MASCA
Counselor’s Notebook
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION
Vol. 55, No. 2
October 2018
President’s Message: Smile! By JENNIFER MCGUIRE, MASCA President If you are anything like me, you have a lot of great ideas in August! One of my August 2018 brilliant ideas was to print out and hang the list of National Educational and Health Awareness Dates in my office. So, now that it is printed, framed, and displayed in my office, I must remember to consider and make use of the information. So many of the dates on this list hit close to home as a school counselor--everything from Suicide Prevention Month (September) to Transgender Awareness Week (November) to Special Education Day (December). Despite the many days/weeks/ months identified to highlight topics which parallel school counseling professional development, it was another date that jumped out at me when I was looking over the list for October--World Smile Day®. Not surprisingly, without even knowing any of the history behind it, I could not help but smile myself. I had to know more so I visited www. worldsmileday.com. This year, World Smile Day® is celebrated on October 5. Celebrated on the first Friday of October, this event actually has roots here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Perhaps those of you who are Massachusetts natives (I am not) are aware that the smiley face was created in 1963 by a commercial artist from Worcester named Harvey Ball. Even if you were unaware of Mr. Ball’s ties to Massachusetts, you would probably agree that the smiley face is recognized internationally as a symbol of good will and good cheer. Who can look at a smiley face and cry? Years after introducing his symbol, Mr. Ball became concerned that the smiley face was overused and that the orig-
inal meaning of the symbol had been lost due to its over-commercialization. It was out of this concern that his idea for World Smile Day® came to be. The first World Smile Day® was celebrated in 1999. The theme of World Smile Day® is "Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile!". The premise is that everyone should devote one day of the year to smiles and kind acts world-wide. As the smiley face knows no politics, no geography and no religion, Mr. Ball believed that--at least for one day a year--neither should we. Today, the goal is to use the annual event as a reminder to do kindness and share smiles everyday. The Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created after Mr. Ball died in 2001. The Foundation is the official sponsor of World Smile Day®. In Worcester, there have been events to commemorate World Smile Day® every year, ranging from choral performances to balloon releases with World Printed on recycled paper
Smile Day® messages. The Worcester Historical Museum has celebratory events as well, including an annual Harvey Ball! Around the world, organizations including schools celebrate the day with activities such as attempting to break the record for the largest human smiley face, smile events in hospitals, and delivering smiley treats to the needy. There is an active World Smile Day® Facebook Page, where you can get ideas of what other groups and individuals have done to celebrate. You can share your own pictures from this year’s World Smile Day® and in the future and have them shared on Facebook as well. Celebrations of World Smile Day® may be big or small, visible or invisible, formal or informal. Anyone who participates in the day can be recognized as World Smile Day® Ambassadors. The only requirement is that the person is aware of the theme of World Smile Day® and works to share the message in whatever way they see fit based on location and interest. You can order stickers and buttons from the online store at www.worldsmileday.com or download and print your own stickers and posters. The message of World Smile Day® is in line with today’s emphasis on kindness to others, inclusivity in schools and social settings, and the “pay it forward” mentality. I love the idea, however, that at the core of all of these concepts is that a smile--yours or someone else’s-- matters. I wish you all a wonderful World Smile Day® and encourage you to incorporate spreading smiles and doing kind acts into your daily lives and the lives of your students!
FALL COLLEGE VISIT OPTIONS
ANNA MARIA COLLEGE Join us for our Fall Open Houses September 29th October 21st
BECOME A PART OF
Something Greater.
