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Bethesda, MD-The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is pleased to announce its most prestigious awards for 2023. Congratulations to Jason A. Pedersen, PhD, NCSP, the 2023 School Psychologist of the Year, and to Shane R. Jimerson, PhD, NCSP, the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. These individuals represent the best in school psychology and outstanding commitment to the profession and to improving the lives and learning of children and youth.

NASP's School Psychologist of the Year is awarded for excellence in the provision of school psychological services by a field-based practitioner and is selected from nominations by states across the country. Dr. Jason Pedersen is currently a practitioner at the Hershey Early Childhood Center and Hershey Middle School in Hershey, PA. Throughout his career as a school psychologist, Dr. Pedersen has served as a clear example of service to children, families, schools, and the profession as both a practitioner and an advocate. His leadership has been evident through his work in moving his district to adopt an MTSS framework for academics and behavior and in prioritizing students' mental health and social-emotional learning. He co-developed an emotional support plan for bringing students back to school after the COVID-19 shutdowns. Dr. Pedersen currently is one of the Derry Township School District SEL Team Leads, a member of the Hershey Elementary and Middle School PBIS Committee, and a Safe Crisis Management Trainer. He also is proven leader at the state and national levels, having just completed a term as Pennsylvania's NASP delegate and a member of NASP's board of directors.

NASP's Lifetime Achievement Award is NASPs most distinguished award and recognizes school psychologists who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of school psychology and who have at least 25 years of service in the field, 20 years membership in NASP, and 10 years or more of leadership service to NASP.

Dr. Shane Jimerson has been and continues to be a substantial force within the profession of school psychology through his outstanding contributions to the field as a scholar, leader, mentor, and graduate educator. His impact on the profession can be felt through his work with school safety and violence prevention, bullying prevention, and the development of multitiered systems of support. Additionally, Dr. Jimerson is well known for his contributions to critical research on academic achievement; grade retention alternatives; school violence prevention; and emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges. Currently Dr. Jimerson is a Professor in the Gevirtz School of Education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he has worked tirelessly to grow the numbers of psychologists within the field of school psychology. Through his exemplary work as a graduate trainer, much of his work has focused on developing the highest standards of training, improving the diversity and multicultural aspects of graduate training, as well as his work on mentoring the next generation of university faculty. He has demonstrated leadership through his ongoing work with NASP, the California Association of School Psychologists, the International School Psychology Association, and the American Psychological Association. He also has long history as an editor of academic journals and is currently the editor-in-chief of School Psychology Review.

The 2023 School Psychologist of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards will be officially presented during the NASP 2023 Annual Convention in Denver, CO. Information on the convention program and registration are available online at https://www.nasponline.org/professional-development/nasp-2023-annual-convention.

NASP is a professional association representing more than 24,000 school psychologists, graduate students, and related professionals throughout the United States and an additional 25 countries worldwide. As the world's largest organization of school psychologists, NASP works to advance effective practices to improve students' learning, behavior, and mental health. Our vision is that all children and youth access the learning, behavior, and mental health support needed to thrive in school, at home, and throughout life.

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