MASCA
Counselor’s Notebook
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION
Vol. 55, No. 6
February 2019
President’s Message: MASCA Moves Forward By JENNIFER MCGUIRE, MASCA President Happy February! This is an exciting month. Not only are we celebrating National School Counseling Week, but the Massachusetts School Counselors Association is embarking upon a very exciting journey!
on the Hill in this issue of the Counselors Notebook. As your association leader, I am so proud to be part of Governing Board that is so committed to furthering our profession. I want to thank our Past-President, Ruth Carrigan, for her drive and determination throughout the process of investigating firms and exploring options. There have been a number of individuals who have been part of this process, but Ruth has served as a bridge between present and past leadership and has been instrumental in making this happen.
Over the past 18 months, MASCA leaders have been exploring opportunities to hire a public relations firm to help move our organization forward. I am so pleased to report that in January, MASCA signed a contract with Tremont Strategies Group (TSG), a government affairs consulting firm based in Boston. Over the next nine months, TSG will work with the leadership of MASCA to develop a comprehensive public affairs and government relations strategy. Through our agreement, MASCA will have access to TSG for any issue that should arise. However, there are specific areas which TSG will focus on in our work together. Some of those items include: •
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Identifying and cultivating new supporters for MASCA that strengthen our existing relationships; Working with other coalitions and stakeholders to build upon MAS-
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CA’s expertise and scope of knowledge; Providing legislative/lobbying education and training to members of the Governing Board and to MASCA staff
In the immediate time frame, TSG will support MASCA at the Day on the Hill on February 26 that MASCA is sponsoring in conjunction with New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC). Read more about the Day
The fact that I can share this information with you during the month when we celebrate our profession makes it that much more special. While some schools have embraced NSCW as a schoolwide time of recognition, I know (first hand) that many schools do not acknowledge it. Think about what you can do to change that in your building and/or district. Reach out and discover what other schools are doing this year and start planning something for next year. An in the interim, please know that MASCA is working diligently behind the scenes to elevate the profession and to increase the voice of school counselors across the Commonwealth.
National School Counseling Week 2019 (#NSCW19) is Feb. 4–8, 2019. The week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and the tremendous impact they can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Take a moment to thank your local school counselor(s). Follow #NSCW19 on social media. To learn more about National School Counseling Week, visit www. schoolcounselor.org/nscw
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AWARENESS DATES WEEK: MONTH: African American History Month Career and Technical Education Month International Boost Self-Esteem Month National Children’s Dental Health Month Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
4-8 National School Counseling Week 17-23 Random Acts of Kindness Week 26-March 4 National Eating Disorders Awareness Week DAY: 1 National Freedom Day 2 National Groundhog Job Shadow Day 22 World Thinking Day
MASCA 2018/2019
GOVERNING BOARD MEMBER & STAFF DIRECTORY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DONNA M. BROWN P.O. Box 366, 779 Center Street Bryantville, MA 02327 Tel. 781-293-2835 E-mail: executivedirector@masca.org
LAURIE DICKSTEIN-FISCHER , Ph.D. Salem State University Email: ldicksteinfisc@salemstate.edu
PRESIDENT JENNIFER MCGUIRE Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School E-mail: jmcguire@uppercapetech.org
JOHANNA SMITH Lynn Vocational Technical Institute Email: smithjoh@lynnschools.org
PRESIDENT-ELECT BARBARA MEYER Stoughton High School E-mail: b_meyer@stoughtonschools.org PAST PRESIDENT MEGAN KRELL, Ph.D Fitchburg State University E-mail: mkrell@fitchburgstate.edu RUTH CARRIGAN, M.Ed. Whitman-Hanson Regional HS E-mail: Ruth.Carrigan@whrsd.org ED CONNOR Dean College EMAIL: econnor@dean.edu AMY L. COOK, Ph.D. University of MA Boston E-mail: amy.cook@umb.edu
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HELEN O’DONNELL, Ed.D. E-mail: helenod@att.net
REBECCA SPENCER West Boylston Middle High School Email: rebeccaspencer@wbschools.com
SECRETARY KERRY BARTLETT E-mail: ka.bartlett@gmaill.com TREASURER ASHLEY CARON E-mail: ashcicero@hotmail.com MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR KATHERINE GETCHELL E-mail: membership@masca.org WEB/TECH COORDINATOR & COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITOR JEAN ATWATER-WILLIAMS E-mail: webmaster@masca.org or cn@masca.org
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Bullying and Body Shaming
