Counselor's Notebook, December 2013

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION DECEMBER 2012VOL. 49, NO. 4

MASCA

Happy Holidays from MASCA!

JENNIFER LISK

Those Three Little WordsBy JENNIFER LISKMASCA President

I f you work in the education field, youhave heard these words countless

times. If you are a parent, you have heardthem even more. Often, these three wordsare used as a too quick answer or anexcuse. Sometimes, though, these threewords can lead to the best educationalexperiences a person can have.

“I don’t know” when used as an ex -cuse to not really answer a question orto be deliberately vague does not furtheranyone’s learning experience. All of ushave had a student in our office whereyou draw on all of the counseling skillsthat you have to try to change that ver-bal shrug into a conversation. I wouldventure that all of us have also had a stu-dent who isn’t willing to try somethingbecause they might not succeed at it.

This concept of embracing “I don’tknow” did not come easily to me. Assomeone whose brain is wired to achieve

well in many of the ways that schoolsexpected you to, I usually did know theanswer. Being introduced to the work ofCarol Dweck in graduate school was eye-opening to me. Her work distinguishesbetween a fixed mindset and a growthmindset. Looking at students (and our-selves) through a growth mindset expectsgrowth and improvement based on dedi -ca tion and effort rather than being “smart”

or “not smart.” That dedication and effort oftentimes

requires saying “I don’t know.” It is know-ing when to ask for help and recognizingthat it is not a sign of weakness to do so.It is knowing that you will often learnmore from asking a question than stay-ing silent. It is knowing that we all havestrengths and weaknesses.

I recently read an article from the localNPR station that talked about a teacherwho started expectations for an AP classwith this same message. While it wasn’teasy to do because many of these studentshad been praised continually for know-ing the answers, it made a difference inher students.

I encourage you to model this for yourstudents. Encourage them to use “I don’tknow” to help themselves become betterstudents and citizens. ■

Honors for Fredrickson(Reprinted from UMass Amherst: The Magazine for Alumni and Friends, Fall 2012)

I n 1958, the year after the launch ofSputnik, the federal government de -

cided that one way to overtake the Sovietsin space was to better prepare students inmath and sciences. The National DefenseEducation Act was created to fund collegeeducation programs and prepare schoolcounselors to guide students into thedis ciplines essential for a robust spaceprogram.

At the time, Ronald H. Fredricksonwas a graduate student at the Universityof Wisconsin-Madison. In 1963 he joinedthe faculty of the UMass Amherst Schoolof Education and became a leader in the

preparation of school counselors andcounseling research. “I was always in ter -ested in answering the questions ‘Sowhat? Are we doing any good? Andwhat are the outcomes of our efforts?’ ”he says. He pursued this interest andhelped build recognition for the impor-tance of school counselors.

Fredrickson, who retired in 1992, for-tified his work with research. In his 29years of teaching, Fredrickson laid thegroundwork for founding the Center ofSchool Counseling Outcome Research.The center, the nation’s only one of itskind, will bear his name after a couple,

who wish to remain anonymous, madea $100,000 gift to the center. The RonaldFredrickson Center of School CounselingOutcome Research and Evaluation cele-brated its tenth anniversary in October.

John C. Carey, director of the center,says the gift will strengthen the center’sability to disseminate its research to prac-titioners around the country . . . . “Thisgift ul timately will help improve the edu-cation of thousands of students whosecounselors will have knowledge of bestpractices,” says Carey. ■

2 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

MASCA Spring Conference KeynoterMandy Savitz-Romer, Ph.D.

• Lecturer on education and director of the Prevention Science andPractice (PSP) program at Prospect Hill Academy Charter School

• Co-author of Ready, Willing, and Able: A Developmental Approachto College Access and Success (Harvard Education Press, April 2013)

Cook to leadextended workshop

JILL COOK

I n the nearly ten years since The ASCANational Model: A Framework for

School Counseling Programs was origi-nally re leased, both education and theschool counseling profession have evolved.The Model, consequently, has been re -vised and enhanced to reflect currenteducation practices.