annamaria.edu 508.849.3360
AWARENESS DATES MONTH: ADHD Awareness Month Bullying Prevention Month Communicate with Your Kids Month Computer Learning Month Dyslexia Awareness Month National Book Month National Depression & Mental Health Screening Month Positive Attitude Month
WEEK: 1-7 Mental Illness Awareness Week 7-13 Teen Read Week 15-19 National Health Education Week 21-27 America’s Safe Schools Week 22-26 National School Bus Safety Week
By Ed Connor, Director of Admissions, Dean College and MASCA Board Member While the summer is a popular time for families to visit colleges near and far, fall brings a whole new host of visit opportunities for students and their families. They are sure to be checking in with their counselor to see what sort of visit option you recommend. It’s true that the options will vary from college to college, but here are some thoughts as you work with students and families making their fall plans. Almost every college in the country will be hosting fall open houses aimed at juniors and seniors in high school. These are wonderful opportunities for students who are just shopping, but also for those looking to marrow down their list of colleges. However, depending upon the experience the student is seeking, an open house might not always be the best fit. Most programs are going to be relatively large, but can vary based upon the size of the college or university. An open house will certainly include a campus tour and provide a nice overview on everything from admissions to aca-
demics to residence life, but the day isn’t likely to provide opportunities for the personal touch that some students and families desire. For those looking for a more personal experience, weekday tours, information sessions and interviews may fit the bill. Admissions offices tend to be a bit quieter on weekdays in the fall. A visit on a Wednesday in October might require some advance planning, but families are likely to encounter a smaller group of visitors and experience a true taste of day to day campus life. If a weekday just won’t work, check for Saturday (or Sunday) visits. Weekends may attract larger groups of visitors (and be warned most buildings may be a sparsely populated on a Saturday morning tour!), but this can be a nice option between an open house and a weekday visit. Still looking for more options? Students should consider a shadow day or a custom visit day to get a great feel for a “day in the life” at a particular college. Many colleges
will also encourage students to add on meetings with faculty, staff and coaches when they are on campus. For families looking to get a taste of a particular college, without the time and financial commitment of a long trip, be sure to encourage them to check out receptions and interviews away from the campus. Many colleges will offer opportunities to learn more about their offerings as their recruitment travels bring admissions counselors to cities and towns across the US and around the world. Can’t find the type of visit you’re looking for? Call or email….Admissions Offices can be incredibly flexible, and they love to show off their campus to visitors. Finally, don’t forget to encourage your students to meet with all of the admissions counselors that will be visiting you this fall. Whether students are just starting their search, or have some final questions about the application process, connecting with their admissions counselor face-toface can be a valuable experience.
SAVE THE DATE! The 2019 MASCA Conference
"Find Your Oasis – Reflect, Refresh, Recharge!"
will be held at the Hyannis Resort and Conference Center on Monday afternoon, April 29 (pre-conference) and Tuesday, April 30 (full day conference).
DAY: 5 World Smile Day 5 World Teacher’s Day 10 Walk and Bike to School Day 11 National Depression Screening Day 22 International Stuttering Awareness Day 24 Unity Day/Stop Bullying Day
Our pre-conference session, “Raising Generation Tech: Creating Tech Healthy Schools, Families, and Communities”, will feature Janell Hofmann, and our keynote address on Tuesday will feature John Hodge and his message “Be the One” reinforcing that one caring adult can make all the difference in the world For full conference details go to www.masca.org.
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 2018
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EMERGING LEADERS
EMERGING LEADERS
By Megan Krell, Ph.D., MASCA Past President MASCA is thrilled to announce the 2018/2019 Emerging Leaders! Four individuals were selected from a talented group of applicants to participate in this year’s MASCA Emerging Leader Program. The program is designed to identify potential school counseling leaders in Massachusetts, and provide them with an opportunity to become involved with MASCA. The Emerging Leaders attend Governing Board meetings, participate in the MASCA Leadership Development Institute and North Atlantic Region leadership workshop, and participate in MASCA committees and/or special projects. In addition, the Emerging Leaders work with a Governing Board mentor to help provide context for the work being done. Congratulations to our 2018/2019 Emerging Leaders:
line. She was selected as the cohort Sarah DeMello representative for her master’s program, wherein she acts as a liaison between graduate students and program administrators. Prior to coming to Massachusetts, Chamonix worked at the Office of Gender and Campus Culture at Yale University, where she created and implemented bystander intervention workshops. Chamonix brings to MASCA expertise in social justice and equity issues.
