Well, this has been a very interesting year to say the least! I will be honest that I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting myself into when I agreed to step up and run for President-Elect, but it has been a wonderful year of growth despite the ups and downs of recent months.

Looking ahead to the new school year, I am excited! Despite our move to virtual PD events (for now at least), there may be some silver linings like being able to bring in speakers we normally wouldn’t be able to and the potential for more people to participate. Make no mistake, I miss seeing everyone and look forward to having in-person trainings again!

Additionally, I will be working with other members of the SCCASP board on some exciting improvements that we hope will allow us to focus more of our time on advocacy, providing awesome PD, and increasing the organization’s transparency. I hope that our work behind the scenes helps us continue to grow and thrive as an organization.

I will end by saying that we are in the midst of historic times in our country on multiple fronts. We will be coming back to school (in some form) after sudden school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic and all of the stressors that brought. And most recently, a very vocal, collective, and renewed fight for equality and an end to the oppression and injustice that BIPOC, particularly Black Americans, have faced is gaining traction and government systems are taking notice. As school psychologists, we are in a unique position to lead courageous and challenging conversations regarding the inequities within our educational systems. Our students, their families, and our communities are hungry for it. To be silent is to be complicit. So let us raise our voices to raise up others.

I hope you all have a restful summer. “See” you in the fall!

Emily Bersaglia

SCCASP President

What a year! When I became SCCASP President last July, I had no idea that a global pandemic and shift to distance learning would be on the horizon, but it sure has rocked our worlds. Your school communities may be grieving losses due to COVID-19. I’m sure you’ve all found it challenging to continue supporting your students, teachers, and families given new expectations and so many unknowns. And in the face of continued anti-Black racism and police brutality, our students, staff, and families are being asked to continue pushing on within a system that was built to keep Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) down, literally and figuratively.

I applaud your hard work and determination in finishing out this school year strong. Know that SCCASP is here to support you and your school psychologist teams as we move forward with navigating the virtual professional development world and continue to work closely with CASP and NASP to share the most up-to-date resources and tools needed to thrive in our role. If you haven’t already, please consider renewing your SCCASP Membership for the 2020-21 school year. Your support is essential to the success of our organization, and we strive to be a strong resource as your local CASP Affiliate organization. That said, if you have interest in serving on our Board, please reach out for more information! We are still looking for a President-Elect to serve as support to the President this upcoming year, and serve as President the following school year.

Thank you for the amazing year and opportunity to serve you. Have a restful and safe summer.

Katie Pettersen

SCCASP Past-President