You can learn about the scope ofchanges by attending Jill Cook’s Ex tend -ed Workshop Session on Monday at theMASCA Spring Conference.

Cook, Assistant Director of ASCA,over sees the ASCA resource center andbook acquisitions. She also co ordinatesthe Recognized ASCA Model Program(RAMP) and the School Counselor of theYear program.

Cook has represented ASCA on sev-eral boards and advisory committees, in -cluding The Prevention Researcher, TheIris Center, The Red Cross Disaster Men-tal Health Partners, the Personnel Short-ages Coalition, Partners 4 Education, andthe National Research Center for Collegeand University Admissions. Currently sheis Chair of the National Consortium forChild and Adolescent Mental HealthServices.

A former music teacher, middle schoolcounselor, and assistant principal in NorthCarolina, Cook earned bachelor’s andmaster’s degrees in school counseling fromthe University of North Carolina at ChapelHill and has completed postgraduatework at Appalachian State Universityand the University of North Carolina atGreensboro. ■

2012 – 2013 OFFICERS

PRESIDENTJENNIFER LISKMedway High School, Medway, MA 02053Tel. 508-533-3228 x5107 • Fax 508-533-3246E-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENTMICHELLE BURKEBeverly High School100 Sohier RoadBeverly, MA 01915-2654Tel. 978-921-6132 x11107E-mail: [email protected]

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

VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARYJACQUELINE BROWNEast Somerville Community School42 Prescott Street, Somerville, MA 02143Tel. 617-625-6600 x6517 • Fax 617-591-7906E-mail: [email protected]

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

VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARYCARRIE KULICK-CLARKBraintree High School128 Town Street, Braintree, MA 02184Tel. 781-848-4000 ext 2273 • Fax 781-848-7799E-mail: [email protected]

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

VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORSTBA

VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORSMEGAN KRELL, 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]

SECRETARYJENNIFER McGUIREUpper Cape Cod Regional Technical School220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA 02532Tel. 508-759-7711 x247 • Fax 508-759-5455E-mail: [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORDEBORAH CLEMENCEP.O. Box 805, East Dennis, MA 02641E-mail: [email protected]

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

DECEMBER 2012 3

HEALTH AND SAFETY: NEWS & VIEWS

From Cradle to GraveBy SALLY ANN CONNOLLY

MASCA Counselor’s Notebook Editor

Research continues to show that ni trates, which are found in cured meats, ad -versely affect health.

Dr. Suzann DeLaMonte, Brown Med ical School neuropathologist, and othershave found “a strong association be tween nitrates and neural effects. Nitrates, whenheated, form the amino acid nitro sa mine, which impairs how cells interact with in -sulin.” (Deborah Kotz, “Is Alzheimer’s disease akin to type 3 diabetes?” The Boston Globe, October 8,

2012, 10G) Researchers also continue to find a probable link between nitrates and dia -betes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.

Families alone cannot be relied upon to foster good eating habits. Recently, I nearlygagged when I overheard the conversation of two caregivers. Because the preschoolerbeing discussed was a “picky” eater, that day for both lunch and supper the child wouldbe getting her favorite food, hot dogs.

Educators need to step in. First and fore most, nitrate-laden processed meats such ashot dogs, bologna, salami, and bacon should be removed from all school menus. ■

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Persistent marijuana uselinked to IQ decline“Persistent cannabis users who startedusing the drug before age 18 show anaverage IQ decline of 8 points and othersigns of impaired mental functioning byage 38, according to world-first researchemerging from the University of Otago’slong-running Dunedin MultidisciplinaryStudy.

The Study has followed the progressof 1000 Dunedin-born people since theirbirth in 1972/73 and is one of the mostdetailed studies of human health and dev -elopment ever undertaken.”

— Madeline H. Meier et al., University of Otago,“Persistent Cannabis Users Show Neuropsycholog-ical Decline from Childhood to Midlife,” http://www.otago.ac.nz/news/news/otago036606.html,Accessed August 31, 2012.

