Maine Township High School District serves over 6,500 culturally diverse students in Des Plaines and Park Ridge as well as parts of other neighboring communities. Maine Township High Schools are acknowledged to be among the nation’s best. There are two different internship opportunities available in Maine Township- Maine East and Maine West Stipend: $20,000.
Maine East High School
Maine East is a culturally rich high school 30 minutes northwest of downtown Chicago. There are few other places in this country where an intern can walk through the halls and hear over 50 different languages spoken and see groups of students gather that represent countries from all parts of the world. Maine East has a rich history of being the first school to serve the Park Ridge community but as this more affluent area became part of Maine South and the surrounding communities diversified, Maine East changed. Now serving a culturally, racially, and economically diverse population of approximately 1,815 students, Maine East is officially a language minority school. Although population numbers can change week to week, it is a good estimate that Maine East educates students who speak 54 languages. In 2023, 75 percent of students came from homes where English is not the primary language. The student population is 39% low income, 22% English Language Learners, and 13% with IEPs. Racial ethnic make up of the student body is White 38%, Asian 29%, Hispanic 25%, and Black 5.5%. In a microcosm of the world and society Interns at Maine East have the opportunity to work with students who face many challenges making attention to diversity an essential component of our practice. The staff have a reputation of being friendly and committed individuals who work in this environment because of their dedication to this population of students. This creates a welcoming environment that is open to the ideas and energy that interns bring to the setting.
The doctoral internship position at Maine East High School is in the Student and Family Services Department. Interns are part of the culture of the department and have played crucial roles in the initiation and development of many programs. This unique placement of a School Psychology position offers interns training opportunities with both the general education and special education departments. Maine East has strong programs in place that provide multi-tiered supports. Because of this staff in the Student and Family Services Department (counselors, social workers, and nurse) have the opportunity to participate on committees which provide TIER I and TIER II support and to participate on professional learning teams. These initiatives are responsible for social emotional learning, large group screenings such as administration of the Pediatric Symptoms Checklist (PSC), and presentations on suicide awareness. Clinical interviews are conducted after PSC administration and suicide awareness. Both special education and general education students are provided group and individual therapy services depending on the needs of the students. Common concerns include anxiety, depression, and inattention, however due to the unique demographics of our population, our students face many relationship, familial, and diversity challenges. Collecting data has become an essential component of groups and individual services and interns are expected to collect pre-post and progress monitoring data to help inform their practice. Prospective Interns should have a strong interest in working with high school aged students from a variety of cultures and socioeconomic statuses. The Intern will have the opportunity to participate in numerous regular and special education programs and training opportunities.
Internship year is a time to gain exposure to a variety of both new and familiar experiences that will allow the intern to increase their knowledge and skills to function confidently as a School Psychologist. Underlying the intern’s goals for the year is a desire to impress upon the interns the importance of having a curious mind, learning to think through presenting situations, and to gain confidence in addressing challenging students. There is a natural increase in independent practice as the year progresses and as the intern forges relationships with the staff and develops their own expertise and style of practice. Supervision attempts to embrace and encourage individual growth through thoughtful and collaborative assignment of cases and responsibilities based on both the intern’s goals and the supervisor’s vision of growth for the intern.
Each Intern will complete approximately 10 Initial Psychological Evaluations and/or Reevaluations. The level of challenge of the cases will depend on the intern’s skills in test administration, interpretation, and report writing. Common disabilities that are evaluated include learning disability, emotional disability, other health impairment, autism, and intellectual disability. A regular counseling caseload of approximately 10 students will be part of the training year but numbers will vary depending on how many groups the intern co-leads. The Interns will be expected to participate on one problem solving team comprised of a Social Worker, a Dean, and Counselors for the purpose of coordinating behavioral, social emotional, and academic interventions. Functional analyses of behavior and behavior intervention plans will be completed as part of the team’s approach to student challenges. Interns will be trained in completing risk of harm assessments and each year there are opportunities to complete risk assessments. Interns also will be expected to lead a push in social skills group with special education students. Maine East High School offers numerous training and educational opportunities in an environment that is culturally rich and professionally stimulating. Interns can expect to be busy and to learn how to manage a case load as a high school, School Psychologist. The stipend for a doctoral level intern is $20,000 with no benefits. The work week is Monday through Friday, 7:30 – 3:30. The internship begins early August and follows the school calendar except that doctoral level interns will complete the full 12 months. Interns have an office in the Student Services department. The office is furnished and has a laptop computer and docking station with access to the Internet, the school’s data information system, IEP program, test scoring programs, and a phone.
