Mrs. Candace Johnson, School Psychologist

Welcome parents and students! 

 

As a school psychologist, I work with students, teachers, other school staff, and parents to assist Lakeview students in reaching their potential academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. I primarily support students with special needs, but I am also a support to all students and teachers on campus. Therefore, you may see me at an IEP, 504, or SST (student study team) meeting. In the special education realm, I serve as the site manager of all special education programming at Lakeview. Some of my job responsibilities include conducting psycho-educational evaluations, managing timelines, consulting with teachers, collaborating with the site's special education team, supporting student behavioral needs, and conducting group and individual counseling sessions. I have a Master's degree in Educational Psychology, Education Specialist degree in School Psychology, and Pupil Personnel Services credential all from Chapman University. 

As of March 20th, Superintendent Dr. Greg Plutko announced that the PYLUSD will be closed temporarily through April 24, 2020 due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The district will monitor circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and take further precautions as necessary. Please refer to district emails and/or the general school website to receive further updates regarding any changes to the school closure plan. 

 

In light of the closure, the district will provide resources to families to support academic progress through distance learning. During this time, please note that special education services will be provided to the best extent possible given the ever-changing circumstances. As of now all IEPs, open assessments, etc. will be postponed until further notice. Either myself or your child's case manager will be in touch regarding rescheduling meetings if necessary. Please know that state and federal guidelines for IEPs are changing daily, and therefore district procedures for IEPs during closure may change at any time. If you have questions regarding your child's IEP, please contact your child's case manager.  

 

Below, you will find links to pdfs of helpful resources regarding COVID-19: 

During the closure, rapid life changes and expectations placed upon families may be overwhelming at times. It is absolutely vital that children and parents consider mental health a priority. Therefore, it is important that parents and students take time to practice self-care and coping strategies in order to foster resilience and manage strong feelings. Overly-stressed students cannot listen, and overly-stressed parents can not teach and/or support their children. Basic needs such as psychological health, safety and feelings of love and belonging need to be met before any meaningful and collaborative learning can take place! 

 

In order to assist in this area, I am linking resources pertaining to calming strategies and self-care (right-side of page). If you need more resources, please do not hesitate to email me. I am here to help, and I am very happy to do so! 

As of March 30th, counseling services will begin for all students who have such written into their IEPs. During the closure, counseling and supportive materials will be provided digitally, through platforms such as Google Classroom, Zoom, Class Dojo, etc. as well as emails to check-in on students and families. If your child receives IEP-related counseling, please be on the look out for an email from me outlining specific information regarding delivery of service. This service model will ultimately be collaborative with parents and may change based upon state and federal guidelines, or district guidelines. 

During this time, it is normal to have increased anxiety and feelings of sadness or hopelessness surrounding the school closures and the pandemic. As such, it is very important to monitor your own thoughts and feelings and look out for one another. If you or someone you know makes direct or indirect comments about thoughts of extreme sadness/depression or suicide, please refer to the crisis and emergency resources below.

 

• Orange County Mental Health Crisis Hotline: (877) 727-4747
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Available 24/7: 1-800-273-8255
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – Spanish: 1-888-628-9454
• Youth Crisis Line: 1-800-843-5200
• Crisis Text Line: Text LA to 741741
• Orange County Child Protective Services 24/7 hotline: (714) 940-1000 or (800) 207-4464 
• For emergencies or life or death situations call 9-1-1 or visit nearest Emergency Room