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Rachel Thomaszvic
Rachel has been a school counselor at Landmark High School in Beverly since graduating with her M.A. in school counseling from Boston College in 2016. Landmark School is a day and residential school serving students with language-based learning disabilities. Rachel also has internship experience at Melrose High School and Jackson Mann K-8 School in Allston. Rachel brings to MASCA expertise in postsecondary planning for students with disabilities.
Congratulations again to this year’s cohort! Interested in becoming a MASCA Emerging Leader? Please consider applying for the 2019/2020 cohort. Applications will be coming out in early 2019. Questions about the program can be directed to Megan Krell at mkrell@fitchburgstate.edu.
Jeremie Bateman
Chamonix Adams
Chamonix is a second-year school counseling graduate student at the Boston College Lynch School of Education. She has interned with school counselors at the Gardner Pilot Academy in Boston and the John D. Runkle K-8 School in Brook-
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Jeremie has been a school counselor at Lexington High School since 2016. He completed his Master of Education at University of Massachusetts Boston, and also has a Master of Theological Studies from The Divinity School at Harvard University. Prior to becoming a school counselor, Jeremie was a leadership development associate at the Unitarian Universalist Association, where he mentored youth leader and provided leadership training. Jeremie brings to MASCA expertise in curriculum development, assessment, and data-driven decision making.
Sarah is a school counselor in the Tiverton, RI school district. Prior to starting at Tiverton, Sarah served as a school counseling long-term substitute in Maynard, MA. Sarah received her M.Ed. in School Counseling from University of Massachusetts Boston, and also has a master’s degree in Statistics. Sarah is the secretary for the South Coast School Counselor Association and the MASCA Affiliate Liaison. Sarah brings to MASCA expertise in data and accountability, as well as a yearning to advocate for school counselors at the state and national levels. (continued next page)
Attention: All call for Counselor’s Notebooks prior to 1999. Please send issues to Donna Brown as we rebuild our MASCA CN Archives.
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Implementing MA Model 2.0 for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs: Fall Strategic Planning is the Foundation for June Program Evaluation By Helen C. O’Donnell, Ed.D helenod@att.net MA Model Trainer, MASCA GB Member, and MASCA MA Model Chair
MA Model Implementation is a fluid and ongoing process. In the Sept CN, the MA Model article provided a reflection template to Measure Your MA Model 2.0 Implementation Progress. After gathering your program implementation data, DESE’s EDWIN student achievement and school/district Profiles data, and stakeholder needs assessment survey data, it is time for your school counseling team to focus on the data analysis findings and strategically identify program and student targets for this academic year. What program and student outcomes do you want to achieve? Increased FAFSA completion rates? Delivering and evaluating Tier 1 standards-aligned school counseling curriculum and seminars? Reviewing and strengthening your Tier 2 interventions to improve attendance rates and 4-year graduation rates? OCTOBER 2018
Document the student learning impact of a budget expenditure like Naviance? Gather stakeholder perception data about helpfulness of program initiatives? Enhance your website to keep school and community informed about programming and promote parental engagement? Once your SMART targets are set, your department should create an action plan for achieving the target. Are dept. program goals align? What steps need to be planned and implemented? What baseline and on-going data will be used to measure progress towards achieving the target goals? What monthly objectives need to be achieved and who is responsible? Is staff professional development needed to support program targets? Are resources needed? Collaborative efforts and teamwork are important components to im-
plement your action plan. Keep administration and staff informed about your efforts and embrace partnership efforts and support. . A reminder that MA Model implement support is available in regional cohorts. Consider registering for the MA Model Introductory Institute, MA Model 2: Next Steps, and Counselors in K-12 Classrooms ($450/ pp). Particpants earn 45 PDP’s or 3 graduate credits (additional $295/ pp) from Fitchburg State University. Check the MASCA website for more information. If no dates or sites are avalable in your area, please feel free to suggest dates and sites that work for you and your team. Contact Helen O'Donnel at helenod@att.net
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BEST PRACTICES: COLLEGE APPLICATION PIZZA PARTY
