Issuu

Volume 45

Number 1

www.masca.org

September 2008

Greetings, Massachusetts School Counselors

nother school year begins in the

staff. We hope that you take full advan-

Commonwealth of Massachusetts,

tage of the professional development op-

and may it be a successful and fulfilling

portunities, participate in school coun-

one for both you and your students.

seling advocacy efforts, surf the MASCA

The Massachusetts School Counselors

webpage, network by using the counselors’

Association has been busy at work this

directory, and continue to identify ways

summer preparing for a year full of pro-

to best use the Massachusetts Model for

fessional development opportunities as

Comprehensive School Counseling.

well as staying current with educational issues that face the Commonwealth.

KAREN D’AMOUR MASCA President

sible. If you have any suggestions on how

The mission of MASCA remains the same: to advocate for school counselors

Our goal is to make the services that MASCA offers to you as helpful as pos-

• April 30, May 1 & 2

in Massachusetts by providing leadership,

MASCA Spring Conference,

collaboration, and professional develop-

Sturbridge, Massachusetts

MASCA can better serve you, please contact me at damourk@mersd.org. This year’s MASCA theme is “Get On

More information on the exciting ac-

Board: Advocacy, Accountability, Affili-

tivities involved with the above dates will

ates.” You will be hearing more on this

be available both online at MASCA’s web-

theme throughout the year, especially as

MASCA Fall Conference,

site, www.masca.org, as well as in various

part of the MASCA conferences. We are

Boxborough, Massachusetts

editions of the Counselor’s Notebook.

here to support you and encourage you

ment. Mark your calendars with these important dates: • October 23, 2008

• February 2- 6, 2009 National School Counseling Week • February 4, 2009 Advocacy Day On The Hill

Reminder from MASCA Please check your membership expiration date on the affixed mailing label. For a membership form,

MASCA is proud of its membership base which totals 1200 members, who

children’s lives every day.

are school counselors, counselor educa-

“You must be the change you want to

tors, graduate students, and admissions

see in the world.” (Mahatma Gandhi) ■

Inside . . . The Path Not Taken By Sally A. Connolly ......................... 3 Credit Cards and MASCA By Thom Hughart ............................. 4

go to MASCA’s web site, www.masca.org.

to be proud of the difference you make in

On Your MARC, Get Set, Go! By Christine Evans ............................ 6

Assumption College Professional Development........... 9 MASCA Fall Conference Registration ................................ 10 Fall Conference Information ......11 Technology and You....................12 Affiliate News ..............................14

MASCA 2008 Fall Conference Get On Board: Advocacy, Accountability, Affiliates Holiday Inn, Boxborough • October 23, 2008 The MASCA conferences this year are showcasing A’s! Join us and see why.

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK 2008 – 2009 PRESIDENT KAREN M. D’AMOUR Manchester Essex Regional High School 36 Lincoln Street, Manchester, MA 01944 Tel. 978-526-7641 • Fax 978-526-2044 E-mail: damourk@mersd.org PRESIDENT-ELECT CHRISTINE EVANS Director of Guidance East Bridgewater High School 11 Plymouth Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333 E-mail: cevans@EBPS.net PAST PRESIDENT JENNIFER JUST McGUIRE Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA 02532 Tel. 508-759-7711 x247 • E-mail: jmcguire@uppercapetech.org VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARY AMANNDA BARTRAM Lynn Public Schools, Lynn, MA 01902 E-mail: bartrama@lynnschools.org VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGH RICHARD WHITE Gateway Regional Middle School 12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA 01050 E-mail: RWhite@GRSD.org VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARY JENNIFER LISK Medway High School Medway, MA 02053 E-mail: lisk@medway.k12.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARY JAY LEIENDECKER Vice President Enrollment Services, Dean College Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726 E-mail: jleiendecker@dean.edu VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORS CAROLYN RICHARDS Somerville High School Somerville, MA E-mail: crichards@k12.somerville.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORS FELICIA L. WILCZENSKI, Ed.D. Professor and Associate Dean Graduate College of Education UMass Boston, Boston, MA 02125 E-mail: Felicia.Wilczenski@umb.edu VICE PRESIDENT RETIREES RALPH SENNOTT P.O. Box 1391, Westford, MA 01886 Tel. 978-692-8244 • E-mail: ralphsennott@hotmail.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THOMAS HUGHART Wellesley High School, Wellesley, MA 02481 Tel. 781-446-6305 x5142 • Fax 781-446-6308 E-mail: thom_hughart@wellesley.mec.edu TREASURER TINA KARIDOYANES P.O. Box 1007, Monument Beach, MA 02553 Tel. 508-759-3986 • E-mail: tkaridoyanes@gmail.com SECRETARY ANN HOURIGAN North Reading High School, North Reading, MA 01864 Tel. 978-664-7800 • E-mail: annhourigan@yahoo.com Questions concerning membership in the Massachusetts School Counselors Association should be addressed to:

