Sandra Evarrs, Ph.D., N.C.S.P., L.P.

Program Director, School Psychology

Clinical Professor

Licensed Psychologist

Education

• Ph.D. 2003 – Loyola University Chicago, School Psychology
• M.Ed. 1999 – Loyola University Chicago, School Psychology
• B.S. 1996 – DePaul University Chicago, Elementary Education

Areas of Expertise

• Differential Diagnosis of Childhood Psychological Disorders
• Psychological Assessment & Evaluation
• Child & Adolescent Development
• Autism and Related Disabilities & Symptomologies
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• School Crisis Preparedness, Intervention & Postvention
• Special Education Law & Advocacy
• Ethics of Psychological Practice

Background

Dr. Evarrs began her career teaching elementary education in the inner-city of Chicago. She then completed her Masters Specialist Level and Ph.D. in School Psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Throughout her graduate training she primarily focused on supporting children with special needs specifically those with neurodevelopmental differences. Prior to joining the faculty at UNC, Dr. Evarrs was a school psychologist in Chicago where she was a developmental disability specialist.  Her responsibilities included evaluating preschool children for disabilities in order to determine qualification for early intervention services, diagnostic evaluations, counseling, crisis intervention, and behavior intervention consulting. She also served as the district’s lead psychologist for the severe and profound special education students placed in settings outside of the home school such as group homes, psychiatric schools and specialized therapeutic treatment hospitals. In addition to her work as a teacher and psychologist, she also served as a school administrator. Having completed her School Administration License, she was a special education administrator in which she led a team of allied health and professionals and special education specialists.

Dr. Evarrs joined the UNC School of Education faculty in the fall of 2004. Her primary affiliation is with the Doctoral School Psychology Program in which she is the clinical externship coordinator and teaches the doctoral professional seminar and psychological and psychoeducational assessments. Through her teaching she explores effective ways of meeting the needs of children with special needs as she clinically supervises school psychology doctoral students placed at schools, hospitals, clinics and residential treatment centers. Since 2011, Dr. Evarrs has also served on the faculty of the Human Development & Family Studies Program in which she teaches one of the core requirements, Child Development Prenatal through Middle Childhood. Throughout her tenure at UNC, Dr. Evarrs has trained school psychologists, administrators and teachers in the National Association of School Psychologists PREPaRE School Crisis Intervention Model. Crisis prevention, preparedness, intervention, and postvention are the guiding constructs of these trainings and workshops conducted multiple times each academic year.

Dr. Evarrs has more than 25 years in the field of education and psychology motivated to serve children and their families with special needs and exceptionalities. Her particular focus on disability, psychological resilience and ethics continue to guide her teaching and mentorship with her students.

Research

Evarrs is the author, with Steve Knotek, of the study “2005-2015: Realizing Our Vision of Languages for All” in Foreign Language and Special Education, edited by colleague Audrey Heining-Boynton. Another chapter in which Dr. Evarrs contributed is a review of visual perception programs published in the International Handbook of Student Achievement. Her doctoral dissertation advanced her scholarly interests in developmental disabilities, psychoeducational assessments and special education focusing on the intellectual profiles of children diagnosed with autism.