By Jessica Descartes, MASCA 2024 -2025 Board Chair and Director
Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love driving by beautiful foliage, trying everything cinnamon and pumpkin, sipping hot tea while relaxing in my favorite sweats and planning out our family’s Thanksgiving menu, which will certainly include trays of Haitian Diri Kolé (Rice & Beans) & Macaroni Gratin (Baked Macaroni).
We know that the fall time is also a busy time at schools. Active during college and career month, our senior class has been full steam ahead, recently completing another round of the SATs and meeting with college/ university admissions representatives, who schedule school visits with us almost every week. We held our annual college visit day field trip, where students in the senior class separate into groups and each group visits two campuses. Our students also participated in our district’s citywide College and
Career Fair as well as the Building Bridges HBCU fair, which gave students the opportunity to be invited to on the spot admissions interviews with HBCU representatives. All the while, students were ensuring that their academic work was completed in time for the first term progress reports, voting for their Student Government Association leaders and participating in fall athletics and extracurriculars.
While a very busy time, we are always intentional about maintaining school spirit and keeping traditions alive. We just wrapped up our very fun School Picture Day and our Homecoming committee has been actively planning events for our Homecoming Week, which will include Spirit Week challenges, a Halloween costume day and our Homecoming tailgate and football game. We also have a coffee hour and free book fair scheduled for families. Lastly, one of my ultimate favorite highlights of the season is our school’s annual Senior Thanksgiving Celebration. Held on the half day Wednesday before the Thanksgiving holiday,
the day is jam packed with fun for the graduating class. Activities have ranged from writing and sharing gratitude cards, to having a dance party in the gym. The cafeteria is decorated and students & staff contribute food for everyone to enjoy as we have some fun before the winter season.
I am so thankful for the teams that come together to create these events and opportunities for our school community.
With that, it is November and this means that it is only going to get busier. So as you continue to support your students and school communities, remember that taking the time to reflect on what you are thankful for will help to foster a positive environment. This is so necessary when we know that sometimes, stress and anxiety levels are running high! It helps to maintain perspective; while we are working amid the busyness, focusing on what we are grateful for can alleviate any feelings of being overwhelmed and/or burnout. Being thankful can shift the focus from challenges to opportunities and when students see their educators expressing thanks, it encourages them to do the same, promoting empathy and kindness. Thankfulness during busy times serves as a reminder of the larger purpose behind the hustle and bustle—we are shaping future generations.
So stop what you are doing right now, close your eyes, and think about something or someone you are thankful for. Let this bring a smile to your face and which in turn, will bring smiles to others!
of Student Services, Tech Boston Academy,
Jessica Descartes
Governing Board
Chair
Jessica Descartes
School Counselor
Tech Boston Academy
Assistant Chair
Lori Ford
School Counselor
The Edgartown School, Martha’s Vineyard
Board Members
Mindy Cripps
Director of School Counseling
Billerica High School
John Crocker
Director of School Mental Health & Behavioral Services
Methuen Public Schools
Andrea Encarnacao
School Counselor
Boston Latin School
Cynthia Esielionis
School Counselor
Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School
Rani Gould
School Counselor
The Academy at Kiley Middle School
Cory McGann
School Counseling Department Head
Ashland High School
Ali Robidoux
School Adjustment Counselor
Apponequet Regional High School
Committees
Conference Committee
Ali Robidoux
School Adjustment Counselor
Apponequet Regional High School
Ethics Committee
Mindy Cripps
Guidance Director
Billerican High School
Fiscal Oversight Committee
John Crocker
Director of School Mental Health & Behavioral Services
Methuen Public Schools
Government Relations & Advocacy Committee
Juliette Coatsworth
School Counselor
Foxborough Regional Charter School
Fran Frederick
School Adjustment Counselor
Belchertown High School
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Access Com-
mittee - Currently vacant
MA Model Committee
Dave Elsner
School Counseling Coordinator
Medway Public Schools
Cynthia Esielionis
School Counselor
Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School
Member Services Committee
Renee Considine
School Counselor
Minnechaug Regional High School
Jacob Beaudoin
School Counselor
Rise Academy, Lawrence
Lori Ford
School Counselor
The Edgartown School, Martha’s Vineyard
MASCA 2024-25 DIRECTORY
Professional Development Committee
Position currently vacant
Professional Recognition Committee
Dina Sibilia
School Counselor
West Springfield High School
Tama Lang
School Counselor
Litwin Elementary School, Chicopee
Publicity Committee
Chris Soverow
Retired School Counselor
Easthampton High School
Research and Evaluation Committee
Tim Poynton
Professor
UMASS Boston
Strategic Planning Committee
Position currently vacant
Technology Committee
Jennifer McGuire
College & Career Information Coordinator
New Bedford Public Schools
Ad Hoc Committee on School Counselor
Gaps
Olivia Hull
School Adjustment Counselor
Maynard High School
Jennifer McGuire
College & Career Information Coordinator
New Bedford Public Schools
Appointed Positions
Executive Director & Membership Coor-
dinator
Bob Bardwell
School Counseling Department Head
Framingham Public Schools
Secretary
Julia Cahill-O’Shea
School Counselor
Hamilton- Wenham Regional High School
Counselors Notebook Editor & Webmaster
Jean Atwater-Williams
IT Consultant
BizTech Associates
Mentoring Coordinator
Maryanne Margiotta
Career Facilitator
Southwick Regional High School
Program Evaluation Coordinator
Karen Marie Harrington
Diversity Fellows
Josh Bordes
School Counselor
East Boston High School
Josselyn Guzman
School Counselor
Lynn Vocational Technical Institute
Roz Riggins-DesRuisseux
School Counselor
Snowden International School, Boston
Liaisons
Affiliate Liaison
Christine Weissman
Family & Community Engagement Counselor
Ware Jr.-Sr. High School
Counselor
Megan Krell
Educator Liaison
Associate Professor
Fitchburg State University
DESE Liaison
Lisa Harney
MA Dept of Elem & Sec Education
Emerging Leader Liaison
Cory McGann
School Counseling Department Head
Ashland High School
Graduate Student Liaisons
Evelyn (Xiya) Chen
Graduate Student
Boston College
Rachel Flagg
Graduate Student
Assumption University
Julia Nathanson
Graduate Student
Boston University
Social Media Liaison
Jessica Almedia
School Counselor
Quinn Middle School, Hudson
Emerging Leaders
Chase Grogan
Student Development Counselor