• Advocacy initiatives promoting school counselors and their work with students • Accountability documenting how school counseling programs promote academic success • Affiliates of MASCA providing collegial networking and professional development • Attendance at stimulating professional development workshops and trainings MASCA’s Fall Conference will be held October 23 at the Holiday Inn in Boxborough. Join colleagues from around the state for a stimulating day of professional development designed for school counselors. Celebrate the fifth birthday of the MA Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs. Spend an afternoon with Barent Walsh, who will discuss New Developments in Understanding and Treatment of Self-Injury, or Carey Dimmitt, who will explain how to Move Curriculum From Good to Great. • MASCA membership must be paid by October 1 to qualify for reduced member conference registration. Check your CN address label for membership status. Go online to renew your membership. Credit cards accepted. A PO in process is NOT considered paid. • Fall Conference registrations will be only by check or PO. We are not able to accept credit card payments for conference registrations this fall. • Register with the conference registrar even if you are paying by PO. When paying by PO, make sure you register online or mail your registration form to the conference registrar. You are not officially registered until the conference registrar confirms your registration. Don’t miss early bird rates and be charged a late registration fee. Check out the conference agenda and details on MASCA’s website, www.masca.org. ■

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR DEBORAH CLEMENCE P.O. Box 805, East Dennis, MA 02641 E-mail: DeborahClemence@verizon.net The Counselor’s Notebook is published by the Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. 10 times a year, September through June. The yearly subscription rate is $20.00; individual issues are $2.00. Opinions expressed in the articles published herein represent the ideas and/or beliefs of those who write them and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. The acceptance of an advertisement for publication does not imply MASCA endorsement of the advertiser’s programs, services, or views expressed. © 2008 by the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. All rights reserved. Questions concerning submission of articles, publication deadlines, advertising rates, etc., should be addressed to: SALLY A. CONNOLLY, Editor 19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923 Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154 E-mail: sallyconnolly@att.net

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

The Path Not Taken By SALLY A. CONNOLLY CN Editor

wo teachers diverged in their opinions, and their expectations made all the difference. The paths they set for the young girl pointed in opposite directions. The eighth grade teacher felt that the young girl lacked the skills needed to succeed in college level math. He expected that she would have difficulty mastering Algebra and higher level math, so he recommended that she begin her high school career with business math. The second teacher, the girl’s high school Algebra teacher, saw great promise in her, as he did in all his students. He recommended that she challenge herself and pursue advanced math throughout high school. Fortunately, the girl’s parents had not followed the recommendation of the eighth grade teacher. They had insisted that she take Algebra I in her freshman year. After all, as educators themselves, they knew firsthand that she had both the ability and the work ethic to succeed. Throughout elementary school, she had ranked among the top students in her class on standardized tests and achievement. And her teachers throughout school had delighted in her eagerness to learn, her capabilities, and her cooperative spirit. Even during the summer months, the young girl willingly complied with the summer enrichment activities set forth by her parents. She devoured math workbooks as eagerly then as she did during the school year. The opinion of another teacher reassured the parents that their faith in the girl’s abilities was not unfounded. The family friend, a former principal of Central Catholic High School in Lawrence and the school’s most respected math teacher, offered to give an objective evaluation. His conclusion? The girl was prepared to handle the challenges of the most rigorous math program. Throughout high school the girl took college prep math, and she discovered that math was one of her strengths and great interests. In college she pursued a program in accounting and business management that led to a master’s degree in business management and a career in finance. She progressed from jobs in retail sales during high school to jobs in finance for such companies as Staples, Coach, and Shaws/ SEPTEMBER 2008

