MASCA
Counselor’s Notebook
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION
Vol. 55, No. 7
March 2019
President’s Message: Happy Spring! By JENNIFER MCGUIRE, MASCA President Happy March! Later this month we will welcome spring! Of course, in New England, we know better than to assume we are done with snow just because the calendar passes March 20. We need to wait until at least April break before we can be confident that there will be no additional snow days! As we know from years past, the approach of the final stretch of the school year often leaves us overwhelmed by all that is left to do! Just as the seasons change throughout the year, the work of school counselors changes throughout the school year. In the high school setting, the time we spent earlier in the year assisting students with applications has been replaced with posting scholarships and pushing seniors to apply for them. We are no longer negotiating schedule changes but are instead encouraging students to select coursework for next year that is both challenging and in line with their post-secondary goals. We are post-secondary planning with juniors while trying to get the most at-risk seniors to make it to graduation, and simultaneously making sure that the sophomores are getting some attention! As part of our process of developing a comprehensive school counseling program, my department developed a calendar years ago that we update annually, but more or less reflects where we need to focus our efforts at different times of the year. Wash, rinse, repeat.
As my team from the workshop series, comprised of a teacher and two administrators in addition to myself, has worked to develop a school wide college and career advising plan, I have developed a greater appreciation for the value of collaboration.
I have been fortunate this year in that my school participated in the College and Career Advising Professional Development Series sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in partnership with MASCA. As part of a team from my school, we have been realigning the work we do around college and career advising so that it is truly delivered school wide, by counselors and teachers. It has become very clear to me that while many of my colleagues were incorporating aspects of career development into their classes, there was not a consistent delivery schoolwide outside of the work of the school counselors.
I love going into classrooms and delivering school counseling content with our students. However, our instruction in classrooms is always planned around the time of the year-- when can the counselors be away from their desks for large chunks of time? When are the English teachers giving instruction on the research paper? When do the juniors start leaving for co-op jobs? In redesigning our approach, we are sharing the responsibility for college and career advising with the rest of the educators in the building. This will allow us to create a schoolwide culture that emphasizes the importance for all students--in all grades--to have access to career development all year round. This shift will also afford me and the other counselors more time to deliver more individual support to students and to design additional interventions to assist students in reaching their potential. So, I suppose, as we roll out our more inclusive and comprehensive plan, I will need to rewrite the school counseling calendar, but it’s a great position in which to be. Wishing you all a start to Spring that is full of excitement!
Don't miss MASCA 2019! Register now at masca.org
Printed on recycled paper
AWARENESS DATES WEEK: 4-8 National School Breakfast Week MONTH: Gender Equality Month Middle Level Education Month Music in our Schools Month National Nutrition Month Women’s History Month Youth Art Month
DAY: 1 Self-injury Awareness Day 2 Read Across America Day/Dr. Seuss’s Birthday 8 International Women’s Day 20 Kick Butts Day 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 22 World Water Day 31 Transgender Day of Visibility
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
MASCA 2019 - REFLECT, REFRESH, RECHARGE! By Ruth Carrigan, M.Ed, MASCA PD Chair
With over 20 breakout sessions, an exciting pre-conference program (included with conference registration) and a dynamic key note speaker, there is something for everyone at the 2019 MASCA Conference. If you need to Reflect, Recharge, and Refresh with professional colleagues, this conference is for you. Looking for PDPS or graduate credit for re-licensure? Information on professional development points and graduate credit can be found on the conference website, just go to www.masca. org and follow the links the conference. Need help justifying your time away from the office to attend the annual MASCA conference? The website provides a supervisor approval letter that you can download and personalize to give your school administrators. We hope you will join hundreds of school counseling professionals on the Cape for the 2019 MASCA Conference in April to improve your practice, expand your professional network, and to recharge your reserves so you can continue to “Be the One” to make a difference in the lives of your students.