Link between indoor tanningand skin cancer confirmed“Indoor tanning is associated with a sig-nificantly increased risk of both basal andsquamous cell skin cancer. The risk ishigher with use in early life (<25 years).This modifiable risk factor may accountfor hundreds of thousands of cases ofnon-melanoma skin cancer each year inthe United States alone and many moreworldwide. These findings contribute tothe growing body of evidence on the

harms of indoor tanning and supportpublic health campaigns and regulationto reduce exposure to this carcinogen.”

— “Indoor tanning and non-melanoma skincancer: systematic review and meta-analysis,”British Medical Journal, http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.e5909, Published October 2, 2012.

Extra sleep pays offA study in Pediatrics (November 2012)shows that only twenty-seven extra min-utes of sleep per night can make a school-aged child “brighter and more produc-tive the following day.”

“Kids who slept that extra amounteach night were less impulsive, less easilydistracted, and less likely to have tempertantrums or cry often and easily. By con-trast, losing just shy of an hour’s worthof sleep had the opposite effects on be -havior and mood.”

— Denise Mann, “A Little Bit of Extra Sleep PaysOff Big for Kids,” WebMD Health News, http://children.webmd.com/news/20121015/little-extra-sleep-pays-off-kids, Accessed October 15, 2012.

Obesity problem growsTwo nonprofit organizations report that“nearly half of adults in Massachusetts—49 percent—are projected to be obese by2030 if the current trajectory continues.”

— Kay Lazar, “Rising obesity rate could driveup Bay State’s health care costs,” The Boston Globe,September 24, 2012, G11. ■


Standing Room OnlyBy JAN TKACZYK, M.Ed., CAGS

MASCA Past Executive Director

P arents love to attend sports eventsand musical recitals at our schools.

Unfortunately, their enthusiasm does notextend to educational programs concern-ing substance abuse prevention, studyskills, and career awareness. In fact, fam-ily attendance at student-focused meetingsmay be difficult to achieve.

The stories of diminished parent/familyinvolvement in students’ education con-tinue. Busy schedules, economic and timeconstraints, and cultural issues are stillmajor barriers to strong school-familyconnections. Technology is a big help, butnothing can replace in-person communi-cation whose purpose is to focus on im -proving student success.

Effective communication is a two-waystreet. We need to reach out and we mustprovide opportunities for parents to reachin and get involved. Advisory boards, vol-unteering, and helping to coordinate par-ent programs are just a few of the waysparents /guardians can become active.

Let’s take a look at the initial steps toincrease parent engagement and improvetwo-way communication. Where parent-school collaboration has improved, I’veseen the implementation of the follow-ing four steps.

Step 1: SurveysSurvey your parents and families to de -ter mine the following:

• What is currently working to makethem feel included?

• What are they currently involved inthat empowers them to feel connected tothe learning community?

• What programs add value and whatdo they think should be added?

• What are the barriers that preventtheir participation?

An easy way to facilitate a parent sur-vey is to include it at orientation whenstudents are entering grade one, five, ornine. Provide time for them to completethe survey and turn it in before leaving.Include the survey as part of the welcomepacket for all new families. You can alsoadd a survey when sending out reportcards by regular mail, student, or e-mail.

Ask those already participating in ad -visory boards, booster clubs, and specialevents to provide parent-to-parent testi-monials. These can be included in a two-sided flyer to encourage increased par-ticipation. Include these in your packetsfor all parents.

Parent /Guardian testimonials allowother potentially interested parties to hearfirsthand about the benefits and re wardsof participating in school counseling-related activities. They can share howeasy it was for them to join in and per-sonally invite new parents to come onboard. They can promote the schoolcounseling program from a vantage pointthat is up close and personal.

Step Two: ProgramsParent Programs are a terrific opportunityto both connect with parents /guardiansand to provide them meaningful infor-mation and support. And what a terrificway to connect them with important agen-cies and resources in your community.You can easily begin by offering two pro-grams a year. Your surveys will informyou on high priority topics.