By Donna Brown, MASCA Executive Director Virtually every counselor I know deals with some sort of bullying situation every week. We talk with the victims, the bystanders and the bullies themselves in an effort to make our schools kinder, safer places. Recently, articles about “fat shaming” and “body image shaming” have been showing up on parenting internet sites and general e-news sites like Huffingtonpost.com. The general theme running through all the articles is that bullying based on body image is the most common (and accepted) type of bullying. Whether you are tall or short or overweight or underweight, you can (and probably will) become a target. Anyone not fitting the media’s concept of a beautiful body is fair game. According to the website bullyingstatistics.org, by the time girls reach their teens, 94% have been body shamed. For boys, the number is 65%. By far, a person’s weight is the most common target. Usually body shaming comes in two varieties: out and out bullying taking the form of nonstop name calling and taunts and the much more subtle “helping” that can come from anyone including friends and family. All too often, name calling flies under the radar. “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” is oh so wrong. Psychologists studying body shaming have found that the effects last long after the taunts stop. Following a number of body shamed children, psychologists have found they are much more prone to heart disease and diabetes. With overweight and obese children, body shaming creates a vicious cycle of being called fat or disgusting or tubby and then seeking solace in eating and gaining even more weight. Helpers are more subtle. Their version of body shaming always is presented as being “for your own good.” “If you just lost a little weight, you would be
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so handsome.” “If you would just stop eating so much, kids wouldn’t make fun of you.” “Gee, it’s too bad you can’t shop in the Junior Department where the clothes are really cute.” And on it goes. None of those offering this type of ”help” would dream of making similar statements to someone who is disabled (“That white cane isn’t a great fashion accessory”) or elderly (“You would look so much nicer if your clothes weren’t so old”) or foreign (“People hate accents, hurry up and lose yours”). And yet, almost everyone feels that commenting about someone’s body type is all right. Stretch, Olive Oyl, Tubby and Shorty have been nicknames used for decades. In many cases like height, there is little that can be done physically. For naturally thin kids, little should be done if they are physically healthy.
sure our schools are safe and supportive of every child by stopping overt bullying and body shaming by kids and adults and to really think about how we try to “help.”
But, what do we do to help overweight or obese kids who need to become healthier? According to several studies, the best thing to do is model healthy habits while being as nonjudgmental as possible. An obese child knows he is obese. He doesn’t need anyone to remind him either by mocking him or by helping him by offering constant comments about his eating or activity habits. Rather, we need to make
Fun Fact #4 about our conference location: Cape Cod Potato Chips are actually made on Cape Cod! The thick, crispy kettle cooked chips are made without chemical additives and their busy assembly line produces 150,000 to 200,000 bags of chips a day. The factory, located at 100 Breeds Hill Rd, Hyannis, is open for free tours and samples.
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Changes in Developmental Education for Massachusetts Public Colleges and Universities A major obstacle to the on time completion of a college degree is lack of preparedness of students for college level work, particularly in the area of math education at community colleges. Differences are apparent by race/ethnicity as African-American and Latino students in Massachusetts require developmental education coursework at a considerably higher rate (20 percentage point differential) than white students. Remedial courses cost students money and are non-credit-bearing. They stand in the way of students moving into credit-bearing college courses, and research shows that students who enroll in developmental math courses are significantly less likely to graduate on a timely basis. The Commonwealth is dedicated to transforming developmental education and creating restructured pathways so that students can enter into credit-bearing courses faster and so that we can increase the number of students participating and succeeding in college.
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2.7 cumulative high school GPA for students who have graduated from high school within the past ten years to place directly into a college-level, credit-bearing English course 2.7 cumulative high school GPA for students who have graduated from high school within the past three years to place directly into a college-level, credit-bearing mathematics course
For almost a decade, the Department and Massachusetts public higher education institutions have evolved their approach to developmental education in order to better serve students. Placement alone does not solve everything. The Department of Higher Education has adopted a three-pronged approach to reduce remediation and increase student suc-
cess. This comprehensive strategy seeks to: • • •
assess students properly for credit-bearing courses using multiple measures ensure that students are taking and completing the appropriate math for their major give students who require remediation access to co-requisite support in English and mathematics courses.