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Fun Fact #6 about our conference location: The Cape Cod Canal is not only for fishing and biking. For
John Hodge Conference Keynote Speaker Be The One Tuesday, April 30
Janell Hofmann Pre-Conference Speaker Raising Generation Tech Monday, April 29
hundreds of years, most goods were actually "shipped." Literally. Coal, ice, fabrics, food - anything not raised or grown locally - arrived by ship. The treacherous shoals and shifting sand bars around Cape Cod presented a huge and dangerous challenge for schooners and cargo vessels carrying goods between Boston and New York and beyond. According to the Cape Cod National Seashore, there have been 5,000 shipwrecks along the 50 mile coastline from Chatham to Provincetown — 1,000 wrecks just between Truro and Wellfleet alone. The many lighthouses built on the Cape helped immensely but a canal which would allow ships to avoid the most perilous spots - had been contemplated as early as 1623 by Miles Standish. Construction on the 7-mile canal began on June 19, 1909. On July 24, 1914 the Cape Cod Canal was opened as a privately operated toll waterway connecting Cape Cod Bay to Buzzards Bay. In 1918, the Army Corps of Engineers took over the waterway and operates it to this day. There is no toll required. 3
Safety - Whose Responsibility is it? Safety is the personal responsibility of the individual. We are all guided by safety rules, safety procedures, safety devices and safety equipment. Yet, all that is meaningless unless the individual is paying attention to what is going on around them. (Do you have your face in your phone all the time?) Have you ever gotten out of bed and then stubbed your toe? How about banging nails around the house; have you hit your finger? That was not your intention, but you became so comfortable in your home environment that you let your guard down and had an accident. In the Vocational Education Programs, we work very hard to instill a sense of personal safety with the students and staff. But they only represent 20% of the people that are in our schools every day. What about the other 80%? You are also surrounded by facilities and equipment that could be a safety hazard. Improper electrical equipment is very
common. Individual stretch extension cords across classroom floors or daisy chain multiple power strips together. Sometimes, people use chairs or boxes to get something off a shelf, when a step
ladder would be the safe solution. And, if you do use a ladder, is it in safe condition? The proper storage of chemicals and flammables in the STEM spaces is a major concern. Are we always enforcing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements (safety glasses, goggles, gloves or aprons, etc.)?
Just because someone is in a hurry or behind in the completion of an experiment does not make it ok to short cut the safety protocols. Facility safety issues are sometimes ignored: we step over the broken floor tile, put tape on a broken window, cover a splinter hazard with duct tape, or ignore that the Fire Blanket is missing, when the proper solution would be to immediately report these safety hazards to the facility staff. Do you know the difference between dangerous and unsafe? Dangerous situations can be mitigated by safe procedures (e.g. wearing safety goggles in the Chemistry Lab). Unsafe situations need to be eliminated in their entirety. So, every day there are lots of things that can cause injury if safety awareness is not practiced. That is why it is your personal responsibility to ensure your safety. Pay attention; be aware; oversee your personal safety. Remember, safety is no accident. It is up to you to keep yourself safe.
South Shore Guidance Association Recognizes Annual Award Winners SSGA was pleased to honor its annual award winners at the January 2019 meeting held at Tutto Bene Restaurant. Marsha Roos was named SSGA Counselor of the Year, and Stephanie Gandolfo was named Rising Star. Both Marsha and Stephanie are proud to be working as school counselors at Braintree High School. Nominations for Marsha and Stephanie will be forwarded to MASCA for consideration for state level awards.
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
At-Risk Freshmen and the impact Counselors Can Have on Their Academic Success By Barbara Meyer, MASCA President-Elect For counselors with decades of experience, exploring new ways to support our students with available technology can reinvigorate our practice. Linking this learning and new practice to evaluation goals can make those goals more meaningful and lead to a new excitement for our careers. In September 2016, MASCA announced that they were offering a “Counselor Data-Usage Certificate,” and my colleague Christine Carr and I decided to learn more about data. In order to make it valuable and personal for us, we decided to link it to our teacher evaluation goals. We attended the MASCA workshop in October, and logged onto the Early Warning Indicator System (EWIS) for the first time. As we considered what goal to set, and how to link it to our district’s goals, we settled upon grade nine retention as a topic that we both cared about. Many of our freshmen come to Stoughton High unprepared for the rigor of eight courses, daily homework and increased independence. After consideration, we decided to set our goal as: “Determine whether increased counselor relationships in the ninth grade year reduced freshmen retention.”
