Dr. Julie Horner-Girard
Hello and welcome to my school webpage! I am Julie, aka Mrs. H., and I am the district's school psychologist for grades EC – 12th.
What is a School Psychologist?
School psychologists are uniquely qualified members of school teams that support students' ability to learn and teachers' ability to teach. They apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior, to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists partner with families, teachers, school administrators, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between home, school, and the community. Source: National Association of School Psychologists
About Me!
I was born and raised in East Los Angeles, California. I graduated as a first-generation college student with a Bachelors in Science in Cognitive Neuroscience/Psychology from the University of California-Irvine. I moved to the Midwest for graduate school where I obtained my Master’s and Doctorate Degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the area of School Psychology with an emphasis in Clinical Neuropsychology and Prevention and Intervention Science. Aside from school psychology, I completed a separate clinical track that involved a doctoral residency accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and APPIC.
My main areas of interest are in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Developmental Trauma, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Special Education and Mental Health Policy and Advocacy, Equity and Social-Cultural Identity Development, Learning Disabilities, Mental Health Assessment and Intervention, and Neuropsychological Assessment and Intervention. I have worked in diverse settings, including clinics, hospitals, universities and schools, with families, children, and adults. I continue to consult with and for outside agencies.
What is My Role at WHSD?
At Wisconsin Heights I have various roles that include Section 504 coordinator, special education evaluator, classroom teacher consultant, family liaison, and student helper and mentor! I collaborate daily with the school counselors, school social worker, school principals, classroom teachers, special education teachers, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapist.
Main initiatives/district efforts that I am involved in include:
- Non-Violence Crisis Intervention
- Crisis Prevention and Intervention
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Mental Health Consultation
- Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS)
- Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) School-wide Initiative
- Academic Intervention and Data Analyses, Response-to-Intervention (RtI)
- School-wide practices that promote learning
- Problem Solving Teams (PST)
- Equitable Multi-Level Systems of Supports
- Culturally Responsive Practices
- School-wide Initiatives (Start with Hello-Sandy Hook Promise)
- English Language Learning (ELL) Testing and Accommodations
- Special Education Policy, Evaluation and Determination
- Section 504 Evaluation, Determination, and Plan Implementation
- Student Plans Coordination
- Community Consultation
- Child Find Developmental Fair and Screenings (Co-Coordinator)
- Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
- School Behavioral Consultation
- Medical Consultation
- Academic and Career Planning (ACP) (Team Member)
- District Equity Initiatives
- Universal District Social Emotional Behavioral Assessment (B.e.s.t. Screener and Interventions)
- Universal 6-12 Mental Health Screening
- Student Support (one-on-one, lunch bunches, and groups)
How to Reach Me?
Name: Dr. Julie Ann Horner-Girard
Main School Office Address: 1133 Center Street, Black Earth, WI 53515
Office #: 608-767-2595 ext. 4108 (Black Earth), ext. 5131 (Mazomanie), ext. 2546 (MS/HS)
Fax #: (608) 767-3579
Email: jhorner@wisheights.k12.wi.us
School Office Hours: M-F, 7:30-4:00 (times may vary by day and buildings)
Note: Out of office during summer months
Inspiring Quotes!
"I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after... and altered the color of my mind." - Emily Bronte
"Be yourself everyone else is already taken." - Oscar Wilde
"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, and drink the wild air" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Find yourself to lose yourself. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others..." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education."-MLK
"Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart."-Myla Kabat-Zinn
"The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction, not a destination."- Carl Rogers
“The separation of psychology from the premises of biology is purely artificial, because the human psyche lives in indissoluble union with the body.”-Carl Jung
“The brain is wider than the sky.”-Emily Dickinson
“Don't believe everything you think. Thoughts are just that–thoughts.” -Alan Lokos
“Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” ―
“You probably had fantasies about leaving home, about running away, about having it over with, about your alcoholic parent becoming sober and life being fine and beautiful. You began to live in a fairy-tale world, with fantasy and in dreams. You lived a lot on hope, because you didn’t want to believe what was happening. You knew that you couldn’t talk about it with your friends or adults outside your family. Because you believed you had to keep these feelings to yourself, you learned to keep most of your other feelings to yourself. You couldn’t let the rest of the world know what was going on in your home. Who would believe you, anyway?” ―
Helpful Resources, Guides and Tools!