By Johanna Smith, Lynn Vocational Technical Institute and MASCA Board Member Working in an urban high school with a large population of first-generation college applicants can be incredibly rewarding. It is easy to see the immediate effects of your work as a counselor, and to feel good about helping students directly. But it often means that school counselors need to step up and fill in knowledge and expertise that parents and families may be able to help with in other communities, and requires a lot of personal assistance for each student. When I started working with this population of students, my eyes were opened to the level of educating that I needed to do in order to give them a fighting chance to get to college. Our admissions systems are not at all self-explanatory, and students who don’t have prior knowledge of the SAT, FAFSA, or the difference between graduate and undergraduate are at a huge disadvantage. If students don’t know how to fill out applications, they will never be able to submit them. Like all counselors, the three-person team at my school is pressed for time. We each have caseloads of over 350 students and are often called upon to perform many duties that may not necessarily be within our job descriptions. After looking at the needs of our students, we put our heads together and decided that we needed to work more efficiently with our seniors to help them get their applications filled out accurately and submitted on time. And we needed help! So our College Application Pizza Party was born. 6
The College Application Pizza Party is held on an evening in November in our school library. Students have a dedicated time to work on college essays and applications for three hours, with help and support and limited distractions. Providing pizza gives them an incentive to come, and also provides a little bit of time to chat with adults who are often being pulled in many different directions or who they may not otherwise have a chance to get to know. Students feel supported and successful, and get a lot accomplished with all of the help available. The event requires some advance planning. There is the ordering of pizza, of course, but also the recruiting of volunteers. We have been lucky enough to not only have teachers volunteer their time on the evening of the party, but our wonderful colleagues from the Undergraduate Admissions Offices at both Salem State University and North Shore Community College have also come in to help. They have worked with students on applica-
tions to their colleges and at times have been able to do “On the Spot” admissions and give students acceptance letters that night. As admissions professionals, they have also been able to offer advice of other colleges students may want think about and which programs may be the best fit for students. Holding our annual Pizza Party has been a great success. We have had up to sixty seniors attend at once, and have been able to recruit lots of help in supporting our seniors. We have seen a large increase in completed college applications over the past six years that we have been holding the party, and hope to continue that trend as we continually work on our college-going culture.
Updated MASCA/DESE Professional Development Series Helping Students Reach Higher by Digging Deeper with Data by Ruth Carrigan, M.Ed., Whitman-Hanson Regional HS, MASCA PD Chair
Are you looking for ways to improve your professional practice and to improve outcomes for your students? Do you want to learn how to identify at risk students and to develop effective intervention plans? If your answer is "YES", we hope you will attend this workshop and ultimately earn the College and Career Data Usage Certificate for school counselors and other educators via a new and unique partnership between MASCA, MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Reach Higher MA. This year's workshop will focus
Through a workshop, webinars and virtual learning opportunities over the year, we will support you as you implement
changes and monitor students’ ongoing risk. The series starts with an optional introductory webinar in October. An in-person half-day workshop is the anchor of the series where you will learn how to use the EWIS reports to examine students’ risk details and begin to identify underlying causes of risk. Optional webinars and virtual learning opportunities continue over the year, where participants share strategies and tools, celebrate successes, and troubleshoot challenges. The series ends with an optional Data Showcase event in the spring. Collect your findings and reflections into a data project to earn 15 PDPs and the College and Career Data Usage credential. The half-day workshop will be held at Universal Technical Institute in Norwood on October 25, 2018. Light breakfast refreshments will be served. This is a BYOD - Bring Your Own Device - workshop. Please bring a laptop (preferred) or tablet that can access the internet. The Data Showcase will be held at The Resort & Conference Center in Hyannis on April 30, 2018.