Community Academy of Science and Health
Luz Mederos Dorleans
School Counselor
Boston Latin Academy
Colin Moge
School Counselor
West Springfield High School
Cheryl Ray-Bass
School Counselor
Rebecca Johnson Elementary School, Springfield
Maura Ricardi
School Adjustment Counselor
East Street School, Ludlow
Courtney Royal
School Counselor
Gloucester High School
Special Interest Group (SIG) Leaders
Counseling Directors
Meg Clougherty
School Counseling Program Director
Boston Latin School
Carol Cohen
Supervisor of Guidance (6-12)
Marlborough Public Schools
Elementary
Lori Ford
School Counselor
Martha’s Vineyard
Megan McShane
School Counselor
St Columbkille Partnership School
Maura Ricardi
School Adjustment Counselor
East Street School, Ludlow
MultiLingual Learners
Raffaella Almeida
Bilingual School Counselor
Barnstable High School
Olivia Hull
School Adjustment Counselor
Maynard High School
Heidys Mendez
School Counselor
Woburn High School
Middle Level
Dena Coffey
School Counselor
Pickering Middle School, Lynn
Jackie Saunders
School Counselor
Gibbs School, Arlington
Tim Stonecipher
School Counselor
Pike School, Andover
Retirees
Helen O’Donnell
Retired School Counselor
Anne Thidemann French
Retired School Adjustment Counselor
School Adjustment Counselors/ School Social Worker
Nychele Clark
School Adjustment Counselor
Gardner High School
Kate Niedel
Retired School Adjustment Counselor
Anne Thidemann French
Retired School Adjustment Counselor
Secondary
Karen McCrillis
School Counselor
Gardner High School
Leanne Soulard
School Counselor
Franklin High School
Rachael Weinhold
School Counselor
Winchendon High School
Urban
Rani Gould
School Counselor
The Academy at Kiley Middle School
Gisele Rojas
Director of Student Support Services
Holyoke Public Schools
Vocational/Technical
Annie McCarthy
School Counselor
Franklin County Technical School
Maryrose O’Neil
School Counselor
Tantasqua Regional High School
Lauren Robillard
School Counselor
Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical
High School
Affinity Group Leaders
Counselors of Color
Jessica Descartes
School Counselor
Tech Boston Academy
Andrea Encarnacao
School Counselor
Boston Latin School
Aaron Spencer
School Counselor
Nashoba Valley Technical High School
LGBTQ+
Mindy Cripps
Director of School Counseling
Billerica High School
Jessica Almeida
School Counselor
Quinn Middle School, Hudson
Updated MASCA Mission, Vision and Work Plan
By Bob Bardwell, MASCA Executive Director and School Counseling Department Head, Framingham Public Schools
Something really exciting happened at the MASCA October 8 Governing Board meeting. I’d not categorize it as earth shattering, monumental, historic or life changing, but none-the-less it was pretty darn important.
Healthy organizations have lots of documents and policies that ensure it is meeting the needs of its members and doing what it is supposed to do. Think bylaws, articles of incorporation, policy and procedures, etc. MASCA has all of those things, but what we just updated and the Board approved were our mission, vision, core values and three-year work plans.
While these things may not be sexy or that important to the average member, they are critical for any successful organization. Sometimes called a strategic plan, MASCA has adopted a three-year cycle to update these important guiding principles and documents. The last time they were updated was in 2020 but it took us an extra year to complete the process. Taking the time to make sure they are appropriate, relevant and meaningful was worth the wait.
So what does this all mean to the average MASCA member? Well, honestly, probably not much since they don’t likely have a major impact on the day-to-day operations because we just move on forward doing what we do. That being said, these updated documents help us to stay focused, be relevant and provide the Board, committees and staff a road map to follow. This is the significant part.
What’s new and/or exciting or different from the past versions you ask? Most of the changes in the mission, vision and core values were words
Robert Bardwell Executive Director, MASCA
or phrases. Two new themes were incorporated which I do think merit discussion. We added language - school counseling professional and comprehensive school counseling programs (i.e.: MA Model) in a couple of places. While this may seem minor to most folks not familiar with the inner workings of MASCA, these two shifts help us be more focused on our ever changing demographics and the importance of our very own MA Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.
Perhaps the most important approval was an update to our three-year work plan. In theory this is our road map for the next three years. Not that we cannot do things that are not on the plan, but the vast majority of our programs, activities and effort should be focused on what is on the work plan. If it is not there, that means it is not a priority or will cause us to deviate from our priorities.
For me, here are some highlights of the most recent work plan update
no longer as an Ad Hoc Committee, the School Counselor Pipeline Committee now has a work plan dedicated specifically to its work. If you have not seen the six minute video that was created to highlight the importance of our profession and need to recruit more aspiring school counselors, you need to watch it and share it within your network. Look for additional resources and activities from this Committee in the coming months.
• One of my current priorities is working with a small steering committee (Thank you Nyki Clark, Ali Robidoux and Anne Thidemman-French) to secure the ability for MASCA to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to our LMHC and social work members. This is very much separate from MA DESE Professional Development Points (PDPs) that are required for the vast majority of educators. However, due to their external licensing requirements and need for continuing education, many of our colleagues must obtain CEUs in order to keep those other licenses current. We see this as a way to increase membership for those who need the CEUs as well as increase participation in our programs. Of course not every professional development program will be CEU eligible, but even if we can offer a few programs
• In addition to being approved as a Standing Committee and (continued next page)
Updated Mission
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throughout the year this will provide advantages and opportunities for our current and future members.
• The focus on new and current members – I am thrilled with the many new ideas and energy that the current Member Services Committee has. From creating more opportunities to open the MASCA store, to creating more member benefits, to making our newest members even feel more welcome and special, there is a strong level of interest to improve the membership experience. We estimate that 50% of our members pay out of pocket to be a member, so we need to be able to justify why they should pay the $45 membership fee. While for most of us $45 is not a heavy burden, we still need to ensure that members feel their membership benefits are worth spending that much money.
