Full Menu

Counseling/Psychology/Social Work Internships

Arlington Public Schools is pleased to offer a comprehensive field experience program for aspiring school counselors, social workers, and psychologists. APS recognizes the value of internships and strives to create valuable experiences that benefit the intern as well as the supervising staff, creating paths for professional growth. Arlington is a mid-size, diverse community in a suburban/semi-urban setting. APS is a prevention-oriented district with a whole child philosophy.  Counselor, social worker and psychologist positions are staffed at relatively low ratios in order to be supports and resources for all students, teachers, and parents.

Practicum and internship students are assigned to an APS staff member who works within the school setting, under the general supervision of the Office of Student Services in the Department of Teaching and Learning.  Practicum and internship students are provided with diverse opportunities that prepare them for their future roles in public schools. Additionally, students in practicum or internship placements are able to access training and professional development provided to staff by APS.

Over 90 languages are spoken by the students and families within APS. Thus, there is an ongoing need to support students who are non-native English speakers. While this is not a requirement, practicum and internship students who speak multiple languages are encouraged to apply.  APS Language Services Registration Center provides interpreters for staff, including interns, to communicate with families as needed. This can present an opportunity to learn the communication skills necessary to work with families via interpreters.

 

School Counseling Practicum/Internship Program

Arlington Public Schools (APS) wishes to work with universities to assist students in the development of professional school counseling skills by providing practicum and internship supervision in an Arlington Public School. APS is a prevention-oriented district and School Counselors are staffed at a relatively low ratio in order to be resources for all students, teachers, and parents. APS School Counselors provide a wide range of support services to their schools, including classroom lessons, individual and group counseling, consultation with staff and parents, peer and community education, risk assessments, and crisis management. APS staff emphasize alignment with the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model and expect graduate students to contribute to implementing a data driven comprehensive school counseling program. School counseling practicum and internship students are offered the opportunity to participate in these activities alongside their building level supervisor. APS is committed to sustaining a high level of professional development, thus, there are regular staff development opportunities, which will be available to practicum and internship students.

APS must have a valid MOU or Affiliation Agreement with your college/university in order to complete a placement. If you are not sure of your college/university status, check with your university field placement coordinator. 

NEW APPLICANTS

Our online application requires the documents listed below. Please ensure you have all documents ready before starting the online application as you will be uploading each document into the application and cannot save and return to an incomplete application at a later time.

  • Personal Statement/Letter of Intent: Please upload a two-page statement which includes: personal information, an explanation of your work experience and special skills related to school counseling, why you want to become a school counselor, any specific location preferences in APS and any conflicts (relatives in any APS schools). *NOTE – specific site requests are not guaranteed.
  • Resume
  • Transcripts (Undergraduate and Graduate)
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Negative TB test or proof of negative screening within placement year

RETURNING APPLICANTS

Our online application requires the documents listed below. Please ensure you have all documents ready before starting the online application as you will be uploading each document into the application and cannot save and return to an incomplete application at a later time. APS counseling does not automatically guarantee prior practicum students an internship placement the following semester. 

  • Updated Letter of Intent: Include any location preferences (students are welcome to request school placement preference, however, they are not guaranteed as decisions are based on supervisor availability) and any conflicts (relatives in any APS schools).
  • Negative TB test or proof of negative screening within placement year
  • Updated transcripts (Graduate courses)

APPLICATION DEADLINES – Late applications will not be considered

Fall 2024 Semester Placement: The application deadline has closed.

Spring 2025 Semester Placement Application will be due on Friday, November 1, 2024, by 4:00pm.  

ONLINE APPLICATIONS

NEXT STEPS

After we receive completed applications, applicants will be contacted to schedule a mandatory screening interview. Upon approval, applicants’ names and supporting documentation will be forwarded to Human Resources for fingerprinting and criminal background checks.  Once the HR process is complete, students and their supervising university will receive official documentation of their placement in Arlington Public Schools. Further inquiries regarding APS counseling practicum and internship placements may be directed to Heather Davis, Counseling Services Coordinator, at 703-228-6073, or heather.davis@apsva.us.

Social Work Internships

Field Placement students are assigned to School Social Workers, in the school setting, under the general guidance of the Supervisor, School Psychology and Social Work. Social Workers at APS help parents, students and school staff identify needs that interfere with learning, and work with students and families to get services they need. Social Workers work with both general and special education students and their families to resolve social, emotional and behavioral problems through listening, assessing, consulting with students, parents and staff, and providing direct services (individual and group counseling, risk assessments, crisis management).  Social workers refer families for appropriate services in the community (local food banks, clothing distribution sites, support for homeless students, medical intervention, and more). Social Workers also get involved when absenteeism and tardiness affect a student’s performance at school to try and help parents and students overcome obstacles to regular attendance.

APS has an affiliation agreement with George Mason University and Catholic University, and only accepts field placement students from those two schools. The process for Social Work interns begins with the student’s Field Placement Office at either George Mason or Catholic University.  APS will refer any student who inquires directly to APS about a field placement opportunity back to the student’s Field Placement office. After receiving a referral of a potential student from George Mason or Catholic University, APS will set up an interview with that student to determine that the placement at APS is mutually agreeable and appropriate for both the student and APS.  Field Placements are unpaid and follow the dates of the referring university’s school calendar. After a student is accepted by APS, the student will then need to complete other requirements including a TB test/screening and criminal background check before working in an APS school.

APS will generally interview 2nd Year students and Advanced Standing students (20-24 hours per week placements) in March and April.  Interviews for 1st Year MSW students (16 hours per week placements) will take place in May-June, if field placement opportunities remain available. APS typically takes one-four field placement students per year, depending on the number of applicants and available supervisors.

Please submit the following application documents in one email:

Email:     SchoolSocialWork@apsva.us
Subject Line:   Name—Field Experience Application
Addressed to:  Laura Newton, Supervisor, Student Services Arlington Public Schools

Psychology Internships

Arlington Public Schools is pleased to offer a comprehensive full-time, year-long internship experience for school psychologists. Interns are assigned to school psychologists in the school setting, under supervision of the Supervisor of Student Services, in the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Student Services. School psychologists provide a wide range of support services to their schools, including behavioral intervention at the school, class or individual level, consultation with staff and parents, peer and community education, group and individual counseling, risk assessments, crisis management, and psychological evaluations. School psychology interns are offered the opportunity to participate in all of these activities alongside their building level supervisor.

School psychology internship applicants are required to submit the documents listed below by the Friday of the first week in December. The internship committee will review the application packets and identify candidates to be interviewed. Interviews will be conducted during the month of December. Based on the interviews, intern candidates will be selected.  Upon selection, candidate names and supporting documentation will be forwarded to Human Resources for fingerprinting and criminal background checks.  Once the HR process is complete, applicants will receive official documentation with a salary offer (as identified in the current adopted budget, currently $21,000/year) and contract dates of their placement in Arlington Public Schools.

Please submit the following documents in one email:

  • APS Psychology Internship Application Form
  • Resume
  • Letter of Interest
  • Negative TB test or proof of negative screening within a year
  • Transcripts (Undergraduate and Graduate)
  • Two Sample Reports
  • University Internship Requirements
  • Three Letters of Recommendation

Email:     SchoolPsychology@apsva.us
Subject Line:   Name—Internship Application
Addressed to:  Wendy Crawford, Supervisor, Student Services Arlington Public Schools

Questions about the internship application process may be directed to Jenny Lambdin at jennifer.lambdin@apsva.us.