Risk students are more likely to require multiple interventions and meetings (no big surprise). We also referred at-risk ninth graders to more of our school’s dropout prevention programs, such as the Building Based Support team, the Extended Day program, and Alternative Education. We called parents, organized teacher meetings and intervened with atrisk students with greater frequency than we ever had before. Our Tri-Fold board, which we presented at the Data Showcase in April at the MASCA conference, demonstrates the meetings and Interventions implemented for each student. Our project and our ongoing evaluation goals have made us reconsider the manner in which our school utilizes data.
We have shared our experience with the other counselors in our district, in hopes of creating summer “Data Teams.” These teams will prepare to implement interventions for at-risk students in September of their freshman years. Perhaps our Building Based Support Teams could start working with the students early, before they are failing classes, and we could see even less retention of our high-risk students. Christine and I highly recommend that counselors enroll in the “Data Usage Certificate” courses offered by MASCA and sponsored by DESE. You may find that data is not as scary as you once imagined!
In order to gather data and test our hypothesis, we set out to increase the number of times we met with each freshman, and created data-gathering spreadsheets. We received excellent support from DESE, in the form of multiple email conversations with Jennifer Appleyard, as well as three conference calls. We learned about the state’s data collection, risk factors, and what other schools do to prepare to serve at-risk students. As we met with our freshmen, we discovered that the High and Moderate
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The Professional Importance of Attending School Counseling Conferences By Laurie Dickstein-Fischer, Ph.D. & Justine Thomas
Dr. Dickstein-Fischer is a MASCA Board Member & Program Director for Salem State University’s School Counseling/School Adjustment Counseling Program. Justine Thomas, MEd in School Counseling & School Adjustment Counseling Candidate ‘19, School of Education, Salem State University
Even the best counselor preparation program cannot possibly cover every aspect of what goes into being a school counselor, and even if they could, as the culture and student population continuously evolves, new needs come up every day. What worked this year may not work next year. Practices we have upheld for as long as we can remember might no longer be effective, and in their place, new data-driven solutions may arise. But how, in the midst of our demanding days, are we supposed to stay on top of all of these changes and responsibilities? The American School Counselor Association (ASCA, 2016) Ethical Standards for School Counselors states that counselors have a responsibility to themselves to “stay up to date on current research and to maintain professional competence in current school counseling issues and topics,” to “[e]ngage in professional development and personal growth throughout their careers,” and to “monitor and expand personal multicultural and social-justice advocacy awareness, knowledge, and skills to be an effective culturally competent school counselor” (p. 7). While professional development can be done individually through personal research and reading, ASCA also recognizes the importance of conferences and includes attendance as one of the ethical standards when it defines professional development as “attendance at state and national conferences and reading journal articles” (ASCA, 2016, p. 7). Not only does attendance at conferences help fulfill school counselors’ ethical obligations, but they can also help school counselors uphold ASCA’s and Massachusetts State’s professional standards for counselors. In fact, conferences allow for a unique opportunity for collaboration, as it can be extended beyond a single school’s counseling staff and include counselors from several school districts
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and settings. In Massachusetts, school counselors are lucky to have the annual MASCA conference, which is coming up on April 29-30 in Hyannis. In addition to many excellent breakout sessions led by school counselors and other experts in the field, the MASCA conference’s opening keynote speaker will be John Hodge, who will be discussing how counselors can help close the gap for impoverished children and their families. As the ASCA ethical standards require school counselors to support underserved and at-risk populations, this presentation is especially important for counselors hoping to develop in this area. Janell Hofmann will lead Monday’s Pre-Conference workshop on creating tech healthy schools, families, and communities. Her workshop will explore how school counselors can help support students, educators, and families as they become digitally literate and engaged. Additionally, Massachusetts is hosting the ASCA Annual Conference on June 29 through July 2 in Boston, which provides a fantastic opportunity for networking, personal growth, & professional development. This year’s conference theme is Revolutionary Ideas, and it boasts three general sessions and over 200 breakout sessions. The breakout sessions cover all three domains of school counseling: academic, career, and social/ emotional development. For counselors interested in developing the academic domain, breakout sessions cover topics like financial aid, student achievement, scholarships, transition plans, mentorship programs, and more. Career breakout sessions will cover career education, new and growing careers, and college and career readiness. Perhaps the largest category is social/emotional development, including topics such as student anxiety, suicide prevention, social media, growth mindset, , social-emotional