Teams from the Department of Higher Education (DHE) and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education have been working together to vertically align mathematics courses and smooth the transition for high school to postsecondary. We look forward to continued collaborations with the DHE and institutions of public higher education to ensure our high school graduates are prepared to succeed in college.
At its December 11 meeting, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education voted unanimously to allow all Massachusetts public colleges and universities to make placement decisions based on students' high-school grades rather than a single test, Accuplacer. Research has shown only a quarter of students enrolling in developmental (remedial) mathematics in community colleges complete a credit-bearing mathematics course within two years of enrollment. This rate is indicative of a need to address developmental education in a different way to ensure higher rates of college completion. Nearly a third of all recent Massachusetts public high school graduates attend Massachusetts public colleges enroll in at least one developmental education class, while over half of those attending community college do so. The Board of Higher Education amended the Common Assessment Policy to allow institutions of public higher education to use the following standards to place students directly in college-level, credit-bearing English and mathematics courses:
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Youth Participatory Action Research: Opportunities for School Counselors to Promote College and Career Readiness By Amy Cook, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Boston, and MASCA Board Member According to the American School Counselor Association, school counselors are charged with preparing youth to develop college and career readiness skills. The College Board provides a variety of valuable resources, strategies, and curricula available to develop these skills among youth. Paving the way to college and career readiness requires system-level support and collaboration with teachers and administrators, where school counselors have ample opportunities to engage with youth through individual planning and classroom guidance. School counselors are also charged with supporting all students to achieve, while engaging in equitable counseling and strength-based instructional approaches that meet students’ unique needs and celebrate differences (Holcomb-McCoy, 2007). Engaging youth in Participatory Action Research (PAR) is one way that school counselors can promote positive youth development and assist with the postsecondary transitions. Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) is a group-research and process framework that supports school counselors’ work in the context of developing college and career readiness among youth. YPAR is a systematic research approach that promotes positive youth development through focusing on issues of interest and importance to students (Ozer, 2016). Through a research collective, YPAR is a collaborative process between the school counselor and students that encourages critical examination of knowledge to lead to emancipatory outcomes of change (Cook & Krueger-Henney, 2017). Following Paulo Freire’s (1970) vision for education, YPAR disrupts the “banking concept of education,” so that students are no longer the passive recipients of knowledge or counseling services. In-
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stead, through YPAR group processes, students develop research questions, lead investigations, and drive the decision making necessary to enact the changes they envision for themselves. The potential for integrating YPAR in college and career counseling presents the opportunity to promote social justice and access. Smith, Beck, Bernstein, and Dashtguard (2014) suggested the use of YPAR as an important framework to employ in school counselor interventions given its “potential to facilitate wellness, feelings of agency, critical consciousness, and empowerment” (p. 9). There is also evidence for employing YPAR as a method to support vocational skill development (Tukundane & Zeelen, 2015) and college access (Scott, Pyne, & Means, 2014). More specifically, Scott et al. (2014) found that YPAR creates opportunities to build youth’s critical understanding and awareness of existing structures of higher education, which, in turn, can open up possibilities for college access for marginalized youth. To implement YPAR with a focus on college and career readiness, school counselors would engage youth in the following steps. a. Youth collaboratively identify a research issue with the school counselor (e.g., achievement gap, opportunity gap, college financing barriers, college access) b. Youth then share their experiences and explore what is known about the issue. Students could begin by sharing their experiences and messages they have received about college. Their experiences and knowledge sharing would then be examined alongside existing data about their
identified issue and the extent to which the data support or contradict their experiences. c. Youth identify research questions. To inform the identification of research questions, youth can conduct internet searches and article reviews. They could also interview fellow classmates, teachers, community members, or administrators to learn their perspective. Through these investigations, students discuss their initial findings and identify research questions. d. Youth explore different data collection possibilities to answer their research questions. The type of data collected may include statistical information related to the issue (e.g., demographic variables and geographical distributions of opportunity gaps, barriers related to college financing, and resources available to resolve inequities. They could also collect data on the school practices that facilitate or preclude college access. e. Youth engage in data analysis and focus on identifying a common theme. The school counselor encourages students to engage in dialogue to process what the data mean. For example, how does the information students obtained affect their postsecondary pathways? What are next steps that the school counselor and students can take to improve college and career access in their school? f. Youth develop an action plan based on shared understandings and vision. The students then collaboratively plan action steps to raise awareness, such as develop an information flyer for distribution and/or lead an event for students, teachers, administrators, and parents.
