At my first job after graduate school, I had a coworker who often used the phrase “opportunities for growth.”  We collaborated on an elementary school intervention team, and my coworker used the phrase regarding student intervention cases.  We worked for the Guilford County Schools in North Carolina, an excellent employer to whom I am indebted.  At that time, my case conceptualization was anchored in deficit language: below-grade-level, disability, performance versus skills deficit, etc.  Over the years, as I’ve become less certain of the phenomena we study (e.g., learning disability), my problem-solving orientation has shifted away from categorical labels.  Instead, I often think and speak about student needs as representing delays, with the implication that any child is capable of attaining goals which are data-driven and developmentally and culturally appropriate.  This is where “opportunities for growth” comes in.  From a developmental perspective, a delay is growth which hasn’t happened yet.  Our systematic problem-solving must always aim to remove barriers to children’s growth while also providing new opportunities. 

These days, “opportunities for growth” comes to mind for me often, mostly at work, but sometimes outside of work as well.  I’m reminded of it again as the 2025-26 NHASP membership year comes to a close.  Serving as President of the Association this year has been the most significant opportunity for growth in my career in many years.  I am very grateful to the volunteer leadership of the Association for their support this year, and for their ongoing commitment to the needs of schoolchildren and practicing School Psychologists in New Hampshire.  Our colleagues who made this membership year possible include Amy Bahan, Jake Barry, Julie Bassi, Samantha Broadhead, Laura Conley, Maddie DiGregorio Aubin, Nate Jones, Alex McDermid, Kasey Murphy, Chris Nelson, Emily Russell, Kate Salvati, Mary Ann Salvatoriello, Tari Selig, Dave Smith, Felicia Sperry, Tyler St. Cyr, and Kristina Styren.  I hope that NHASP has provided meaningful opportunities for your professional growth recently too.  I’m proud of the number and variety of opportunities which were available to members this year. 

There were three community meetings which were available over Zoom each month: the Lunchtime and Afterschool PLCs and the Early Career Group.  There were four editions of the NHASP Note digital newsletter delivered straight to your email inbox.  Members received discounted registration rates for the in-person Fall and Spring Conferences.  Our conferences provided opportunities to connect with allied nonprofit organizations, most notably the New Hampshire Children’s Trust.  NASP-Approved CPD hours were also offered to our members free of charge in the form of live webinars.  Starting in the winter, members had access to a tracker for 2026 New Hampshire legislative activities related to education and child welfare, managed by committee chair Emily Russell.  The tracker spreadsheet was easily accessed via a new Members-Only section of our website (www.nhaspweb.org).  Other Members-Only content was added to the website this year, including an archive of more than 15 years’ worth of our newsletter content.

You can expect that other benefits will always be available as part of membership in the Association.  The NHASP Board has Regional Representatives around the state of New Hampshire who reach out to connect with members and serve as a resource.  Members can access informal consultation with knowledgeable NHASP leaders regarding practice issues via our Ethics & Professional Standards committee.  And there are dedicated sources of funding for professional activities.  These include the Ginny Harvey Scholarship for graduate students, which was increased from $1,000 to $3,000 for 2026-27; and the research stipend to support members who are presenting research projects at NASP Convention (refer to the Members Only tab).  Lastly, there are the ways that NHASP supports the practice of School Psychology throughout New Hampshire.  There are NHASP leaders who interface with NASP on an ongoing basis regarding professional issues and the advancement of School Psychology.  The Association also has a liaison who advocates for us with the NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) and its Board of Psychologists.  And NHASP has awards to recognize exemplary practice within our profession, including the School Psychologist of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award.  It’s our great privilege to identify and publicize the accomplishments of our award winners.

As membership renewal season has arrived, I hope you find these activities a compelling reason to join us or renew your NHASP membership.  Serving as President this year, I often reflected on how they wouldn’t happen without a dedicated volunteer workforce.  Some of our colleagues have been involved with the NHASP Board for several decades, and others, for less than a year.  Some colleagues have continuous involvement with the Board, while others participate when time allows.  Volunteering needs to fit with both one’s goals and life circumstances.  I have found my volunteer service for NHASP to be very rewarding since I got involved in 2022.  NHASP always benefits from more help, but it really needs help at the moment.  If you’re interested, and there is space in your life, please reach out.  You can reach out using our website's Contact Us form. 

Meanwhile, the Association would simply not exist without our members.  NHASP greatly appreciates our members and their participation in the New Hampshire School Psychology community.  A big congratulations goes to one member, our School Psychologist of the Year, Heather Nelson with the Moultonborough School District.  Heather is a longtime member of the Association.  I was fortunate to participate in her recognition at the recent New Hampshire Excellence in Education Awards event.  You can check that out along with other recent events on our Instagram feed.  Finally, I would like to thank all of the event presenters who worked with us this year, with special thanks to Dr. Nancy Sullivan from Boston Children’s Hospital and Dr. Matthew K. Burns from the University of Florida.  I hope this summer brings many opportunities for you. 

Joe 
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