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

 

 

Todd Christensen
Interim Director of Special Services
Dr. Keyra Comer
Special Services Program Manager
School Psychology Contacts
Name Title Email
Cahra Hartness Secretary for the Psychology Department Email Cahra
Dr. Keyra Comer Special Services Program Manager Email Keyra
Bridget Henrikson Psychologist Email Bridget
Curtis Middleton Psychologist Email Curtis
Renee Landeen Psychologist Email Renee
Julie Remmereid Psychologist Email Julie
Tiffany Parks Psychologist Email Tiffany
Madisen Schreiber Psychologist Email Madisen
Eric Fodness Psychologist Email Eric
Mercedes Borgen Psychologist Email Mercedes
Kayla Ederveen Psychologist Email Kayla