(Continued on Page 7) 5
Governing Board Member Positions MASCA is now accepting nominations for Governing Board member positions. Board members serve 3-year terms and help make decisions about what MASCA should be doing to meet our mission of advocating for school counselors in the Commonwealth through leadership, collaboration, and professional development. Please see MASCA bylaws for more information: https://masca. wildapricot.org/Bylaws Candidates for a board member position must submit a self-nomination form, resume, and signatures of at least 10 MASCA members supporting the nomination to mkrell@ fitchburgstate.edu by February 28, 2019 at 11:59pm. The nomination form can be found on the MASCA website: www.masca.org. The membership will then vote for the candidates of their choice for the open positions. Thank you very much for considering serving MASCA!
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
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Finding Your Voice By: April Megginson
Never has it been as important to advo- (MASCA) is hosting the 2019 What is cate for the school counselors’ role in a School Counselor Video Contest. We the education setting as it is today. are looking for creative school counselMany of our colleagues and community ors to develop a 90 second video that stakeholders have no idea what it is that highlights all the awesome things that we do on a daily basis. While it may be school counselors do. School coununcomfortable for us to toot our own selor educators and graduate students horn, we need to bring attention to the are invited to participate as well. The wonderful ways that we work with our MASCA Video Contest Rules and students and their families. We are no Entry Form are available now on the longer the guidMASCA webance counselors site (www.masof yesterday but ca.org). Finalists the school counwill receive free selors of today registration to the and advocates MASCA Conferof tomorrow. ence at the end of School counselApril. The deadors are trained to line is Friday, work with kids on March 15th. social emotional Additionally, The issues, academic Massachusetts planning, and School Councollege and caMassachusetts State House selors Association reer exploration. We Boston (MASCA) and New are the ones on the England Association for College Adschool campus whose job it is to admission Counseling (NEACAC) will vocate for each student’s individual needs. As school counselors we work join forces and sponsor a Day on the with kids who have barriers to success Hill program on February 26 from and we assist in removing or leveling 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM at the Massachuout those barriers. We are there to setts State House in Boston. The purcounsel kids who are having friend- pose of this event is to learn more about ship issues, apply for college, navigate how you can advocate for the school through their first break up, come out counseling profession. Attendees will to their friends and family, and much, hear from state legislators, educators, much more. We do our work in our of- and their peers during this program. A fices, in classrooms, at our schools with portion of the program will be devoted compassion keeping our students’ con- to advocacy training in preparation of fidentiality. We need to share our sto- group appointments with Massachuries, both the success stories as well as setts legislators. Updates on legislathe ones that we may have failed. We tion pertinent to our organizations will need to raise our voices and speak to be provided. Members interested in attending should complete this form the work that we do every day. (also available at the MASCA website) There are a number of ways that you by February 21. Come find your voice can advocate for the role of the school and share your stories. There is no cost counselor. Currently, the Massachu- to attend the MASCA & NEACAC setts School Counselor Association Day on the Hill! COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Youth Participatory Action Research: Opportunities for School Counselors (continued from page 5)
g. Youth disseminate results, whereby they produce product(s) for sharing findings with key stakeholders (teachers, families, students, and administrators, etc.). The purpose is to communicate recommendations for addressing the identified barriers and to work toward facilitating college and career access. The process of learning the skills of action research can be an enriching and empowering experience that prepares future youth scholars with expertise in research and social action. YPAR as an epistemology and method of research with youth as co-investigators offers a unique opportunity to empower youth in their pathways to postsecondary success. School counselors have a unique skillset and expertise in facilitating classroom and small group interventions that focus on promoting student well-being and empowerment that transfers well to conducting YPAR (Cook & Krueger-Henney, 2017; Smith et al., 2014). School counselors are charged with promoting greater equity and access to college and career outcomes. In collaboration with teachers and administrators, engaging youth in YPAR offers school counselors the opportunity to promote youth development and college and career readiness.
