Font ResizeFor Jordan School District psychologists, every day is different.
"Sometimes it's a white-knuckle ride," said Oquirrh Elementary psychologist Judith Zimmerman. "You walk in the door, and you get to breathe around noon. And other days, it's just a delight."
For the roughly 40 psychologists employed by the district and dispatched into each of its schools -- a few smaller elementary schools share a psychologist, but most have their own -- days can be spent one-on-one counseling students about an eviction, divorce or parent's deployment to Iraq.
A school psychologist might spend part of his or her day educating a teacher about Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. They might work with families, offering parenting tips to moms and dads. They might spend their time observing the "climate" of a classroom. They might work with a small group of students, each child suffering from grief following the loss of a loved one. If necessary, they help families find access to community services. Zimmerman even teaches yoga and meditation.
"It's really good stress management," she says.
Not there to grade or punish, school psychologists simply are there to help students.
"[Zimmerman] is busy every minute; I will tell you that," said Oquirrh Elementary Principal Nancy Ward.
Last week was School Psychology Awareness Week.
What don't people know about school psychologists that they should be aware of?
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Jordan School District has a small army of school psychologists on staff.
"It's a pretty unique model," says Zimmerman, noting other local districts, including Granite School District, focus on assessment instead of a more comprehensive approach of behavioral interventions and counseling. "I don't think it's bad to have an assessment model."
Still, she prefers the more hands-on approach used by Jordan School District.
"When you take the time to really listen and understand what's going on [in a child's life], it has a huge impact on the way they're treated by their teacher, the way they're treated by the other kids," she said.
For Ward, it's a great asset to have Zimmerman available to students everyday at Oquirrh Elementary. She's not merely making the rounds; she's part of the Oquirrh Elementary community.
"I think there's a lot of value in knowing students, connecting with students, building relationships with their families," Ward said. "She's not an administrator or a teacher. She's a true support person. It's intense, personal support."
That's where trust-building comes in, Zimmerman says.
"It gives you the time to really know your teachers, really develop relationships with children," Zimmerman said. [If you're a visiting psychologist], that really limits the impact you have on individual lives."
If she were a swing-by-once-a-week psychologist, her counsel might not be as valuable.
"Because she's here all the time," Ward says, "she's able to build relationships. ... She provides this very safe place for students and families. As a psychologist, she's offering services with no strings attached. No grades. [Her office] is just a very private, calm place."
In the spirit of School Psychology Awareness Week, Ward wants families to be more aware of "the resources we have at our fingertips."
Besides in-house psychologists, the district also offers the Jordan Family Education Center, located at West Jordan Elementary School at 7220 S. 2370 West, where families can find help with bullying, anger management and depression. The center offers, at no charge, classes for everyone in the community, not just students and their families. For Jordan School District patrons, free counseling and other resources are available.
Though she's constantly busy, and says "I hardly have time to write my reports," Zimmerman loves her job.
"It's the best," she says. "It's just such a delight to know that you can have a positive effect on someone life."
