Comments from Past and Current Students
Dr. Philip Lazarus gets things done. As his former student, I had the opportunity to see firsthand how, when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, he calmly analyzed situations, devised strategies, organized a team to implement a plan, and steadfastly led a coherent and determined approach that advocated for children and promoted the advancement of school psychology. I witnessed his persistence and acumen when Miami-Dade County Public Schools cut 41 school psychologists due to budget constraints. Even though Dr. Lazarus was not involved with the county and had no personal stake in the matter, he knew that those cuts would adversely affect the students in Miami-Dade County, and he worked tirelessly -- meeting with key stakeholders, writing letters, making speeches at school board meetings, giving interviews on radio and television -- to help school officials and the community realize the crippling consequences that such a move would have on children, on schools, and on the district as a whole. Largely due to his efforts, Miami-Dade County reinstated all the school psychologists, and thousands of children benefitted from the services those professionals continued to provide. More importantly, Dr. Lazarus cares about people. Nowhere is this more evident than in the way he trains his students for a career in school psychology. His most important lesson is not how to calculate the standard deviation or how to administer a WISC-IV, but that as psychologists, it is our duty, our trust, to be advocates for children. That lesson has been the touchstone for the hundreds of professionals he has trained throughout his many years at Florida International University, and it's the reason why he has had such a positive impact on the lives of thousands of children throughout the years. Furthermore, any student who has studied with him can relate to how Dr. Lazarus devoted his own time to help us prepare our CV's, to help us develop our interviewing skills so that we would have a better shot at that coveted paid internship, and to help us plan our transition from university studies to professional careers. Personally, Dr. Lazarus has helped me in more ways than I have room to explain in this letter. When I needed to get into a class in order to graduate on time, he made the call that secured the override. When I needed a letter of recommendation for an internship or job opportunity, he composed a description of my skills and accomplishments that inspired me to become more like the person he detailed. When I ran into bureaucratic challenges with the graduation office, he was there to allay my fears, develop a plan to solve the problem, and provide support throughout. When I faced a difficult personal decision about career opportunities, he was there to provide advice. Dr. Lazarus is more than a professor or a psychologist. He's a cherished mentor and role model. Times are changing in education. With RtI, the APA's movement to strike the term "psychologist" from school psychology, and the rapidly changing society that children are facing today, I can think of no one better than Dr. Lazarus to analyze the situation, devise a plan, and lead the National Association of School Psychologists in the direction that will promote the well being of children and elevate our profession. Put simply, Dr. Lazarus gets thing done, and because he always has the best interests of children in mind, he will get things done right. Daniel Llinas, Ed.S. School Psychologist Escambia County School District ------------------------------ My name is Frank Zenere and as a student, colleague and friend, I have had the good fortune to know Phil for over 25 years. Throughout that time, Phil has demonstrated a steadfast devotion to his family, friends, colleagues, students and the profession of school psychology. His mentorship as a professor and colleague has given me the skills and talents to be successful in my professional and personal life. As a result of my training at Florida International University, I have served as a school psychologist specializing in suicide prevention and intervention and crisis response for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Phil encouraged me to take on this challenging position and this has led to all types of personal opportunities over the years. Phil was the one who recognized my talents and nominated me to serve on the NASP National Emergency Assistance Team. As a result, I have had the privilege of providing crisis intervention training and response both nationally and internationally over the years. I have responded in New York following 9-11, in Turkey following the earthquakes, in southeast Asia following the tsunami and in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. On a personal note, Phil was there for me and my family when my home was destroyed by Hurricane Andrew. He helped me find a place to live for my family and supported me just by his calm and reassuring presence. I appreciate Phil's work ethic and have seen him in action in all kinds of situations. He and I have published together in School Psychology Review, Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior and the NASP Communiqué. We also worked together to provide crisis intervention services following school shootings, tornados and hurricanes and have presented together many times. When Phil served as the President of the Florida Association of School Psychologists and the Chairperson of the National Association of School Psychologists, National Emergency Assistance Team, I have seen him used his leadership skills to mobilize professional caregivers to meet the needs of children in crisis. His gentle and nurturing manner helped to restore hope and vitality to children who were victimized by violence or suffered the wrath of a natural disaster. Phil has made a career of serving children and families in need of support. He has won the respect of his colleagues and provides a stellar example for his students of what one caring and passionate person can accomplish. I am proud to call him a friend. Frank Zenere Ed.S. Crisis Management Specialist Miami-Dade County Public Schools. ------------------------------ My name is Ivette Calles. I am currently a bilingual/bicultural school psychology student at Florida International University and am doing a paid internship in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Dr. Philip J. Lazarus has been my advisor and mentor throughout my years at Florida International University and it is my great pleasure to write in support of his candidacy for NASP President. He has been my professional role model and has encouraged me, as well as all our FIU school psychology students, to advocate for our profession. As a leader, Dr. Lazarus has gained the respect of all his colleagues. He leads by example. He expects the best