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