Albertsons/SUPERVALU. Combining her social skills with her analytic ability, the young woman worked her way up to senior management. As Director of Financial Planning and a Six Sigma Black Belt, she became responsible for creating strategies to ensure the financial success of a Fortune 100 company. Although her parents never fully understood the ramifications of some of her various job titles and the math skills required, they knew that she had met and exceeded the expectations of her high school math teacher. The teacher, beloved

by many, had believed in Kathleen, he expected her to achieve, and he gave her the tools she needed. He helped set her off on a career path, for which she is most grateful. I know because I am Kathleen’s mother. _____________________ Ms. Connolly is the author of A BOY FROM LAWRENCE: The Collected Writings of Eugene F. Connolly (2006) and Never Better: All Things Considered (2007), which Midwest Book Review says is “deftly written and highly recommended for self-help collections.” For information, go to www.neverbetter.net. ■

Credit Cards and MASCA: A Clarification

urrently, MASCA uses two different electronic systems to collect, organize, and process information. We have been attempting to streamline our conference registration and membership application/renewal process with the goal of merging the process into one online system. Our attempts to merge these two processes (conference registration and membership application and renewal), however, have actually created more problems. In order to untangle things, we will again separate memberships from conference registrations. Also, last year we experienced numerous technical problems associated with processing conference registrations using credit cards. We continue to explore ways to accept credit card payment for the conference registrations, but at this time registrations for Fall Conference 2008 will be limited to purchase orders or checks. Credit card payments cannot be accepted. Please monitor our website for updates.

THOM HUGHART MASCA Executive Director A reminder: MASCA memberships, which can be paid by credit card, must be paid by October 1 to qualify for earlybird and reduced conference registration rates. Check your membership expiration date now.

Membership application and renewals To apply for membership: Counselors can apply online by going to the MASCA website, www.masca.org, and clicking on “Join MASCA.” There is a brief application to fill out, and at the end you can choose to pay by credit card or by being invoiced. You are officially a member when your membership payment has been received and has been confirmed by an e-mail from our Membership Coordinator (Deb Clemence) or by RMC, Run My Club, the company that coordinates our membership. To renew membership: Counselors can renew membership by going to the MASCA website, clicking on “Join MASCA,” and then on the next page, clicking on “renew your membership online.” You can renew by credit card or by printing the renewal payment page and mailing it along with your check or purchase order. Your membership anniversary date / expiration date is available in three places: on the address label of your copy of the Counselor’s Notebook, on the top of your profile page in the membership area of the MASCA website, and on the top of the page on your renewal payment page. Your effective membership renewal date

begins when you receive the e-mail from the membership coordinator confirming payment. Membership is not current until payment is received. Credit card payments will continue to be processed for membership applications. If you are using a purchase order from your school to apply for or renew membership, the PO number is required on the membership form. That number is needed because we frequently receive PO billing requests or payments that do not identify whose membership is being processed. If multiple membership renewals are being processed with only one PO number, the same PO number should be included on each form.

Conference registration Register online following the directions in your announcement e-mail OR follow website directions OR mail in your registration form to the Conference Registrar with either the check for full payment or the PO number plus business office contact information. Reminder: All 2008 fall conference registrations will be by check or purchase order only. If you pay by PO, please follow these two steps: (1) register online or by mail with the conference registrar, and (2) process payment using your school PO payment protocol. NOTE: Sending in paperwork to your business office does not automatically register you for the conference because business office procedures vary and can be slow. Early-bird or regular conference registration deadlines are often missed, resulting in late fees. Or, since some business offices do not contact us about payment until after the conference, you arrive at the conference and are not registered. Reminder: Early-bird registration fees and reduced member conference registration rates are benefits of MASCA membership. It is your responsibility to have your membership paid and current by October 1 to qualify for those rates. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

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SEPTEMBER 2008

On Your MARC, Get Set, Go!