I encourage you to visit our website where you can find these documents and even challenge you to go one step further - ask a Board member, staff person or me questions. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to engage us about topics of concern to you. After all, this is one of the reasons why we exist.
I hope you approve of the revised documents and support what we have created. Hopefully you feel the sense, purpose and relevance of this work and feel good about being a MASCA member. We would not be the greatest professional association in the Commonwealth without your support. Onward!
Welcome to our Newest Members!
The following have joined MASCA in the last month:
Larissa Andrade
Adrienne Bogusky
Jess Bolduc
Nicole Boudreau
Abigail Bourgeois
Caitlin Bowers
Gabrielle Boyd
Sara Compres
Kathleen Connelly
Michael Daley
Laura D'Angelo
Coleen DeBari
Alice Deng
Patricia Diaz
Marjorie Dowen
Dwight Dyce
Kathleen Garrity
Yutong Ge
Corey Gendron
Nicole Gordon
Darin Haig
Allison Hamilton
Alison Hannon
CJ Hathaway
Diana Hernandez
Alexis Johnson
Andrea Keenan
Zuzana Kline Novakova
Camryn Kynard
Taylor LaForce
James Lailberte
Alison Lemoine
Kacie Martel
Devan Martin
Hannah McCreedy
Jennifer McGrail
Arianna Moffat
Rachel Monte
Vanessa Muscente
Danielle Nicolazzo
Lindsay Noonan-Kett
Maria O'Leary
Tyler Pare
Bethany Potter
Coatrisquie Rodriguez
Savannah Rogers
Lisa Sage
Jocelyn Sammy
Karyn Savell
Andrea Serdio López
Alex Serrazina
Amanda Sexton
Rachael Shelburne
Michelle Smith
Christopher Solorzano
Mateus Souza
Jenna Stolarik
Nicholas Tavares
Jayden Tower
Allan Travaglione
Sarah Trayers
Sydney Viloria
Julie Walker
Tesha Ward
Wade Whitton
Erin Wholey
Victoria Winters Dore
If you know any of these new members, please extend a warm welcome and greeting.
We are happy you have joined us!
Communication, Presence and Perspective: The Importance of the Counselor-Administrator Relationship
by Colin R. Moge, School Counselor, West Springfield High School, MASCA Emerging Leader and 2024 School Counselor of the Year
In the setting of public education, School Counselors occupy a unique space in the lives of students, caregivers, and colleagues within the classroom. Neither traditional classroom educators, nor administrators, School Counselors act as a liaison between the students and countless third parties; colleges and universities, community organizations and service providers, parents, and perhaps most importantly, the administration of the institution in which they find themselves. When a harmonious, collaborative relationship is established, an authentic level of holistic support can be provided and the academic, social-emotional, and vocational needs of students can be met in creative and nuanced ways. By making the establishment of this relationship a focal point of our professional practice, the counselor-administrator relationship allows for our services to reach far beyond what the classroom offers and reach students, families and caregivers at a place that is unique and supportive to them. In today’s educational climate, that willingness to transcend the institution is not a luxury, but a necessity.
On the surface, nearly all counseling professionals have a working relationship with their administrative team. Making up Crisis and Intervention Teams, the level of collaboration is often overlooked. But what that collaboration looks like below the surface is where the experience diversifies across institutions. Simply put, counselors and administrators hold vastly different roles. While one can often focus on accountability through disciplinary practices, the other focuses on trust, communication, advocacy and relationship building. Similar to the relationships of these roles with the student body, counselors and administrators should look at one another through those exact lenses. This does not mean we “counsel” our administrators, expect them to counsel the students, or implement disciplinary practices but we hold value in those foundational aspects in every re-
lationship we foster. Similarly, it does not mean that administrators exact disciplinary practices with School Counselors present, which we know can be damaging to the counselor-student relationship.
These practices often take us in different directions and to differing perspectives on the most appropriate way to support the student. However, without question, both of these dimensions of the educational experience hold value and it is important to remember that they are not mutually exclusive to one another. Calibration between administration and School Counselors can guide interventions toward a restorative sense of accountability, a comprehensive intervention system, and most importantly, a shared sense of responsibility for providing holistic support to students. In situations where these roles are working in isolation from one another, communication on student support and between staff members is broken, intervention follow up is sparse, and crafting a comprehensive plan of support for a student often fails to garner the universal support needed for effective implementation. The cohesion that students benefit from is absent and the path forward lacks clarity.
When these two roles work in tandem with one another, the students and school community are the direct beneficiaries. Counselors can bring a creativity to the field that is not restricted by curriculum frameworks and, with administrative support, that creativity can address the ever-growing needs of public education, whether that be chronic absenteeism, implementation of restorative practices, or custom-build graduation plans in a secondary school setting. From the opposing perspective, disciplinary follow up is compassionate, with a focus on understanding roles and responsibilities in any social scenario. Comprehensive school counseling programs are complemented by the creation of career-focused elective courses, systemic support of counseling initiatives to incentivize attendance, bolstering post-secondary planning, and mentoring programs to address areas of focus identified by the school’s accountability data.
How can these relationships be fostered? To begin, the foundation of the counselor-administrator relationship is built upon communication; ongoing, consistent, and transparent communication. Given the inherent flexibility that the counselor role possesses, the quantity of opportunities for communication is vastly different than a traditional classroom educator. When both roles operate from the same frame of reference, the appropriate context can be taken into consideration and the needs of the student are highlighted. Additionally, a collaborative presence is essential. Though the roles differ, having opportunities to sit at the table with administrative teams can give opportunities to bring systemic concerns to the table to be actively worked on by both parties. With an open minded perspective and willingness to diversify the interventions and supportive measures to be put in place, the creativity of the counselor and the oversight of (continued next page)
Colin Moge
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the administrative team can allow for important, inventive interventions to be created and implemented. Assigning regular meeting times, and holding each other accountable to those meeting times, is critically important. Finally, a willingness to reinvent and alter your professional practice and perspective is an essential consideration for both counselors and administrators. As the needs of the student body evolve, so must our perspectives on how to support and address those needs. Home visits, restorative conversations, and a unified voice allow us to effectively reach a growing number of students.
