APA runs violence prevention workshop

APA is presenting the workshop "Violence prevention in the early years" on Aug. 19, 1–4:40 p.m., during its 2005 Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. The workshop will familiarize participants with the ACT--Adults and Children Together--Against Violence training program, an APA collaboration with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The workshop reviews the roots and consequences of violence in children's lives, the impact of media violence and anger-management skills. It is geared to consultants, administrators and staff with organizations that provide services for families or children and those involved in violence prevention.

For more information, contact Marcia Segura of APA's Continuing Professional Education Office at the APA address; (202) 336-5691. To register, visit www.apa.org/ce/workshop03.html.

APA's Practice Directorate hosts learning disabilities debate

In conjunction with APA's 2005 Annual Convention in Washington, D.C., the 12th Annual Institute for Psychology in the Schools will explore how psychologists identify children with learning disabilities on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 1:30–5 p.m., at the Grand Hyatt's Constitutional Ballroom B.

Tom Kubiszyn, PhD, will moderate the debate as Cecil Reynolds, PhD, and Jack Naglieri, PhD, present on the role of cognitive assessment in identifying learning disabilities, and Daniel Reschly, PhD, and Mark Shinn, PhD, present the response-to-intervention perspective.

Preregistration runs until Aug. 1 and is $45 for APA members, $30 for American Psychological Association of Graduate Students (APAGS) and APA Div. 16 (School) Student Affiliates in School Psychology (SASP) student members and $60 for nonmembers. After Aug. 1, registration is $65 for APA members, $50 for APAGS/SASP student members and $80 for nonmembers.

For more information, including registration forms, visit www.apa.org/practice/opas_reg.html or contact Jayme Murray, program officer in APA's Practice Directorate, at the APA address; (202) 216-7609 or (202) 336-5858; e-mail: Jayme Murray or APA's Practice Directorate.

Apply for student research awards

APA's Science Student Council (SSC) seeks nominations for outstanding student research projects completed before the dissertation.

SSC will grant two $1,000 awards: one for an award in basic science and one for applied research.

To apply, send three copies of the application, located at www.apa.org/science/early_award_app.pdf, along with a one-page cover letter, two-page research summary, curriculum vitae, a one-page recommendation letter and the research paper to the Science Directorate at the APA address; (202) 336-6000; e-mail. The deadline to apply is Sept. 15.

Apply for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science Award

APA's Board of Scientific Affairs (BSA) seeks nominations for the Award for Distinguished Service to Psychological Science.

The $1,000 award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to psychological science through their commitment to a culture of service. The award's focus is on an individual's service to the discipline--not scholarly achievements. Nominees should demonstrate their service to the discipline by aiding in association governance; serving on boards, committees and various psychological associations; editing journals; reviewing grant proposals; mentoring students and colleagues; advocating for psychological science's best interests with state and federal lawmakers; and promoting the value of psychological science in the public eye. Nominees may be involved in one, many or all of the service areas noted above.

To apply, send a two-page nomination letter that describes and supports the individual's contributions, a curriculum vitae and three letters of support from individuals familiar with the nominee's service to the discipline--such as colleagues, deans familiar with the nominee's service, former students and association or society presidents-- via e-mail.

The deadline for nominations is Aug. 25.

Offer feedback on educational evaluation standards

The Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE), of which APA is a member, seeks psychologists to help revise two documents, the Program Evaluation Standards 2 and the Personnel Evaluation Standards, both available at www.wmich.edu/evalctr/jc.

The committee seeks three types of feedback:

• Responses to the current standards.

• Suggested revisions to the draft documents.

• Comments on the use of the new draft standards in field trials.

The JCSEE Program Evaluation Standards 2 aims to influence how government agencies, educational systems, professional organizations, health and human services, business and industry, and independent evaluators conduct evaluations of educational programs. Committee members began their third revision cycle of Standards 2 in 2003. The committee plans to have final input from members this fall and publish the documents in 2006.

The JCSEE Personnel Evaluation Standards guide school districts, universities and other educational entities on how to evaluate employees during selection, retention and promotion. Committee members began reviewing the standards this year and are soliciting input for revision.

To obtain drafts or to use the draft standards in field trials, contact Barbara Howard, PhD, SERVE Center senior research specialist at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, via e-mail. To review the documents, forward a copy of your input to Jeff Braden, PhD, APA representative to JCSEE, via e-mail. Input on the Program Evaluation Standards 2 must be received by Sept. 1. Input on Personnel Evaluation Standards must be received by Jan. 31.

Join APA's Continuing Education Committee

APA's Continuing Education Committee (CEC) seeks nominations for four new members to begin three-year terms on Jan. 1.

The committee collaborates with the Office of Continuing Education in Psychology and the Continuing Education Sponsor Approval System to develop policy and program recommendations for the association's continuing-education (CE) program. The committee's tasks include:

• Developing and delivering CE programs and products.

• Providing educational and technical assistance to APA directorates, divisions, state associations and other sponsors.

• Collaborating with organizations that want to become APA-approved sponsors.

• Providing a review of all sponsors and organizations seeking APA sponsor approval.

• Identifying, promoting, implementing and evaluating research, development and innovations in CE.

CEC requires members to attend two committee meetings each year in Washington, D.C., with expenses reimbursed by APA. Members also work on committee projects between meetings.

The committee seeks to assemble a diverse group of psychologists. It encourages nomination of psychologists committed to the concept of lifelong learning and, specifically, individuals with knowledge of, or background in, industrial or organizational psychology, child clinical services and psychodynamic models, as well as scientists and practitioners, clinical researchers, school psychologists and psychologists involved with state or regional associations. CEC is committed to maintaining a diverse and broad representation from all groups and areas of psychology.

The nomination deadline is Sept. 2. To apply, send the nominee's curriculum vitae and a letter stating the individual's interest in serving to Karen Kanefield, Sponsor Approval System, at the APA address; e-mail.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual project plans training sessions

APA's Healthy Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Students Project (HLGBSP)--a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded project designed to help schools prevent health risks and promote healthy outcomes for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth--will sponsor 10 training sessions for school counselors, nurses, psychologists and social workers in the coming months.

The workshops are tentatively scheduled to coincide with the annual meetings of other interested professional associations, such as the National Association of School Nurses and the American School Counselor Association. The workshops will also take place at state and local education agencies in Maryland, Wisconsin and California.

This year, HLGBSP provided its daylong training workshop at the annual conferences of HLGBSP's organizing partners, such as the National Association of School Psychologists and the School Social Work Association of America, and in school districts of partner state education agencies.

To date, HLGBSP has provided 25 trainings at the national, regional and state levels, reaching a combined audience of approximately 650 school counselors, nurses, psychologists and social workers who provide health and mental health services to more than 420,000 middle and high school students.

To learn more about HLGBSP, visit www.apa.org/ed/hlgb.

--Z. STAMBOR

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