Our most recent Awards event was a smash hit at the Treehouse Silicon Valley in Sunnyvale, as we celebrated three recipients for the Laura Whitmore Meritorious Award:

• Diana Jonathans from Evergreen School District
• Noheli Ugo from Milpitas Unified School District
• Tong Chen-Ward from Santa Clara School District

Delicious bites were enjoyed with stories, laughter, and smiles shared. This is always a fun event to come to. Although May can be a busy month, when are we not busy? I hope to see you at our next awards end of year celebration, in May 2027.

The Awards Celebration location for the 26-27 school year will be revealed in the spring. Also, new this year, we will be adding a new award category for our most novice school psychologists. Keep a lookout for our announcements for updates and more. In the meantime if you know someone who will be retiring or a change maker in your district that you would like to celebrate, please follow the link to submit your nomination.

On a personal note, as our SCCASP President mentioned, this year’s focus is striving for systemic change. One way I plan to bring this focus into my own professional practice is by being more intentional in how I communicate and connect with colleagues, parents, staff, and, most importantly, students.

Systems are ultimately shaped by the people within them. When we communicate with greater care, seek out perspectives that may be different from our own, and create space for honest connection, we begin to build the trust needed for larger and more lasting change.

With busy schedules, competing deadlines, and ever-growing workloads, it can be difficult to slow down long enough to make genuine human connections. Reminding myself of strategies such as: listening without rushing, asking one more question, approaching a difficult conversation with curiosity, or helping someone feel seen and valued, are ways that I plan to incorporate into my practice.

As you move through this school year, what is one small but intentional change you can make to help someone feel heard, understood, or supported?