If these three foundational pieces are in place, then the counselors and admin-
istrators benefit equally. Counselors receive institutional support from the administrative team to creatively address the needs identified by the data and administrators benefit from the creativity of interventions when addressing building-based disciplinary and accountability needs. Most importantly, the students and school community benefit from an authentic level of collaboration. They witness the trusted professionals that they see daily pulling in the same direction, doing everything possible to help them achieve their goals. Collaboration goes beyond the classroom and our office walls. Authentic collaboration is a culture and mindset shift. When it is demonstrated, all stakeholders benefit and all positive outcomes are achievable.
New Resource: The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL) from the MA Department of Mental Health
As witnesses and first responders to the youth mental health crisis, school personnel are an important liaison between students and families and the behavioral health services system. The Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL) is a new tool for the toolboxes of such professionals, whether used by school personnel with or on behalf of students and families. TheBHHL is available 24/7/365 by phone/ text/chat, has no health insurance requirements, provides interpretation in 200+languages, and connects anyone in the Commonwealth with treatment or resources for mental health, substance use,and health-related social needs. From a routine question to a behavioral health crisis, the BHHL can help. Find more information or connect directly with the BHHL here: Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (masshelpline.com). Order free posters for your schools in many languages here: Behavioral Health: Massachusetts Health PromotionClearinghouse (state.ma.us). Please reach out with any questions or presentation requests to Eneida.m.anjos@mass.gov.
November Question of the Month:
Either in your personal or professional life, what are you thankful for?
Sabrina Diaz, Student Success and Early College Career Counselor, New Mission High School, Boston - In my personal life I have so much to be thankful for, but it is rare to be thankful for your coworkers. This year I am extremely thankful to the beautiful souls I have the privilege of working with who have become the backbone to who I am at the school. We support each other in so many ways and that support comes genuinely, no strings attached. It fills my heart with joy to be able to come to work everyday and feel grateful of where I am and who I work with. I tell myself everything we do, we do for the students, but this amazing relationship with my coworkers makes me be thankful to do things for them as well.
Korrie Laren, School Counselor Intern, North Smithfield Middle School - My very supportive fiancé, our 3 dogs, and just having a very supportive Cohort at PC
Nikki Amara Myers - School Counselor, Cardinal Spellman High School - I’m so thankful for many things; however, the past year has proven that health and family should never be taken for granted; therefore, I’m incredibly thankful for my health (and health insurance), and my family. I’m also grateful to have a career as a school counselor that still inspires and excites me after 25+ years in the field.
Ruth Price, School Counselor/Coordinator, Rockport High SchoolGratitude for the Northeast School Counselor Association (NESCA)--always supportive in sharing best practices, commiseration (lol), encouragement, and laughter -- so thankful.
Charlsey Penney, School Counselor, Worcester Public Schools - I am thankful for my fellow board members who have worked tirelessly and with so much enthusiasm in helping to reboot and update our local association, Central Massachusetts Association of School Counselors! Proud to work with such caring, committed, and talented colleagues! They have made our “reboot” so effortless and we have been able to put on some amazing professional and social events for our members and their guests!
Ali Robidoux, School Adjustment Counselor, Apponequet Regional High School - Professionally, I am thankful to be a part of MASCA’s Board and taking on some different roles within the organization. Within MASCA, I have met some amazing people who I consider my friends. Personally, my family is what gets me through. I love watching my husband grow professionally and my kids are (too quickly!) growing up into kind humans.
Carla Vaughan Arnold, School Social Worker, Hill View Montessori Charter Public School - I am thankful for my health, my family’s and my students’ health. We recently lost an 11 year old student to cancer and it’s been a tough start to the school year. It put my personal and professional life into perspective. I will forever be grateful for every moment spent doing what I love with the people and children I love the most!
Dr. JIm Price, School Adjustment Counselor, Holyoke Public Schools - I am very thankful in my personal life with the continued doors and opportunities that open with regards to my award winning children’s book series and the being able to inspire
youth world-wide to be the best versions of themselves through literacy. I am also grateful about the production of my children’s book series being made into animated cartoon episodes which is exciting. In my professional life I am thankful for being able to do the work I do as a school counselor and having the opportunity to see students make efforts to utilize the social skills that we work on day in and day out so that they may navigate their learning environment in a positive way while growing academically.
Nicole Fernald, School Counselor, Maynard High School - This amazing warm sunny weather in October! By the time this is published I hope we can remember it to help us get through the cold dark winter
Megan McShane, School Counselor, St. Columbkille Partnership School, Brighton - I am thankful for the privilege to work with my amazing students! It is such a gift to be welcomed into their life stories and watch them overcome adversity, experience success and failure, laugh about silly times, learn both in and out of the classroom, and develop into amazing humans.
Jennifer Pinhal, Early College School Counselor, New Bedford High School - I am thankful for the amazing team I work with in the Early College Program.
Thank you to all who participated in this month’s QOTM. Ready for the December QOTM?
This year our December vacation break will be almost two weeks. What will you be doing to celebrate the holidays or recharge and rejuvenate? Just fill out this form no later than Friday, November 22.
November is National Career Development Month
By Cynthia Esielionis, School Counselor, Ayer Shirley Regional Middle School, MASCA Governing Board Member, and MA Model Committee, Co-Chair
Career development awareness month seems to be an appropriate time to share a school-wide career exploration initiative. With the institution of regular WIN (what I need) periods for all grades, an opportunity was intentionally created, among others, to expand the counseling services to the whole middle school population without competing with teachers’ regular instructional time. Naturally this did not occur overnight, but with extensive collaboration on many fronts. From teams exploring schedule options, identifying teaching and learning needs as well as the social/ emotional and career planning needs of all students, a system was developed to improve student outcomes on all fronts. The WIN block provides opportunity to provide direct instruction and services on all three tiers of a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS).
The Massachusetts Model 3.0: A Framework for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs discusses the importance of using of MTSS and UDL (Universal Design for Learning) (p. 41-44) related to The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) definition of College and Career Readiness and Civic Preparation. The prongs of this definition include workplace readiness, personal/social development and academic preparation. The WIN block empowers educators to provide MTSS across these domains; however, the focus here is on career exploration and ties to secondary, post-secondary planning and workforce readiness delivered by a school counselor.