References: Cook, A. L., & Krueger-Henney, P. (2017). Group work that examines systems of power with young people: Youth Participatory Action Research. Journal for Specialists in Group Work. 42, 176193. doi:10.1080/01933922.2017.12825 70 Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Herder and Herder. Holcomb-McCoy, C. (2007). School counseling to close the achievement gap: A social justice framework for success. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Ozer, E. J. (2016). Youth-led participatory action research. In L. A. Jason & D. S. Glenwick (Eds.), Handbook of methodological approaches to community-based research: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods (pp. 263-272). New York: Oxford University Press.
Scott, M. A., Pyne, K. B., & Means, D. R. (2014). Approaching praxis: YPAR as a critical pedagogical practice in a college access program. The High School Journal, 98(2), 138-157. doi:10.1353/ hsj.2015.0003 Smith, L., Beck, K., Bernstein, E., & Dashtguard, P. (2014). Youth participatory action research and school counseling practice: A school-wide framework for student well-being. Journal of School Counseling, 12(21), 1-31. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/ fulltext/EJ1034747.pdf Tukandane, C., Zeelen, J. (2015). Using participatory action research to improve vocational skills for marginalised youth in Uganda: Experiences from an early school-leavers’ project. International Journal of Training Research, 13, 246261. doi:10.1080/14480220.2015.1102 468
Some helpful internet resources that school counselors can consult to inform their YPAR work include: YPAR Hub (yparhub.berkeley.edu) and The Public Science Project (publicscienceproject.org). The following two how-to texts are also helpful: Doing Youth Participatory Action Research by Mirra, Garcia, and Morrell (2016) and Revolutionizing Education: Youth Participatory Action Research in Motion edited by Cammarota and Fine (2008). If you are interested in conducting YPAR or in need of additional information, please contact Amy Cook (amy.cook@umb.edu).
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WELCOME TO WELL THE WOMEN AS EMPOWERED LEARNERS AND LEADERS (WELL) PROGRAM AT BAY PATH UNIVERSITY IS DESIGNED TO HELP STUDENTS FIND THEIR PURPOSE, PASSION, AND PATH TO THE FUTURE. WELL is a holistic and integrated experience that touches every piece of the Bay Path journey. Here’s how:
The academic component of WELL ensures that students will have the knowledge they need to be a successful learner and leader.
WELL seamlessly integrates personal, professional and academic learning experiences that enable students to be prepared for the real world.
Our state-of-the-art Learning Commons gives students access to comprehensive support systems.
WELL provides students with a team of advisors: a Faculty Advisor, Major Advisor, Peer Mentor, and Career Coach.
Through experiences both on campus and off, WELL helps students develop their own leadership identity and potential.
Students build a digital portfolio and badging resume to document their achievements in WELL.
Regardless of where students are in their WELL journey, they will have someone to share it with.
admissions@baypath.edu 8
FOR A CONSTANTLY CHANGING WORLD
413.565.1331
Longmeadow, MA COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Recognizing Eating Disorders
Submitted by MEDA (Multi-Service Eating Disorder Association) Whether you know or suspect that a student has an eating disorder, it can create a great deal of worry and confusion. Chances are high that you have been concerned about a student’s eating or body image in the past or you are currently concerned. You are not alone. In the United States, 30 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder in
their lifetime. 5.4 % of children between 13 and 18 will suffer from anorexia, bulimia or binge eating. This equates to 2.2 million adolescents. Research states that the sooner an individual gets treatment for an eating disorder, the better and quicker chances are of recovery. In light of this research, the Multi-Service Eating Dis-
order Association (MEDA) launched the Sooner the Better Campaign. This campaign was designed to help school personnel better detect eating disorders by providing training presentations for schools. Some common signs in a school setting may include: •
Changes in attitude or performance
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Expression of body image complaints. Student reports being too fat even though normal or thin.
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Student’s mood is affected by thoughts about appearance and constantly compares self to others.
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Student is very self-critical. The student may refer to self as fat, gross, or ugly
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Sudden weight loss or gain noticed in student. Excessive exercise.
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Friends report that student is always on diets or pretends to eat, or throws away food. Student avoids eating with friend or going to the cafeteria.
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Student complains of abdominal pain or feeling full or “bloated.”
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Student has calluses on the knuckles from self-induced vomiting.