he theme for the MASCA Spring Conference 2008 was “Charting Your Course, MARC Leads the Way.” Over the course of the conference, there were several opportunities for counselors in attendance to learn more about the Massachusetts Accountability Report Card (MARC) process. There was also a lovely award ceremony to recognize the school counseling teams who had taken up the challenge and applied for the MARC or the MARC Jr. They received a MARC of Excellence, acknowledging that the school counseling team is making progress to implement the Massachusetts Model Comprehensive Guidance Counseling Curriculum. I first learned about the MARC of Excellence a few years ago at a MASCA spring conference breakout session that covered how to apply and why we should make the effort. Since then, I have attended several more breakout sessions focusing on the finer points of how to get started in the process of completing the document. One reason we saw a significant increase in the number of schools applying for a MARC/MARC Jr. last year was the involvement of more than twenty schools

YEARS

1961

CHRISTINE EVANS MASCA President-elect in the MA Model Implementation Institute established last summer. Completion of the MARC Jr. was one of the Institute’s course requirements, and for many of us who attended the Institute, that was the push we needed. If you are in the process of implementing a comprehensive curriculum and have considered completing a MARC, I encourage you to go for it. If you need help, those of us who have recently gone through the process would be willing to help.

Counselors and Accountability Recently, I attended two breakout sessions at the National ASCA Conference in At-

2011

MASCA: How It All Began By OSCAR KRICHMAR, MASCA Life Trustee

Sputnik’s launch by the Soviet Union in 1957 not only initiated the Space Age but also led to the creation of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. One of the reactions of the United States Congress was to enact the National Defense Education Act in 1958. The primary purpose of this legislation was to provide federal financial aid to strengthen elementary and secondary programs in science, math, and modern foreign languages. NDEA also provided for other educational programs including “counseling and guidance.” This was the first time that our profession was specifically cited in a federal legislative act.

lanta that dealt with accountability. In one session, colleagues from California, Wisconsin, and Rhode Island gave samples of the accountability report cards completed by their counselors. The other session dealt with applying for a RAMP, which is the national award. Since I had recently completed the process in Massachusetts, I was curious to see how it compared with the process in the other states as well as with the national recognition. I found that our process is identical to the one used in the other states and that Massachusetts is one of the leaders in this effort. Presenters in the breakout session pointed out that many counselors shy away from completing the document due to lack of support from their building administrators as well as concerns about the amount of work involved. The exercise of engaging and involving building administrators, however, is a perfect opportunity to advocate for students and our profession. And regarding the amount of work involved, chances are you are already doing the work anyway. Completing the MARC simply allows you to report out what you are doing, the impact you are making, and where you need to focus future efforts. Once you have completed the document, it becomes a great public relations tool that can be shared with community members to let them know what you are doing and how it helps the students in your school or district. The process of applying for a RAMP is much more complicated, but it is also worth the effort. Just as completing a MARC Jr. is a wonderful preparation toward completing a full MARC, the MARC is a great step toward completing a RAMP. If you have been wondering how to get started with a MARC /MARC Jr. in your school, I enthusiastically recommend that you give it a shot. If you need help or encouragement, at least twenty colleagues in your state organization have recently been through the process. I am confident that you will find at least one of us willing to help. To learn more about how to get started, please contact me by e-mail at cevans@ ebps.net. Go for it! ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

SEPTEMBER 2008

SAVE THE DATES! Assumption College The Institute for School Counseling and School Psychology Professional Development 2008-2009 “New Advances & Approaches for the 21st Century” Workshop Dates and Topics October 3, 2008

College Admissions Counseling: What Do Counselors Need to Know in 2009? Keynote Speaker: Kimberly Johnston, Past President of National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), Senior Associate Director of Admission, University of Maine

October 31, 2008

Resilience, Reflection and Leadership* Mindfulness I: Stepping into the Stream: Introduction to Mindfulness Practice

November 21, 2008

Resilience, Reflection and Leadership* Mindfulness II: Riding the Currents: Applications in School Setting Florence Meyer, M.S., M.A., Center for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), UMass Medical Center, Director of Oasis, Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

*Attendance at Part I is required as a prerequisite to Part II March 20, 2009

School Based Identification and Intervention for Middle and High School Students with ADHD George J. DuPaul, Ph.D., Professor of School Psychology & Chairperson of the Department of Education & Human Services at Lehigh University

April 3, 2009

School Laws for School Counselors Special Education, 504, Student Records Matthew MacAvoy, Esquire, Partner, Sullivan, Nuttall & MacAvoy, P.C.

