on the individual's abilities. Our psychologist takes care of all referrals for special ed. She completed assessments and re-evaluations as needed. She is stretched very thin and many times has trouble finding time to interpret the test results for parents and teachers.

Small rural setting. Our schools are K-8 schools with only one high school. There is not s lot of traffic.

DeKalb County (sheahennessee@dekalbschools.net)

There are five schools in our district. We currently have two full time psychologists. Each psychologist is responsible for all initial paperwork and reevaluation paperwork at two separate schools. The fifth school is split between the two psychologists with one doing initial paperwork and the other completing reevaluation paperwork.

If we were granted an intern, the work load would be reassigned to best fit all three psychologists. More than likely with the intern taking over at the K-2 school with initial paperwork. Supervision would be set up as a weekly meeting to offer assistance, answer any questions, and review paperwork.

As a small district, we are able to provide extensive support and communication between psychologists, administration, and teachers. Nobody is ever lost in the shuffle feeling unsupported.

Dickson County (tlee@dcbe.org)

An intern in Dickson County would follow a progressive path from close supervision at the beginning of the year to limited supervision at the end of the school year. The intern at that time would complete all activities as the other school psychologists in the county. Depending on the intern's capabilities, a school or schools would be assigned as the school year progresses. A range of school psychological services are offered in Dickson County. The intern would be expected to provide these services in the schools.

Dickson County has a history of working with school psychology interns. We have been successful in developing these interns to their fullest potential. Dickson County gives you a "hometown feel" within driving distance from larger cities.

Franklin County (toby.guinn@fcstn.net)

We would make sure that the student had a diversified experience.

Located between three major cities: Huntsville, Chattanooga and Murfreesboro/Nashville

Convenient via interstate I-24 from Chattanooga or Murfreesboro/Nashville area

Large lakes (Tims Ford/AEDC), lots of hiking trails (Sewanee Domain) and Tims Ford State Park. Jack Nicholson Golf Course (Tims Ford)

Franklin Special School District (farrareli@fssd.org)

Our interns observes and gains different perspectives from all six school psychs, but they have one supervisor who coordinates all of the responsibilities. The intern attends all meetings - district level as well as school level - with the school psychologist. They are also an integral part of the School Psychologist PLC which meets every two weeks. After the semester break, the intern "takes over" at one school with less supervision than the first semester. Our school psychologists are integral members of the Academic/Behavior Support Team (ABST) at each school. They attend all pre-referral meetings, eligibility and IEP meetings. They complete all testing and observations for students in the referral process and complete fidelity checks on all students in Tier 3.

FSSD has unique demographics with a 40% free and reduce lunch population in the middle of a very affluent county/city. Franklin Special has "the highest of the high and the lowest of the low" from a socio-economic standpoint. Due to the excellence of the district, FSSD attracts many families with students with severe disabilities - especially autism. Teacher/staff retention is high.

Hickman County (julia.thomasson@hickmank12.org)

An intern would observe and shadow a school psychologist as they cover 4 schools. As the school psychologist deems appropriate; intern will be testing students, writing reports, participate in supervisor review, conduct meetings and review reports to team, etc.

Close proximity to Williamson and Dickson Counties, but rural with small school atmosphere in all schools

Jackson County (jmcallister@jacksoncoschools.com)

We have 4 schools. The intern under the direction on the school psychologist would work in all schools attending data team meetings, s-teams, administering assessments, writing reports, collaborating with teachers and attending IEP team meetings. 

We are a small district nestled between Nashville and Cookeville. We have wonderful professionals that are always willing to help each other and we provide a quality education to our students.

Lawrence County (kmartin@lcss.us)

Lawrence County School District is comprised of 12 schools. We currently employ 2 full time school psychologists with the intention of adding at least 2 more in the near future. An intern with our district would be assigned 4 district schools under the supervision of our 2 school psychologists who both have over 20 years experience with our district. The intern will conduct assessments, write reports, and attend meetings under the direction of the school psychologists.

Lawrence County School District is located in a rural county on the Tennessee/Alabama border. We are a growing community with many businesses moving in over the past few years. Our community is student and family friendly with a close knit family vibe throughout the school district.

