Cleveland Association of School Psychologists (CASP)

Based on feedback from our membership, our quarterly publication of the CASPLine has been discontinued.  All communication about the organization, membership, professional development, events, and other important information is shared via email to our members and on our social media!  You can still review previous CASPLine publications, using the link below.  

CASPline Archive - Hosted by DropBox

We are around 200 members strong!
Link to our new online membership application through Google Forms!

Although CASP is designated as the regional association for Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula and Trumbull counties, our membership includes professionals from a total of thirteen surrounding counties at this time (including Lorain, Lucas, Medina, Portage, Richfield, Stark, Summit, and Wayne). We welcome and encourage participation and dual membership from members of other regional school psychology organizations for greater professional growth and collegiality. All school psychologists (practicing, retired, university trainers, interns, practicum students, and first year students) are welcome and encouraged to become a part of CASP today!

Katie Violette
katie.violette0902@gmail.com

Hailey Davis
davis4710@osu.edu

Erika Hays
erika.hays@nocseagles.org

Membership Chair:
Melissa Bestgen (mmbestgen@gmail.com)

CASP Regional Representatives to OSPA
Amanda Brian  (amandambrian@gmail.com )
Melissa Bestgen  (mmbestgen@gmail.com)
Jessica Kukura (jessica.kukura@lakewoodcityschools.org)

CASP At-Large Representative
Denise Dimaria-Scaccia
Denise.Dimaria-Scaccia@clevelandmetroschools.org

Cuyahoga County Educational Service Center
Essex Place
6393 Oak Tree Blvd
Independence, OH 44131

The General Meetings are held four times per year, with the final meeting occurring at our end-of-the-year Spring Banquet. School psychology-related lectures -- presented by area mental health, medical, educational, and social service professionals -- follow the Fall, Winter, and Spring general meetings. We bestow the CASP School Psychologist of the Year and Early Career Awards at our Spring Banquet.

CASP General Meetings and Professional Development Presentations
  12:00p Registration  - -  12:30p Business Meeting  - -  1:00p to 3:30p Presentation  - -  4:00p Social Gathering

 CASP Executive Board Meetings
All CASP members are welcome to attend the Executive Board Meetings!   
Meetings are now held via Zoom - please reach out to the executive board for the link!

Awards Nomination Form - SPOTY & Early Career

execboard@caspoh.org

In addition to CASP’s contributions to the OSPA Scholarship, CASP continues to offer its members numerous opportunities to participate in group service projects. For several years, our members have walked as a team for NAMIWalk Greater Cleveland. Together we have raised thousands of dollars for this organization, which supports people with mental illness. We also regularly have groups of 10-12 members volunteer for the Cleveland Food Bank for various projects, including the School Backpack Program. CASP also supports the Providence House, a crisis nursery offering emergency shelter and care for children at risk for abuse or neglect, by donating items and money, as well as participating in a “Done in a Day Project” in the spring. This past year a team of about 15 CASP members spent a morning sorting and labeling clothes for the center. We are very proud of the many community service projects that our members participate in throughout the year!

CASP History

Our membership is comprised of school psychologists who have gone beyond the "role of the school psychologist" in their respective school districts. In addition to chairing district committees, supervising interns and practicum students, and providing professional development to staff, many have also held elected offices and/or chaired committees in our professional associations; presented at international, national, state and regional conventions and conferences; and served as university faculty members and/or supervisors for district school psychology departments. The following CASP members are especially celebrated for their leadership roles in our profession:

CASP PRESIDENTS
1970 Marilyn Bate
1971 John Keshock
1972 Pat Crisci
1973 Lee Horowitz
1974 Jim Harvey
1975 Bruce Konya
1976 Bertha Stroud
1977 Don McPherson
1978 Audrey Bashian
1979 Lucy Simm
1980 Henry Winter
1981 Cathy Telzrow
1982 Carol Larson
1983 Laurie Albright
1984 Linda Downing
1985 Dave Botnik
1986 Peg Schultz
1987 Carol Redmond
1988 Sandy Beckett
1989 Bruce Konya
1990 Terri Chiarra
1991 Deb Grilly
1993 Denise Kuna
1994 Jim Harvey
1995 Mike Bailey
1996 Mary Ann Teitelbum
1997 Rich Starn
1998 Laura Gabel
1999 Lucy Simm
2000 Marija Colic-Turcinov
2001 Barbara Lambert
2002 Kim Strausser
2003 Miriam Farrow
2004 Denise DiMaria-Lopardo
2005 Gail Fadel
2006 Becky Dingeldein
2007 Linda Noelle
2008 Merritt Waters
2009 Shayla Brown
2010 Gina Worsdall
2011 Donna Valtman
2012 Sherry Foulkes
2013 Meghan Shelby
2014 Melissa Bestgen 
2015 Denise Brown-Triolo
2016 Chaquita Miller
2017 Sagar Patel
2018 Tasneem Lokhandwala
2019 Diane Pacella

OSPA PRESIDENTS (CASP MEMBERS)
1976 Barb Garwood
1984 Cathy Telzrow
1987 Audrey Bashian
1990 Dennis Pinciotti
1992 Nancy Reynolds
1994 Laurie Albright
1997 Valorie Wolcott Mendelson
1999 Juliette Madigan
2009 Linda Noelle
2015 Meghan Shelby

CASP LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP AWARD
2004 Miriam Farrow
2005 Valorie Wolcott Mendelson
2008 Lucy Simm

CASP SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OF THE YEAR
1975 Esther Gray
1976 Jim Harvey
1977 Al Becker
1978 Louise Federici
1979 Bruce Konya
1980 Ben Candee
1981 Bertha Stroud
1982 Cathy Telzrow
1983 Dave Jones
1984 Dave Botnik
1985 Lucy Simm
1986 Audrey Bashian
1987 Peg Schultz
1988 Laurie Albright
1989 Nancy Reynolds
1990 Bill Deal
1991 Gilda Newman
1992 Richard Starn
1993 Bruce Oppenheimer
1994 Valorie Wolcott Mendelson
1995 Denise Kuna
1996 Joanne Wasco
1997 Juliette Madigan
1998 Donna Yohe
1999 Laura Gabel
2000 Gail Fadel
2001 ------------
2002 Ralph Pajka
2003 Susan Berk
2004 Becky Dingeldein
2005 Mary Ann Teitelbaum
2006 Denise DiMaria-Lopardo
2007 Dana Marolt
2008 Sal Karanouh-Schuler
2009 Linda M. Noelle
2019 Sagar Patel

OSPA SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OF THE YEAR (CASP MEMBERS)
1993 Bruce Oppenheimer
1996 Joanne Wasco
1997 Juliette Madigan
1999 Laura White
2004 Rebecca Dingeldein
2005 Mary Ann Teitelbaum
2008 Sal Karanouh-Schuler
2009 Linda M. Noelle

OSPA CLYDE V. BARTLETT DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD (CASP MEMBERS)
1975 Nicholas Gallo
1989 Cathy Telzrow
1993 Audrey Bashian
1996 Kathy McNamara
2003 Valorie Wolcott Mendelson

OSPA R.A. HORN HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP AWARD (CASP MEMBERS)
(Not awarded every year)
Don McPherson
James Harvey
Barb Garwood
Bruce Konya
Audrey Bashian
Esther Gray
Nancy Reynolds
Gilda Newman
Valorie Wolcott Mendelson

OSPA PETE GROSS BEST PRACTICE AWARDS (CASP MEMBERS)
1999 Dan Dean and Bill Stencil
2008 Dana Marolt