As a middle school population, the students (along with their families) need to make decisions during grade 8 about choosing a vocational school or a comprehensive high school. When students understand the factors that go into making informed choices about their education, it is presumed they will make better decisions. When looking at the MyCAP learning objectives, ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors and the
Career Development Education Benchmarks, it is easy to see how to vertically align instruction across the three grades while meeting school counseling standards for student outcomes. Since the students all have WIN block once a week and are assigned to their homeroom, the career exploration schedule is set such that the school counselor delivers the grade level lesson to a homeroom each week. During the scheduled lesson, students are expected to attend their homeroom instead of using this time for other, non-mandatory activities. Through the course of the year, the school counselor will have delivered two, tier one career exploration lessons to every homeroom. This might not seem like much however; going from zero to fifty-six face to face classroom sessions in a year is a marked increase. The students are amazing in their engagement and ability to articulate what they are thinking about the world of work. In order to transfer this activity to anther schools, those students’ needs must be identified and the logistics of the delivery system must be worked out.
There are challenges within this model as certain students do receive mandated services during the WIN block and are not in their homerooms during WIN block. I scheduled time to present in these classes (not homerooms) and proactively approached the special education teacher to collaborate on the best way to deliver the lesson and modify or accommodate for the students’ needs in the class. We were able to co-teach the class with all students actively participating in discussion about personality traits tied to the world of work and achieving the objective of identifying their specific Holland Codes. An added bonus for this grade 7 group, because of how smoothly the lesson went, was having time to begin talking about high school choices, factors to consider in making those choices and the application requirements for the local vocational school.
Collaboration is the key to success here. The administrative support to increase the tier one school counseling programming eliminates most of the challenges faced when trying to access students. This support also validates the importance of the work school counselors do. Given this is the first year, data collected about what students believe or know about the world of work and the path to get there will be used to inform practices moving forward to improve student outcomes.
In case the Model isn’t teased out enough for the career exploration piece, here is a summary.
Define: Ma Model 3.0, ASCA National Model, MyCAP, DESE College and Career Readiness and Civic Preparation all call for career exploration instruction, for all students, at the tier one level.
Assess: School based data collection demonstrated that although career exploration activities were scheduled in middle school, some components were not delivered in a universal, reliable and effective manner. Additional components of assess include collecting and analyzing post-implementation data to measure the success of the program delivery and inform adjustments.
Manage: The school counselor (who) will deliver the selected curriculum (what) to all students in WIN block (where) weekly per the published schedule (when). This can be translated into a professional practice or student learning goal!
Deliver: The school counselor delivers the curriculum, differentiated equitably for grade level and student needs free of cultural bias. Documenting this is part of deliver. Documentation can be in the form of a SMART goal for the educator evaluation system (EES).
It's MASCA Awards Season!
By Dina Sibilia, School Counselor, West Springfield High School and MASCA Professional Recognition Committee
Each year, MASCA recognizes counselors, administrators, graduate students, and counselor educators for making a difference for our students, every day. We need your help to do it.
The Professional Recognition Committee will be accepting nominations for several different awards from October 28, 2024 through December 2, 2024. Nominating is simple. All you need to do is provide your contact info, your nominee’s contact info, and a short statement as to why your nominee is deserving of the award. That’s it! And yes, you may self-nominate.
You can read short descriptions of each of the awards on the MASCA website, which include School Counselor of the Year, Administrator of the Year, Rising Star, Counselor Educator of the Year, the Leadership Award, two Graduate Student Awards, and the MASCA Special Award. We are also accepting
program nominations for Excellence in School Counseling Program Award. If you believe your counseling program is exceptional or know of an exceptional program, let us know.
2024 Nomination form
In early December, all nominees will be notified of their nomination. School Counselor of the Year applicants will be asked for some additional materials (letters of recommendation and an essay) and other nominees will be asked
to accept their nomination and given the opportunity to provide us with optional additional context. ESCPA nominees will also be asked to submit evidence of their program.
Why do we offer these awards?
Year after year, our winners represent the very best of what School Counseling in the Commonwealth looks like. From innovative programs to robust advocacy, all our nominees provide a glimpse into what is possible. Not only are they an inspiration to others, they are also wonderful examples to those outside our profession who may not understand what counselors or counselor educators do, or how to best support those that they supervise.
Share those awesome colleagues, professors, and supervisors with us. We want to recognize them and share their stories!
Congratulations to our colleagues who have recently retired. We wish them the best!
Ruth Carrigan
Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Erik Champy
Triton Regional High School
Naomi Hall
Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School
Donna Hubbard
Quabbin Regional Middle School
Colleen Lutkevich
Oliver Ames High School
Wendy Rosazza
Monson High School
Chris Soverow
Easthampton High School
Greetings from MASCA's Research and Evaluation Committee!
By Tim Poynton, Ed.D., CCSP, CCSCC; Chair of MASCA's Research and Evaluation Committee
We have a bit going on and are pleased to update the membership on our plans for the 2024-2025 year.
Karen-Marie Harrington is leading program evaluations this year in two Massachusetts school districts, and will be supported by eight MASCA members who will conduct evaluations and provide substantive feedback to each district. These evaluations are thorough, consisting of surveys of counselors, teachers, staff, and students as well as document review and a site visit to meet with key stakeholders. If you are interested in having a program evaluation done in your school, please let us know!
As you are likely aware, Massachusetts (and much of the country) is experiencing a shortage of school counselors. MASCA’s School Counselor Pipeline Committee, led by Jen McGuire and Olivia Hull, has assembled resources and a video to help publicize the profession of school counseling. At the LDI this summer, we collectively brainstormed additional things MASCA might be able to do to solve the problem, and we decided that researching how and why people chose the profession of school counseling was worth investigating further. After doing a literature review, we have concluded that there is no published research on this
specific topic, so we are in the process of developing a survey for MASCA members to help shed some light on the subject. Through this survey, we hope to develop an understanding of how and why MASCA members chose the profession of school counseling to develop actionable recommendations for the governing board to consider to help bring more people into the profession of school counseling. We all know how wonderful our work is, and we hope to help more people discover ‘why school counseling’ for themselves!
While I routinely share my reasons for choosing school counseling with graduate students in my career counseling class, it is not something I often share otherwise. So, let me give you the short version of my journey to school counseling.