Your understanding of time and trans -portation barriers will allow you to max-imize attendance by addressing these issuesas much as possible. Some topics parentsmay be interested in include: Internetand social media awareness, substanceabuse prevention, legal issues for court-involved youth, college/career readiness,and grade level transition. Your surveywill guide you.

Schedule your programs in conjunctionwith sports events, student musical /

JAN TKACZYK

DECEMBER 2012 5

theatrical performances, and commu-nity events held at the school. Wheneveryou have the possibility of a strong familypresence, use it to your advantage andget in front of them!

Step 3: ResourcesNot everyone will be able to attend after-noon, evening, or weekend programs. Pro-vide resources on your website, parentflyers, and blast e-mails. Parents need helpwith everything from information on localmental health facilities to the ins and outsof social media, from college/career plan-ning and financial aid to signs of bullying.Make your school counseling website avaluable location for this information,and you will be educating your familiesin many important ways.

Webinars are another way to reach outto parents who have difficulty coming tothe school for programs. This does notnecessarily mean that you will have toproduce webinars. Take advantage of thosethat are developed by your local agenciesand have the link on your web page.

FAQs on your website help parentsquickly gather basic information. Theyare also a time saver for both you and theparent/guardian. Your voicemail messagecan encourage them to click on this sec-tion to determine if the information theyseek is located there. But remember, re -turning phone calls the same day or nolater than twenty-four hours goes a longway in demonstrating the importance inbuilding parent connections.

Step 4: FlexibilitySo, you’ve done all of the above and stillfeel that you are not connecting with asmany families as you would like. Now isthe time for “outside the box” thinking.

Flex hours are being applied by manyschool counseling departments to meetthe needs of working parents, those with-out school-age children, and those whocan’t be there during normal school hours.

Here is one school’s application ofthis idea:

First, they gathered the results fromtheir parent survey showing that parentswould like to meet with their student’sschool counselor, but were not availableduring the typical office hours. They thenshared this data with the principal andthe teachers union, along with a strategythat could address the issue.

Permission was granted to test-pilot thenew hours for one marking period andto advertise with all constituents. One

night each week, the school counselingoffice stayed open until 7:00 p.m. Parentswere given the schedule and asked to makeappointments ahead of time. Two schoolcounselors were assigned each week. Theirworkday that day was from noon until7:00 p.m. instead of 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.They still worked the same number ofhours, but in a way that was more ac -commodating to all parents /guardians.Any time that wasn’t scheduled for parentmeetings was used for home phone calls.

It was critical to collect process, per-ception, and outcome data during the pilot

phase. The results were all positive andmade it clear that parents were not onlyimpressed with the school counselors’willingness to meet their needs but alsomaking excellent use of this new option.

I hope you find these ideas useful.Reach out to your parents to hear whatthey need. Provide them what they needusing technology, existing programs, andsome ingenuity. Collect data along the way.

Remember: Evaluations are essentialif you want to determine value and suc-cess of all your efforts to include parentsin their students’ educations. ■


MASCA Website UpdateBy JOE FITZGERALD, Ed.D., MASCA Technology Committee Chair

JOE FITZGERALD

A t the recent MASCA Fall Conference,I received a good dose of technology

just by talking with our webmaster. Hetook me on a little tour of a feature ofthe MASCA website that has the poten-tial to be useful for all of us.

We have a section of the website called“Forums,” and it has topics already therethat can be written about. I started (andnever finished) one on retirees and lifelonglearning. I did not realize that I couldwrite articles that might be of interest toretirees or those planning to retire.

Once you log in with your memberusername and password, you need to goto the Resources tab on the Home page,and when the dropdown list appears,click on Forums. The Index tab on theForums page lists the general areas thatmake up the forums at the present time.The beauty of this feature is that youcan become a contributor in any of theareas. It is a typical word processing pageand easy to navigate. You can reply tovarious articles or add a topic and writeyour own article.

Currently, topics include: Advocacy,MA Model, Tools Counselors Use, Pro-fessional Development, MA CounselorLi censing, Graduate Students, Re sourcesfor Retirees, Site Questions and Answers,and Take Five.

