Counselor's Notebook, January 2015

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION JANUARY 2015VOL. 51, NO. 5

MASCA

Welcome to the New YearBy TINA KARIDOYANES

MASCA President

I t is amazing to believe that it is January

2015, and we are already halfway

through the school year. One of the bene -

fits of working in a school year is that you

have two opportunities to “renew”: once

at the start of the school year and then

again at the start of a new calendar year.

Many of us approach the new year with

resolutions for improvement or re newed

commitment to ourselves. As school coun-

selors it is in our nature to give of our-

selves and put the needs of others ahead

of our own. Whether it is to your stu-

dents, communities, families, or friends, it

is often hard to find balance. As you pre-

pare your resolutions for the coming year,

I would like you to think of ways to find

balance and fulfillment for yourselves.

When thinking of balance, I often

think of ways to simplify my daily tasks

and find ways to work “smarter,” not

“harder.” Certainly we all have days

where there is no escaping the challenges

of our profession, but seeking ways to be

more efficient and share best practices is

an opportunity for growth as well as seek-

ing balance. Participating in professional

development workshops and conferences

is a way to renew and inspire you as

well as to learn more about the constant

changes in our field.

This school year, MASCA has been

working with DESE at their regional con-

ferences around the state. The remain-

ing dates are January 15 at the Westford

Regency in Westford, and January 22 at

Delaney House in Holyoke. At these

meetings, MASCA presenters will address

the Reach Higher Initiative from the White

House as presented by Michelle Obama at

the ASCA conference this past summer.

MASCA representatives will also address

Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for stu-

dents and best practices.

I am excited to share with you that the

planning for the 2015 Annual Spring

Conference—Blocks in Bloom—is well

underway. We hope you are able to join

us at the Boxborough Holiday Inn on

Tuesday, April 7. Registration for the con-

ference is now open. Go online for more

information: www.masca.org.

I hope that you have a happy and

healthy 2015! ■(continued on page 6)

Graduate StudentWellness:

Strategies for aNew Year

By KATIE KOZAKM.Ed. Student in School Counseling,

Bridgewater State University

A cross Massachusetts there are more

than a dozen school counseling train-

ing programs. Each of these programs is

unique, and so is each student’s experi-

ence within their program of choice. Yet,

one element seems universal for all school

counseling graduate students: stress.

I am in my seventh and final semester

of full-time graduate study. I am deeply

involved with MASCA, interning approx-

imately 30 hours per week, holding two

jobs, volunteering regularly with a local

mentoring program, and keeping up with

my coursework. Juggling all of these

respon sibilities is stressful and challeng-

ing, but I have learned a few strategies

over the course of my studies that help

me find balance and maintain personal

wellness.

Ensuring that I schedule “me time”

each week is critical. “Me time” is a pre -

determined block of time each day, usu-

ally between 30 and 60 minutes, where

I give myself permission to fully engage in

an activity for my own enjoyment. Dur-

ing this time, I do not check professional

e-mail accounts, complete tasks related to

my obligations, or review my planner.

Prioritizing time for myself helps me re -

main focused and energized while fulfilling

2 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Massachusetts Accountability Report CardBy DAVID ELSNER, MARC Chair

T hrough research and analysis, counselors gain a deeperunderstanding of how their efforts impact student achieve-

ment and career readiness. Accountability requires measuringand communicating the results of a school counseling program.The MARC and MARC Jr. provide a template for presentingthat information in simple terms so students, families, and theschool community can see clearly how a comprehensive, devel-opmental program benefits all students. Using student resultdata, these documents share a powerful story about how stu-dents are positively affected by school counseling programs.

This is the tenth year of the MARC and MARC Jr. awards,and we are pleased that over 100 schools have completed thisimportant process and submitted their documentation toMASCA for recognition.

More information and sample documents can be found inthe Accountability section of the MA Model and on theMASCA website under the MA Model tab.

