{"id":13059,"date":"2025-10-31T09:14:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T14:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13059"},"modified":"2025-10-31T09:14:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T14:14:54","slug":"supporting-the-whole-child-school-psychology-program-aims-to-fill-nationwide-shortage","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/supporting-the-whole-child-school-psychology-program-aims-to-fill-nationwide-shortage\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting the whole child: School psychology program aims to fill nationwide shortage"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

Graduate students visit Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School; learn how language, culture directly impact students<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0shortage of school staff in Wisconsin<\/a>\u00a0extends beyond teachers in the classroom. The shortage of school psychologists, who advocate for students\u2019 behavioral, mental and emotional needs, has a significant impact on schools and students.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen school psychologists are stretched too thin, they have less time to provide preventative services, which are essential for supporting student mental health and academic success. This also places additional strain on educators and families, who rely on these professionals,\u201d said\u00a0Assistant Professor Angela Axelrod<\/strong>,\u00a0M.S.Ed. and Ed.S. school psychology<\/a>\u00a0program director at UW-Stout.<\/p>\n

According to the\u00a0National Association of School Psychologists<\/a>, the 2023-24 ratio in Wisconsin was one school psychologist per 772 students, falling short of the recommended one per 500 students. Across the country, NASP reported the average ratio was one school psychologist per 1,065 students.<\/p>\n

\u201cUW-Stout\u2019s school psychology program is uniquely positioned to address this shortage,\u201d Axelrod said. \u201cOur polytechnic approach ensures that students receive extensive hands-on training in assessment, counseling and consultation. With more than 30 years of combined experience in the field, our core faculty bring real-world insights into the classroom. Additionally, our students exceed the practicum requirements set by NASP, gaining valuable experience in both school and clinic-based settings.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a NASP-approved program, UW-Stout continues to produce highly sought-after graduates who are well-prepared to serve in schools across Wisconsin, Minnesota and beyond,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

UW-Stout Ed.S. school psychology alum\u00a0Carly Cummings<\/strong>, a school psychologist at the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School, believes there is no better profession to be in. \u201cThere is nothing that compares to having a\u00a0direct impact on a child\u2019s social, emotional, and educational success and wellbeing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Cummings\u2019 role at LCO Ojibwe School is multifaceted. She completes full psychoeducational evaluations, provides individualized education program (IEP) counseling, collects and analyzes schoolwide student data, implements positive behavioral interventions and supports\u00a0(PBIS), leads social emotional learning (SEL) programming, provides teacher support services, engages in collaboration and consultation with school staff and families, and advocates for policies and procedures that benefit students.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing a school psychologist allows you to reach students,\u00a0staff and families all in one,\u201d she said. \u201cYou have the ability to advocate for children to\u00a0achieve success, however success looks for them. You get to support young students from so many angles. It is also a job that\u00a0looks so different in each district and school, and you are able to choose what\u00a0type of impact you can have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twelve UW-Stout M.S.Ed. and Ed.S. school psychology students recently visited the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School,\u00a0located on the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation. They met with Cummings, who shared about her role at the K-12 school, and visited various classes in small groups, including special education math and reading classes; RISE and SEL classes; and Ojibwe language classes.<\/p>\n

The collaboration between UW-Stout and the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School began in spring 2023, when Cummings was completing her field practicum there. During a routine site visit as Cummings\u2019 university supervisor, Axelrod was moved by the school\u2019s strong sense of community, rich cultural environment and the comprehensive role of the school psychologist.<\/p>\n

\u201cInspired by the potential for meaningful collaboration, I\u00a0reached out this past spring to explore opportunities for collaboration. The response from LCO Ojibwe School was enthusiastic,\u201d Axelrod said.<\/p>\n

Immersing in a school\u2019s culture<\/h3>\n

During their visit, the school psychology students met with Dean of Students Jason Bisonette, who spoke about tribal history, the history of the school and the culture of the people. They learned about the school\u2019s immersion program and attended an all-school assembly to participate in community-building traditions.<\/p>\n

Cummings\u2019 biggest hope was that the UW-Stout students would see how language and culture are incorporated into the school day and how they directly impact students\u2019 education at LCO Ojibwe School. \u201cI also wanted them to see how a community-driven school supports the whole child,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The school psychology groups also designed and conducted social emotional learning (SEL) lessons for the LCO Ojibwe School students, which fit the school\u2019s theme for the month: self-control and personal space.<\/p>\n

