STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

School Psychologist (12 Month) (35 Hour)

Certification 070 Required

Recruitment #230811-6659T4-002

Introduction



Are you interested in a career where you can make a difference, do what you are passionate about and receive personal fulfillment? If so, then we invite you to take this opportunity to join our team!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction (DOC), is seeking experienced and qualified individuals for the position of School Psychologist, located at Osborn Correctional Facility in Somers. Candidates for this position must possess a valid School Psychologist certification (Endorsement #070) from the Connecticut State Board of Education. This position is eligible for a hazardous duty retirement plan.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU
We take part in a competitive benefits plan which includes:
  • Generous paid time off (vacation, sick and personal);
  • Excellent health, dental and supplemental benefits;
  • Hazardous Duty pension plan (State Employees Retirement System Tier IV).
  • State license reimbursement;
  • Eligibility to apply for Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Program.
Discover the opportunity to: 
  • Work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule;
  • Engage in a rewarding career;
  • Assist our employees so they can achieve success;
  • Make a difference in the public sector;
  • Work together in a collaborative team environment.  
Additionally, the DOC Education Unit offers the additional benefits:
  • Annual $1,000.00 lump sum payment;
  • Annual $4,000.00 stipend each contract year for those who obtained a School Psychologist (#070) certification consistent with the special services endorsements maintained by the State Department of Education;
  • Option to maintain State of Connecticut Teacher Retirement Plan or enroll in the State Employee Retirement System;
  • Tuition Reimbursement;
  • The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
POSITION DETAILS
This is a full-time, 35 hour position. Schedule is Monday-Friday on first shift. Candidates selected for this position will be required to attend the Maloney Center for Training and Staff Development.

The current position is located in Somers, however this recruitment list will be used to fill future potential vacancies in Enfield, Hartford, and Suffield. This position will also be assigned to cover duties at facilities in Enfield, Hartford, and Suffield when necessary.

The duties of a School Psychologist in a correctional setting can be broken down into the following categories.

Liaison Activities
Acts as a liaison between:
  • Students and former education placements
  • Outside agencies and local school programs
  • The school program and institutional DOC components
  • Interested parties and the school programs, particularly as it relates to transition to the community
Direct Service
  • Individual and group counseling of students with respect to the social, emotional, and psychological issues related to education; as well as vocational, educational, and career planning
  • Uses crises intervention skills to mediate student problems
  • Administers and analyzes psychological related assessments
  • Creates IEP goals in the areas of self-determination, behavior, and transition
  • Prepares and delivers classroom lessons and group presentations related to appropriate vocational, career, and social/emotional topics
General Assessment & Placement
  • Assists as needed with the general assessment program at the local site including the collection of information needed for educational and vocational placement and institutional classification
  • Administers group and individual achievement and vocational assessment as needed
  • Assists in development and administration of the process to make assessment data available for decision making
  • Assists the school administrator in the development and implementation of an efficient process for the placement of students into appropriate programs
ABOUT US
The Connecticut Department of Correction is a diverse agency with a wide variety of employees from Correction Officers to Educators, to Managers and Skilled Professionals. We value differences that make us stronger as a team and support our mission statement. 

The Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) is the agency responsible for corrections in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The agency operates 13 correctional facilities. It has its headquarters in Wethersfield. The DOC protects public safety by ensuring offenders serve their sentences of imprisonments in facilities that are safe, human, and provide re-entry programming.

The State of Connecticut, Department of Correction is a unified system; all sentenced and un-sentenced offenders are supervised by the DOC. The Department also provides supervision for offenders on parole, community release, and other discretionary release programs.

For an inside look at what it is like to work as a State of Connecticut employee, check out the video below!

Selection Plan

This position may require you to prepare a lesson plan presentation as part of the interview process. Candidates selected for this position will be required to attend the Academy. This is a hazardous duty position.

Before you apply, make note of the following:
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • Candidates hired will be expected to attend a fourteen (14) week Department of Correction Training Academy.
Important information for after you apply:
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
Questions about this position should be directed to Jake Ferrari via email at jake.ferrari@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state institution, facility or region within a state unified school district, performs professional services within the area of pupil personnel and special education services in a school setting and serves in a resource capacity and consultant to teachers.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Performs services for students in the area of special training such as educational diagnosis, counseling, speech and hearing, social work, or psychological services; serves in a resource capacity to educational staff and other appropriate individuals; confers with parents and teachers concerning individual students and assists in planning educational programs; keeps records and makes necessary reports; may serve as liaison with school systems and community services; performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Knowledge of the philosophy and methods of service delivery to the assigned disciplines; knowledge of the principles and practices of education and or services for special needs population; ability to motivate students; ability to communicate at the appropriate level; ability to establish cooperative relationships with those contacted in planning educational programs; ability to prepare written reports; ability to perform educational testing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

A Master's degree which includes a planned program of preparation for the field in which the special services are performed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • State of CT Endorsement #070, School Psychologist;
  • Experience in the identification and eligibility of Special Education Students;
  • Experience acting as a liaison between students, former education placements, outside agencies, local school programs, and other interested parties;
  • Experience with individual counseling of students;
  • Experience with group counseling of students;
  • Experience participating and contributing student information as a member of the PPT process;
  • Experience with promoting student development of interpersonal and intrapersonal skills through counseling and instruction;
  • Experience monitoring the achievement of IEP and ITP objectives.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Incumbents in this class must possess an appropriate certificate issued by the Connecticut State Board of Education in special education or special services areas such as school counselor (elementary or secondary), speech and hearing consultant, school psychologist, psychological examiner or school social worker.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a current Connecticut Motor Vehicle operator's license.

CHARACTER REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the checking of references and of facts stated in the application, a thorough background investigation of each candidate may be made prior to appointment.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.