We are located at Assumption College, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609. For directions and information, go to www.assumption.edu (go to Institute/Centers).

Registration Information For more information and registration, call Carla DeSantis, School Counseling Department Secretary, Tel. 508-767-7430

PDPs, CEUs Option (6 CEUs, PDPs) A $30 registration fee will be charged for each workshop participant earning PDPs or CEUs. Each participant receives 6 PDPs or 6 CEUs (NBCC approved) per workshop. Register for all 5 workshops for ONLY $140 (30 CEUs or PDPs). Registration fee includes continental breakfast and lunch.

Graduate Credit Option (3 Credits) SCP 730.03 Special Topics in School Counseling: New Advances and Approaches for the 21st Century Attendance at all 5 workshops and completion of additional course requirements is mandatory. Special tuition rate for school counselors / school psychologists is $690 plus registration fee. (Cannot be used towards a degree program at Assumption College.)

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Fresh Starts

am a self-proclaimed packrat. I have always had a difficult time parting with things. It really doesn’t matter how important or unimportant something is; I always struggle when I hold something over the wastebasket. As a child, I kept every Seventeen magazine that I received over the many years that I had subscribed. I was convinced that if I threw an issue out, surely I would need something in that magazine. I also kept every note passed back and forth in class with my best friend in middle school. I even saved birthday cards (ok, I still do this), free gift items from Clinique (still have them) . . . . You get the picture. After my last move more than a year and a half ago, I swore that I would stop this behavior (and never move again). I really am trying. Anyone who has been in my office knows that I have as much trouble parting with things at work. So, you can imagine the challenge I faced this summer when I received new office furniture. Unfortunately, I received a call from the guidance office in mid-July telling me that the new furniture was coming the next day and that everything in my office would be

SEPTEMBER 2008

JENNIFER McGUIRE MASCA Past President moved to the hallway or a classroom across the way. When I arrived at school the following week to move my office contents back into my office, I didn’t know where to begin. There were five drawers to be emptied, countless piles of papers, staplers and stress balls with college logos on them, thank-you notes from parents and students, birthday cards, pens, pencils, pennies, etc. I kept saying to myself: “This is a fresh chance! I can start the year with a clean slate and vow to be neat and keep only papers that are absolutely necessary.” All I needed to do was pick out the things that

I needed to have and take them across the hall into my perfect, clean office. Perhaps, if I had packed up my office myself before the furniture was moved out, I could have thrown a lot away. But it is another story when you must quickly move back in. To complicate matters, when I located my desk, there was only a small wastebasket within reach. Luckily, I had saved about six tote bags from various college tours. Even better, the custodian who moved my desk was kind enough to place the bags on top of my very frightening-looking desk — now home to the piles that had been on top of my two bookshelves, two filing cabinets, and windowsill. I tried to go through each drawer and each pile deliberately, with every intention of tossing out most of what lay before me. I continued making piles: Keep, Throw away, Shred. But those tote bags kept beckoning to me. I found myself shoving things inside them, and by the time I left the building, I had six overstuffed totes filling up what had been — for a few brief moments — my very neat office. Maybe another time. ■

MASCA 2008 Fall Conference

Get On Board: Advocacy, Accountability, Affiliates October 23, 2008

•

Holiday Inn, Boxborough

www.masca.org

Inquiries to: Helen O’Donnell, Conference Chair, helenod@worldnet.att.net or pdchair@masca.org

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM Only checks and purchase orders will be accepted for registration. MASCA membership must be current (paid) by October 1, 2008 to qualify for reduced member rates. PO’s in process are NOT paid. Membership renewal information is available at www.masca.org. Click on “Member” tab, log in to Members Only Area, follow directions. Or e-mail inquiry to: Membership@masca.org Check www.masca.org for online registration information. A registration form MUST be completed and submitted to the conference registrar online (preferably) or by mail, regardless of payment method. Refund Policy: All refund requests must be received in writing on/before October 15 at helenod@worldnet.att.net. There will be a $20 processing fee charged. Hotel information/room reservations: Ask for MASCA rooms, 978-263-8701; AV rentals: 978-263-8701. FIRST NAME ________________________________ LAST NAME _______________________________________________ Are you a MASCA Member?