Recently, I finished a short paragraphon technology educational opportunitiesfor retirees in the Resources for Retireesforum. When I went back to the Homepage and to Resources-Forums-Index-Re -sources for Retirees, my short edit wasthere under the Educational Opportuni-ties topic that I originally put there.

This is a relatively new feature thatwill be only as good as the contributionsmade by you, our MASCA members.Read, write, or respond in Forums. Wewelcome your participation. ■

Reminderfrom MASCA

Check your membershipexpiration date on the mailing

label of this issue of CN.Renew your membership at

www.masca.org.

Stay informed.Visit MASCA’s

website regularly.

www.masca.org

DECEMBER 2012 7

College-opoly: The College GameBy AMY MELLOR, Master’s Student in School Counseling, Bridgewater State University

THE INTERN’S TALE

The college application process is astressful time for students, parents,

and counselors alike. The phrase, “I didn’tthink my freshman and sophomore yearwere important,” seems to be uttered bymore and more seniors each year. Tryingto help students put as much effort intotheir beginning years of high school asthey do their final years, is an issue thatmany school counselors deal with eachacademic year.

How does a school counselor solve thisdilemma? In my case, the counselor asksthe intern.

One of my supervising school coun-selors in the office asked me to helpdevelop a curriculum that could be usedwith freshman classes as a part of aSchool Counseling Core Curriculum. Thecurriculum needed to illustrate the chal-lenges and competitiveness of getting intocollege and address the importance of allfour years in high school.

After finding myself struggling to pulla creative idea out of the recesses of mybrain, I turned to my peer interns in mypracticum course. Collaboratively, webrain stormed the idea of making a gamethat would be fun, interactive, and edu-cational. Monopoly was brought to thetable. It was decided that the parallelsbetween buying properties and findingeconomic success to getting into collegewere close enough that students couldconnect with the game.

Motivated by the idea and desire tocreate an original game, I began the pro -cess of creating College-opoly. It startedwith a blank PowerPoint slide, a list ofcolleges frequently attended by ourschool’s student population, and a print -out of the original Monopoly game board.Seventy slides and more hyperlinking thanI had done in my entire academic careerlater, College-opoly had come to life.

Logistically, students must play fourrounds (much like the four years of highschool) and acquire enough credits anda high enough GPA in order to graduate,be accepted by one of the schools on theboard, and, thus, win the game. Commu-nity Chest and Chance cards are on theboard to either strengthen or weaken thestudent’s college application by raising

or lowering their GPA and adding moreextracurriculars to their application. Stu-dents are also eligible to acquire AP cred-its in their junior and senior years (thirdand fourth rounds).

I created this game to be enlightening.I wanted students to grasp the seeminglyintangible idea of why it is important to

work hard and do their best every yearin high school.

Did I achieve my goal? The verdict isstill out. However, my hope is that thefreshmen I work with now will look backwhen they are seniors and think, “I hadfun playing that College-opoly game. NowI get why I played it in the first place.” ■


School Counseling: A Developing JourneyBy THERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.

MASCA President-Elect

THERESA COOGAN

When you stop and look at the time -line, you realize that the field of

School Counseling is actually very young,much like many of the fields within thecounseling profession. The field of SchoolCounseling, however, has experiencedcontinual changes, which have, in part,contributed to growing confusion of theunique and critical role a School Coun-selor plays in the PreK-12 schools.

The field grew out of a need for voca-tional counseling to better prepare ouryouth for career plans while they were inprimary and secondary school. It beganas an ancillary service added on to teach-ers’ duties and eventually grew into thestand-alone profession with its own grad-uate-level professional training programthat we know of now.

Throughout all of these role changes,the title and duties continued to evolve.Our state organization, MASCA, workstirelessly with the Department of Elemen-tary and Secondary Education and manyschools throughout the Commonwealthto clarify the role of the ProfessionalSchool Counselor and to demonstratewhy counselors are an integral compo-nent to the success of students and ourcommunity.

