History of the Society
The Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP) is the direct descendant of the group that established the Journal of School Psychology (JSP) in the early 1960s. Over the past four decades, JSP has grown and prospered under the leadership of JSP editors (Donald Smith, Jack I. Bardon, Beeman N. Phillips, Thomas D. Oakland, Raymond S. Dean, Joel M. Meyers, Robert C. Pianta, Edward J. Daly III, Randy G. Floyd, Michelle K. Demaray, and Craig Albers (current)) and the progressive guidance of the JSP corporation. By the late 1980s, JSP was generating some profit each year, but only limited funds were available to invest in activities associated with promoting school psychology as a discipline and profession. Richard Abidin brought this fact to the attention of the Board and additionally informed the Board that the contract they had with the publisher was not favorable to JSP Inc. He then proposed that JSP Inc. be converted into a not-for-profit society and that a more favorable contract be sought at the next renewal of the publication contract for JSP. The rationale that the increase in funds would enable the new non-profit to have resources to benefit the profession. Richard Abidin made a number of proposals to the Board of Directors urging the change in status and then persuaded its members to donate their shares to the new SSSP. The original shareholders were given a cash settlement and a tax deduction as part of these arrangements. The process was an enormous undertaking with key roles played in the transition from the old JSP Inc. to the SSSP by Richard Abidin, James Eikeland, Michael Curtis, Thomas Oakland, and Emanuel Mason.
SSSP has a unique role among school psychology organizations, a mission that is devoted exclusively to recognizing and promoting scholarship and research. Although the total amount of funding varies annually, SSSP will distribute approximately $100,000 annually to support school psychology research activities. Major SSSP initiatives include the Early Career Research Award, Dissertation Grant Award, International Research Award, School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference, and Shapiro Mid-Career Award. This funding, coupled with the firm commitments of scholars and practitioners toward validating effective practices and expanding the scope and effectiveness of school psychological services, can become a significant force in the design and implementation of school psychological services in the 21st century.
A narrative history of SSSP and the Journal of School Psychology appeared in the Journal of School Psychology http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002244051200088X.
Officers of the Society for the Study of School Psychology Since 1990
| Years | President | Past-President | President-Elect | Treasurer | Secretary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-1992 | Michael Curtis | Thomas Oakland | Emanuel Mason | James Eikeland | Richard Abidin |
| 1992-1994 | Emanuel Mason | Michael Curtis | Daniel Reschly | Richard Abidin | Jack Bardon, James Eikeland* |
| 1994-1996 | Daniel Reschly | Emanuel Mason | Beeman Phillips | Richard Abidin | Thomas Kehle |
| 1996-1998 | Beeman Phillips | Daniel Reschly | Thomas Kratochwill | Sylvia Rosenfield | Thomas Kehle |
| 1998-2000 | Thomas Kratochwill | Beeman Phillips | Richard Abidin | Sylvia Rosenfield | Cathy Telzrow |
| 2000-2002 | Richard Abidin | Thomas Kratochwill | Daniel Reschly | Bonnie Nastasi | Kathy McNamara |
| 2002 | Daniel Reschly | Richard Abidin | Sylvia Rosenfield | Bonnie Nastasi | Shane Jimerson |
| 2004-2006 | Sylvia Rosenfield | Daniel Reschly | Patti Harrison | Bonnie Nastasi | Sandy Christenson |
| 2006-2008 | Patti Harrison | Sylvia Rosenfield | Sandra Christenson | John Hintze | Elaine Clark |
| 2009 | Sandra Christenson | Patti Harrison | Susan Sheridan | John Hintze | Elaine Clark |
| 2010 | Susan Sheridan | Sandra Christenson | George DuPaul | John Hintze | Elaine Clark |
| 2011 | George DuPaul | Susan Sheridan | Thomas Power | John Hintze | Karen Stoiber |
| 2012 | Thomas Power | George DuPaul | William Erchul | Margaret Semrud-Clikeman | Karen Stoiber |
| 2013 | William Erchul | Thomas Power | Cynthia Riccio | Margaret Semrud-Clikeman | Karen Stoiber |
| 2014 | Cynthia Riccio | William Erchul | Elaine Clark | Margaret Semrud-Clikeman | Karen Stoiber |
| 2015 | Elaine Clark | Cynthia Riccio | Stacy Overstreet | Margaret Semrud-Clikeman | Karen Stoiber |
| 2016 | Stacy Overstreet | Elaine Clark | Robert Volpe | Margaret Semrud-Clikeman | Karen Stoiber |
| 2017 | Robert Volpe | Stacy Overstreet | Sandra Chafouleas | Jeffery Braden | Gary Stoner |
| 2018 | Sandra Chafouleas | Robert Volpe | Scott Ardoin | Jeffery Braden | Gary Stoner |
| 2019 | Scott Ardoin | Sandra Chafouleas | Shane Jimerson | Jeffery Braden | Gary Stoner |
| 2020 | Shane Jimerson | Scott Ardoin | Shannon Suldo | Jeffrey Braden | Amy Briesch |
| 2021 | Shannon Suldo | Shane Jimerson | Jessica Hoffman | Jeffrey Braden | Amy Briesch |
| 2022 | Jessica Hoffman | Shannon Suldo | Michelle Demaray | Jeffrey Braden | Amy Briesch |
| 2023 | Michelle Demaray | Jessica Hoffman | Jamilia Blake | Stefan Dombrowski | Amy Briesch |
| 2024 | Jamilia Blake | Michelle Demaray | Linda Reddy | Stefan Dombrowski | Amy Briesch |
Note. Until 2009, officer terms varied in length with presidents serving for two years. Until 2008, terms were from August to August. Thus, Sylvia Rosenfield was president from August 2004 until August 2006. Patti Harrison was president from August 2006 through December 2008. Sandra Christenson was president from January 2009 through December 2009.
*Eikeland was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Jack Bardon following Bardon’s death in 1993.