Cara Riebe ‘02G, ‘05Psy.D.
Cara Riebe ‘02G, ‘05Psy.D., School Psychologist at Oyster Bay High School in Oyster Bay, NY, was named Chapter School Psychologist of the Year by the New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP). She will be recognized at the NYASP Conference in Syracuse, NY in October 2019.
NYASP’s Chapter School Psychologist of the Year Award recognizes excellence in the provision of school psychological services. It is presented to individuals who spend the majority of their time providing direct services to children and their families. Each local winner becomes the chapter nominee for the NYASP Frank Plumeau School Practitioner of the Year Award.
Dr. Riebe has been a school psychologist with the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District for 17 years, including nine years at the elementary school and eight years at her current position in the high school. She is the only school psychologist in the building and serves on a team with social workers and guidance counselors. Along with the support of her team, she conducts Individualized Education Program (IEP) mandated counseling sessions and serves as the case manager for students with 504 Plans in place. Due to the small size of the district, she is able to provide one-on-one intervention for students struggling with the changes of adolescence and everyday issues. She has also been involved in the implementation of a life skills program at the high school. Remaining involved in research, Dr. Riebe reviews Institutional Review Board (IRB) proposals for research involving human subjects for the school’s AP research course.
“I was extremely honored to be selected as Chapter School Psychologist of the Year,” she said. “It’s hard to separate myself from what we do here as a team, because we do everything together. No one functions in a vacuum. I’ve worked really well with a lot of really great people.”
Dr. Riebe, who grew up in Dix Hills, NY, attended the University of Buffalo for an undergraduate degree in education. For her graduate studies, she looked for a program that would combine her love for psychology with her background in education and found the School Psychology program at St. John’s. She found mentors in Professors Mark Terjesen, Ph.D., and Dawn Flanagan, Ph.D.
“St. John’s helped to shape the person I am and my work ethic,” said Dr. Riebe. “I was prepared to assume a position as school psychologist immediately after graduation because I was used to working with rigor and dedication. I always hear Dr. Flanagan in the back of my head while writing a report, making sure I’m being thorough and conscientious. And now, when we have graduate students doing their internship at Oyster Bay High School, I adopt Dr. Terjesen’s approach to caring and nurturing students to pay that forward.”
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