performance from his students and inspires and challenges us. On a personal note, Dr. Lazarus gave me the opportunity to present with him and another professor, Dr. Scott Poland at the annual Florida Association of School Psychologist conference. The title of our presentation was Columbine Ten Years Later: Myths, Realities and Lessons Learned. We practiced together and he gave me words of encouragement and constructive feedback. He made sure that I would deliver a highly polished presentation. Even though we had more than 100 people in the audience, I felt confident. This was due to all my practice and his belief in me. This culminated in a successful presentation at FASP. Dr. Lazarus enjoys nothing more than watching his students succeed. Dr Lazarus truly understands all the trials and tribulations associated with being a student. He is someone that listens to our concerns. He views students as a untapped resource and will do his utmost to get more students involved in NASP leadership. If you are currently a school psychology student, you could not do better than to have Dr. Lazarus as the NASP President. Ivette Calles, M. S. School Psychology Intern Miami-Dade County Public Schools As a professor and director of the Florida International University (FIU) School Psychology Training Program for over thirty years, Dr. Philip Lazarus has proven to be an outstanding educator with extensive experience in training culturally and linguistically diverse students. As former students, we were fortunate to benefit from his expertise in many critical areas, such as crisis management, suicide prevention, bullying prevention, and advocacy. Moreover, we witnessed firsthand how he goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure his students’ professional success and advocate for the field of school psychology. While at FIU, we were given invaluable leadership experience through the roles of President and Vice President of the FIU School Psychology Student Association (SPSA). When Miami-Dade County Public Schools surplused over 40 school psychologists, Dr. Lazarus served as a role model by helping to spearhead the fight to reinstate them. He demonstrated that he valued our opinion as colleagues and encouraged us to become stronger advocates for ourselves and our field by calling us to action. Within twenty-four hours the SPSA Executive Board developed a document to be posted on the Dade Association of School Psychologists’ website that would become accessible to the media. This document described the importance of school psychologists and the role they play in supporting the needs of our most vulnerable students. When budget cuts also threatened the future of the FIU School Psychology Program, with Dr. Lazarus’ support, the SPSA Executive Board advocated for continued funding and made department leadership aware of the professionalism and accomplishments of our students. Thankfully our efforts in both these matters contributed to successful outcomes. Dr. Lazarus has always been a key liaison between the FIU school psychology students and the professional community. He continuously encourages his students to become members of professional organizations and to take an active role within these organizations. Not only does he promote attendance of professional conferences but also encourages us to present on timely topics at the state and national level. As students, we presented on topics such as cyberbullying and alternatives to grade retention, which we found to be invaluable professional experiences. Dr. Lazarus holds his students to a high standard which instilled in us a drive to excel in our academic careers, and now in our professional careers. Aside from being a knowledgeable professional, Dr. Lazarus has a personable nature, which he demonstrates through the personal interest he takes in every one of his students. When extraordinary circumstances arise, Dr. Lazarus always demonstrates understanding and empathy, while accommodating to his students’ needs. Having both been professionals working in the field of education during our graduate studies, Dr. Lazarus was always willing to consult with us on professional matters and encouraged us to share our experiences with our fellow students, so that we could learn from each other. He has demonstrated by example the importance of consultation and collaboration with our colleagues. We are very grateful to Dr. Lazarus for his continued support and encouragement throughout or academic and professional careers. As former students, we are proud to share how he has positively impacted our lives and our profession. We believe that his experience with advocacy, his continuous involvement in the field of school psychology, his leadership experience at FIU, and his empathetic nature make him uniquely qualified to lead the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). We are confident that Dr. Lazarus would excel as president of NASP, and that he would serve the community of school psychologists in a way that would benefit our profession and the lives of the children we serve. Patricia Ortega School Psychologist Broward County Public Schools ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the South Area Coordinator of Psychological Services in Broward County Florida, School Psychologist, and former student of Florida International University, I feel privileged to share some thoughts regarding Dr. Philip Lazarus. In the eighteen years I’ve known Phil, he has been steadfast in his commitment to the field of School Psychology. As a former student and current administrator who continues to supervise and employ many FIU graduates, I can say that through his leadership and dedication, Phil has mentored a lifetime of quality School Psychologists. During my own years at FIU, I recall the personal interest Phil took in each of his students. Although his “directorship” of the School Psychology program demanded a great deal of his time, he always found time for his students. In doing so, he upheld the professional standards by which we were to practice and displayed a keen instinct into the “makings of a School Psychologist.” Over the years, I have continued to admire Phil’s leadership through his ongoing service, training, and advocacy. Phil has been a leader in local, state, and national initiatives. Most recently, his advocacy for Dade County School Psychologists was heard and appreciated by many stakeholders. Both in Florida and nationally, he has a long history of leadership and service with our professional organizations. On a personal level, I’d like to highlight that in addition to myself, my wife is also a product of FIU’s School Psychology Program. We can both say that he and his program were instrumental in our professional and perhaps even personal success! Joaquin Eljaua, Ed.S. South Area Coordinator of Psychological Services Broward County Public Schools