Presidential Perspective

Happy New Year, Friends and Colleagues!

As the year 2024 has come to a close, I count my blessings as many of you.  Of course, I am blessed and honored to serve as your ISPA President!  I am blessed and privileged to have a warm home filled with laughter, love, and a future.

As we wind up the holidays with our family and friends, I think of the families and communities that we touch each day as school psychologists in Illinois.  The difference that all of us make in the lives of children and families is what boosts up our growing Illinois community.  We so seamlessly support our state’s children, families, communities, colleagues, and each other.  ISPA’s Governmental Affairs has worked hard to advocate for all of you in efforts with Governor JB Pritzker (proclamation that recognized the National School Psychology Week and also shareable on the ISPA website) and with collaboration with IEA/IFT to Undo Tier 2.  

We shared the exciting news that the U.S. House Resolution 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, passed in the U.S. House by a vote of 327 to 75 with 1 voting present November 12, 2024. This is the legislation that has been worked on for many years that would allow those with certain pensions in certain states -- educators and other public employees in Illinois-- to also draw their full Social Security benefit.  On December 21, 2024, the Senate passed H.R. 82, without amendment, by Yea-Nay vote, 76-20. Senators Duckworth and Durbin from Illinois voted Yea. The bill was sent to the President on December 27, 2024 and President Biden signed it on January 5, 2025!  It is all very exciting!

ISPA is also proud to announce that NASP’s Governmental Public Relations (GPR) Committee selected Illinois to receive 2025 State Hill Support so that we can further advocate in Springfield for all of you.

ISPA’s Governing Board, across all of our committees, has been working hard to get ready for our Winter Convention and Job Placement!

Collaborating for Advocacy is intended to mean so much to us, as it does for me.  I hope that you are able to join ISPA and the hard working ISPA Governing Board members in Bloomington-Normal for our Winter Convention so that we can Collaborate for Advocacy together with good company and amazing in-person professional development on January 30 and January 31, 2025.  We will collaborate again on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 for ISPA’s Annual Job/Internship Fair in Bloomington-Normal.  Registration for both are open! (https://ilispa.memberclicks.net/annual-convention and https://ilispa.memberclicks.net/job-placement)

Remember that we offer ISBE-approved professional development hours and NASP approved professional development!

Save the Dates

In addition, we have three (3) more Governing Board meetings that we hold each year, in which members are welcome to attend as guests!

Governing Board Meetings 

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Bloomington-Normal Marriott Hotel, 201 Broadway, Normal, IL 61761)

Saturday, April 26, 2025 - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (in-person / Location is TBD)

Saturday, June 7, 2025 - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (in-person / Location is TBD)

See below for a link to template letters to your principal and/or special education administrators to seek permission to attend conferences/conventions, encourage administrators and other school-based mental health providers to attend with you, and links to forums on how to contact our legislators.  This link will provide as mere templates that you may use.

Template Letters for Principals-Special Administrators / Forums to Contact Legislators

Are you interested in being a part of this change at the Governing Board level?  Reach out to [email protected]!  Our governing board has our hands in many aspects of Collaborating for Advocacy.  We want to meet you and welcome your ideas/inspiration to make our Governing Board, our profession, and our state the best it can be!  The easy first step is to Join a Committee.  Click here to see a list of committee options.  Please remember that you’ve got some SKILLS that would be beneficial to the ISPA Governing Board.  On Friday, January 31, nominations for Governing Board positions will be announced and can be made from the floor.  Many positions are up for re-election in Spring 2025 (President-Elect, Treasurer, and Regional Directors for Regions: 3, 5, 9).

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or want to share your perspective to enhance the work of our association. Your words matter!  You can reach out to [email protected].  Thank you to all of you, members, school psychologists, educators, ISPA Governing Board members, for your dedication.

Jyoti Kolodziej

Your ISPA President