Anna Modeen\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0group\u2019s SEL lesson, taught in two fifth-grade classes, offered strategies on self-regulation that kids can use in the classroom and at home. Through real-life scenarios on how they may lose self-control or how another peer may step into their personal space, they problem-solved ways to navigate approaching these issues.<\/p>\n

Lincoln Dallman\u2019s<\/strong>\u00a0group met with kindergarteners about how to keep their emotions in check. Through a video of the book \u201cHands are Not for Hitting,\u201d they talked about how hands are for positive activities, like making things and giving high-fives. The class created flashcards to talk about emotions.<\/p>\n

School psychology students learned about the school\u2019s immersion program, which is aimed at preserving and revitalizing the Ojibwe language and culture by immersing young learners in the language.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe program takes a step back from the traditional Western approach to education and puts an emphasis on Ojibwe culture,\u201d said Modeen, of Chaplin, Minnesota.<\/p>\n

During Bisonette\u2019s presentation, they gained new insight into cultural perspectives and learned about the heavy impact caused by the federally operated Native American boarding schools and the forced annexation of the reservation and how history plays into the generational trauma of families.<\/p>\n

The school psychology students understand how a person\u2019s history and culture are a vital part of their education.<\/p>\n

Dallman, of Eau Claire, said, \u201cAs a school psychologist, you have to keep in mind a people\u2019s culture. Getting to know a student and their family is important when you collaborate with them in their learning. The immersion school gives students the opportunity to embrace and to continue learning about their culture. Families as far away as Bayfield travel to the school to keep their culture alive in the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n

Modeen agreed. \u201cInfusing a person\u2019s culture into their academics plays such a crucial part in their identity. It was so valuable seeing this in practice at LCO Ojibwe School,\u201d she said. \u201cOjibwe common phrases and statements were implemented in every class, used for common activities such as asking to go to the bathroom, saying \u2018thank you,\u2019 and getting the instructors\u2019 attention. Students also go out ricing, a sacred practice. Teachers and high school students foster this for the young students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prepared to serve communities from day one<\/h3>\n

Dallman and Modeen enjoy working with young students and finding solutions to best support their academic needs, as well as supporting the overall community by building strong relationships with teachers, administrators, caregivers and families.<\/p>\n

\u201cA large part of our job is making data-based decisions, but also considering that in doing so, we are supporting a diverse population of students with different needs, goals and values,\u201d said Modeen, who was inspired to join the field by her twin sister\u2019s experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up, I watched my sister struggle in school. After she received support and resources from the school community, I knew I wanted to find a way to be involved within the education realm,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

UW-Stout\u2019s applied learning approach begins on day one. During the school psychology cohort\u2019s first semester, they shadowed and volunteered onsite in schools to \u201csee the field as it is before experiencing it firsthand in our practicums,\u201d said Dallman, whose practicum is at Valley Crossing Elementary in Woodbury, Minnesota. \u201cFor those interested in school psychology, the field is always in need of more professionals. Research different programs and give it a try.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe professors focus on creating real-world experience building and provide a lot of opportunities for growth,\u201d said Modeen, who serves as a graduate assistant and vice president of the\u00a0Stout Student Affiliates in School Psychology organization<\/a>. \u201cI also chose Stout\u2019s program because of its connections to both rural and urban practicum experiences. I wanted to get as much experience as possible before applying to positions in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

Modeen\u2019s current practicum is at Woodbury High School. \u201cAs we approach our last year of classes and are getting ready to experience our first year of internship, we feel the visit to LCO Ojibwe School has better equipped us with new knowledge and approaches to serve our communities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Dallman and Modeen will both graduate in 2027.<\/p>\n

UW-Stout\u2019s\u00a0M.S.Ed. and Ed.S. school psychology<\/a>\u00a0is NASP-accredited. UW-Stout\u2019s\u00a0School of Education<\/a>\u00a0also offers graduate degrees in\u00a0career and technical education<\/a>,\u00a0education<\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0school counseling<\/a>, as well as nine education certificates and certifications.<\/p>\n

\n

Written by Abbey Goers<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwstout.edu\/about-us\/news-center\/supporting-whole-child-school-psychology-program-aims-fill-nationwide-shortage<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Graduate students visit Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe School; learn how language, culture directly impact students The\u00a0shortage of school staff in Wisconsin\u00a0extends beyond teachers in the classroom. The shortage of school psychologists, who advocate for students\u2019 behavioral, mental and emotional needs, has a significant impact on schools and students. \u201cWhen school psychologists are stretched too thin, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[90],"story_category":[],"class_list":["post-13059","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-stout"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13059"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wwwtest.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}