Lebanon Special School District (lynn.cable@lssd.org)

LSSD has 6 schools serving grades PK-8 with approximately 500 SWD. We have unique situation her in that the school psych primarily assesses while the three Ed Specialist and Director of Special Education assist with Achievement testing, and pieces and parts of assessments per disability (One Specialist is trained in ADOS, S/L, all three assist with parent interviews, achievement testing, etc). The Educational Specialists typically interpret the test results as well as educational implications. The School Psych compiles all reports, reviews eligibility assessment docs and attends Elgi/IEP meetings upon request. Given an intern, we would make all of these practices available to the person. The Ed. Specialists are school based. This candidate could shadow and then take on responsibilities under their guidance as well as while working hand in hand with the School Psych insofar as testing and reporting. This would be a unique opportunity for an individual!

LSSD is a small district with six schools and a diverse population of approximately 3,900 students. Our community plays an important role in our schools. We are on the forefront of technology with 1:1ratio of devices to students (chrome books and iPad devices). We are a Level 5 District for the 6th year in a row by showing growth for ALL students. The District is Committed to a Community of Excellence and this is supported through effective teaching practices across all schools.

Marshall County

Marshall County has an internship that will allow an intern to experience a K-12 opportunity. During the internship the intern will work with a National Board Certified School Psychologist. We have a trained team that administers the ADOS when needed. We have a catalog of testing instruments that are industry standard. The intern will have the opportunity to experience all aspects of a school psychologist's responsibilities from initial observations, pre-referral strategies, testing, eligibility reports, and parent and school meetings

Rural area but 45 minutes to Franklin/Cool Springs or 45 minutes to Huntsville

Marshall County has an amazing Recreation center

Marshall County has two golf courses

Marshall County has some of the best local restaurants with great food choices.

We have MANY welcoming Churches and local activities

Different times throughout the year we have horse shows, baseball, tractor pull, and most of all the national Goat Fest.

Maury County (lventura@mauryk12.org)

Our school psychologists are responsible for all eligibility and re-evaluation needs of SWDS. The psychologists are also a critical component of our RTII and RTIB teams. The school psychologists are also called upon as "first responders" in times of crisis & tragedy.

Our school psychologists are on an administrative payscale, so our pay & benefits package is excellent. The county itself is growing and has become an attractive arts district with great community events and nightlife.

Metro Nashville Public Schools (Tieawasa.Hodack@mnps.org)

Our interns are assigned to highly qualified supervisors who, in turn, ensure the intern has rotations of all major areas such as high school, elementary school, pre-school, middle school, special day school medical, special day school behavior, high English Language Learner schools, urban schools, rural/suburban schools. The first half of the year is spent immersed in theory and practice. Interns participate in meetings and assessment of students under the direct supervision of a licensed psychologist. During the second semester, interns are assigned to 1 large school or 2 small schools to work with more autonomy in applying what they have learned the first semester, with decreasing direct supervision but still some supervision. They pick up consent and plan evaluations, as well as conduct the assessment and complete a psychological report. They participate in MTSS through data team meetings and quadrant meetings, along side the school psychologists.

We offer a comprehensive internship program designed to prepare out interns for employment and self-sufficiency and success as first-year psychologists.We are an urban district with all of the issues such as poor achievement, behavioral issues, and graduation rate that goes along with urban schools. We are also a high English Language Learner district, so our district has a focus on assessment of EL students that our interns learn while they are with us. We have a very strong professional development program from NASP approved PD to PLC opportunities.

Overton County

We have two school psychologist covering 7 schools. We have had an increase in our 3 year old referrals (from TEIS) and that would be an area where an intern would likely be assisting. Also, we have several students in lower grades who are qualified as speech who are beginning to need more services as they progress in school. That is another area where more testing is needed. All in all it is the lower elementary grades where we would likely utilize an intern.

Once they 'learn the ropes' of our system and have demonstrated competency they would be given their own set of students to evaluate. That is the way it was handled in the past here and it worked well. They would have the current psychologists to consult with as needed.

