Hello! My name is Kelly, and I am currently a school psychologist with the School City of Hammond in Hammond, Indiana. I am a born-and-raised Chicagoian who grew up on the city's far southeast side. I graduated from Purdue University Northwest with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Human Development and Family Studies, with a focus on Disability Studies and Child and Family Services. I have a Master's in Education and an Education Specialist degree in School Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I have dedicated my entire adult life, the last 13 years to be exact, to the betterment of children's lives. I have worked in a variety of settings, including applied behavior analysis with children with autism spectrum disorder, early childhood centers, preschool, private behavior therapy, and conducting psychological evaluations before becoming a school psychologist. From a young age, I knew I wanted to work with children, and as I have evolved in my career, I have known entering the field of education was the right fit for me. I had my own struggles in school academically and socially, so that has given me a perspective on what students may go through in school. My desire is for all learners to feel confident not only academically but in who they are as an individual. Nothing matters more to me than students' emotional, mental, and social well-being. The most prominent philosophy is that academics will always be second until a child feels safe and secure in those areas.

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Professionally, I am trauma-informed and trained in counseling techniques. My primary areas of interest are self-regulation, emotional learning, executive functioning, mindfulness, and positive psychology. As a school psychologist, I am very knowledgeable about the special education and testing process. This is a significant part of my job working in the public education sector, as I am part of the multidisciplinary team that collects data to inform special education eligibility. 

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I love to be outdoors, whether on the beach, hiking, or reading a book on my sun deck. I enjoy music and concerts, dancing, trying new restaurants in the city, and spending time with my friends. As a lifelong Chicagoian, I am, of course, a Bears fan, but let's be honest, it is hard to be one! As a southsider, I am a Sox fan, but please don't let that deter you from working with me! I fully rooted for the Cubs when they won the World Series in 2016. And lastly, I am a huge Blackhawks fan, but if you lived in Chicago from 2010-2015, you probably are, too. 

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I could not be more honored and excited to support your child and family as a JAM tutor and consultant. This is what I was born to do. I look forward to our future collaboration to support your scholars in becoming the most successful and confident they can be!