How to Make Your School a Body Confident Community© DO: • Talk respectfully and kindly to both other people, and yourself • Focus on individuals’ strengths and qualities other than appearance • Encourage acceptance of individuals’ differences and diversity • Challenge media images of ‘perfect’ appearances • Encourage friends to look after and respect their bodies DON’T: • Discuss people’s weight and appearance • Use language that focuses on weight (e.g. ‘skinny’, ‘fat’) • Talk about ‘junk food’ or ‘bad’ vs. ’good’ foods • Comment on your own body in a negative way • Talk about diets as a quick fix to change your body For more information regarding MEDA’s Sooner the Better Awareness Initiative contact MEDA by phone at 617-558-1881 or on the web at www.medainc.org
Eating disorders can profoundly affect a child’s ability to learn, socialize and function at school. If you are concerned about a student, seek immediate help.
REGISTER NOW for MASCA 2019! Need more info? Go to www.masca.org FEBRUARY 2019
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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
Future Focused: A Middle School CCR Lunch Bunch Seminar Compiled from a lesson submitted by Jessalynne Brown, Fitchburg State University School Counseling Graduate Student Grade Level: MS Tier 1,2,3 Time needed: multiple sessions This Tier 2 multi-session CCR seminar) promotes the benefits of informed decision-making for academic planning and course selection to achieve post HS goals. The group will educate middle school students about the value of a high school education, benefits of informed academic planning, and importance of regular school attendance. The discussions and activities engage students in personal self-reflections linking their talents and interests to career clusters, encourages exploration of entry level academic credentials for careers of interest, and aligns career planning to lifestyle goals. ESSENTIAL QUESTION FOR ENDURING UNDERSTANDING: Are students able to recognize the importance and value of their high school education and academic success to prepare them for post HS pathways FOCUS QUESTION: Will engaging students in career exploration activities and identifying the necessary academic pathway to achieving their career goals promote interest and encourage students to make informed decisions about planning and participating in their high school coursework. STUDENT LEARNING TARGETS: As a result of the five lunch bunch groups, the students will Cognitive Objectives: • list 3 career clusters and identify 3 careers (with entry level academic requirement) that best align with their interests and talents. • identify 3 MA colleges offering programs of interest. Affective Objectives: • demonstrate engagement in post HS planning by actively participating in group discussion and activities. • gain awareness of careers that support their ideal future lifestyles by completing the Reality Check activity. Behavioral/Performance • log on to and explore the free assigned websites. • complete the on-line career cluster and reality check activities • create a personal Career Dream Board. ACTIVITY SEQUENCE (Internet access to identified sites in Resources section below) Session 1: Visioning your future discussion Take Career Interest Survey and calculate results. Group discussion. Research 3 career clusters and identify 3 careers of interest (identify entry- level academic requirements) Session 2: Career Cluster plus Careers and Future Lifestyles discussion Log on to MassHire CIS Junior webpage and complete the “reality check” assessment Discussion of salary needs to support their desired lifestyle. Session 3: Explore “You Visit College Sample College Tour” Website. Identify 3 colleges offering programs of interest Session 4: Discuss post HS options and explain Human Bingo Activity. (teaches, administrator, staff, community members to identify bingo card space that has a true college experience. Session 5: Discuss human bingo results Introduce college/career dream board activity and have students begin use craft materials to create their own dream boards using pictures, words, and motivational messages etc. to represent careers that interest them, necessary academic requirements and their planned pathway to achieve their dream careers. DATA COLLECTION: Pre/post test • Identify three career clusters that best fit me? • List three careers with their entry level academic requirement that best fit your interests and ideal future lifestyles • Identify 3 colleges offering programs of interest. • Everyone’s post-secondary plans look the same. True False • I know what types of jobs I need to get to support my ideal lifestyle. True False CURRICULUM LNKS MA DESE’s Future Ready Campaign: (1) Start Now; (2) Aim High; (3) Look Beyond ASCA: Mindsets and Behavior for Student Success Standards: www.schoolcounselor.org • Mindsets Standard 4: Understanding postsecondary education and lifelong learning are necessary for long term career success • Behavior Standards Learning Strategy 2,4, 5, 9: Self-Management 3: Social Skills 1, 3, 9 MA Curriculum Frameworks ELA-Grade 8 SL-Comprehension & Collaboration 1.B, Computer Science-6.8 DTC.C.3 MA Career Development Education (CDE) Benchmarks A3-2, A4-1, A4-2, W2-2, W2-3, W3-3, PS1-2 RESOURCES ● MassHire CIS- Junior Reality Check Activity: https://masscis.intocareers.org/realitycheck/RC_CityRegion.aspx?md=GRC ● You Visit Website- MA Sample College Tours: https://www.youvisit.com/collegetours/USA/MA ● Student Interest Survey for Career Clusters: https://careertech.org/student-interest-survey ● Human Bingo Activity: https://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Documents/College%20and%20Career%20Awareness%20Activities%20 for%20Elementary%20and%20Middle%20School%20Students%201.0.pdf (Pg. 14)
