Many days are tough but the opportunity to change students ’ lives is well worth it , she said .

“ It ’ s great when you get past the roadblocks ,” Lee said . “ It ’ s really nice to see kids blossom .”

Lee is among 108 school psychologists in Fresno Unified who are critical to students ’ mental health and academic success and play a key role in crisis intervention and in the district ’ s multi-tiered system of supports framework .

“ She does so much for our kiddos and our school ,” said Storey Principal Gia Picchi-Shirley .

Lee , whose parents immigrated from China , attended Fresno Unified ’ s Lincoln Elementary School , Tioga Middle School , Sequoia for her freshman year and then Hoover High School , where she said she got lots of encouragement and support .

She remembers several Fresno Unified teachers who challenged her to excel , including PJ Machado in sixth grade at Lincoln . Machado took Lee to her first bookstore and bought her the Nancy Drew mystery , “ The Clue of the Broken Locket ,” which she still has .

suffered significant trauma , although they are only in elementary school . Often , support will need to involve the entire family . Many students have trouble articulating what is bothering them .

“ Some days , it ’ s really difficult to figure it out ,” Lee said .

For Lee , the highlight of her day can be a simple walk with a student on their way to get on the bus , asking how they are doing . She said it ’ s very satisfying when students show social emotional and academic growth and , “ they don ’ t need you anymore .”

One of the fun ways Lee connects with students is through the Gardening Club , which meets weekly . They are revamping the inner courtyard of the school , working on raised vegetable beds and planting evergreen and perennial shrubs in other planter beds to add more flowers and color .

However , students ’ needs are great , and she sometimes has to make a concerted effort to , “ look for the joy in the day .”

“ It ’ s hard ; I ’ m not going to lie . We ’ re all stressed ,” Lee said . “ But there ’ s so many great things about my job behind the stress .”

After Hoover , Lee attended Fresno State and planned to major in business . But then she took an undergraduate Psychology 10 class and thought , “ This is cool .”

Knowing she did not want to be in private practice , Lee pursued her pupil personal services credential ( PPS ) to be a school counselor , then a PPS in school psychology and her master ’ s in psychology , which led to her being a school psychologist .

After working a few years in other districts , Lee began at Storey in 1994 . She immediately loved the diversity of the students and the array of programs that a large district like Fresno Unified can offer . At that time , Storey was her home base , but she worked at other schools as well .

Lee ’ s days are filled with conducting and writing assessments , working with students , meeting with families and coordinating with teachers and administrators on how to best support students . She helps students who are struggling with learning disabilities and others who have

School psychologist Nancy Lee administers a test to Storey Elementary School studentAnastasia De La Cruz-Judd .

School psychologist Nancy Lee , second from left , works on a planter box with Gardening Club members , from left , Isabella Blajos , Kimberly Vang and Alexis Ambriz . Lee started the Gardening Club .

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