If you choose to hold an event, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to reach out to me at smithjoh@lynnschools.org to share! Visit the Counselor's Corner section of the MASCA website to learn more about events, resources, and information not officially sponsored by MASCA, but which may be of general interest to the counseling community. https://masca.wildapricot.org/ Counselors-Corner
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
on EWIS (Early Warning Indicator System). With EWIS, we have an early warning. We can tell which students are at risk of not being ready for college, starting when students are in 10th grade – while there is time to intervene and support students for success. With the updated College and Career Data Usage Certificate, build skill using DESE’s EWIS and other data tools to improve outcomes for your students.
OCTOBER 2018
To register for the workshop please visit the MASCA website at www. masca.org. For questions, contact Ruth Carrigan, MASCA PD Chair, at Ruth.Carrigan@whrsd.org. 7
PREPARING ALL STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
Submitted by Ruth Carrigan, M.Ed., Whitman-Hanson Regional HS, MASCA PD Chair
Fall is an exciting time in schools: students and counselors are ready for a new year, and Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) reports are available! The data Districts and schools across Massachusetts have made great strides in reducing dropout rates and increasing high school graduation rates recently: the dropout rate was at 1.8% for school year 2016-17 and our 4 year graduation rate was 88.3% for the 2017 cohort, the best ever measured. ESE will continue to support districts as they strive to improve these rates in the coming years. There is also important work ahead to ensure that all students who graduate from high school are truly ready for the range of postsecondary educational opportunities that await them after high school. Among students graduating from Massachusetts public high schools in 2016, 68.8% enrolled in postsecondary education the immediate fall after graduation, and of those attendees over 20% did not persist for a second year of college. In addition, of the high school graduates enrolled in a Massachusetts public postsecondary institution, more than one-third take at least one remedial course in their first semester. Last, there are deep gaps in college enrollment, academic readiness and college persistence rates across racial and ethnic 8
groups, students with disabilities, and English learners. Expanding EWIS to Postsecondary Many counselors have become familiar with EWIS, or the Early Warning Indicator System, as a tool to systematically identify students who may need additional attention in order to reach an upcoming academic milestone. The K-12 Model – available for the past several years – identifies students at risk of missing important milestones throughout the K-12 academic trajectory culminating with high school graduation. To support schools and districts in understanding whether high school students are on track for postsecondary success over the past two years ESE has expanded EWIS to include a Postsecondary Model. This model includes risk calculations for three college success milestones: College Enrollment (enrolling in the first year of college), Academic Readiness (enrolling in credit-bearing courses) and College Persistence (enrolling in the second year of college). There are currently three different postsecondary EWIS reports. • the Postsecondary District View identifies which grades, schools and postsecondary outcomes to prioritize. • the Postsecondary Indicator Analysis analyzes attendance, behavior, and course-taking or academic trends to provide nuance across and within risk groups.
• the Postsecondary Student List identities students' names and their risk levels alongside their previous year's performance and other student characteristics.
Identifying students at-risk ESE develops these risk models using the wealth of student data available to the state. With attendance rates, behavior data, course-taking, MCAS and other available data, EWIS predicts a student’s level of risk —Low, Moderate, or High Risk – or likelihood of not reaching the postsecondary milestone, absent interventions. (For example, an 11th grade student identified as High risk for College Enrollment is considered off-track for enrolling in college , without additional interventions.). Back on Track with Targeted Interventions But these risk levels are not a ‘life sentence’ – and should not be used for college admissions or to place students into a particular academic track. With targeted interventions, students can get back on track. Using EWIS information in combination with local data and personal relationships in a cycle of inquiry, counselors can explore underlying factors that lead to academic risk and then develop additional supports to meet the unique college readiness needs of their students. This approach may lead to a range of programming at the individual, small group, and whole school levels. (continued next page) COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
PREPARING ALL
