Shaundra Pelkey – A School “Psycho Lady” Who’s Passionate About Helping Struggling Kids

During Shaundra Pelkey’s first week as school psychologist at Antelope Elementary School District (AESD) in Red Bluff, CA, she met with a fourth-grade student who struggled with significant behavior issues. School psychologists regularly assess students for disabilities that require special education, but this student’s behavior had made him difficult to work with and assess.

Michelle Kinner, AESD’s program specialist, recalls how Shaundra “immediately built rapport” with the student, almost magically working past his difficult history. The student went home that day bursting with excitement. “Mom, Mom!” he exclaimed, “The psycho lady said someday I’ll be able to read!”

Connecting with kids and finding answers

Today, the title “Psycho Lady” reminds AESD staff of Shaundra’s unique ability to connect with kids and inspire hope in even the most difficult academic situations. Michelle describes the desperation and frustration of another mother whose eighth-grader had struggled for years. None of the assessments had managed to pinpoint the exact problem, and the mother felt like nobody could find answers for her son.

“Shaundra said, ‘This is my challenge now. I’m going to figure this out,’” Michelle recalls. “She went all in. She sought outside resources on assessments she didn’t know how to do yet, and pulled in other people to help. They ended up getting to the bottom of it, and the parent was overjoyed and just so grateful. That’s a norm for Shaundra. She’s not going to give up. She’s passionate about finding the answers.”

“We’re a team”

Shaundra’s personal experience as the mother of a child with special needs inspired her to become a school psychologist. As her son entered school, Shaundra battled against “not knowing anything” about special education by doing her own research, teaching herself about the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process, and learning about her rights as a parent. Now, at both AESD and Shasta Charter Academy in Redding, Shaundra approaches “every student as if they were my own, as if I were their parent and they needed someone to fight for them. The most important thing for me is for parents to understand what is going on and what they can do. We’re a team; we’re all in this together.”

A deep commitment to parents and families

Beth Hodson, whose own son, Finn, has Down’s syndrome, attests to Shaundra’s deep commitment to parents and families. “Our families were on vacation together, and even there Shaundra was calling parents by the pool to help them figure out problems. I mean, who does that? Kids who have her as an advocate are pretty lucky.”

Although not technically one of Shaundra’s students, Finn benefits from Shaundra’s advocacy. “She’s just so good with him,” Beth says. “She’ll sit with him and repeat things with him, and do things we don’t think to do. She teaches us behaviors that will help him in the future. That’s just how she is naturally.”

Shaundra grew up in the Redding area and returned in 2007.  A single mom, Shaundra loves spending time with her three kids — Michael,16; Ethan, 13; and Lola, 6; whether attending their basketball or gymnastics events, going for a hike, visiting friends, or hanging out by the pool at the Elk’s Lodge, where she is an active member.

She also prioritizes daily workouts at a local CrossFit gym, finding the physical exercise helps her manage stress as well as stay healthy. In her “spare” time, Shaundra loves researching neuropsychology, the study of the brain’s functionality in relation to emotions, behavior, and cognition.

Never one to settle for what she has already achieved, Shaundra is preparing to pursue a doctorate in neuropsychology or attend law school. “I’m really fascinated by how the brain works and how we learn,” she says. “But I also see the legal problems in special education from a district side and from the parents’ side. So, I’m taking my time before I jump one way or the other, and working on different certificate courses and expanding my knowledge in the meantime.”

Meeting kids at their level

Even as she dives deeply into neuropsychology and expands her work with kids of all ages and abilities, Shaundra comes back to simple truths that anyone can understand and implement for making a difference in kids’ lives. “Kids just need to be loved,” she says. “They need to be accepted for who they are. Meet them at their level, and don’t worry about the homework and academics as much. Cherish the time you have with them; just love them and have fun with them.”