Volume 59, No. 1Winter 2009
A Message from the Executive Director
By Suzanne Fisher
Since our last newsletter, CASP has had to move its office after 14 years of occupancy. 1400 K was the first CASP office in Sacramento. However, the owners of the building decided the site needed a long overdue facelift, which they expect will take over 12 months. Most tenants have moved to new sites and those unable or unwilling to move will locate to temporary quarters in a make-shift office of shared facilities. After the building has been renovated, any remaining tenants are invited to return to the new and improved site. The only problem for CASP was the annual Convention in March 2009. The CASP staff is minimal and, even with the assistance of temporary help, it takes all our resources to prepare and execute the annual CASP Convention. Hence, the Board and staff made the decision to seek a new home for CASP.
The good news is the monthly rent is the same as the old building.The bad news is that it took weeks for us to pack and weeks to move and unpack! Anyone who has moved their house after 10 years or more knows what a challenge this event has presented.Old files and memorabilia came tumbling out of every nook and cranny. This new site will be our home for 10 years and hopefully longer. The building is newer and brings us within two blocks of the State Capitol, allowing swift access to our legislative supporters. Our lease fees will increase modestly each year – the same as our former site.
The funding for our unsolicited move came from the CASP savings account. Fortunately for us our conservative business practices over the past 10 years allowed us to acquire a strong reserve from which we could borrow the needed cash. We are still settling in, however, we hope to have a modest open house event in January 2009 for local members and partners.
In October of 2009, Affiliate leaders from around the state will be invited to a reception in the new office. Until then CASP members are welcome to drop by and take a “short” tour of the new office.
Despite the packing/moving chaos, we were able to host a successful Winter Conference 2008 in San Jose,along with a special session for over 200 school administrators, teachers and PPS workers at an ACSA-CASP RTI training. In November 2008, the California Department of Education issued an announcement supporting the use of Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTII), found elsewhere in this newsletter.
The ACSA - CASP Partnership will host several more trainings across the state in 2009 and hope to work with CDE to coordinate our trainings with their model – building a statewide coordinated approach for all California school districts, tailored to meet each district’s unique needs. Please visit the CASP website to find a training near your school district. Opportunities for private consulting with districts are also available.
CASP is also partnering with the South East SELPA in Santa ClaraCounty to offer Student Threat Assessment, a workshop presented by Diana Browning Wright, May 18 and 19 in San Jose. Plans for this workshop are still forming; watch the CASP web site for more information.
Next up is the CASP 60th Annual Convention, featuring a star-studded event hosted by the Riverside Association of School Psychologists (RASP) Convention Committee.The local affiliate will have many commemorative items for members to purchase for their historical collections. The CASP website can be used to create logocustomizedgarments; caps; mugs; and more. We also offer on-line registration; a marketing video; a gas card/coupon drawing; and planning tips for your time in Riverside, California. This year’s sponsors include: Riverside Publishing – in the lead position – and Pearson Publishing and Multi Health Systems as the second-tier and corporate supporters. The historic Mission Inn and Riverside Marriott will provide lodging and the local Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)will host a booth to assist those new to the area.
Lastly, our 60th anniversary logo is the “tree of life.” First mentioned in the Holy Bible, the tree of life symbolizes the longevity of CASP and its strong roots in schools across the state. While the state’s economy and public school funding looks shaky at best we will all survive the disappointments ahead, reviewing/adjusting our lifestyle choices and remembering to put the children and families we support first as we continue to operate with limited resources!