Olean, NY – March 26, 2021 – Michael Wales, a School Psychologist for Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES, was recently named the School Psychologist of the Year for Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Allegany counties through the New York State Association of School Psychologists (NYASP).
Wales, whose career in school psychology spans over 30 years, is currently completing his sixth year with CA BOCES, primarily serving Scio and Whitesville School Districts. In his role, he evaluates students for learning and behavioral needs, conducts pre-school screening assessments, provides counseling to students and serves on district committees on Special Education & 504 Accommodation. He also helps school districts collect data regarding students’ academic and mental wellness needs and provides professional development presentations to teachers and school support staff on a variety of topics. Prior to joining CA BOCES, Wales was a school psychologist and CSE chairperson for a Steuben County school district for 25 years. He is currently an adjunct instructor for the Graduate Division of Counseling & School Psychology at Alfred University (AU) and has taught at AU for 25 years in that capacity. He has also taught undergraduate psychology courses at Alfred State College and Empire State College.
Of the honor, Wales said: “I am grateful to NYASP for their support as well as CA BOCES and the school districts I serve (Scio & Whitesville) for giving me the opportunity to continue to fulfill the purpose of school psychology.”
Andrea Burch, Assistant Professor of School Psychology at Alfred University and Chapter representative for the NYASP organization, nominated Wales and said that he has made a tremendous difference for children and families in our community. “I have encountered few school psychologists throughout my career who would be more deserving of such an honor,” she said. “In my opinion, Mike’s consistent commitment to training while embodying the practice model as a school psychologist in his daily life are strong evidence of how deserving he is of such an award.”