Yes

MASCA membership must be current through October 1 to qualify for member rate. Check membership status on CN address label or online at www.masca.org, or e-mail inquiries to Membership Coordinator, DeborahClemence@verizon.net.

My primary MASCA e-mail address is _________________________________________________________ (required for automated conference registration confirmation)

Preferred mailing address:

School/Work (include school name)

Home

__________________________________________________________________________________________ Position/Title: __________________________________________ Elementary

Middle School

High School

Is this your first MASCA Conference?

Yes

Administrator

Retired

Grad Student

Counselor Educator

Are you a Graduate Student?

Yes

Choose your extended afternoon session: Barent Walsh, Ph.D. “New Development in Understanding & Treatment of Self-Injury” Carey Dimmitt, Ph.D. “Moving Curriculum from Good to Great” I will not be able to stay for the extended afternoon training session (1:15-3:45pm) Registration type (check category and options) Registration includes breakfast, snack, lunch, keynote, workshops, and exhibits

MASCA Member

Non-MASCA member

To qualify, must be current MASCA member and registration MUST be postmarked or completed online by 10/1

$105

$155

Registration (after 10/1/08)

Retiree Presenter Graduate Student

Early Bird Rate (ends 10/1) $55

$115

$65

2008-2009 10-PDP fee

$25

PO Processing Fee (if applicable)

$10

$______________

Total Amount Due: Payment by check

$______________

Payment by Purchase Order

jdfitz02188@comcast.net

Complete registration form (1 per person). Electronically forward registration form and PO # to Joe Fitzgerald, Registrar. List ALL persons registered for conference on PO. Make PO payable to: MASCA. A $10 PO processing fee will be added to PO. You will be sent an invoice electronically to submit for payment via your school/business protocol. PO Number _______________________________

Checks payable to: MASCA or MA School Counselors Association

Business Office contact (NAME) _______________________________________________ and e-mail (required) _____________________________________________

Complete registration form (1 per person). Mail form with full payment to:

Joe Fitzgerald, Registrar 5 Progress St. Weymouth 02186

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

MASCA Fall Conference Keynote Speaker

MASCA Fall Conference Extended Workshops “Understanding and Treating Self-Injury” Presented by Barent Walsh, Ph.D. Dr. Barent Walsh, the MASCA fall conference keynoter, will hold a workshop on understanding and treating self-injury. Dealing effectively with self-injury is one of the most challenging problems for clinicians and other professionals. Of special concern is that self-injury has moved from clinical populations such as those served in hospitals and group homes to the general population including middle, high school, and college students.

DR. BARENT WALSH Barent Walsh, Ph.D., will be a keynote speaker for the MASCA fall conference. Dr. Walsh has written extensively and presented internationally on the topic of selfdestructive behavior. He is the author of the book, Treating Self-Injury: A Practical Guide (2006) and co-author of Self-Mutilation: Theory, Research and Treatment (1988). Both volumes have been translated into Japanese. Dr. Walsh is the Executive Director of The Bridge of Central Massachusetts in Worcester, MA. He oversees 35 programs including special education services and residential treatment for children, adolescents, and adults with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and/or complex family problems. The Bridge also provides services for homeless individuals and operates two drop in centers for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth. He can be reached at barryw@thebridgecm.org. ■

The workshop will focus on understanding, managing, and treating diverse forms of self-injury including arm and body cutting, self-inflicted burning, and excoriation of wounds. Self-injury will be distinguished from suicidal behavior, and eight levels of care in the management and treatment of self-injury will be reviewed: • The informal response with emphasis on the strategic use of language and demeanor in responding initially to self-injury • Crisis intervention with specific suggestions as to when self-injury may merit a hospital level of care • Replacement skills training with an emphasis on self-soothing skills such as mindful breathing and visualization • Cognitive-behavioral treatment targeting the automatic thoughts and core beliefs that support self-injury • Exposure treatment for those who have been abused and suffer from body alienation Practical suggestions will include a protocol for responding in school settings. The topic of self-injury contagion will also be addressed with guidelines for preventing and managing this problem.