A brief historyThe following will provide a brief ex -ploration of the history of the field ofSchool Counseling in American publiceducation in order to help us appreciatethe journey School Counselors have beenon. My hope is that this will provideclarity as we continue forward.

Let’s start in 1907 in Michigan withJesse B. Davis, an educator and principal,who is known as the first person to es tab -lish a school-wide guidance program. Hefocused on providing lessons about voca-tional and moral guidance to all gradelevels to accompany the curricula beingtaught in his schools. Using a large groupdelivery system, his program would pushinto English classes for one period perweek.

Two years later and closer to home inBoston, we see Frank Parsons’ contribu-tions focused on vocational counseling,primarily with immigrant youth whoneeded to obtain jobs quickly. His goalwas to identify core elements about anindividual’s personality that he called“traits” and match them with occupa-tions available in the early 1900’s. Theinitial vocational counseling service pro-vided was often one-directional advicepassed down to the student or youth.

Today, School Counselors get to knowstudents holistically and assist themthrough the decision-making process,thus helping them to learn life skills thatthey can transfer into other areas. Al -

DECEMBER 2012 9

though the content area of vocational /career counseling is still as critical todayas it was during our formative years, theprocess and role of the counselor arevastly different.

The years 1916 and 1917 saw two keypieces of legislation passed that signifi-cantly impacted and improved our publiceducation school systems. The U.S. childlabor laws in 1916 made it mandatoryfor all children to complete at least ele-mentary education as a way to preventmisuse of child factory workers. The fol-lowing year, The Smith-Hughes Act man-dated continual focus on vocational guid-ance in public schools, following in theefforts of Jesse B. Davis nearly ten yearsearlier. A cornerstone of our professionwas being cemented; these events estab-lished the clear bond between vocationand school guidance that would be a keyfoundational element in this profession.

In the 1930’s, Edmund Williamsonprovided us with the first guidance-relatedtheory connecting job analysis and indi-vidual differences. Although similar toParsons, Williamson looked at the matterfrom within a school setting. The roots ofthe field were becoming firmly planted inthe American education system as we werecontinuing to hone the services offered.Now we had a theoretical model to in -form the practice as well.

In 1958, the United States governmentwanted to engage our public school sys-tems by identifying gifted students in theareas of math and science, so that we couldcontinue to be competitive in the “raceto space.” The result was the NationalDefense Education Act (NDEA).

To meet the initiatives and goals ofthe NDEA, a new full-time position wascreated for public schools called a “Vo -cational Guidance Counselor.” No longerwould this be an ancillary service addedonto teachers’ duties. The role focusedprimarily on vocational planning andmatching the students’ academic goalswith that plan as needed.

Also during that time, Warren Benson,head of the guidance section of the Mass-achusetts Department of Education, pro-posed that NDEA funds be sent directlyto public schools in the Commonwealth,rather than being funneled through new lycreated offices within the state government.

This focus on schools and direct ser-vice to the students was a key factor forthe creation of the Massachusetts SchoolCounselors Association— the state pro-fessional organization of this new fieldin American public education. MASCA

became one of the state divisions of theAmerican School Counselor Association(ASCA) in 1960 and has been a strongvoice for the field ever since.

The present and the futureEven in the 21st century, School Coun-selors continue to face challenges andstruggles around role ambiguity issues.Some still see the role of the School Coun-selor as being more closely connected toits original form focused on vocationalguidance, with clerical and advising workpeppered throughout.

That role description retired decadesago. The Professional School Counselorof the 21st century has expanded in breadthand depth of skills, services, and training.We are now critical school personnel whoare trained to assist students with career,academic, and personal / social relatedissues through both prevention and in -tervention efforts. We recognize that allof these areas impact students’ abilities tobe successful in the school environment;and with an understanding of develop-mental growth among children and ado-lescents, we strive to assist each studentto meet his or her potential.