SUPERVISOR
Dr. Ruth Shook-Orr is one of School Psychologist in the Student Personnel Services Department. Ruth has a Masters Degree in School Psychology from Bowling Green State University and a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Ruth is a National Certified School Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Psychologist with interests in a variety of areas including training supervisors of interns, crisis intervention and risk assessment, and personality assessment. This is Ruth’s 16th year at Maine East after two decades in the district as a School Psychologist with behavior disordered students. Ruth will be the primary supervisor for interns. Ruth’s overall training philosophy is that interns remain curious and thoughtful in their approach to their job responsibilities. Interns are encouraged to use the training year as an opportunity to hone in on both school and clinical assessment, writing, and counseling skills and to challenge themselves to participate in new activities that will both stretch their skills and provide an opportunity to develop new skills. Interns will have the opportunity to complete groups and other MTSS activities with the two school psychologist and two social workers in the department. Interns are encouraged and supported at Maine East and learning takes place in an environment where consideration of the culture and ethnic identity of the student and their families is given. Ruth’s primary focus in supervision is to provide a comfortable relationship in which the intern can struggle with issues and concepts and to nurture a curiosity about human behavior and a desire to learn and grow as new challenges arise. With Dr. Shook-Orr, interns receive a minimum of two hours of individual supervision weekly and one hour of group supervision designed strictly to increase the intern’s clinical knowledge and skills. There are numerous opportunities for informal supervision with other staff, but additional formal hours may include supervision with a second School Psychologist, a Social Worker, and/or peer consultation.
Video Clip: Dr. Ruth Shook-Orr speaks about the internship experience at Maine East. Note: It may take a few minutes to download.
Maine West High School
NEW 2024-2025:
Bilingual Bicultural school psychologists at Maine 207 work to remain ethical and follow best practices regarding bilingual evaluations and services. The best interest of the client (student) remains at the forefront. When possible, service and evaluation is delivered in the student’s preferred language. We are committed to providing a well rounded experience for interns that includes case conceptualization, team problem solving, counseling, assessment, and experience with working with diverse populations. In addition, we also incorporate an experience of fostering a bilingual and bicultural lens as bilingually endorsed school psychologists.
It is a goal to continue to support efforts in diversifying the field. Interns who are bilingual bicultural will be supported to learn how to navigate their language skill sets within a school setting. This includes service, assessment, consultation and the nuances of translation.
Bilingual/Bicultural Supervision
Trends over time demonstrate a growing student body that is increasingly ethnically and linguistically diverse. IIn contrast, the majority of school psychologists are white and monolingual. The internship experience can set a foundation for experiences for interns of all backgrounds to better understand various aspects of schooling and a multilingual student’s lived experience.
The domains of school psychology practice describe the comprehensive and integrated services that can be expected of school psychologists as presented in the NASP 2020 Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services (the NASP Practice Model). The 10 domains provide a general frame of reference for basic competencies that school psychologists should possess upon beginning practice and that are consistent with the professional competencies that result from graduate education in school psychology.
The descriptions below are training experiences that can be offered at Maine 207 (specifically at Maine West, which houses a bilingual school psychologist and EL endorsed school psychologist).
Domain 1: Data-Based Decision Making
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: assessment methods for identifying strengths and needs that are culturally and linguistically appropriate; developing effective interventions, services, and programs; and measuring progress and outcomes within a multitiered system of supports for multilingual students.
Domain 2: Consultation and Collaboration
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: varied models and strategies of consultation and collaboration applicable to students, families, and systems.
Domain 3: Academic Interventions and Instructional Supports
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: the community, school culture and social influences on academic skills and evidence-based curricula and instructional strategies through the Multilingual problem solving team(s).
Domain 4: Mental and Behavioral Health Services and Interventions
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: the community, school culture and social influences on mental and behavioral health and evidence-based strategies for Multilingual populations to promote social–emotional functioning.
Domain 5: School-Wide Practices to Promote Learning
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: discrepancies for Multilingual students within general and special education programming and evidence-based, school-wide practices that promote
learning, positive behavior, and mental health for Multilingual students through cross collaboration with the WL/Multilingual department.