We are small town, rural community with family values. Maybe that isn't unique, but it is special to me. It is a good place to raise your family.

Smith County (hembreel@smithcoedu.net)Van Buren

An intern would be working close to the school psychologist with a great opportunity to cover every area of the field with students ranging from 3-22 years old.

Smith County is very close to the interstate. It is located in middle Tennessee in between Lebanon and Cookeville.

Sumner County (norma.dam@sumnerschools.org)

School psychologists in Sumner County Schools engage in assessment and consultation with parents and school staff. We participate in a variety of school problems solving teams, including data team meetings, student support team meetings and case management. Most school psychologists have 2-3 schools on their schedule. The school psychology intern will have experiences working with students from preschool through high school. There are opportunities for independence and management of an individual school. We are flexible and able to provide opportunities based on the interests of the intern.

Sumner County is an easy commute from Nashville. This is a large county with a diverse population. The Pupil Services Department in Sumner County has a variety of supports available for school staff, including behavior and autism consultants. Special education coordinators work closely with school psychologists and provide guidance as needed on legal and procedural questions. The school psychology team meets regularly to collaborate and consult on cases or concerns.

Van Buren County (BakerV1@vanburenschools.org)

Our district has one elementary school with preschool, one middle and high school. The schools are located on the same campus and the elementary and middle/high school buildings are actually connected. The preschool building is located just across the parking area within easy walking distance. We have one school psychologist who works with all age groups in the district. The school psychologist conducts assessments with students who have been referred, collaborates with teachers, administrators, and parents as needed for academic, social, and behavioral concerns of students. The school psychologist intern will collaborate with the district's school psychologist and special education supervisor to develop their role with assignments as an intern in the district such as assisting with testing/evaluations, behavioral interventions, and collaborating with teachers as a member of the data team as well as assisting with the implementation of various intervention strategies regarding identified student performance needs.

Our school district is located in mountains of the Upper Cumberland area. It is a beautiful area to live and work. There are also several tourist attractions to visit such as state parks with a variety of activities within less than 50 miles driving distances. We are a rural school district with all our schools located on one campus within walking distance of each building. Due to being a smaller district, opportunities exist for more individual interaction with students, parents, and teachers making the work of the school psychologist more personal with the potential for meaningful results and follow-up with each stakeholder.White County has 8 schools, one high school, one middle school and 6 elementary. The intern would divide his/her time with our school psychologist. Duties would be attending IEP meetings, reviewing test materials and testing of students.

Wayne County (kristy.prince@waynetn.net)

We have 7 schools (2 Elemetary, 2 Middle, 2 High, and 1 PreK-12). The school psychology responsibilities consist of evaluation, program design, attend IEP meetings. individual and group counseling, consultation with staff and parents, and provide input for RTI decisions.

We have an excellent school psychologist with over 30 years experience who works tirelessly to provide excellent service and to stay abreast of current practices. Due to the size of our district, the a school psychologist intern would be able to work with all age groups and disabilities. We also have an assessment team which includes a diagnostician and a behavior analyst who works closely to improve student outcomes.

White County 

White County has 8 schools, one high school, one middle school and 6 elementary. The intern would divide his/her time with our school psychologist. Duties would be attending IEP meetings, reviewing test materials and testing of students.

White County is a small hometown like community.

Williamson County (rachele.segroves@wcs.edu)

WCS provides an opportunity for interns to work in grades K-12. We exceed the minimum requirements for internship supervision. Interns will attend data meetings in the RtI process and understand how eligibility for SLD is determined in Tennessee. Opportunities for autonomy increase as the school year progresses. Interns will be well prepared for employment in Tennessee upon graduation.

Our district goal is to place one school psychologist at each school to support the implementation of RtI, as well as compliance with special education eligibility requirements, and support students with mental health needs in the school setting.

Wilson County (adamsb@wcschools.com)

One primary supervisor. Experience in all sped settings (prek,elementary, middle, high, behavior, low incidence). Once ready, we will assign the intern a caseload of one school until the end of the year. This usually occurs after the Christmas break.

We are a rapidly growing district close to Nashville with open positions. We are trying to modernize our psych and overall sped services to match to the growing population.