learning, trauma sensitive and informed schools, bullying, homelessness, grief, mindfulness, and body positivity. ASCA will also feature breakout sessions surrounding general school counseling practice, which includes topics such as supervision, group counseling, evidence-based programs, self-assessment, lesson planning, parent involvement, restorative practices, advocacy, collaboration, ethics, solution-focused brief therapy, Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP), and grant writing. Finally, counselors looking to learn more about specific groups of students will find sessions on court-involved youth, immigrant students, gifted students, Latino students, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities. In short, there are numerous opportunities at ASCA for counselors to develop in their knowledge and practice. Last month we celebrated National School Counseling Week, but the excitement for the year is not over yet. We can look forward to these opportunities to continue celebrating our craft and career. We hope to see you there! References: American School Counselor Association (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors. Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/ asca/media/asca/Ethics/EthicalStandards2016.pdf American School Counselors Association (2019). Revolutionary ideas: ASCA annual conference. Retrieved from https://www.ascaconferences.org/ Massachusetts School Counselors Association (2019). Find your oasis: Reflect, refresh, recharge. Retrieved from https://ncyi.org/conferences/mascac/
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Self-Harm and the Helper Personality By Christian T. Hill, M.A
A helper personality is someone whose nature is wired to not only help others, but sometimes help others at the expense of themselves, especially when in their teenage years. As Elissa entered my office, she physically sought out the furthest possible place from me, positioning herself on the couch, sinking into the seat, trying to disappear into the safety of the cushions. Pale-skinned and with unkempt hair, Elissa, in her own words, dressed that day to “be invisible”. It’s so important take the time and patience to make a new teen client feel calm, comfortable, and safe, slowly engaging in light conversation and gauging what the client is and is not comfortable with. It takes courage to come in, as teens are often overwhelmed and shame-
ful, and sharing with a stranger is a challenge. It’s important to resist the urge to ask the obvious, over-arching question with self-harm teens: “Why?”. What leads one to desire external pain, to prefer pain, to seek to harm themselves? The answer to questions such as this are rarely simple. My acronym, S.C.A.R.S., helps summarize common themes behind the reasons for self-harm: Self-punishment, Control, Attention, Regulation of mood, and Self-expression. While Elissa’s issues were a bit unique, I quickly learned she fell under the category of Control. Elissa’s life, for the most part, was actually pretty good: a loving family, decent grades, and hobbies, like writing, horseback riding, and music. However, what was troubling Elissa the most was not necessarily something going on in her life, but in the lives of the people she loved the most. Elissa explained her parents had recently been fighting a lot, and although both parents assured her it was not her fault, Elissa blamed herself. She believed she should be able to mend it, and this looming disappointment became so overwhelming with mounting self-hate. Simultaneously, Elissa’s best friend Amber had begun feeling suicidal, sharing her thoughts with Elissa, another burden that Elissa took personal responsibility for as she helplessly watched her friend struggle. At this point in her journey, it became clear: Elissa has a "helper personality”. Even though she is practicing self-destructive behaviors, these actions actually originate from good place, deep inside her, stemming from a desire to help and heal others. The good news is after doing this for over 15 years, as teens who self-harm grow and mature, eventually, many of them end up in the helping profession,
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as either counselors, educators, medical professionals, or working for a non-profit. This is an important commonality when it comes to understanding them, to help them untwist this belief that they are responsible for others, and help them find focused ways to exhibit that helper personality trait. Once we help them learn to view themselves differently and recognize what is and is not their responsibility, the scars and behaviors tend to take care of themselves.