Domain 6: Services to Promote Safe and Supportive Schools
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: understanding principles and research related to social–emotional well-being, resilience and risk factors in learning for Multilingual students.
Domain 7: Family, School, and Community Collaboration
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: evidence-based strategies to support positive family influences on children’s learning and mental health and strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools in collaboration with the district B-PAC.
Domain 8: Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: planning and implementation of evidence-based
strategies to enhance services in both general and special education and address potential influences related to linguistic and cultural diversity.
Domain 9: Research and Evidence-Based Practice
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: research design, statistics, measurement, and varied data collection and analysis techniques sufficient for understanding research, interpreting data, and evaluating programs related to multilingual students.
Domain 10: Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice
The school psychologist intern will have an opportunity to observe and collaborate with a bilingual school psychologist in order to better understand: the history and foundations of school psychology and implications for linguistically and ethnically diverse student populations; the ethical, legal, and professional standards and the implications for diverse populations; and other factors related to professional identity and effective practice as school psychologists that include race, ethnicity, and language.
Resources
The intern has a dedicated office space with a desk, phone, and computer. Depending on the year, the intern office has 1-2 interns. This office is located centrally in the school building and is located in the same area as other school psychologists, social workers, counselors, the Assistant Principal of Student Services, and a Family Liaison. Office materials are provided. The intern is responsible for scheduling counseling sessions and engaging in ongoing communication with families and outside providers. There is access to interpreters as needed.
Tools that the bilingual school psychologist will use include ecological frameworks that are recommended for work with multilingual students. These practices are supplemented as needed through evaluation that include, but not limited to, the following assessments:
PVAT- Ortiz Picture Vocabulary Acquisition Test
Bateria IV- Academic and Cognitive
WMLS- Woodcock Munoz Language Survey
BASC 3 Spanish
Vineland Spanish
Supervisor
Biographies with pictures of supervisor(s):
Yahaira “Yari” Diaz, PhD joined district 207 as a bilingual school psychologist at Maine West in 2022. She is a bilingual endorsed school psychologist and is a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Previously she was a school psychologist at a high school in DuPage County. Additionally, Dr. Diaz was a bilingual endorsed high school teacher at York High School with District 205 in Elmhurst. Dr. Diaz has served as a sponsor for Urban Arts, The Spanish Club, The International Club, and Raices (Roots) Club throughout her time as an educator. Dr. Diaz has also served to initiate new clubs, events, and initiatives rooted in student needs. As a bilingual school psychologist, Dr. Diaz serves as a lead for the Responsive PLT as well as promoting interdisciplinary collaboration with the Newcomer Intake Process. Dr. Diaz has received the Illinois Those Who Excel award for Excellence in 2024, NIU Woman’s Award, was named a DEI Fellow, serves as a manuscript reviewer for an academic journal and is a current SJC committee member of the National Association of School Psychologists.
Dr. Diaz holds her bachelor’s in Spanish Language and Literature, a master of Education and Instructional Leadership from University of Illinois at Chicago, a master of Educational Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and doctor of philosophy in School Psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Diaz completed her ISPIC Internship with District 207 and obtained bilingual psychology supervision during that time.
Sandy Flores-Rodriguez, PhD, joined District 207 as a bilingual school psychologist at Maine West High School in 2019. She holds dual credentials as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. Dr. Flores previously worked as a bilingual school psychologist in the Chicago Public Schools. She has experience working with a variety of age groups ranging from early childhood through young adulthood across school, therapeutic, and clinic settings. Dr. Flores enjoys training future school psychologists and is an adjunct professor at The Chicago School. She teaches courses in the areas of affective and social bases of behavior, systems theory, and practicum within the school psychology department. Dr. Flores received the Illinois Those Who Excel award for Meritorious Service in 2023, LUC Civic Engagement Award in 2016, and was named a DEI fellow.
Dr. Flores earned a bachelor’s in Psychology from Bradley University, a master of Educational Psychology from Loyola University Chicago, and a doctor of philosophy in School Psychology from Loyola University Chicago. She is an ISPIC alumna and completed her internship in District 207.
Please Note:
Maine District 207 interns are required to be fingerprinted and have a criminal background check. Our policy states: The District retains the right to discharge any employee whose criminal background investigation reveals a conviction for committing or attempting to commit any of the offenses outlined in Section 5/21B-80 of the School Code or who falsifies, or omits facts from, his or her employment application or other employment documents.