Join us in April for pre-conference MARC and MARC Jr.guided instruction and a MARC reunion gathering. ■

MARC Award, Fall 2014The full MARC is a more rigorous, detailed assessment document reflecting on multiple mea-sures. Fewer than ten schools have completed and submitted the MARC for MASCA recognition.Congratulations to the Belchertown team!Belchertown High School: Debra Davidsohn, Maggie Folli, Paula Pagos, Jill Serafino

MARC Jr. Awards, Fall 2014These awards demonstrate exceptional commitment to promoting success for all studentsthrough the implementation of the ASCA/MA Model for Comprehensive School Counseling.Cambridge Rindge and Latin School: Clare GarmanCheshire Elementary School: Nicole Baran SeyerleinHoosac Valley Middle & High School: Shannon ClarkHoosac Valley Middle & High School: Loriann Moro, Megan ScottLee Middle and High School: Dan KorteMcCann Technical School: Sara Avery, Chad O’Neill, Dawn VadnaisMonomy Regional High School: Jonathan Bennett

2014 – 2015 OFFICERS

PRESIDENTTINA KARIDOYANESMansfield High School250 East Street, Mansfield, MA 02048E-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENTTHERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MA 02325Tel. 508-531-2640E-mail: [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECTRUTH CARRIGANWhitman-Hanson Regional High School600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA 02382Tel. 781-618-7434 • Fax 781-618-7098E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARYVERONICA KNIGHTLowell Elementary School175 Orchard Street, Watertown, MA 02472Tel. 617-926-2666E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGHKATHLEEN SCOTTE-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARYJOHN S. STEEREWellesley High School50 Rice Street, Wellesley, MA 02481Tel. 781-446-6290 x4653 • Fax 781-446-6308E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORSTBA

VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARYJOHN MARCUSDean College99 Main Street, Franklin, MA 02038Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORSMEGAN KRELL, Ph.D.; AMY L. COOK, Ph.D.E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT RETIREESJoseph D. FitzGerald, Ed.D.5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188Tel. 781-264-3426E-mail: [email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORDONNA M. BROWNAdjunct Professor, UMass BostonP.O. Box 366, 779 Center StreetBryantville, MA 02327Tel. 781-293-2835E-mail: [email protected]

TREASURERASHLEY CARON25 Belmont Ave., Stoughton, MA 02072Tel. 508-212-0676E-mail: [email protected]

SECRETARYKATIE KOZAKE-mail: [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORDONNA BROWNE-mail: [email protected]

WEBMASTER/TECHNOLOGY COORDINATORROSS WOLFSONE-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

COORDINATOR OFPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTHELEN O’DONNELL, Ed.D.E-mail: [email protected]

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITORSALLY ANN CONNOLLY19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154E-mail: [email protected]

JANUARY 2015 3

From left: Jon Bennett, Monomy Regional High School; Helen O’Donnell,MASCA PD Coordinator and MA Model Institute Trainer; Dan Korte, LeeMiddle/High School; David Elsner, MARC Chair and Foxboro RegionalPublic Charter School Guidance Director.

MASCA presents MARC awards

College and Career Readiness: Your New Year’s Resolution?By RUTH CARRIGANMASCA President-Elect

A s your MASCA President-Elect anda member of the MA Reach Higher

team, I was thrilled to have the opportu-nity to represent school counselors acrossMassachusetts at the recent White HouseConvening of the Reach Higher Initiative.

For those of you unfamiliar with theprogram, the goal of the Reach HigherInitiative is to help inspire every studentin America to take charge of their futureby completing their education past highschool, whether at a professional train-ing program, a community college, or afour-year institution. This movement hasgained momentum since the First Ladyaddressed school counselors at ASCA inJuly. A White House Convening was heldat Harvard in July, and the second WhiteHouse Convening was held recently atSan Diego State University.

