• Dr. John Armstrong, Jr., Ph.D., NCSP

    School Psychologist

    Gulph Elementary

    Roberts Elementary

     
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  • I completed my undergraduate studies at The Pennsylvania State University, where I double-majored in Psychology and Criminology and worked in a research lab focused on the assessment of ADHD in school-age children. Afterwards, I earned my Master’s and PhD in School Psychology from Temple University, where I gained valuable experience in The School District of Philadelphia, St. Joseph's Preparatory School, and approved private schools serving students with Autism and emotional/behavioral needs. In addition to my PhD, I also received a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and completed the necessary coursework to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

    After graduate school, I completed my internship at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Mental Health (Penn CMH), where I facilitated play-based ABA interventions for preschoolers with Autism, conducted autism evaluations in the Penn Autism Clinic, consulted with Autistic Support teachers in The School District of Philadelphia, and provided exposure-based outpatient anxiety therapy to school-age children.

    After internship, I continued onto a post-doctoral fellowship at Penn CMH, where I consulted and supervised paraprofessionals in The School District of Philadelphia as they learned to implement a school-based mental health model with their students. During this time, I also consulted to school-based mental health and Child Study teams in and around the Philadelphia area to strengthen cohesiveness and build long-term sustainable procedures for managing students’ academic and social/emotional needs.

    I began working in UMASD in December 2022. Currently, I am assigned to Gulph and Roberts Elementary Schools, but I have conducted evaluations at all elementary schools in the district, as well as the middle school. I enjoy supporting student growth and development through data-based decision-making, as well as providing families with comprehensive evaluations that accurately capture students' needs. My areas of expertise include autism assessment, evidence-based behavioral interventions, systems-level data analysis, and school-based mental health.