The field of School Counseling has

grown leaps and bounds from where westarted a little more than a century ago.We have

• undergone at least two formal namechanges, shifting from “Vocational Gui -dance Counselor” to “Professional SchoolCounselor” in 1980;

• established and developed a profes-sional organization unique to this field:ASCA on the national level and our statedivision of MASCA;

• transformed what the role is, alongwith the daily responsibilities and re quire -ments for licensure; and

• contributed to the larger need tohave a Counselor Education training fieldto appropriately prepare practitioners forthis work.

I am very proud to be a member ofMASCA. I encourage you to get involvedand support the field of School Coun-seling.

Please join us in continuing to growthe voice of this profession throughoutMassachusetts and the country, so thateveryone knows what it means to be aProfessional School Counselor and thenumerous ways PSC’s make all of ourschools better places for our children tosucceed. ■


Bullying in Schools: Legislative UpdateBy SHANNON DORAN

MASCA Advocacy Committee Chair

SHANNON DORAN

A s many of you know, Sirdeaner LynnWalker was the keynote speaker at

the recent MASCA conference. In 2009,her son, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, tookhis life in response to bullying. With de -ter mination to keep other children andparents from having to experience thissame tragedy, Sirdeaner came to the con-ference to share her moving story, bigheart, and undeniable wisdom. Hercourage and compassion inspired listen-ers to persist with even greater resolve inthe important work of eliminating bully -ing in schools.

In honor of Sirdeaner’s moving journeyand the important work that she andGLSEN are doing to address this issue,it feels especially appropriate to providean update on House Bill 3584: An actrelative to bullying in schools. This pro-posed legislation is intended to bolsteranti-bullying legislation that was passedin 2010. Specifically, it is designed to en -sure that adequate safeguards are in place

for those groups of students who havehistorically experienced higher incidencesof bullying: LGBTQ students, studentswith disabilities, and other disadvantagedstudents.

The good news is that this piece oflegislation has come very far in the leg-islative process. This past May, H.3584was combined with a compatible bill,Senate Bill 219, to become H.4063. Thisrevised bill appeared in the Journal of theHouse Clerk, which is referred to as “thefirst reading.” It has also made it through

the second reading; the bill was presentedto the House during formal session. Atthe time this article was written, recordsshow that H.4063 was recommended bythe House for a third reading. This is thestage of the legislative process whereHouse Representatives from across thestate gather during formal session todebate bills and vote on whether or notit should proceed through the legislativeprocess.

If the House approves the bill duringthe third reading, it will have to passthrough the very same process in theSenate before it can reach the desk of thegovernor and get signed into law. Un -fortunately, the legislative process takestime, and this legislative cycle ends inJanuary. Since lawmakers will only bemeeting in formal session for a very lim-ited amount of time between now andthe next legislative cycle, only a few crit-ical bills will be brought for a vote dur-ing this time.

If you believe that this is an especiallycritical issue, please visit http://www.malegislature.gov and type “H.3584” inthe search field. If the History field saysthat the bill is still in the House, contactyour local House Representative. If thebill has made it to the Senate or SenateClerk, contact your local Senator. Tell himor her why this bill is important accord-ing to your experience, school data, andany research you have on the subject.

Whether this bill passes during thislegislative cycle or not, the fact that thisbill made it this far bodes well for thislegislation if it should be resubmittedfor consideration during the next legis -lative cycle. Therefore, if you are partic-ularly passionate about this topic, pleasecontact [email protected] to get incue to organize advocacy on behalf of thiscause. If you would like more bullyingprevention and intervention resources toaugment the work you are already doingin schools, the Department of Elementaryand Secondary Education webpage is anexcellent place to start: http://www.doe.mass.edu/bullying. ■

MASCA MembershipThe Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA) is dedicated toproviding information and services that will support the counseling profession.Joining MASCA not only keeps counselors connected and informed but alsostrengthens the guidance profession as a whole.

MASCA Membership Benefits:

• Your support of MASCA initiatives, which include professionaldevelopment and advocacy for all counselors

• Subscription to the Counselor’s Notebook, mailed to you monthly whenschool is in session and available online

• Reduced rates at fall and spring conferences

• Subscription to the MASCA e-mail list for timely updates andinformation

• Access to online database of all MASCA members

• Opportunities to participate on a variety of MASCA committees

Apply online and pay by credit card or by check. To renew or to join, go to:

www.masca.org

WHY THOUSANDS OF STUDENTSCHOOSE NEW ENGLAND TECHEACH YEAR.