The MA Reach Higher team attendingthe San Diego Convening included coun-selor educators Mandy Savitz-Romer(Harvard), Tim Poynton (UMass Boston),and Scott Solberg (Boston University) andschool counselors Yolanda Johnson andLaura Stebbins (Springfield PublicSchools), data specialist Joseph Wyman(Springfield Public Schools), MASCA PastPresident Katie Gray, and me. Althoughteam member Bob Bardwell was unableto attend the conference, he participatedvirtually and remains a leader on thisinitiative.

Over the course of the convening, ourteam spent several exciting and inspiringdays working with educational leadersacross the country as we discussed goalsand made plans to help our students setand reach important college and careerreadiness benchmarks.

On the final day of the conference, ourteam from Massachusetts made a com-mitment to leverage the time and re sour -ces necessary for school counselors to leadimplementation of quality college and ca -reer readiness programs and activities.Although we are still fine-tuning ouraction plans, MASCA is prepared to bea leader on this initiative. We will be pre-senting career and college readiness pro-gramming at the 2015 MASCA confer-ence, and we are investigating additionalCCR professional development offerings

for the future. As we look toward 2015, I would like

to challenge school counselors in Mass-achusetts to think about making a NewYear’s resolution to improve Career andCollege Readiness programming for students.

With the challenges that school coun-selors face (too little time, too little fund-ing for worthy projects, etc.), it can bedifficult to move forward. Despite theobstacles, I encourage you make a NewYear’s resolution or a pledge to imple-ment at least one new program or activ-ity to help your students become collegeor career ready.

According to Reach Higher program-ming information sent by Bob Bardwellearlier in the school year, MASCA mem-bers are encouraged to make pledges fornew initiatives to help more students pur-sue postsecondary education, not onesthat are currently being implemented orrecently were implemented. Pledges canvary in size and scope. Some may be com-pleted in a relatively short period oftime, while others will take longer toimplement.

A pledge may be as simple as chang-ing a policy so that more students cantake Advanced Placement courses. Or aschool district could pledge to hire addi-tional school counselors to reduce case-load size and allow counselors to pro-vide more students assistance with thecollege application process.

Other simple pledges could be partner-ing with an agency like American StudentAssistance to offer an on-site FAFSA Com-pletion Night for students and parents,or implementing a college/career readi-ness lesson or activity for elementary ormiddle school students. The ideas andopportunities are endless, especially con-sidering the number of individuals, schooldistricts, and groups that could makesuch pledges.

If you are interested in being part ofthe Reach Higher Initiative and this excit-ing work, please contact me at [email protected].

As always, I thank you for the impor-tant work you do every day and for thedifference you make in the lives of yourstudents. Best wishes for a healthy andhappy 2015. ■

MA Reach Higher team members at the San Diego White House Convening. Fromleft: Yolanda Johnson, Joseph Wyman, Ruth Carrigan, Katie Gray, Scott Solberg,Mandy Savitz-Romer, Tim Poynton, Laura Stebbins.


JANUARY 2015 5


KOZAK (continued from page 1)my commitments throughout the rest ofthe day.

When I am invited to participate in anew project or opportunity, I carefullyconsider whether I will be able to fullycommit without compromising my per-formance elsewhere. If I cannot, I politelydecline. Saying no is challenging. As afuture job-seeker, I want to impress andconnect with as many professionals inthe field as possible. Thankfully, I havediscovered that people are usually im -pressed with me even when I say no be -cause it demonstrates my ability to set real-istic expectations for myself and to honorthe obligations that I already have.

Finally, I rely on classmates who havebecome friends to normalize and validatemy feelings and experiences. Makingfriends with other students in my pro-gram has eased the stress of graduateschool immensely. Whether I want feed-back on an idea for an assignment or Ineed to vent because I feel overwhelmedor I need someone to remind me thattaking “me time” in the midst of a majorproject is okay, my friends are there tosupport me. Because these friends arecompleting the same assignments, bal-ancing similar responsibilities, and ex per -iencing the same stressors as I am, theyare able to understand and encourageme in ways that my friends and familyoutside of the program cannot.

