What is PARtalks?

PARtalks is a FREE one-day lineup of virtual sessions offering you the opportunity to exchange ideas, interact with experts in school psychology, and earn NASP CPD credits*.

The pandemic put mental health issues in the forefront of the American consciousness. As you prepare for the return of in-person schooling, PARtalks offers today’s most in-demand speakers in school psychology.

 

Welcome/Keynote address, 10 to 10:45 a.m. ET

Healing Together: Mental Health, Trauma, and Resilience in the Wake of a Global Pandemic

Presented by Kristin Greco, PAR CEO, and Kirby Wycoff, PsyD, NCSP

Following welcoming remarks from Kristin Greco, Dr. Wycoff will discuss emergent research around the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and how resilience and connectedness can help communities heal.

Kristin Greco, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer for PAR. Kristin is responsible for the development and implementation of the company’s core strategic goals and objectives and ensures that the company stays true to its core values and mission.

Kirby Wycoff, PsyD, is a nationally certified school psychologist and director of the Community Trauma Counseling Program and an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling and Behavioral Health at Thomas Jefferson University.

Session 1: 11 a.m. to noon ET 

The Neuropsychology of Stress and Trauma: How to Develop a Trauma-Informed Assessment

Presented by Steven G. Feifer, DEd, and Terri Sisson, EdS

This presentation will explore the neural underpinnings of stress, trauma, and emotional dysfunction in children and its impact on learning.

Steven G. Feifer, DEd, is a neuropsychologist and internationally renowned speaker and author in the field of learning disabilities. He is the author of the FAR, the FAM, and the FAW, and is currently developing a test that evaluates stress and trauma in youth.

Terri Sisson, EdS, is a licensed school psychologist and educational assessment advisor for national accounts at PAR. She has more than 20 years of experience as a school psychologist in public schools. Terri has held several leadership positions in NASP and is a past president of the Virginia Association of School Psychologists.

Session 2: 1 to 2 p.m. ET 

Learning Disability Evaluations During and After a Pandemic

Presented by Peter K. Isquith, PhD, and Theo Miron, PsyS, NCSP

This presentation will address several challenges practitioners face when evaluating students after more than a year of disrupted instruction, further complicated by restrictions on typical assessment processes and settings.

Peter K. Isquith, PhD, is a practicing pediatric neuropsychologist on staff at Dartmouth Medical School and Antioch New England Graduate School. Coauthor of the BRIEF2 and BRIEF2 ADHD, he specializes in disorders of self-regulation in children and adolescents.

Theo Miron, PsyS, is a nationally certified school psychologist, a licensed specialist in school psychology, and a regional manager for educational assessment at PAR. He has 18 years of experience as a school psycholo­gist and is a member of the Texas Association of School Psychologists.

Session 3: 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. 

Ethics in Psychological Tele-Assessment with Children

Presented by A. Jordan Wright, PhD, ABAP, and Carrie Champ Morera, PsyD, NCSP, LP

This presentation will discuss ethical considerations that practitioners need to keep in mind while conduct­ing teleassessment sessions. Topics include practitioner training and competence, and steps to ensure the client’s safety and appropriateness for telehealth.

A. Jordan Wright, PhD, is a core faculty member in the Counseling Psychology PhD program at New York University, where he also directs the Center for Counseling and Community Wellbeing, NYU’s training clinic.

Carrie Champ Morera, PsyD, is a licensed psychologist, nationally certified school psychologist, a professional counselor, a board-certified telemental health provider, and the lead project and content director at PAR. She has 19 years of experience in the mental health and education fields.

Don’t miss this opportunity to interact with experts in school psychology and earn NASP CPD credits. Register now!

 

 

*Participants wishing to receive NASP continuing professional development credit must attend the entire live webinar and complete the post-webinar evaluation form. PAR is approved by the National Association of School Psychologists to provide continuing education for psychologists. PAR maintains responsibility for the program and its content. PAR’s NASP APS Provider Number is 1051.

Although NASP 2021 will not be in person this year, there are still so many opportunities to connect, learn more about your favorite PAR products and authors, and interact with PAR staff members. Join us during one of the following sessions:

 

LIVE session! Attendees will receive NASP CPD credit

Wednesday, February 24, 1:30–2:30 p.m.