If you know someone who is struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts, always seek professional help. Please refer to the references below. The hope line: 1-866-549-0578 (call) (X, why 2 hopelines? One should be sufficient, esp with national hotline) Hopeline: 1-919-231-4525 (call or text) National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-2738255 Christian T. Hill, M.A. can be reached at 719-233-TEEN or selfharmexpert@ gmail.com.
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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LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
MASCA TRIBUTES
Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where high school sophomores and/or juniors develop their skills as leaders while having fun and making connections.
Did you have a school counselor, past MASCA leader, colleague and/or counselor educator you admired and who encouraged you to achieve your goals and follow your dreams?
Participants will: • Build communication and problem-solving skills • Discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in school or community • Learn from community leaders, inspirational speakers, and peer mentors • Unlock potential to turn motivation into action • Have fun and form lasting friendships
Do you know a school counselor, past MASCA leader, colleague and/or counselor educator that made a positive difference in their students’ lives?
The cost of participation is usually funded by the local Rotary club. To apply or to find out more, please contact your local Rotary club or the Rotary district in which you live. Massachusetts is served by 4 different districts. You can find your local club and RYLA information by searching the appropriate district website:
Submissions welcome from all counselors, residents, school systems, MASCA affiliates, students, past graduates, families, administrators, etc.
D-7890 D-7910 D-7930 D-7950
Western Massachusetts Central Massachusetts North Shore & Cape Ann South Shore & Cape Cod
https://www.rotarydistrict7890.org/ https://rotary7910.org/ https://rotary7930.org/ https://www.rotary7950.com/
RYLA events are held in the spring and the deadlines are looming. Encourage interested students to contact their local club or district and apply. It's a great opportunity!
Do you want to express your appreciation to that special person?
Here is your chance to pay tribute to their work. NOMINATION PROCEDURE: •
WRITE a 50 word or less tribute about the person’s impact on your life or their students’ lives.
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Attach your tribute AND a jpg. b/w or color photo and email to helenod@ att.net
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Mail a $50 check made out to MASCA to Helen O’Donnell, 10 Maplewood Terr., Hadley, MA 01035.
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A sample of the tribute will be emailed to the sender for final approval before the Tribute Certificate is printed and the tribute is posted on the MASCA website: masca.wildapricot.org.
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Submission deadline April 10, 2019. All tributes posted on website by May 3nd, 2019.
Tribute honorees will be invited to attend the MASCA Spring Conference President’s Reception on Monday Evening, April 29, 2019 in Hyannis. MASCA will recognize all honorees at that time with their framed Tribute Certificate. If an awardee is unable to attend the reception, the unframed certificate will be mailed to the honoree or a designate person who will arrange a presentation. For more information: helenod@att.net
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Animal Assisted Therapy Aiding School Counselors By Melissa Thomas
Animals have a surprising way to help students warm up to counselors. Trust can take time to build between a student and counselor. Sometimes it can take years and a plethora of ideas to make gains with students and trust. Almost two years ago I decided to invite some therapy dogs into the middle school I work at as a school counselor. I was curious to observe how animals might change the way the students interact with each other and me. I was fortunate to find an experienced organization of visiting Great Danes and handlers to come visit. Mike St. Louis and his wife Michell came to visit with 2 Great Danes and a Chihuahua. Mike let me set up the groups and single students who were coming and then I sat back and observed their interactions.
icy at all. It is important to know what the district has in place or have an idea on how to develop a policy if interested in using animals as a school counselor. Having support of administration is key, as is understanding the liability insurance policy the district holds. Permission slips usually have to be generated for students to visit animals and allergies need to be made aware of. Most times students are very happy to be chosen to interact with the animals and parents are excited their students have the opportunity. We have always felt incredibly welcome at every school we have visited and welcomed back. Each visit surprises me because they are so different in nature. My favorite is when a school counselor
warns me that certain students are tough or very closed off and they come in and make leaps and bounds in their mental health process by feeling comfortable to talk about things it has taken time for them to talk about. Another favorite is watching students warm up to Heretic, and realize they need not be afraid of her. We are available to come visit! Please reach out if you would like to schedule a time. We have visited schools in Nashua, Manchester, and Lyndeborough. We also make regular visits to Bridges Assisted Living in Nashua. Reach out by emailing m.thomas5109@gmail.com or call Melissa 603-714-5093. You can also follow Heretic on Facebook: Heretic the Therapy Dog.