Being a school counselor-in-trainingis exciting, fulfilling, and challenging. Inexchange for sacrifices and hard work, Iknow that I am perfecting the skills I needto improve the lives of my students. How-ever, even the most exceptional skills areweakened when personal wellness isneglected.

Fellow trainees, I invite you to trysome of my strategies and find your per-sonal path to wellness. Your success inthis endeavor will make you not only ahappier, healthier person, but also astronger school counselor. ■

Making Career Preparation Workfor Students

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has released amajor report, “Opportunities and Options: Making Career PreparationWork for Students,” through its Career Readiness Task Force to bringa renewed focus to the issue of career development education forALL students.

The taskforce analyzed leading career preparation practices in the U.S.and abroad and identified specific policies states must adopt to dra-matically improve the preparation of their high school graduates.

The three high level recommendations in the report include:

1. Enlist the employer community as a lead partner in defining thepathways and skills most essential in today’s economy.

2. Set a higher bar for the quality of career preparation programs,enabling ALL students to earn a meaningful postsecondarydegree or credential.

3. Make career readiness matter to schools and students by priori-tizing it in accountability.

SAVE THE DATE!MASCA Annual

Spring ConferenceApril 7, 2015

JANUARY 2015 7

Social Media and Older AdultsBy Joe FitzGerald, Ed.D., MASCA VP Retirees

I have spent some time looking intosocial media and how that impacts

retirees, but I have not found a way totranslate that to our group. I do knowthat the interest in using social media isthere and the use of it has potential forseniors, particularly because it is a goodway to communicate. I am not com-pletely sure, however, about how to bestuse it or how it can be effectively usedby all counselors no matter their status.

I have gotten a good feel for the tech-nology interests of older adults and havefound that, while they are still interestedin learning how to use their computers,many are moving toward tablets: Kindles,iPads, tablets, and smartphones.

Once they have these devices, they tendto find that they can use them to accesssocial media such as Facebook, Skype,FaceTime, etc. Although they are notsocial media technically, older adults alsoshow great interest in learning how touse the Internet and e-mail more effec-tively. I know this because of my workwith the older adults who have takencourses in our non-profit Senior Com-puter Learning Center program (SCLC).

SCLC started out as a technology pro-gram that taught older adults how to usetheir computers, but it has evolved intoa program that reflects the high interestin the use of social media. It makes sense.Seniors like to communicate, and thesekinds of social media allow this to hap-pen. Ten to twenty years ago we couldnot do this in the comfort of our homeor workplace. That was the realm of sci-ence fiction. The fiction, however, hasbecome a reality.

Our program, run by volunteers, hasfielded about 20 courses that serve ap -proximately 150 students each session.My curriculum proposal for 2015 in -cludes: Internet and E-mail, Using theKindle, iPad, & iTunes, FaceTime (Apple’s

version of Skype), and Tablets & Smart-phones. Facebook has been very popular,and we will expand it in the next term.We are also looking into Twitter be causeof the short messages that often haveimportant links in the messages.

In the last column, I thought I coulduse the MASCA website for an idea re -garding the use of Twitter for retirees.That idea has not panned out the way Ithought it would for many reasons, not

the least of which is my time and a tech-nology transition within MASCA. I havestarted to pursue Twitter by getting my“forgotten password” and looking intoa program on how to use it at the Twit-ter site.

At the MASCA Spring Conference Iwould like to plan a session on socialmedia for retirees. The moderate use ofsocial media can really keep us retireesin the MASCA loop. ■

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDNEWBURYPORT, MA

PERMIT NO. 96

Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc.COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Sally Ann Connolly, Editor

IN CASE OF NON-DELIVERY, RETURN TO:Donna M. BrownP.O. Box 366Bryantville, MA 02327

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Counselor's Notebook, January 2015

Documents

Transcript of Counselor's Notebook, January 2015