Background

My pathway into school psychology and current professional practice

In this part of my portfolio, I offer a glimpse into my pathway into school psychology and the professional experiences that continue to shape my work with students, families, and school teams. I am now a Licensed School Psychologist practicing in British Columbia, following completion of my Master of Education in School and Applied Child Psychology at the University of Calgary.

In my current role, I regularly administer, score, and interpret a broad range of Level B and Level C psychoeducational assessment measures. These tools support assessment across cognitive, academic, phonological processing, visual-motor, orthographic, social-emotional, behavioural, adaptive, and developmental domains. My practice also includes consultation, report writing, eligibility and support-planning work, and collaboration with educators, families, and community partners.

Before entering school psychology, I worked for many years in community support and education-related roles, including direct work with individuals with developmental, behavioural, mental-health, and adaptive-functioning needs. These experiences strengthened my appreciation for person-centred practice, careful observation, family context, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the importance of practical recommendations that can be meaningfully implemented in everyday settings.

My pathway into the profession has also been shaped by classroom and school-based experience, including work connected to resource, learning assistance, and student support contexts. These experiences helped me better understand the realities of school systems, the demands placed on educators, and the importance of assessment practices that are not only technically sound, but also useful for planning, intervention, and communication.

Across my training and practice, I have become especially interested in the ways psychological assessment can help clarify student strengths and needs while also supporting compassionate, collaborative decision-making. I view assessment as more than a collection of test scores. At its best, assessment brings together standardized data, developmental history, classroom information, family perspectives, cultural and contextual considerations, and professional judgment to support a fuller understanding of the student.

As I continue developing as a practicing school psychologist, I remain committed to evidence-based assessment, ethical decision-making, clear communication, and collaborative problem solving with students, families, educators, and community partners. My earlier experiences in community support, education, and graduate training continue to inform my approach to school psychology, particularly in working with diverse learners and complex school-based needs.