New Brighton's Sally Baas Elected National Association of School Psychologists President

ST. PAUL, MN (02/24/2012)(readMedia)-- New Brighton resident and Concordia University, St. Paul faculty member Dr. Sally Baas has been elected president of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Baas will serve as President-Elect in 2013 and President in 2014. The NASP has 27,000 members.

The NASP's mission states that it represents school psychology and supports school psychologists to enhance the learning and mental health of all children and youth. Baas noted, "We provide learning supports which contribute to the social-emotional wellness, positive behavior, and academic achievement... and collaborate with school personnel to help students engage in their learning."

As President, Baas will be presiding over the Executive Council and Delegate Assembly of the NASP, visiting and speaking at state school psychology association conferences, doing advocacy in Washington on behalf of children, youth, and families, and doing writing for the association.

"As a member of NASP and President Elect of NASP, I will use my capacity for collaboration, communication, and capacity building garnered through over 20 years of leadership in state and NASP associations and advocacy efforts at all levels to help drive these critical elements forward," Baas stated.

Baas is also director of Concordia's Southeast Asian Teacher Licensure Program. She joined Concordia's staff in 2002, and has devoted her teaching to preparing future educators for diversity in the classroom and developing methods to best serve students of various ethnic backgrounds.

For over forty years, Baas has trained students at all levels. She has served as a behavioral assessor, consultant, dean, principal, and school psychologist. She has worked at the collegiate level for more than fifteen years. In addition, Baas also serves as the Minnesota Teacher Performance Assessment Coordinator and has numerous publications related to school psychology, reducing assessment bias, and preparing children to learn.

Concordia University, St. Paul is a comprehensive, private university operated under the auspices of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and one of 10 schools that comprise the Concordia University System. Established in 1893, Concordia offers more than 40 liberal arts majors, including business, education, science, fine arts and church professions. Concordia is a regional leader in adult education, offering more than 30 accelerated undergraduate and graduate programs in business, health sciences, education, criminal justice, communication and Christian outreach. Concordia is the only private university in Minnesota to offer NCAA Division II athletics for men and women. On the web: www.csp.edu.

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