The PsychoEducational Consultant Group

05/20/2025

04/29/2023

06/10/2021

There is nothing like the laughter of children.

06/05/2021

Updated information about the Gardiner Scholarship:

Following is a list of students eligible as of July 1, 2021 and the next steps their families may take:

Students of families with higher income (i.e. nearly $100,000 for a family of 4) can apply here: https://www.stepupforstudents.org/scholarships/scholarships-for-private-school/apply/

Siblings of Gardiner Scholarship students, dependent children of a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, and/or students with one of the following diagnoses: speech impairment, language impairment, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, emotional or behavioral disability, or specific learning disability (including but not limited to dyslexia, dyscalculia, or developmental aphasia) can sign up here to be notified when they may apply: https://www.stepupforstudents.org/legislative-updates/ -action%3Aaction%3Dpopup%3Aopen%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6NDk2MTYsInRvZ2dsZSI6ZmFsc2V9

Note: Students currently enrolled in private school are now eligible too!

This new legislation also consolidates the number of scholarship programs by rolling the Gardiner Scholarship and McKay Scholarship into the Family Empowerment Scholarship. This change will happen in two phases:

For the 2021-22 school year, the Family Empowerment Scholarship will expand to include an Education Savings Account for children with unique abilities (or special needs) along with its existing option for K-12 private school. Students currently benefiting from a Gardiner Scholarship would roll into the Family Empowerment Scholarship for the 2021-22 school year after July 1 (as long as they have submitted their renewal application), as would any families that will be applying based on current Gardiner eligibility categories. The authorized uses of funds for this option remains the same as they are currently for Gardiner. Additionally, the new legislation will eliminate the prior public school attendance requirement for the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

For the 2022-23 school year, the McKay Scholarship program will be rolled into the Family Empowerment Scholarship. Students benefiting from the McKay Scholarship at that time will be transitioned to the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

Learn more about scholarships for private schools. The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and the Family Empowerment Scholarship are based on financial need.

05/22/2020

We’ve all heard that screen time is all about balance, but we love how Dr. Sussman puts a definition on it. Thanks, School Psyched,Your School Psychologist for the post!

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and expert on internet and video game addiction Clifford Sussman, MD teaches parents how to manage the screen time challeng...

05/13/2020

Remember, if you are feeling tired and overwhelmed, it is likely your kids are, too. Giving yourself a break is okay. Go for a walk, cook a healthy meal together, play an old fashioned game of hide-and-seek. The math assignment can wait. Let’s make it a goal to proitorize our children’s social-emotional health in these last few weeks!

Experts say teaching and learning during closures is unrealistic if SEL for students and educators is left out of the conversation.

01/25/2020

Here are some good visuals about the link between Social Media & Mental Health. These are just some of the apps that children and adolescents are using for hours per day.

01/17/2020

Challenge: Be There ❤️ Happy Weekend!

It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn't heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore's stick house. Inside the house was Eeyore.

"Hello Eeyore," said Pooh.

"Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet," said Eeyore, in a Glum Sounding Voice.

"We just thought we'd check in on you," said Piglet, "because we hadn't heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay."

Eeyore was silent for a moment. "Am I okay?" he asked, eventually. "Well, I don't know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That's what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. Which is why I haven't bothered you. Because you wouldn't want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All, would you now."

Pooh looked at Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house.

Eeyore looked at them in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"We're sitting here with you," said Pooh, "because we are your friends. And true friends don't care if someone is feeling Sad, or Alone, or Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are."

"Oh," said Eeyore. "Oh." And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better.

Because Pooh and Piglet were There.

No more; no less.

(A.A. Milne, E.H. Shepard)

Via Mindfulness Ireland