The first experience I had that led me to school counseling was as an infantryman in the U.S. Army. While there were ‘exciting’ times, we also had a lot of down time where we just sat and talked with each other (no cell phones or internet back then). There were a few times we were sitting and talking with each other where fellow soldiers would say things like ‘hey, Poynton, thanks I feel better after talking.’ So, when I finally landed on a college campus as a 24 year-old freshman at the State Uni-
versity of New York at Albany, I knew I wanted to go into some sort of counseling field. After choosing psychology as my undergraduate major, I quickly learned that graduate school was in my future if I wanted to be counselor, so I looked at what was available and discovered there were 3+2 programs in both mental health and school counseling. While it is not flattering, I have to admit that I chose school counseling not because of the opportunity to work with young people, but because it would allow me to lead a more satisfying lifestyle – summers off! I do enjoy working with middle, high, and college students, but I will sheepishly admit it was not my primary motivation for choosing school counseling over mental health counseling.
SO, that’s the short version of how I landed in school counseling – and I would love to hear your story! You’ll be able to share it through our survey, which we hope to distribute within the next few weeks! SO, be on the lookout in both your email inbox and a future Counselor’s Notebook for your opportunity to share your experience with us!
Tim Poynton, is an Associate Professor, Department of Counseling & School Psychology, Co PI, Project Beacon, College of Education and Human Development, University of Massachusetts-Boston
A Review of Massachusetts School Counseling Staff’s Perceptions on Evaluation, Supervision, and Stakeholders Understanding of the Counselor’s Role
by Victoria Kelliher, M.Ed SC, Christine Shaw, Ph.D
Introduction:
In 2022, MASCA developed a Survey of the Field, completing data collection in 2023. This survey included over thirty questions about the job, services provided, and opinions on key aspects of counseling in schools. This analysis presented here focuses on three critical aspects of the profession: counselor evaluation, supervision and counselor perceptions of how well stakeholders understand their roles. Over 400 counselors and school social workers completed the survey. The analysis for this study included both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the responses. Findings suggest that there is room for improvement in our evaluation and supervision of school based counselors and social workers. Additionally, the majority of counseling staff feel some stakeholders, such as school committee members, have little understanding of the roles and responsibilities of school based counselors.
Research Questions:
1. What do counselors feel about stakeholders’ understanding of what their job involves?
2. Regarding the Evaluation Process:
• Are counseling staff evaluated yearly?
• Do counseling staff feel their evaluations capture their strengths?
• Do counseling staff feel their evaluations capture their areas for growth?
• Do counseling staff contribute to their goal setting?
• Do counseling staff feel that their evaluation process helps them develop professionally?
3. Who do School Counselors AND School Social Workers/Adjustment Counselors report to?
Background:
The role of a school counselor has faced updates and changes based on the needs presented by students at a given time. These changes to the roles of school counselors can create varying expectations from supervisors and community stakeholders.
Historically, the role has shifted from the original title of guidance counselor, which was created based on the needs of the time: “In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a need for vocational guidance arose from division of labor, technological innovation, increased post-secondary training options, and increased choice regarding career direction” (Christian & Brown, 2018, p. 27). Currently, there is a mental health and counseling focus to address more modern day needs within students and schools.
The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Mass DESE) revised the subject matter knowledge competencies for School Counselors in 2023. In this revision, a standard focused on anti-racism and increased application of mental health assessment and services was added. This addition is noted in the School Counselor Subject Matter Knowledge concept N: “Skills in engaging families and students to provide feedback on their experience and to continue to recognize, challenge, and promote anti-racism in the school experience” (Mass DESE SMKs, 2023, p. 32). Additionally, they revised the license to cover the PK-12 grade span (previously two licenses separating PK-8 and 5-12 existed). This shift suggests a stronger support for holistic and developmentally-based services from counselors.
Currently in Massachusetts, the school counselors and school adjustment/social workers are evaluated using the Educator Evaluation Tool for Student Support Personnel (Mass DESE, 2019). The tool is fundamentally the same tool created to evaluate teachers in the classroom, with a few counselor specific ‘indicators’. These indicators were developed by MASCA with the goal to align with the Massachusetts Model for Comprehensive School Counseling (Bizzaro et al., 2020). Furthermore, the American School Counselors As(continued next page)
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sociation (ASCA) has standard competencies for counselors that apply in all states. These competencies include Mindsets (what counselors believe) and Behaviors (how school counselors demonstrate): Professional Foundation; Direct and Indirect Student Services; and Planning and Assessment (ASCA, 2019).
Reflecting on these changes in the job tasks, definitions and focuses, confusion about the services of counselors and school social workers/adjustment counselors would be expected by some members of the school and local community. This study hopes to shed light on this through the lens of the counselors. In addition, this study looks at actual practices around evaluation and supervision for counseling staff in the field, who are they reporting to and how are they (if at all) being evaluated
Method:
Convenience sampling of Massachusetts school counseling staff to analyze their thoughts and opinions. Of the over 400 responses, 394(n) were included in the analysis by the research team. The responses were narrowed down to those who held DESE licenses as either school counselors (guidance) or school social workers AND currently practiced within those roles.
Responses for research question 1 regarding stakeholders were analyzed on SPSS through finding frequencies and percentages. For research questions 2
and 3 which focused on supervision and evaluation, the mean and median responses to level of agreement were analyzed with SPSS. Qualitative responses to prompts such as ‘Other, Please Specify’ or ‘Please Comment’ were organized and analyzed through the researcher finding common statements or statements of interest.
Population/Sample:
Based on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) , there were 2,590 licensed School Counselors (80% Female, 20% Male) and 1,668 school social workers/adjustment counselors ) (88% Female, 12% Male) working in public schools in 2022-23.
473 counselors completed the survey with the majority of reporting more than one license. Individuals reported licenses as school counselor, guidance counselor, adjustment counselor, mental health counselor or social worker. Ninety percent held a license as a school counselor or the older title, guidance counselor. For data analysis purposes, all guidance and school counseling responses were labeled with the current license title “School Counselor” , and all those who reported adjustment counseling or school social work (with DESE licensing) were labeled school social workers.
The titles that respondents reported also varied across the group and did not necessarily align with the license areas. The ‘other’ category contained a number of differing titles such as college counselor, advisor, and intern. Figure 2 shows the breakdown of titles across the sample. Overall, roughly 54% of the respondents have the title of school or guidance counselor, followed by 26% of the respondents having the title of school adjustment/social worker.
