As a school psychologist, I excel at the administration and interpretation of standardized assessment batteries as part of a holistic evaluation to determine special education eligibility. My well-developed interpersonal and communication skills allow me to collaborate with families and educators from diverse backgrounds. I am skilled at conducting special education evaluations and high-quality FBAs and using the results to guide intervention design that is focused on maximizing the potential of students and preparing them for career, college, and life.

Education

     M.Ed. | School Psychology, University of Washington | 2008
     B.A. | Psychology, University of Alaska Anchorage | 2005
 

cERTIFICATIONS

  • Licensed Educational Psychologist - LEP #3925, Exp. 6/30/2021

  • California Pupil Personnel Services Credential, School Psychologist - Certification #140024054, Exp. 02/01/2024

  • State of Washington Residency Educational Staff Associate, School Psychologist - Certification #466940D, Exp. 06/30/2023

  • Nationally Certified School Psychologist - Certification #39212, Exp. 02/28/2022
     

Professional Experience

School Psychologist - Antelope Valley Union High School District - 2014-2015

  • As lead member of multidisciplinary team, conduct comprehensive psychological assessments - including cognitive, academic, adaptive, and social/emotional tests, observations, and interviews - to determine special education eligibility

  • Provide DIS counseling services and mental health support for students at comprehensive high school campus

  • Planned and lead trainings on standardized academic assessment for special education teachers 

School Psychologist - Federal Way Public Schools - 2011-2014

  • PBIS Coach, Home Visits Coordinator, and Equity for Students Team member at Kilo Middle School

  • Coordinator of department team focused on utilization of technological resources in school psychology practice and creating a department plan for implementation of digital assessment methods

  • Presented multiple trainings on standardized assessment tools for the school psychology department and district special education teachers and paraprofessionals

  • School Psychologist representative on the district Special Education Advisory Committee

School Psychologist - Anchorage School District - 2009-2011

  • Provided assessment, counseling, and consultation services for two elementary schools and the Alternative Career Education/Adult Community Transition program

  • Lead initiative to create a Student Support Team process based on a multi-tiered system of support

  • Presented school-wide in-service on use of curriculum-based measurement within the framework of RTI

  • Provided consultation and coaching for individual teachers and grade-level teams about the implementation of RTI and application of the RTI model to the Montessori philosophy

School Psychologist Intern - Edmonds School District - 2008-2009

  • Worked directly with supervising school psychologist to provide assessment, counseling, and consultation services in a K-8 school that included two Deaf and Hard of Hearing classrooms

  • Participated in pre-referral activities and intervention planning, including academic interventions, individual and group counseling, and data collection for families and physicians

Please visit my online resume for a full detail of professional positions.
 

Publications

- December 2014: "A Framework for Planning Instruction" – Book review of The ABCs of Curriculum-Based Evaluation: A Practical Guide to Effective Decision Making for Communiqué: The Newspaper of the National Association of School Psychologists
- June 2013: “An Excellent Observation App” – Mobile App Review for Communiqué: The Newspaper of the National Association of School Psychologists
 

Volunteer Experience

- Presentation Proposal Reviewer - 2014 and 2015 NASP Convention
- School Psychologist Mentor - 2013 NASP Convention
- Convention Assistant - 2009, 2010, 2013 NASP Convention
- Tutor - 2007 and 2008 Admissions Weekend, University of Washington Dream Project
 

Testimonials

"Beth made an impact on the school, the staff, and the students with whom she has worked. I find her to be fair, energetic, and concerned about the welfare of each student in the school and staff members who educate them."
- Chris Willis, Director of Student Support Services at Federal Way Public Schools

"When I needed help to address the concerns of students, caregivers, teachers and members of the community, I turned to Beth, whom I believe demonstrates an uncommon ability to understand and resolve an unusually broad range of issues. Although my focus at Kilo Middle School was special education, I know Beth's involvement at school extended well beyond that area into support for all students, particularly those of some of the more marginalized groups in school and society."
- Tom Steinbeck, Program Specialist at Federal Way Public Schools  

"Beth has a very calm and even-tempered personality when working with students; whether she is de-escalating a student in the social and emotional behavioral program, calming down a student on the autism spectrum, or helping a resource room student navigate their behavior plan; she is successful. This has been a tremendous asset to us in our special education program. Beth has the ability to size up a situation, direct positive intervention and eliminate the potential of a crisis. Her innate ability to read students has served Beth well."
- Meredith Maurer, Assistant Principal at Federal Way Public Schools   

"Ms. Varner is an exceptional psychologist. She always put the child first. She worked well with everyone and was very flexible about finding times to meet for children. She was passionate about best practice and I could rely upon her to keep us focused upon the progress and success of each individual we worked with."
- Ruth Dene, Principal at Anchorage School District