What We Do:
Here at Rapid City Area Schools our school psychologists provide direct support and intervention to students, consult with teachers, families, and other school-employed mental health professionals to improve support strategies; work with school administrators to improve school-wide practices and policies; and collaborate with community providers to coordinate needed services.
School Psychologists help schools successfully:
Improve Academic Achievement
- Promote student motivation and engagement
- Conduct psychological and academic assessments
- Individualize instruction and interventions
- Manage student and classroom behaviors
- Monitor student progress
- Collect and interpret student and classroom data
- Reduce inappropriate referrals to special education
Promote Positive Behavior and Mental Health
- Improve students communication and social skills
- Assess student emotional and behavior needs
- Provide individual and group counseling
- Promote problem solving, anger management, and conflict resolution
- Reinforce positive coping skills and resilience
- Promote positive peer relationships and social problem solving
- Make referrals to and coordinate services with community based providers
Support Diverse Learners
- Assess Divers learning needs
- Provide culturally responsive services to students and families from diverse backgrounds
- Plan appropriate Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities
- Modify and adapt curricula and instruction
- Adjust classroom facilities and routines to improve student engagement and learning
- Monitor and effectively communicate with parents about student progress
Create Safe, Positive School Atmosphere
- Prevent bullying and other forms of violence
- Support social-emotional learning
- Assess school climate and improve school connectedness
- Implement and promote positive discipline and restorative justice
- Implement school=wide positive behavioral supports
- Identify at-risk students and school vulnerabilities
- Provide crisis prevention services
Strengthen Family-School Partnerships
- Help families understand their children’s learning and mental health needs
- Assist in navigating special education processes
- Connect families with community service providers when necessary
- Help effectively engage families with teachers and other school staff
- Enhance staff understanding of and responsiveness to diverse cultures and backgrounds
- Help students transition between school and community learning environments, such as residential treatment or juvenile justice programs
Improve School-Wide Assessment and Accountability
- Monitor individual student progress in academics and behavior
- Generate and interpret useful student and school outcome data
- Collect and analyze data on risk and protective factors related to student outcomes
- Plan services at the district, building, classroom, and individual levels
Dr. Keyra Comer
Director of Special Services
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Cahra Hartness | Secretary for the Psychology Department | Email Cahra |
| Bridget Henrikson | Psychologist | Email Bridget |
| Curtis Middleton | Psychologist | Email Curtis |
| Tiffany Parks | Psychologist | Email Tiffany |
| Julie Remmereid | Psychologist | Email Julie |
| Madisen Schreiber | Psychologist | Email Madisen |
| Eric Fodness | Psychologist | Email Eric |
| Kayla Ederveen | Psychologist | Email Kayla |
| Jennifer Negrette | Psychologist | Email Jennifer |
| Sabre Davis | Psychologist Intern | Email Sabre |