Figure 2 What is your professional title as described by your organization/school? (n=471)
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The majority of responses came from those working at the high school level (53%) with a relatively even distribution of the remaining 47% across elementary, middle and district wide or multiple grade levels (see Figure 3).
When looking at job titles and grade level, we see a majority (61%) with the title school adjustment counselor/school social worker. The majority of high school and middle school individuals reported having the title school/guidance counselor (66%/64%).
70% of the responses came from individuals working 6 or more years in the profession. 63% of the respondents stated they work in schools with more than 500 students and just 10% work in schools with 300 or fewer students.
Caseloads showed more of a bell curve across the sample, with the average at 180 students.
Findings
Stakeholder Understanding:
The survey asked counselors to rate how well they felt students, parents, teachers, principals, superintendents, school board members and community members understood the job of a school-based counselor (Table 1). Counseling staff thought principals best understood their jobs (42.9% ‘Definitely’). The stakeholder that counseling staff thought understood their jobs the least were School Board Members with almost 80% reporting that they felt school board members had no or a little understanding of what their work involved. Overall, counselors reported that they feel students have some/definite (83.2%) understanding of the job, followed by teachers (78.8%), and then parents (68.9%) suggesting those they have closest contact with are more aware of the tasks and services provided
“They only really understand the college counseling piece and often refer to me as the college counselor”
“Leadership roles in public schools do not understand or value the role of school social workers and school counselors nor did they know the magnitude of the support and clinical intervention we provide to students and their families on a daily basis.”
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Perceptions
Evaluation:
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There should be guidelines for schools to follow that ensure counselors are meeting ASCA and MASCA models
Counseling staff were asked to rate their responses to a series of questions specifically focused on evaluation. Of the 310 responses, 93.5% stated that they were evaluated yearly, and 94% stated they were able to contribute to setting their professional goals. Two questions focused more on how the tool helped define strengths and areas of growth. To this, over 40% felt that the tools used did not help them ‘capture’ their strengths or identify areas for growth. The final question in this cluster asked about the evaluation process and if it helps with development as a counselor/social worker, to which roughly half felt it did, and the other half felt it didn’t, leaving some room for improvement in that realm.
Who Counselors Report To:
Counseling staff were able to answer these questions about who supervises them by selecting one of the following options: Special Education Director, Pupil Personnel Director, School Counseling/Guidance Director, Director of Student (and Family) Services, Principal/Assistant Principal, and Other, Please Specify. Out of the 327 (N= 327) participants who answered the survey question: Who do school counselors report to, Principals/Assistant Principals and School Counseling/Guidance Director, make up the majority of who school counselors report to (88.6% total). The administrative role that school counselors report to the least are Pupil Personnel Directors with only 1.8% (6 respondents) indicating this. Those who selected ‘Other, Please Specify’ were analyzed as qualitative data. In addition
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to the data collected on school counselors, participants were also asked who school social workers/adjustment counselors report to. Out of 318 participants (N=318) who answered this question, a majority of 103 respondents (32.4%) found that school social workers/adjustment counselors report to Principals or Assistant Principals. The administrative role school social workers/adjustment counselors report to the least was the Pupil Personnel Director with 2.8% (9 respondents) indicating this. Those who selected ‘Other, Please Specify’ were analyzed as qualitative data.
Conclusion and Recommendation for Next Steps:
In regards to evaluation and supervision, the survey responses suggest a need to examine current practices in these areas. Even though ASCA has an official stance on who supervises counselors, this stance is not a mandate. Based on the benefits of having a supervisor with a school counseling background, adequate supervision should be a priority to implement within the field to promote the professional development of the state’s counselors. Additionally, community stakeholders seem to lack a clear understanding of counseling staff responsibilities, with some
“SACs are not able to do our job as it’s intended, we spend the vast majority of our time doing everything but counseling. If we were able to do counseling we would be appropriately staffed, but the way things are we are not appropriately staffed”
counselors stating that this is due in part to confusion between ‘guidance’ counseling and ‘school’ counseling. Finally, the results suggest a need to change the evaluation process for counseling staff. There are two areas that were discussed in the qualitative feedback on this question. One area was ‘who’ was completing the evaluation. A number of respondents stated they were evaluated by someone who did not have a background in counseling, leading to a possible disconnect between the duties and the evaluator’s understanding of those duties. The second area is the tool used to complete evaluations. Currently, counselors are evaluated using the Educator Evaluation Tool, with a primary focus on teaching and content delivery. There is the ‘option’ of including counselor specific domains (created in 2012 by MASCA), however a number of critical competency ar-
“We are assigned to the sped department while the school counselors have a guidance department - I don’t think this separation makes sense nor does it lend itself to a continuation of mental health services.”
eas are not included in the current tool. Regarding the understanding of the role by stakeholders, the findings suggest that those closest to the practice (students and teachers) have the best understanding of what counselors and social workers offer. Those with less daily contact, school committee members and superintendents, were less likely to understand the role. This could become a challenge when superintendents and school committee members are in critical decision-making positions regard-
ing personnel, grant initiatives, funding and program structure. Providing education around roles and responsibilities would be helpful. However, to do this, the field must first clarify what those roles and responsibilities are and what the licenses represent.
Recommendations
:
• Explore options for state/ local policy requiring counseling staff to be supervised by an individual with a school counseling/social work background and experience.
• Open discussion on licensing titles, tasks and distinctions between the different roles and duties.
• Convene a team to develop a counselor/social worker evaluation tool that looks at specific skills of the trade.
• Clarify the role of the counselor in student success with stakeholders such as community members and school committee members by sharing research and outcome/ impact data.
Limitations: Although the results from the survey produced meaningful results, the sample was limited to those who had access through MASCA or shared link. Increasing the catchment area, and adding demographic information to the survey would help with validity and reliability of the findings. School psychologists were not included in this survey. It would be helpful to examine roles and responsibilities across the support personnel field as a whole.