We’re More Than YouThink We Are

800.736.7744www.neit.edu

New EnglandInstitute of TechnologyAmerica’s Technical College®

ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREES BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREES

MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREES

AMERICA’S AUTOMOTIVE COLLEGE®

Associate in Science Degrees

Bachelor of Science Degree

NEW ENGLAND TECH is AFFORDABLE. The lowest tuition of anyprivate college in Rhode Island. Meet with our Financial Aid staffto discuss your individualized Financial Aid package. Ask aboutMilitary and Veterans benefits as well.

NEW ENGLAND TECH is ACCESSIBLE. The admissions process issimple. We're with you every step of the way, helping you to reach yourgoal with superior technical training.

NEW ENGLAND TECH is FOCUSED. Hands-on, technical educationwith a college degree that employers want. Learn from instructorswith “real world” experience in our innovative labs.

NEW ENGLAND TECH is ACCELERATED. Earn your Associate inScience Degree in as little as 18 months or your Bachelor of ScienceDegree in as little as three years.

NEIT does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex or disability.

One New England Tech BoulevardEast Greenwich, RI 02818-1205

Auto BodyAutomotiveAutomotive Collision RepairAutomotive High Performance

Automotive Service Management

NEW! Information TechnologyOccupational Therapy

ON-LINE PROGRAMNEW! RN to BSN

Applied Technical StudiesArchitectural Building EngineeringAviation Science / Flight TrainingBuilding Construction and CabinetmakingBusiness ManagementClinical Medical AssistantCriminal Justice TechnologyElectricalElectrical Technology with Renewable Energy SystemsElectronic Health RecordsElectronic Systems Engineering TechnologyGame DesignGame Development and Simulation ProgrammingGraphics, Multimedia and Web DesignHealth Information Management TechnologyHeatingInformation TechnologyInterior DesignMarineMechanical Engineering TechnologyNetwork Engineering and Computer ServicingNursingOccupational Therapy AssistantPhysical Therapist AssistantPlumbingRefrigeration / Air ConditioningRespiratory Care TechnologySoftware EngineeringSurgicalVeterinary TechnologyVideo and Audio Production

Architectural Building EngineeringBusiness ManagementConstruction ManagementCriminal Justice TechnologyNEW! Cyber Security TechnologyDigital Recording ArtsNEW! Electrical Engineering TechnologyGame Development and Simulation ProgrammingHealth Care ManagementInformation TechnologyInterior DesignMechanical Engineering TechnologyNetwork Engineering and Computer ServicingSoftware Engineering

DECEMBER 2012 11

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:Deborah ClemenceP.O. Box 805East Dennis, MA 02641

Your membership renewal date is indicated by year and month on your address label above.To renew your membership, go to MASCA’s website, www.masca.org.

MASCA Governing Board 2012-2013

Executive Council

Jennifer Lisk [email protected]@masca.org

Michelle Burke Past [email protected]

Theresa Coogan, Ph.D. [email protected]

Jacqueline Brown VP [email protected]

VP Middle/Jr. HighMarisa Castello [email protected] Scott [email protected]

Carrie Kulick-Clark VP [email protected]

TBA VP Administrators

John Marcus VP [email protected]

Megan Krell, Ph.D. VP Counselor [email protected]

Joseph Fitzgerald, Ed.D. VP [email protected]

Appointed Members

Donna Brown Executive [email protected]@masca.org

Ashley Caron [email protected]

Jennifer McGuire [email protected]

Deb Clemence Membership [email protected]

Helen O’Donnell, Ed.D. Professional Development [email protected]@att.net

Marla Schay Directory [email protected]

Ron Miller Technology [email protected]@masca.org

Sally Ann Connolly Counselor’s Notebook [email protected]

Documents

Counselor's Notebook, December 2013