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Accessing EWIS reports Each Massachusetts district has access to EWIS reports starting in Edwin Analytics: https://gateway. edu.state.ma.us/ . You’ll find student-level and aggregate EWIS reports for the K-12 model, and the Postsecondary model.. Contact your district's directory administrator (http://www.doe.mass.edu/ infoservices/data/diradmin/list. aspx) to request access to Edwin. Preparing students for postsecondary success Using EWIS in ongoing data work or a data-driven cycle of inquiry, counselors can influence a student’s academic trajectory by developing early interventions for student in need. EWIS data and tools – in conjunction with local context and appropriate interventions – can help counselors prepare more students for postsecondary success. More information and i tools about EWIS are on the ESE website: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ccr/ewi/. If you have additional questions or feedback, please email us at EWIS@doe.mass.edu. Coming Soon: Monitoring Students' Risk throughout the School Year The EWIS team is developing two new resources. One tool will allow users to manage data files, assign students to interventions, and monitor and respond to students' risk throughout the year. And a new Edwin report will show which students are off track for Attendance and Suspensions using data reported through SIF. Watch for more in our next EWIS newsletter. Subscribe at http://eepurl.com/dB_ANT OCTOBER 2018
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BULLYING INTERVENTIONS
Career Activities Corner: K-12 College and Career Readiness Activities Reach Higher MA Working Group #1: Viable Careers and Citizenship for All hosts this Career Activity Corner to encourage infusion of a career development strand into your school counseling curriculum. Please submit K-12 lessons with identified standards alignments, measurable student learning objectives and outcomes, and interdisciplinary curriculum links to Helen O’Donnell, Ed.D helenod@att.net
Understanding the Application Process and Navigating the Common App. Compiled from Debra Davidsohn, MAT, M.Ed, School Counselor, Belchertown HS
Overview: Since completing required postsecondary education, employment and scholarship applications can be overwhelming for seniors, it is important that all students learn the importance of following application directions, professionally providing requested information, and completing all application requirements in a timely manner. Focus Question: Are HS students able to prepare and submit professional quality applications for employment, postsecondary educations, and scholarships? Activity: During the lesson the counselor will: teach students how to complete applications through presentations and discussion. To provide an authentic experience, all students learn to navigate and fill out applications using the online Common App. They explore school options, ask questions, navigate College App components, apply tips on how to most effectively present themselves through their applications, and understand the application can be linked to their Naviance account. Suggested lesson resources: www.commonapp. org, www.naviance.com, Common App/Application cheat sheet, Transcripts with up to date GPA Skills learned in the lesson are also directly transferable to FAFSA, college-specific, employment, and scholarship applications. Additional instruction and support provided to students as needed.
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Student Learning Objectives: Cognitive: (knowledge) As a result of the lesson, the students will identify and practice the steps necessary to complete applications Affective: (understanding) As a result of the lesson, the students will: - realize the importance of successful completion of applications by working with counselor through discussion seminar class and individually, as needed. - understand the importance of their privacy rights by reviewing FERPA and asking clarifying questions Behavioral/Performance: (be able to do) As a result of the lesson, the students will be able to successfully complete and submit applications Results Data: (Gather student data to assess the impact of the lesson and achievement of the Focus Question.) 1. % of students who filled out and submitted common apps? 2. Total # common apps submitted? 3. % of students completing other applications as a result of lesson (Identify categories and data 4. Total # of college-specific, employment, and scholarships applications submitted. Perception Data: Student feedback about helpfulness of the seminar lesson. (Example: "How helpful was this seminar class to you as you start this application process?" Circle one: Not helpful / a little helpful / helpful / very helpful / extremely helpful)
Learning Standards Alignment MA Career Development Education (CDE) BENCHMARKS: Academic-Technical Development A1-2. Technical and technological skills A2-3. Organizational skills for academic/technical and career success A4-1. Knowledge of the benefits of education for career and life management Workplace Readiness Development W1-1. Skills in the planning process (focusing on the importance of preparation and future orientation) W1-5. Skills in establishing and modifying career management tools (e.g., resume, portfolio) Personal/Social Development: PS1-3. Knowledge and skills for personal responsibility and self-determination ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success (schoolcounselor. org) Mindset Standards M 2. Self-confidence in ability to succeed. M 3. Sense of belonging in the school environment M 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes Behavior Standards Learning Strategies: B-LS 3. Use time-management, organizational and study skills