Implementing the MA Model 3.0: A Framework for ComprehensiveSchool Counseling Programs
by Helen O'Donnell, Ed.D, MASCA
MA Model Committee, 3.0 Writing Team Co-Chair, PD Institute Trainer
Collect Data to Monitor and Adjust Chronic Absenteeism Interventions
The entire second section of MA Model 3.0, ASSESS, provides an overview of types of data, stresses the importance of data collection, includes data analysis techniques to track program and intervention outcomes, and explains the importance of using evidence-based practices to guide action planning.
The NY Times opinion article, A Crisis Neither Candidate Will Address (Sunday, Oct. 13th, pg. 5), highlights several challenging issues facing school districts today including covid learning loss, learning gaps, chronic absenteeism, decrease of teachers in the pipeline, and increases in teacher absenteeism. The article also notes research findings that longitudinal chronic absenteeism data (data collected over time) indicated chronic absenteeism was rising before the pandemic. The artivle stresses that “Covid learning loss and chronic absenteeism aren’t going to fix themselves”.
How can school counselors assist with breaking the habit of chronic absenteeism?
Improved attendance of chronically absent students will have a big impact on improving school attendance figures, which are annually reported to MA DESE. The ASCA and MA Models promote school counselors as advocates and leaders promoting rigorous educational standards for each student and collaborating with school teams to engage all students in their education.
Who are the chronic attendees?
It is essential to gather relevant, current longitudinal chronic attendee data to guide strategic action planning and delivery of interventions.
Research and generate a school profile of chronic absentees?
Disaggregate and chart data: SPED/ IEP,504 plans, EWIS category, medical Issues, gender issues, cultural group, etc. Where do they live? Is the walk to school through perceived safe neighbors or down safe city streets? Does the distance from school result in not qualify for busing?
Listen to and chart chronic attend stories about their barriers to school attendance? Ex: Boredom, not interested in academics, bullying, younger sibling responsibility, jobs, too tired to get up, bus phobia, school phobia, afraid of a teacher, no bussing/too far to walk, bus arrives too early.
Educate chronic attendees (and of course all students) about MGL 76 School Attendance Legislation and the school’s responsibility to provide free public school education for all students. Explain how local community tax money pays the school budget and share specifically how much money the community spends educating each student/yr.
Ask chronic absentees in Tier 2 focus groups or Tier 3 sessions what suggestions they have that would make them more interested in school and more motivated to attend on a regular basis. Just like in mediation, students need to understand they cannot always get all of what they want, and the school cannot do everything students desire, but students need to know the schools will work hard to provide support and services to help them graduate in four years and be prepared for postsecondary opportunities they would like to pursue. However, they need to own
their education and take advantage of school opportunities with regular, ontime school attendance.
Brainstorm, strategically plan, and deliver:
Strategies implemented: A few schools adjusted the start time for HS students to allow them more time for am sleep; Other schools are providing morning chance bus pick up or vouchers (donated by community groups) if a student needs a ride to school (Uber, Lyft).
Here is one whole school idea to consider:
Independently or with assistance from the free MA DESE CCR/MyCAP initiative, consider developing and promoting a College Career Readiness (CCR) culture in your school to reengage students. The goal is for the entire school community to plan and deliver initiatives that focus on post high school planning and employment readiness.
With support from faculty and staff, promote school as each student’s first job and teachers/schools as each student’s first employers. Help students realize school learning and practicing entry level job skills are relevant, authentic career immersion experiences and prepares them for future jobs and careers. Encourage students to self-reflect: Have I demonstrated in school that I am I ready to be hired? Activity: Prepare 4 sample school report cards to be used as job references. Write Help Wanted Ads for summer or school year employment. Ask students to review the report cards as employers and decide which student/s would be hired (continued next page)
MA Model
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and why. Follow-up discussions should include: Does the student have the entry level skills for the job? Will they be reliable, dependable, and consistently arrive for their assigned work schedule? Will they complete assigned tasks? Has the student demonstrated a work ethic and willingness to learn?
Planned as a Tier 1 whole school initiative, this activity can be repeated and expanded for Tier 2 groups and individual Tier 3 sessions. Review sections of MA Model 3.0, DEFINE, MANAGE, and DELIVER, for guidance to implement multi-tiered initiatives
As you address the challenge of helping students break their chronic attendance habits, document your efforts and gather on-going formative attendance data. Apply the Cycle of Inquiry (MA Model p.27) to assess if your interventions make an impact or if adjustments are needed. When summative data is collected, use the % change formula to identify the chronic attendee attendance (hopefully) improvement.
Multi-tiered 2024 -25 MA Model PD Opportunities.
Trainer: Helen C. O’Donnell, Ed.D, All inquiries: helenod@att.net
Opportunity #1 — Select your Independent Study Offering
• Series #1 Be Informed (FREE) Registration includes links to 5 free webinars.
• Series #2 Be Prepared: Annual Calendar Development - Templates and Guided mentoring available. 15 MASCA PDP’s — Cost $80,
• Series #3 – Be Organized: Curriculum Mapping (NEW) - Templates and Guided Mentoring available. 15 MASCA PDP’s — Cost $80.
Opportunity #2 Zoom sessions and Independent Study
Series #4: Be Accountable and Data Informed Hybrid PD with zoom sessions and guided mentoring 25 MASCA PDP’s - Cost $150 Identify a research question. Design and implement a research project. Analyze on-going implementation data. Capstone: Summarize project and outcomes with a MARC Jr. Several webinars provided. Template and rubric provided.
Opportunity #3: Select an academic year course.
Request syllabi summaries: helenod@att.net
Registration: $450 includes 45 MASCA PDP’s OR 3 Grad. credits from Fitchburg State University (add’ $295 grad registration fee at FSU).Webinars, instructional materials, templates provided.
• MA Model Introductory Institute
• MA Model 2: Next Steps
• Counselors in K-12 Classrooms: Delivering Curriculum That Supports Academic Achievement & CCR
• Counselors in K-12 Classrooms: Action Research and Program Assessment
The mission of MASCA is to promote excellence in the school counseling profession by advocating for, connecting, supporting, and empowering school counselors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through leadership, collaboration, and professional development. Visit us on the web at www.MASCA.org
MASCA deeply values its diverse membership and is fully committed to creating an organization where each individual is welcomed, included, respected and empowered. No person will be excluded from MASCA on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation or military status, or for any other discriminatory reason.
These activities include, but are not limited to, appointment of its Governing Board, hiring or firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and the providing of services.