Disclaimer: not a substitute for professional help and care; not a district endorsement of specific resources.
Problem Solving and Special Education for Parents:
Problem Solving Before Special Education through School-wide Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS):
Information about IDEA Special Education-Individual Education Plan/Program (IEP):
Information about Section 504 Special Education Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP):
Differences between 504 IAP and IDEA IEP:
Parenting/Family Health:
Resources, toolkits, and visuals to use with children and youth to help them grow up to be positive, resilient, compassionate, responsible, and confident human beings who strive to achieve great things in life.
PBS Parents is a trusted resource that’s filled with information on child development and early learning. It also serves as a parent's window to the world of PBS KIDS, offering access to educational games and activities inspired by PBS KIDS programs.
Parent Resources:
Birth Injury Justice Center has compiled the most in-depth resources nationwide to help guide and assist families with disabilities caused by physical birth injuries.
Visit: https://www.childbirthinjuries.com/ for more information.
Childhood Mental Health:
Resources and toolkits to help manage childhood mental health conditions, such as Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and other learning and behavior disorders.
General Mental Health:
http://www.mindyourmind.ca
Resources and tools to help manage stressful life events, mental health problems, relationship issues, etc.
http://TeenCentral.Net
Teens talking to teens about life-related issues (how to quit smoking, loss, stress, etc.). Website developed by KidsPeace\
http://www.yoomagazine.net
Topics include bullying, stress, and mental health.
Anxiety Problems:
http://www.anxietybc.com
A self-help approach to reducing anxiety – complete toolkit
http://ecouch.anu.edu.au
Information about emotional problems such as anxiety and depression – learn strategies that will help you with stressful life events.
Depression:
http://www.thelowdown.co.nz
Youth depression website. Get all the facts and treatment info. Talk to a
trained counsellor and hear other people's personal stories.
http://moodgym.anu.edu.au
A free self-help program for depression that teaches youth cognitive
behaviour therapy skills.
http://www.camh.ca/Publications/Resources_for_Professionals/Validity/ “Hear Me, Understand Me, Support Me: What Young Women Want You to Know about Depression”
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/mental_health/teen.htm
“Dealing with Depression: Anti-Depressant Skills for Teens” - A guide for teens and adults that is intended to assist youth age 13 to 17 who suffer from depression or who believe they have an early or mild form of depression. Created by mental health experts and clinical psychologists from BC, the guide contains answers to many common questions about teen depression, interactive worksheets, and links to other sources of information.
Substance Use & Addictions:
http://www.camh.ca
Substance use, gambling problems, mental health issues
https://www.drugrehab.com/guides/parents/ https://www.drugrehab.com/support/resources-for-moms/
DrugRehab.com is a web resource provided and funded by Advanced Recovery Systems. The website provides researched, fact-based resources for free. Readers can learn about risks of various substances, the latest approaches to treatment and real stories of recovery on DrugRehab.com.
Sexual Health:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/jfy-spv/youth-jeunes-eng.php
Informative Health Canada website on teen sexual health, development, issues related to being a teen.
http://www.youthline.ca
Anonymous & confidential site for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans youth, and those who have questions.
LBGTQ+
https://www.cdc.gov/lgbthealth/youth.htm
Trauma in Childhood and Adverse Life Experiences:
Studies estimate 3.3 – 10 million children in the United States witness violence in their own homes each year (1). There is growing research on the psychological, emotional and neurobiological impact of trauma and highly stressful events. Trauma impacts all aspects of a child’s development, including emotional regulation, memory, cognitive processing, social skills, and physical health (2, 3, 4). Trauma can undermine children’s ability to learn, form relationships, and function appropriately in the classroom, including their development of language and communication skills, organization of narrative material, ability to understand cause and effect relationships and to take another person’s perspective, attentiveness to classroom tasks and executive functions (e.g., goal setting and planning, anticipating consequences), and ability to engage the classroom curriculum and instruction (1). These limitations make it challenging for these children to meet classroom learning expectations.
