Program Philosophy

Guilford County Schools Psychological Services offers an intensive, high quality, and progressive internship in the practice of professional school psychology. GCS’s internship is a culminating training experience that draws upon the intern’s prior course work and supervised field experiences. It is designed to assist students in understanding the interaction between theory and practice, to refine skills acquired through formal training, and to acquire additional knowledge and skills necessary for functioning as an entry-level school psychologist in various settings. The internship provides experiences that build upon the foundation of knowledge and skills that the intern has acquired in National Association of School Psychologist’s Domains of School Psychology Training and Practice, which are: data-based decision making and accountability, consultation and collaboration, effective instruction and development of cognitive/academic skills, socialization and development of life skills, student diversity in development and learning, school and system organization, policy development and climate, prevention, crisis intervention and mental health, home/school community collaboration, research and program evaluation, school psychology practice and development, and information technology. The philosophy and goals of the internship training emphasize a balance between science and practice and provides opportunities for the translation of research and theory into “real world” practice. Training opportunities are selected to prepare the intern for the practice of psychology within a variety of settings, including schools, private practice, hospitals, etc.