Teleassessment With Children: Strategies for Success

Presented by Carrie A. Champ Morera, PsyD, NCSP, LP; Terri D. Sisson, EdS; and Dan Lee, BS

 

On-demand sessions! Attendees can claim CPD self-study credit

A Process Oriented Approach for Identifying and Remediating Reading Disabilities

Presented by Steven G. Feifer, DEd, and Jack A. Naglieri, PhD

The Neuropsychology of Written Language Disorders

Presented by Steven G. Feifer, DEd, author of the FAR, FAM, and FAW

Identifying Students with ADHD: Evidence-Based Assessment with the BRIEF2

Presented by Peter K. Isquith, PhD, coauthor of the BRIEF2

Tests and Scales: Evidence for Integrative Assessment of Executive Function

Presented by Peter K. Isquith, PhD, coauthor of the BRIEF2

Helping Students Show What They Know: Enhancing Executive Functioning

Presented by Steven C. Guy, PhD, coauthor of the BRIEF2

State of Affairs: Trauma Assessment Practices in Children and Adolescents

Presented by Carrie A. Champ Morera, PsyD, NCSP, LP, PAR Project Director

 

Visit the booth!

Enjoy our industry-best Customer Support at our virtual booth. Make sure to stop by the virtual booth to download your coupon for 15% off all orders placed February 23 to March 9.

Register for NASP now! We can’t wait to “see” you online!

Whether you are new or experienced PARiConnect user, Director of Customer Support Daniel McFadden will teach you tips and tricks to help you get the most out of PAR’s online assessment platform. 

On Thursday, February 4, new users can get a real-time tour of the platform. This webinar is ideal for users who are just getting started. 

On Friday, February 5, users who are looking to delve deeper into the lesser-known features of the platform will get an opportunity to learn time-saving shortcuts and understand advanced settings and options. 

Furthermore, both sessions will introduce users to the newest features on PARiConnect—the interactive bell curve and Digital Library! 

Register now for these free webinars! Space is limited. 

The Personality Assessment Inventory™ (PAI®) has earned its reputation as one of the most important innovations in personality assessment. Its 22 nonoverlapping scales cover the constructs most relevant to a broad-based assessment of mental disorders. Now with the introduction of the PAI Plus, there are even more ways to interpret PAI data.

A recorded webinar from presenters Kevin Lauer, PhD, and Sierra Iwanicki, PhD, is now available on the PAR Training Portal. It covers topics such as:

• The development, theoretical framework, and structure of the PAI 
• An overview of the PAI product family, including the updates made in the PAI Plus
• Available PAI resources

Visit partrainingportal.com to view it today!

Join us for a live Webinar on Wednesday, November 15 from noon to 1 p.m. ET to discover the features and benefits of our online assessment tool.

The information presented is useful whether you’ve recently signed up for PARiConnect or if you’re just curious and want to learn more.

Whether you’re in private practice or part of a large organization, this interactive session will help you learn how to use PARiConnect to simplify your assessment process.

During this Webinar, you will:

• See a real-time demonstration of PARiConnect, including viewing the online assessment process from start to finish.
• Learn about the flexibility of the system, in particular the different administration options available (e.g., e-mail,  onscreen, and manual data entry).
• Find out how to manage large numbers of accounts, clinicians, and clients.
• Observe how to import and export data in large batches.

Get information on capturing the current status of inventory and reallocating uses.

Register now! Don’t miss this month’s informative Webinar.

1. PARiConnect streamlines the assessment process. Assess clients when and where you wish—on-screen in your office, remotely via Internet, or by entering responses from paper-and-pencil administrations.


2. PARiConnect saves time. Instant scoring and reporting means you get immediate feedback, enabling you to spend more time with your clients and less time waiting for results.


3. PARiConnect improves accuracy. Built-in verification tools help you confirm the accuracy of data entry, so simple mistakes won’t cost you valuable interpretation time.


4. PARiConnect protects your data. Designed with HIPAA compliance in mind, you can be sure your data are secure, safe, and protected.


5. PARiConnect offers 3 FREE assessments and reports for the instruments of your choice! Register for PARiConnect today to take advantage of all this innovative online assessment platform has to offer!

Join us on Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 12 to 1 p.m. ET. Register now, space is limited!

Join us for a free Webinar on how to make PARiConnect work for you! Whether you are new to this innovative, online assessment platform and curious as to how it can help your assessment process or if you are a current user who wants to learn more, there is something for everyone!

• New users will learn how to import client information, assess clients when and where you wish, and generate score and interpretive reports.