Students who were selectively mute were speaking entire conversations, some timid students became leaders in walking these great beasts and commanding them. They took ownership over their care by brushing them and even reading to them. Reading is a great opportunity for students to become comfortable as well. Animals do not judge when children read to them, they are patient and listen, they do not correct children or interrupt them. Mike helped me to obtain and train Heretic my female Great Dane. We are registered through PetPartners as a therapy team. Heretic does wear a vest in schools that says “therapy dog�, it is how she knows she is going to work. She, unlike a service animal, loves being pet, and can be pet! Heretic and I have traveled to schools in NH to meet students and families. Sometimes students read to us, sometimes we do classroom lessons about the job of a therapy dog, and sometimes we meet with students one on one and we are just good listeners. Each district has a different policy on animals in schools, some may have no pol-
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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
Students Advocating for Voting Rights Opportunity for Authentic Legislative Civic Engagement In the Dec. 2018 Career Activity Corner article posted on the MASCA website, the theme was Nurturing and Supporting Active Civic Engagement for All Students highlighting MA Gov. Baker signing the Civics Education Law promoting civic education and a required student-generated, non-partisan civic engagement service project for ALL students. As a follow-up, this CN article highlights an authentic opportunity to engage students to advocate for student rights and encourage systemic change. The 1/27/19 (Republican/Mass Live pg. C8) article, “Voting bill pitched to complement civics education”, describes Somerville students in a legislative
civic engagement service project, After being educated about the Civics Engagement Law and informed about EMPOWER, the 16-17-year old Municipal Voting Bill which would allow cities and towns the power to extend voting rights to individuals as young as 16 in local elections, Somerville students were motivated to actively participate in the legislative process and advocate for EMPOWER at the State House in Boston. Carrying clipboards and student designed flyers with their prepared talking points for their lobbying advocacy, the article reports students attended meeting after meeting promoting the bill and includes pictures of the students speaking with legis-
lative aides and elected officials as well as listening attentively to a legislative presentation. “Their goal was to find legislators who would co-sponsor the new bill.” The voting opportunity would allow student partnerships with local officials to organized voter registrations, become more actively engaged in local government, and promote political engagement. What is your school community doing to promote student civic engagement? Refer to the Dec. Counselors Notebook Civic Engagement Career Activities article posted on the MASCA website for alignment with learning standards and other activities,
The MASCA MA Model 2.0 committee presents
REVISITING and REENERGIZING MA MODEL 2.0 IMPLEMENTATION Focus: K-12 CDE/workplace readiness school counseling curriculum development Wed., March 20th @ Dean College, Franklin 8:30-2:45 Light lunch included. Email for date/sites of additional (5 hour) regional workshops or schedule one in your area
MA Model 2.0 promotes the development of a workplace readiness/career strand of the school counseling core curriculum. Join colleagues for a 1-day K-12 curriculum sharing workshop and reenergize your CCR curriculum
--------ACTION RESEARCH and THE ACCOUNTABLE COUNSELOR: DOCUMENTING YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM'S IMPACT WITH MASCA’S MA ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD (MARC or MARC Jr.) Mon., April 29th in Hyannis 10-2:45 Light lunch included in Hyannis Email for date/sites of additional (5 hour) regional workshops or schedule one in your area. -------To Register: Name, email and contact phone number to Helen O’Donnell., helenod@att.net Cost: $50/pp (PO’s will have a $10 processing fee)). Certificates of Attendance provided. Opportunity to convert workshop hours/registration cost into registration for MA Model Institutes (Introductory Institute or Next Steps 2.0) OR Counselors in K-12 Classrooms offered for 45 PDP’s or 3 Grad Credits Fitchburg State University.