“Moving Curriculum from Good to Great!” Presented by Carey Dimmitt, Ph.D.

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.

Associate Director, Center for School Counseling Outcome Research Associate Professor, School Counseling, UMass Amherst Core Writing Team Member for MA Model and the Implementation Guide Excellent curriculum development and implementation is increasingly a cornerstone of effective and efficient school counseling practice pre-K-12. In this fall conference workshop you will discover how to identify the best curriculum materials, create effective curriculum materials, and evaluate student learning and behavior change. Samples of lessons, learning assessments, Internet resources, and ways to present learning outcomes to stakeholders will be shared. This workshop will be very hands on. Please bring as much of your program’s current guidance curriculum materials as possible. A laptop computer will be very useful.

SEPTEMBER 2008

Technology and You (and Me, and Them) By CYNTHIA TANG Past MASCA Technology Committee Chair

tarting a new school year can sometimes feel like jumping onto a fastmoving train: It’s hard to get settled in. However, your school year has started, and I hope you had a restful summer and a relatively easy transition.

Moving Ahead in Technology I am happy to introduce Joseph Fitzgerald as my successor as MASCA’s Technology Committee Chair. Joe brings a continued curiosity for new technologies, and he has been working with the committee since July to continue revamping the website and online membership/conference registration. Featured Website: www.iteachtoo.com Are you looking for ways to connect with other counselors across the state and nation to discuss issues and share curriculum? I recently had the pleasure of betatesting a professional networking website developed specifically for educators (unlike LinkedIn). It is set to go live in September 2008. The founders of this site are all Massachusetts natives. One of them graduated from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and is currently partnered with its Continuing Education program. I have been impressed with their commitment to providing a quality resource for education. They have been very receptive and responsive to feedback, and their sincerity and passion for helping educators (which includes their family and friends) is inspiring. “Be the first among the country to join and talk within the community at large, or privately with a colleague in this dynamic online community built for you.” When you join, look me up and share your thoughts in the guidance-specific conversations. I

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

SEPTEMBER 2008

Dean College hosts counselors

AFFILIATE NEWS

Dean College hosted Northeast Counselors Association Awards Night in May at Danversport Yacht Club. Shown with Michelle Burke, NECA president (second from left) are Jay Leiendecker, VP for Enrollment Management, Dr. Paula Rooney, President, and Clarissa Walker, Associate Director of Admission.

Greater Boston selects Counselor of the Year At its May meeting Greater Boston Guidance Association honored Mary LeVangie as its Counselor of the Year. “Not only has Mary been a dedicated guidance counselor and GBGA member for many years,” says GBGA, “she has also been a very good colleague and friend to many of us.” To close out its year, GBGA held meetings sponsored by Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology as well as UMass Boston. The informative meeting sponsored by BFIT included greetings from its president, Michael Taylor, and director of admission, Andrea Dawes. In May, GBGA member John Drew, who is Senior Associate Director of Admissions at UMass, acted as the meeting’s coordinator. Retiring president of GBGA is Lola Lombardo, and the incoming president is James Ash. WMCA honors scholars At its annual awards dinner held in May, Western Massachusetts Counselors Association awarded scholarships to four students graduating from local high schools. Phyllis Levenson, WMCA President, and Donna Lyons, Scholarship Chair, presented awards to Iris Santoni of Northampton High School, Michelle Blair of Longmeadow High School, Sarah Cosby of Agawam High School, and Lauren Figy of Westfield High School.

