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Laura Whitmore Meritorious Service Award
The Laura Whitmore Meritorious Service Award recognizes the meritorious service of our professional colleagues. Laura Whitmore was a school psychologist in the Santa Clara Unified and Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School Districts and also served on the SCCASP Board in a variety of capacities for many years. She was a passionate and fierce advocate for students. She established trusting relationships with parents and school staff to ensure understanding of and success for students with all types of learning and social-emotional needs. Her open-door policy and willingness to always make time for students during times of need facilitated healing for countless students over the years. Laura remained dedicated to students and her beloved profession through her death due to cancer in August of 2017.
In the spirit of honoring Laura, this award is not a competition. You are encouraged to nominate a colleague you feel is deserving of such an award. The recipient(s) will be recognized at the End of Year Celebration. The selection(s) will be made with the approval of the SCCASP Board. The award will be made for outstanding work in one or more of the following categories:
- Service to students
- Service to teachers
- Service to administrators
- Service to parents
- Service to community agencies
- Service to the profession of School Psychology
- Service to the training of School Psychologists
Mike Goodman Lifetime Achievement Award
The Mike Goodman Lifetime Achievement Award goes to individuals who have shown long-term service to children, the community, and the profession of school psychology.
Dr. Michael Goodman was a school psychologist who worked for both the Gilroy and Oak Grove School Districts. He was also a trainer and lecturer in the School Psychology Department at UC Berkeley. Michael was an inspiration to many of us in Santa Clara County, SCCASP, and CASP, as well as to many other school psychologists throughout the state.
Michael served as president of SCCASP, CASP, and held numerous CASP Board positions throughout his career which was shortened by his death in 1999 due to illness. This award was established in his honor and is SCCASP’s most distinguished award. Please consider nominating your friends and colleagues who do outstanding work and who may not always get the recognition they deserve.
Click here to view the past Mike Goodman Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.
The Novice School Psychologist Achievement Award recognizes an early-career school psychologist who has demonstrated exceptional growth, dedication, and promise within the profession. This individual has approached the challenges and successes of their first years with perseverance, curiosity, and a genuine commitment to students, families, and school communities.
The recipient understands that becoming an effective school psychologist is an ongoing process. They are willing to ask questions, seek clarification, learn from mistakes, welcome feedback, and reflect upon their practice. Through the many complexities of teamwork and the school year, this individual continues to grow in confidence and competence while building meaningful relationships and contributing positively to the profession.
Nominees should be practicing within approximately their first three years as a credentialed school psychologist. Internship experience may be considered but does not count toward the three-year limit. When selecting a nominee, consider an early-career school psychologist who:
1. Demonstrates meaningful professional growth and a commitment to continued learning.
2. Seeks feedback, consultation, and mentorship and thoughtfully applies what they learn.
3. Approaches challenges with perseverance, flexibility, and a willingness to problem-solve.
4. Builds collaborative and trusting relationships with students, families, colleagues, and community partners.
5. Centers student needs and promotes equitable, inclusive, and culturally responsive practices.
6. Communicates with professionalism, empathy, and respect, particularly during challenging situations.
7. Demonstrates initiative while also recognizing when to ask questions or seek support.
8. Contributes positively to their school community, district, or the broader field of school psychology.
9. Shows strong potential to become a future leader, mentor, or advocate within the profession.
Nominators are encouraged to provide specific examples that illustrate the nominee’s professional growth, positive impact, response to challenges, and commitment to students and the school psychology profession.
New award that just started this 2026-27 school year. Nominate a colleague today!
SCCASP Nominees:
Nadine M. Lambert Outstanding School Psychologist (CASP Award)
Only practicing school psychologists providing direct services to students, teachers, parents, or community agencies are eligible for CASP's Nadine M. Lambert OSP award. Nominees must be CASP members.
Award Criteria (exemplary service in one or more areas)
Examples include, but are not limited to:
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Service to Students
- Assesses educational and psychological strengths and needs of individuals and groups of children.
- Assists in the solution of problems through counseling.
- Works with other specialists in planning and implementing individualized educational programs.
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Service to Teachers
- Helps plan educational programs based upon identified strengths, and needs of individuals or groups of children.
- Works toward the solution of management problems of students whose learning or adjustment disabilities interfere with classroom activity.
- Provides information and ideas on the application of psychological research and theory to the classroom activity.
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Service to Administrators.
- Facilitates educational planning through research and consultation.
- Assists with the design, preparation, and evaluation of proposals for educational programs funded by local, state and federal sources.
- Provides in-service education for teachers and staff.
- Participates in the development and evaluation of programs and services.
- Service to Parents.
- Provides parents with information about the educational and psychological strengths and needs of their children.
- Explores means by which parents and the school can work together more effectively to assist the child.
- Expedites referrals to other specialists and agencies when appropriate.
- Offers parent education programs concerned with child rearing and school-related topics.
5. Service to Community Agencies.
- Identifies children with special needs beyond the scope of school resources.
- Provides information and interpretations, which facilitate service to children.
- Serves as school representative to help others understanding school goals, needs, and operations.
- Offers specialized educational programs and materials.
6. Service to the Profession.
- Is a member of CASP.
- Sees his or her work as a constant search for knowledge about human behavior, and uses such knowledge for the promotion of human welfare.
- Advances school psychology through the application of psychological knowledge to the problems of the schools with special attention to the interactions of the school system and the child.
- Governs his or her professional behavior by the Code of Ethics of CASP and NASP.
- Participates actively in appropriate local, regional, state, and national professional.
Click here to view the past Nadine Lambert Award SCCASP nominees and recipients.