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
IMPLEMENTING MA MODEL 2.0 FOR COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS School Counselor Advocacy
By Helen C. O’Donnell, Ed.D, MA Model Trainer, MASCA GB Member, and MASCA MA Model Chair Webster defines advocacy as “speaking or writing in support of something.” The Educational Trust in 2002 identified advocacy as one of the New Vision Role Descriptors needed for school counselors to meet the needs of 21st century students. ASCA ethical standards and the ASCA 3.0 and MA Model 2.0 highlight advocacy as an important quality that school counselors need to develop and demonstrate in their practice and careers. A sampling: •
Student advocacy happens daily when we strive to meet the academic, social/ emotional and CDE/workplace readiness needs for our student as well as encourage and empower them to find their voice and be self-advocates for their needs and achieve their goals. School counselors advocate for student rights, social justice, and systemic change that promotes optimal success for all students.
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Parent advocacy promotes communication that keeps parents informed and engaged as partners for student success.
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Personal professional self-advocacy is ongoing as we maintain professional legal and ethical standards and competencies defined by ASCA, educate others about our role, perform appropriate counseling duties, and advocate for relevant professional development.
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Personal self-advocacy is essential for self-care to manage the stress and demands of our school counseling positions. Advocacy for the Profession of School Counseling by engaging with colleagues and associations to advance the needs and goals of our profession.
The ASCA National Model workbook states: “You can advocate by: •
Communicating the purpose of your profession
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Speaking to the issues of your profession
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Writing about the issues concerning your profession
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•
Acting on important aspects of your profession. “
Advocating for our school counseling profession is a goal being actively embraced by MASCA. Our licensure name change from guidance to school counselor is the result of advocacy initiatives. In partnership with Reach Higher MA, MASCA has hired an advocacy group on Beacon Hill to provide advocacy training and to identify/move forward MA school counseling legislation in Boston. Affiliates like WMCA have been educating counselors by providing local advocacy training and connecting counselors with their elected representatives. Read about our Feb. Day on the Hill in this CN. As I reflect on my career contributions advocating with MASXA for the profession
of school counseling, it includes chairing and promoting MASCA’s late 1980’s Computers for Counselors initiatives and chairing ASCA’s 1989 first national Software Festival in Boston, advocating for a school counseling liaison at DESE to be a voice representing the needs of school counselors, developing relevant professional development opportunities for school counselors, chairing a decade of MASCA conferences, participating with the MA Model writing teams that defined the DESE endorsed MA standards-aligned comprehensive school counseling programs, and educating colleagues with monthly articles in the CN about the MA Model and career activities for your school and students. What is your advocacy story?
ANNOUNCING THE RONALD H. FREDRICKSON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS In honor of the legacy of professor emeritus Dr. Ronald Fredrickson, Counselor Educator from UMass, Amherst and namesake of the Ronald Fredrickson Center of School Counseling Outcome Research (CSCORE), a scholarship fund has been established in partnership with MASCA to encourage and support the professional development of Massachusetts school counselors. In its inaugural year ending 6/30/19, the fund will support school counselor professional growth by covering partial or full registration costs for each of 3 professional development opportunities: •MASCA 2019 Spring Conference in Hyannis - Receipt deadline March 20 •ASCA 2019 Conference in Boston - Receipt deadline May 1 •MA Model 2.0 Institutes (Introductory or Next Steps Institute OR Counselors in K-12 Classrooms) - Receipt deadline May 15 Please include the following information in your scholarship request: Name: Contact email and phone #: __ school counselor __ graduate student School name and address BRIEF 200 words or less statement of how you will strengthen your school counseling practice and apply your professional development to enhance the career/workforce readiness outcomes for your students. Committee will review requests and select recipients who will be expected share their experience with colleagues by presenting at a MA Model workshop or writing a CN article.
Mail your scholarship request to: Helen O’Donnell, MASCA, 10 Maplewood Terr., Hadley, MA 01035. Emailed confirmation when application received. -orEmail inquiries or application with PD scholarship in the subject line to helenod@att.net If you do not receive a receipt confirmation within 48 hrs, resubmit or call 413-549-1914.
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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/