• Experienced users can deepen their understanding of the platform, learning how to manage inventory, reallocate uses for large multi-user accounts, and organize client groups.


• All attendees will be able to submit questions and comments throughout the Webinar so their particular concerns can be addressed.

In less than an hour, you will learn how PARiConnect streamlines the assessment process, whether you are a single practitioner in private practice or a large institution with varied assessment needs. Join us on Thursday, June 23, 2016 from 12 to 1 p.m. ET. Register now, space is limited!

In April 2013, President Obama announced the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative. During the speech, he said, “We have a chance to improve the lives of not just millions, but billions of people on this planet through the research that's done in this BRAIN Initiative alone.”

The BRAIN Initiative’s purpose is to help researchers better understand brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, depression, and traumatic brain injury. It will allow researchers to produce dynamic pictures of how the brain records, processes, uses, stores, and retrieves vast quantities of information and shed light on the complex links between brain function and behavior.

According to National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis S. Collins, “The human brain is the most complicated biological structure in the known universe. We’ve only just scratched the surface in understanding how it works—or, unfortunately, doesn’t quite work when disorders and disease occur… This is just the beginning of a 12-year journey, and we’re excited to be starting the ride.”

Many technology firms, academic institutions, and scientists, such as the NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Science Foundation (NSF), have committed to advancing this initiative. The NSF has partnered with NBC Learn to produce a video series entitled “Mysteries of the Brain,” which draws on research conducted through the White House for the BRAIN Initiative. The series will discuss how the brain develops, controls emotions, and creates memories.

This eight-part video series will include the following segments:

• Searching for Answers—Discusses how new research has begun to decipher the unsolved mysteries of the brain.


• Thinking Brain—Discusses how the brain can store and process large amounts of information.


• Evolving Brain—Discusses how the basic movements of a tiny fish can teach us big ideas about how the brain's circuitry works.


• Emotional Brain—Discusses using a virtual reality room to study how the brain reacts to positive and negative emotions.


• Brain States and Consciousness—Discusses the study of a fruit fly to understand how the brain's cells communicate to control sleep patterns.


• Building a Brain—Discusses how the brains of tadpoles help us understand how neural circuits develop and absorb information from the surrounding environment.


• Perceiving Brain—Discusses how functional magnetic resonance imaging allows researchers to view the brain and determine how it distinguishes important information from every day scenes.


• Brain-Computer Interface—Discusses how devices can monitor and extract brain activity to enable a machine or computer to accomplish tasks, from playing video games to controlling a prosthetic arm.

The "Mysteries of the Brain" series is available for free viewing at NBCLearn, Science360, and the White House Blog. The National Science Teachers Association is developing lesson plans for middle and high school students, which will be available later this summer.

Did you watch the series? If so, what did you think? PAR wants to hear from you, so leave a comment and join the conversation!

http://youtu.be/8Kn2LXJDxik

Make 2015 the year you try PARiConnect.

PARiConnect is an online tool that allows you to easily administer, score, and obtain interpretations for more than 50 of your favorite PAR instruments.

PARiConnect broadens your administration and reporting options by allowing you to choose when, where, and how to get the results you need—with no new hardware or additional equipment required. Easy to use, flexible, and secure, PARiConnect will change the way you practice.

Plus, PARiConnect has new features to make online assessment even easier. Manage large numbers of accounts, clinicians, and clients; import and export data in large batches; and capture the current status of inventory and reallocate uses.

We will even teach you how to use it!

Register now for a free, live Webinar that will help you become better acquainted with this dynamic assessment platform.

Join our Webinar on Thursday, January 29 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET or 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET. Space is limited. Register today!

Want to learn more about the Academic Achievement Battery™ (AAB™)Screening Form? PAR's Training Portal now offers a  free course on this new product. Whether you have already purchased the AAB Screening Form and want to learn more about this instrument or are looking for more information to help make your purchase decision, this training course will give you a quick overview of the product, explain what makes it unique, and give you insight into how it was developed.

To access the Training Portal, use your parinc.com username and password to log in. Don’t have a free account? Register now. Training courses are also available on the Vocabulary Assessment Scales™ (VAS™), the Test of General Reasoning Ability™ (TOGRA™), and the Reynolds Adaptable Intelligence Test™ (RAIT™). Training on the AAB Comprehensive Form will be available shortly, with more presentations coming in 2015.