The principles of Trauma-Informed Care, a growing and powerful national movement in the human services system, hold great potential for helping people to recover from the effects of adverse childhood experiences (5). Their application in schools can help to create supportive school environments with positive relationships that empower trauma survivors to flourish and learn to their potential. These changes can help schools to support all children in the development of healthy coping strategies and resilience in facing future struggles.
RESOURCES:
Helping Traumatized Children Learn (June 2007). Massachusetts Advocates for Children: Trauma & Learning Policy Initiative. Available at http://www.massadvocates.org/trauma-learning.php.
The Impact of Trauma on Learning (June 2006). The Citizen Commission on Academic Success for Boston Children. Accessed 5-06-11 from http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/Zenti_-_The_Impact_of_Trauma_on_Learning_9-09_311457_7.pdf.
The Effects of Trauma on Schools and Learning. National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Accessed 5-06-11 from http://www.nctsnet.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=ctr_aud_schl_effects.
Steele, William. Trauma’s Impact on Learning and Behavior: A Case for Intervention in Schools. May 2007. Accessed 5-06-11 from http://www.tlcinst.org/impact.html.
Welcome to the National Center on Trauma-Informed Care. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Accessed 5-06-11 from http://www.samhsa.gov/nctic/.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 5-06-11 from http://www.cdc.gov/ace/index.htm.
ACEs Connection - https://www.acesconnection.com/
ACES Aware - https://www.acesaware.org/
Stress Health - https://www.stresshealth.org/
ACEs Inventory https://www.acesaware.org/wpcontent/uploads/2019/11/ACEs-Screener-Identified-English.pdf
Discussing Mental Illness:
Make It OK website:
Suicidality: Awareness, Prevention and Intervention:
See list below for programs and services that focus on information about the awareness and prevention of youth suicide.
- American Association of Suicidology
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
- Center for Disease Control: Suicide
- Center for Disease Control: Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System
- The Jed Foundation
- Kid Central TN
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)
- National Council for Suicide Prevention
- National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (PDF)
- Samaritans USA
- Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE)
- Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network
- The Trevor Project
- Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program
WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY MADE BY WISCONSIN STUDENTS:
You're Not Alone: A documentary and suicide-prevention toolkit
https://www.jsonline.com/in-depth/news/2019/05/17/youre-not-alone-documentary-suicide-prevention-toolkit/3590785002/
Helping a Friend who is Contemplating Suicide:
Try the “A Friend Asks” App
Would You Know How to Help a Friend Who is Contemplating Suicide?
“A Friend Asks” is a FREE smart-phone app that helps provide the information, tools and resources to help a friend (or yourself) who may be struggling with thoughts of suicide. Download the app today and encourage friends and family to do the same. Education is the key to prevention and with information like this as close as your smartphone; you could help save a life!
The “A Friend Asks” App contains the following information:
- warning signs of suicidal ideation
- how to help a friend
- how to get help now
- what to do and what not to do
- the B1 Program
If in an immediate crisis, call 911. If you, or a friend, need to talk with a counselor for help or need resources available in your area, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (anytime 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255) or use the Get Help Now button on the app.
Source: http://jasonfoundation.com/get-involved/student/a-friend-asks-app/
Crisis Help:
If you are in crisis or know someone who is in crisis, talk to someone, get help, or call 911.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
People call to talk about lots of things: substance abuse, economic worries, relationships, sexual identity, getting over abuse, depression, mental and physical illness, and loneliness, to name a few.
Other helpful websites and helplines:
- THE TREVOR PROJECT (LGBTQ Crisis and Suicide Hotline) – 866-488-7386
- VETERANS CRISIS LINE – 1-800-273-8255
- TEEN CRISIS LINE – 310-855-4673
- HOPELINE TEXT SERVICE – Text “HOPELINE” to 741741
