My name is Verona Howard and I am the registered school psychologist allocated to Ashdale Primary School. I have provided services to APS for over 10 years.

I am part of the School Psychology Service that supports the North Metro area. We support our schools in the following main areas:

Mental Health and Wellbeing

• Providing support to students experiencing mental health difficulties, when appropriate, in the school context
• Making referrals to appropriate agencies/mental health care providers for students experiencing mental health concerns and requiring clinical intervention
• Assisting schools and children to maximise the development of positive mental health and wellbeing

Behaviour

• Working with students, parents and schools to identify and change target behaviours at the individual, group and systemic level

Disability and Learning

• Conducting assessments for students experiencing learning difficulties and/or disabilities
• Supporting schools in making appropriate curriculum adjustments for students to enhance their learning outcomes

Attendance and Engagement

• Working with students, parents and schools to increase engagement and attendance

Critical Incident response

• Providing support to the school community when critical incidents occur

My services can be accessed through the Ashdale Student Services referral process. (Requests for service are made via the classroom teacher, who then consults with the Student Services Deputy Principal). If the concern is of a private nature, direct contact with the Student Services Deputy is advised.