Hampshire County plans college fair The Hampshire County College Fair Group will hold its 40th annual college fair on Tuesday, October 7 at Smith Academy in Hatfield from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. For more information, contact Brenda at 413-247-5641. I

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

ED’S VIEWS

In Memoriam

By ED BRYANT, NCC MASCA Life Trustee

James W. Murray, 70, was a guidance counselor at Masconomet Regional High School in Topsfield and one of the founders of Northeast Counselors Association. Jim served in the U.S. Air Force after high school, after which he graduated from the University of Southern Maine. Jim earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Maine and a certificate of advanced graduate studies in counseling from the University of New Hampshire. In 1999, after thirty-eight years, he retired from Masconomet. He was a member of the Lions International in Salisbury as well as the Elks Club in Newburyport. During his retirement, Jim served as a Eucharistic Minister in San Diego area hospitals. Jim was predeceased by his wife of thirty-eight years, and he is survived by two sons and two sisters. ■

ere is a thought to start the new academic year: “To make well-informed decisions, our leaders must exercise their ‘moral muscles.’ ” (Thomas Jefferson) Best wishes to our new leadership for a fruitful year. In August Dr. Helen O’Donnell brought a group of MASCA leaders to the Sheraton Ferncroft in Danvers, just off Route 95. The birthplace of NECA in 1979, this resort has been renovated and expanded, and it would serve as a good location for a MASCA conference. It is sixteen miles from the famous Crane’s Beach, and there are several golf courses in the area. Where would you like to go for a conference in Massachusetts? If you are ready for retirement, maybe MASCA can help. Attend one of our conferences or contact Ralph Sennott, VP Retirees. Do you know how you want to spend your life after your retire? My years have been very busy with admissions work for the U.S. Naval Academy, etc. Mary Lou and I did not want to move to Florida. Mary Westcott and her 50th anniversary planning committee need your ideas for the 2011 celebration. For example, in 1986 there was a substantial decrease in the number of counselors in Massachusetts. Why? How were the numbers fifty years ago? High school counselors, what advice do you give to your students regarding job and college admission interviews and college fairs? Good topics to cover include proper appearance, what to bring to the interview (such as a resume), what questions to ask, and effective follow-up (“thank you” notes). MASCA and affiliates, how can we retain new members? We need to keep our eyes out for those who come to a meeting and don’t see a familiar face. If no one pays attention to them, they may never come back. Each member matters. A word of advice for new counselors: “Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t waste energy trying to cover up failure. Learn from your failures and go on to the next challenge. It’s OK to fail. If you are not failing, you’re not growing.” (H. Stanley Judd) Have a successful launching of your new academic year, and God bless. ■

SEPTEMBER 2008

Look Forward To Your Future

With Mitchell College’s outstanding 4 and 2-year academic programs, along with the Thames Academy pre college experience , we can provide you with the education and support you need for the future you envision. SM SM

New Programs and Highlights for 2007-2008: • Thames Academy, an innovative • New Bachelor Programs: one-year certificate Post-Grad/ Communications, Tourism & Pre-College experience Hospitality, Homeland Security and Environmental Science • Mitchell’s Learning Resource Center is one of the nation’s premier programs for students • NCAA Division III Athletics with documented learning disabilities and AD/HD

Mitchell College • 437 Pequot Avenue • New London, Connecticut 06320 (800)443-2811 • www.mitchell.edu

SAVE THE DATE! Massachusetts School Counselor Advocacy Day on Beacon Hill Wednesday, February 4, 2009 • 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM Advocate for our students, our schools, and our profession MASCA, NEACAC, and the College Board have joined together to sponsor the 2009 Massachusetts School Counselor Advocacy Day on Beacon Hill. School counselors and others who believe in quality school counseling programs in our schools will spend a day at the State House advocating for issues that are important to school counselors and the young people we serve. Participants will receive training on legislative issues and advocacy and will talk in person with our elected legislators and other policymakers to inform them about who we are and what we do, and about the importance of quality school counseling in our students’ education and lives.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL FOR THIS TO WORK! All of our voices are needed for this effort to be effective.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! This will be a free event. Lunch will be provided. Please mark your calendars now. More details are forthcoming. Questions? Please contact Brad MacGowan at bmacgowan@comcast.net, Bob Bardwell at BardwellR@monsonschools.com, or Jon Westover at jonw@admissions.umass.edu.

YOUR MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DATE IS INDICATED BY YEAR AND MONTH ON YOUR ADDRESS LABEL BELOW.

When you renew your membership, return both the application and your check made payable to “MASCA” to the Membership Coordinator. To receive an acknowledgement of your membership, please include your e-mail address.

Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK Sally A. Connolly, Editor

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September 2008