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
IMPLEMENTING MA MODEL 2.0 FOR COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS Closing Identified Data Gaps with Intentional Guidance Interventions By Helen C. O’Donnell, Ed.D, MA Model Trainer, MASCA GB Member, and MASCA MA Model Chair
Sharing program results data is essential for accountable school counselors. Our stakeholders need to be kept informed about our programs and services and how students are more academically successful as a result of what we do. When we share data, we often focus on successes and the positive results of our outcomes data, neglecting the outlier data. It is the focus on the disaggregated outlier data that should be the target for ongoing program planning and interventions. Affecting change in the outlier data impacts overall results data. What can the school counseling program do to improve results for ALL students? The MA Accountability Report Card (MARC or MARC Jr.) has a summary section titled Focus for Improvement. Guided by data analysis, this section encourages us to look at how to strengthen programming and services. Does the data suggest the initiative successfully met target goals? What instructional gaps have surfaced? What additional curriculum and instruction would make the initiative stronger or more complete? If your target goal did not achieve 100%, how can you assist students who have not yet met the success criteria. •
l92% FASFA completion, Naviance Activity completion, or achievement of seminar assignments, etc. What about the remaining 8%?
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98% attendance rate. How can you assist the 2% chronic absentees?
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97% of the students have no discipline referrals. What are your plans to assist the 3% chronic offenders?
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How do you assist the identified students who have D or F grades?
Disaggregating and analyzing your outlier data helps identify opportunities to plan Intentional Tier 2 guidance interventions to specifically target student needs. The delivery section of MA Model 2.0 has charts of tiered services for Elementary, MS and HS counselors to inspire and guide you. Check them out.
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For each strategically planned intervention, identify SMART target goals to allow progress assessment. As you deliver intentional guidance services, apply the Cycle of Inquiry to check on your intervention plan’s progress data. •
Are group guidance activities helping students identify and manage barriers that interfere with attendance?
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Does assistance, provide by peer helpers doing school-based community service, help with seminar or Naviance activity and assignment completion?
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Are the Tier 2 and 3 instructional
and check-in initiatives supporting the development of study skills and time management strategies improving classroom success and grades? •
Does the discipline data suggest climate interventions and anti-bullying initiatives are showing success?
If progress data indicates no changes or increased negative results, review your intervention, brainstorm additional interventions, modify strategies, and continue moving forward remembering to continue collecting impact data for continued intervention assessment.
MA Model Institute Showcase 2019 presents:
ACTION RESEARCH and THE ACCOUNTABLE COUNSELOR: DOCUMENTING YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM'S IMPACT WITH MASCA’S MA ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD (MARC or MARC Jr.) One day (5 hour) regional workshop, Monday, April 29th,2019 9:45-2:45 Hyannis Dates/sites for additional regional workshops contact helenod@att.net As a result of participating in this workshop, participants will: -complete and review your program self-study document. -define your implementation project. -draft a template guiding the development of your MARC/MARC Jr. Guided activities include: -revisiting MA Model 2.0 for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs; -examining self-study results; -reviewing school counseling dept. goals; -analyzing and developing Tier 1 workplace readiness/CDE core school counseling curriculum strand; -identifying SMART student learning targets and learning objectives; -planning data collection to assess mastery; -action planning to guide implementation and submission of your MARC or MARC Jr. for MASCA recognition. Registration: Name, email and contact number to Helen O’Donnell., helenod@att.net Cost: $50/pp (PO’s will have a $10 processing fee)). Group rate available. Certificates of Attendance provided. Dates/sites for regional workshops contact helenod@att.net Request dates/suggest sites for your area or scheduled PD for your school on curriculum day. Opportunity to convert workshop hours and registration cost into registration for MA Model Institutes (Introductory Institute, Next Steps 2.0) OR Counselors in K-12 Classrooms offered for 45 PDP’s or 3 Graduate Credits from Fitchburg State University.
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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/