(continued next page) COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
By Donna Brown, MASCA Executive Director Were you bullied when you were in school? Were you a bully yourself? Are you being bullied now? According to researchers, over 50% of adults are bullied at some time in their workplace. Probably all of us have had experiences that caused us to be uncomfortable or even afraid; most of us have indeed been bullied, physically, psychologically, or sexually. Cyberbullying is newer, but some of us have been on the receiving end there as well. October is Bullying Prevention Month, and there is no shortage of programs and opinions about how to deal with this problem. Everyone
Understanding
(continued from previous page) B-LS 5. Apply media and technology skills B-LS 6. Set high standards of quality Self-Management Skills: B-SMS 1. Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility B-SMS 2. Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control B-SMS 3. Demonstrate ability to work independently B-SMS 10. Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibility. DISTRICT STANDARDS: Belchertown High School students are expected to: 1. Read actively and critically. 2. Write effectively. 3. Use a variety of resources, including technology, to acquire, process, and utilize information effectively. 4. Employ multiple critical and creative thinking strategies in reasoning and problem solving. OCTOBER 2018
from the federal government (https:// www.stopbullying.gov) to Lady Gaga (https://bornthisway.foundation) has established a program. In looking at the many available programs, common themes emerge. Virtually all stress the uselessness of “one and done” presentations or lessons. Zero tolerance programs are cited as doing more damage than good for the majority of students. Ditto for peer mediation and conflict resolution. According to the “stopbullying.gov” site, “Bullying is not a conflict; it is a form of victimization.” Mediation that puts the child who was bullied face to face with the bully is seen as traumatic and thus, inappropriate. Groups for bullies are also of concern because they can easily foster more antisocial and bullying behavior as some group members become role models for the others. So what does work? Experts agree that truly addressing bullying requires systemic change. The whole school from principal to custodian has to commit to establishing a safe and supportive school environment. Adults in the building need to serve as role models, treating students (and each other) with dignity and respect. Professional development is recommended so that all staff members will be on the same page. Students can’t be allowed to be mean to each other. Excuses like, “I was just joking” or “I didn’t mean it,” aren’t acceptable. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) can provide excellent suggestions about dealing with bullying. Their “Stop, Walk, Talk” training for students is a simple, easily learned strategy. A school wide stop signal is established to be used when bad behavior is observed. “Stop” and the
signal can be given by anyone in the school community. If the behavior does not stop, students are told to Walk. If possible, the person being bullied can be escorted away. At this point, if the incident is still going on, students need to Talk and tell an adult. A safe and supportive environment does not happen overnight. The school community needs to work together to develop a place of kindness and respect. Presenting this cultural shift in a positive fashion will help. All staff needs to be vigilant to make sure students are interacting in a safe, kind way. They also must model being kind, inclusive and respectful. Students should be encouraged to interact with adults and share their concerns and ideas for making school a safer, more caring space. Respect and kindness should inform classroom management. Students should help write the classroom rules. By doing so, they take ownership of them. These rules should be short, simple, positive and enforceable. So, what part do school counselors play? Several years ago, ASCA printed stickers for National Counselor week stating, “Counselors are the Heart of the School.” How true! Creating a kind and caring environment is what we do. Helping our school improve by providing support and professional expertise is a job we want to do. We understand that the keys to success for students and staff are respect and kindness. Intolerance, meanness, eye rolling, badgering and aggression can all lead to bullying behavior. Encouraging everyone to replace these negative behaviors with positive ones should be our goal because counselors really are the heart of the school.
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Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK Jean Atwater-Williams, Editor
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEWBURYPORT, MA PERMIT NO. 96
IN CASE OF NON-DELIVERY, RETURN TO: Donna M. Brown P.O. Box 366 Bryantville, MA 02327
The Mission of MASCA
The mission of MASCA is to advocate for school counselors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by providing leadership, collaboration, and professional development. Stay informed by visiting MASCA’s website regularly. You can share your views with fellow MASCA members by joining in the Forum. https://masca.wildapricot.org/