Mary Margaret Kerr
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
5939 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
PHONE: 412-648-7205
EMAIL:
mmkerr@pitt.eduFull Time Faculty - Associate Professor
Career Summary
A former faculty member at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Kerr joined the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh in 1980, where she holds appointments in Administrative and Policy Studies, Psychology in Education, and Child Psychiatry. Also licensed as a superintendent, Dr. Kerr has worked in urban school districts throughout her academic career. Her focus has been the improvement of services for students with emotional and behavioral problems.
In the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Kerr initially directed school-based research and training programs. Taking a public service leave from the university, Dr. Kerr served Pittsburgh City Schools as Director of Pupil Services, where she administered services such as guidance, social work, counseling, alternative education, health services, school security, and discipline.
Returning to the University as a full-time faculty member, Dr. Kerr continued to direct training services for the University’s youth suicide and violence prevention center, STAR-Center. This state-funded Center provides crisis response services, training, and policy consultation to school districts and agencies across Pennsylvania. The center has been funded by the Pennsylvania legislature for over 20 years.
In 2005, Dr. Kerr initiated a partnership between the University’s School of Education and the Watson Institute. This partnership provides students and faculty with opportunities to conduct research and evaluation projects and to complete field projects in school-based mental health and in positive behavioral support. Building on this partnership, Dr. Kerr designed a new graduate concentration in school-based behavioral health for the Department of Psychology in Education.
Continuing over two decades of work with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, Dr. Kerr is now leading a technical assistance team for the implementation of school-wide positive behavioral supports for K-8 schools.
Dr. Kerr's work in applied settings has provided case study material for textbooks and many presentations and publications. She has also served as an education consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice and to many state and local educational agencies. She worked with Protection and Advocacy, Inc. on its 2007 report, Restraint and Seclusion in California Schools: A Failing Grade. With C. Michael Nelson, she authors Strategies for Addressing Behavioral Problems in the Classroom, now in its 6th edition. Her latest text, School Crisis Prevention and Intervention was published by Merrill/Prentice-Hall.
School Affiliations
- Department: Administrative and Policy Studies - Associate Professor
- Department: Psychology in Education - Associate Professor
- Program: Applied Developmental Psychology - school based behavioral health
- Program: School Leadership - doctoral advisor
Education
- EdD, Education, The American University, 8/1/1977
- MEd, special education, Duke University, 5/1/1973
- BA, developmental psychology, Duke University, 5/1/1972
Recent Publications
Books
- Kerr, M.M. & Nelson, C.M.(in press) Strategies for addressing behavior problems in the classroom, 6th Edition. Columbus, Ohio: Merrill/Prentice-Hall
- Kerr, M.M. (2009). School Crisis Prevention and Intervention. Columbus, Ohio: Prentice-Hall.
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Recent Course Instruction
Spring 2009 (2094)
Fall 2008 (2091)
Summer 2008 (2087)
Spring 2008 (2084)
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Recent Presentations
- Using Behavioral Data to Improve Schools
(With Charlene Trovato)National Middle Schools Association conference, Houston, TX, November, 2007
- Mistakes (and Remedies) in Addressing Behavior Problems in the Classroom. Teacher Educators for Children with Behavioral Disorders (TECBD) 30th Annual Conference on Severe Behavior Disorders of Children and Youth, Tempe, AZ
Invited presentation(With C. Michael Nelson). 5th International Conference on Positive Behavior Support, Chicago, IL, March, 2008.
- Student Harassment, Bullying, and Threats: Practical Tools and Legal Advice for School Personnel
Sponsored by Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 and DeSales University, DeSales University, Center Valley, PA, March, 2008.
- Bullying Prevention: What Educators Need to Know.
Arkansas Mental Health in Education, January, 2008.
- Pressures, Perils, and Paradigm Shifts.
Pittsburgh Council on Higher Education Conference: Student Mental Health: Signs & Responses”, Point Park University, Pittsburgh, PA, February, 2008.
- Trauma on Campus: What You Can Do to Help. (Plenary Address).
34th Annual Delaware Valley Student Affairs Conference: The Changing Face of Student Affairs, Lafayette Hill, PA, February, 2008.
- School Crisis Preparation and Response: A Refresher.
Arkansas Mental Health in Education (ARMEA) Conference, Little Rock, AR, January, 2008.
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Current Professional Participation
- Member, Editorial Board, Behavior Modification
- International Studies in Educational Administration Journal
- Journal of Alternative Schooling
- Consulting editor
- Consulting Editor
- Preventing School Failure
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Recent Consulting
- Expert Commentator, ABCNews.com, 2001- present.
- Protection and Advocacy, Inc. of California (PAI)
- Expert Consultant for Report on Restraint and Seclusion in California Schools
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Recent Grants
- Pittsburgh Public Schools: Positive Behavioral Support Leadership and Technical Assistance (Funded by Staunton Farms Foundation), $300,000.
- Watson Institute Behavioral Support for Youth, Training Director for Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support for 11 schools, $60,000
- Student Assistance Program Project, Allegheny County MH/MR ($84,000)
- Services for Teenagers at Risk for Suicide with David A. Brent, M.D., Pennsylvania General Assembly ($524,000)
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Recent Collaborative Efforts
- Research or Scholarship
- STAR-Center. I direct the outreach services for Services for Teens at Risk, STAR-Center. The Center, funded by the PA General Assembly as a suicide prevention, treatment, and training center, is in its 21st year. The Center serves as the focal point for efforts to develop new knowledge in preventing and treating suicidal behaviors, depression and interpersonal violence. (More Information...) [http://www.wpic.pitt.edu/research/star/]
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Recent Service
- Non-University Service
- Founding Director, Project Reassure (Hurricane and Disaster Relief Organization) (More Information...) [http://www.projectreassure.org]
- School of Education Program or Specialization-level Service
- Member,Committee to Redesign the Principal Preparation Program
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Recent Projects
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports Technical Assistance Team
A grant from the Staunton Farms Foundation to the Pittsburgh Public Schools will provide support for a University technical assistance team led by Dr. Kerr to guide the district's efforts in implementing PBIS in its schools serving grades K-8.
- Pitt-Arsenal Project
Faculty and students in three school leadership courses are working with my students in a behavioral assessment and interventions course to assess the needs of a local urban middle school. Following that effort, the 70 students will design and share data analyses, individual, classroom-wide, and school-wide interventions, and professional development seminars, literature reviews, and newsletters. Not only will the middle school gain new insights and a DVD full of resources, but our graduates are learning how to assess and solve real problems that teachers and students face every day in schools. Our hope is that as our school leadership graduates become principals and superintendents, they will be better advocates for students and teachers struggling with behavioral problems.
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