MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION JUNE 2012VOL. 48, NO. 10

MASCA

Graduate StudentsShine This Spring

By THERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Counselor Education

Bridgewater State University

(continued on page 4)

O n Sunday, April 29, at the AnnualSpring MASCA conference, grad-

uate students from across the Common-wealth came together to participate in aseries of events created specifically forthose working on their professional train-ing, degree, and/or license in school gui -dance counseling.

The spring conference has tradition-ally been a wonderful forum for practi-tioners to receive professional develop-ment and to network and reconnect withcolleagues from across the state. In thepast three years, specifically, many effortshave been made to transform the servicesprovided to our graduate student mem-bership in order to make this is a valu-able experience for them as well. Studentsare taking advantage of the opportunitiesto excel, and they are shining!

Poster Presentation SessionsEvery spring conference we have one daydedicated to graduate student events.One such event is the Graduate StudentPoster Presentations. The presentationsprocess models what practitioners expe-rience at state, national, and internationalconferences. A formal call for proposalsis made with specific deadlines; propos-als are reviewed, and decisions are madefor accepts and alternates.

In the past two years, the number ofquality applicants has increased to thepoint where we do not have the space toaccommodate all proposals. To solve thisproblem, we held two sessions, one in themorning and one in the afternoon. Evenwith the additional sessions, however, thepool of proposals was competitive.

MASCA Award Winners 2012

From left: Ron Miller, Kathleen Conlon, Christine Soverow, Johanna Smith, andShannon Doran.

MASCA AWARDS 2011-2012Counselor of the Year

Christine Soverow, Easthampton High School

Torch Award: Rising StarKathleen Conlon, JFK Middle School, Springfield

Torch Award: Rising StarJohanna Smith, Lynn Vocational Technical Institute

George Thompson Memorial Scholarship AwardShannon Doran, UMass Amherst

Presidential AwardRon Miller

2 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

2011– 2012 OFFICERS

PRESIDENTMICHELLE BURKEBeverly High School100 Sohier RoadBeverly, MA 01915-2654Tel. 978-921-6132 x11107E-mail: mburke@beverlyschools.org

PAST PRESIDENTCAROLYN RICHARDSSomerville High School81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143Tel. 617-625-6600 x6120 • Fax 617-628-8413E-mail: crichards@k12.somerville.MA.US

PRESIDENT-ELECTJENNIFER LISKMedway High School, Medway, MA 02053Tel. 508-533-3228 x5107 • Fax 508-533-3246E-mail: lisk@medway.k12.ma.us

VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARYJACQUELINE BROWNEast Somerville Community School42 Prescott Street, Somerville, MA 02143Tel. 617-625-6600 x6517 • Fax 617-591-7906E-mail: jbrown@k12.somerville.ma.us

VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGHALBERT MERCADOStacy Middle School66 School Street, Milford, MA 01757Tel. 508-478-1181 • Fax 508-634-2370E-mail: amercado@milfordma.com

VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARYTBA

VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARYJOHN MARCUSDean College99 Main Street, Franklin, MA 02038Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726E-mail: jmarcus@dean.edu

VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORSRUTH CARRIGANWhitman-Hanson Regional High School600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA 02382Tel. 781-618-7434 • Fax 781-618-7098E-mail: ruth.carrigan@whrsd.org

VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORSTHERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, MA 02325Tel. 508-531-2640E-mail: theresa.coogan@bridgew.edu

VICE PRESIDENT RETIREESRALPH SENNOTTP.O. Box 1391, Westford, MA 01886Tel. 978-692-8244E-mail: ralphsennott@hotmail.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORDONNA M. BROWNAdjunct Professor, UMass BostonP.O. Box 366, 779 Center StreetBryantville, MA 02327Tel. 781-293-2835E-mail: browndonnamarie@gmail.com

TREASURERASHLEY CARON25 Belmont Ave., Stoughton, MA 02072Tel. 508-212-0676E-mail: ashcicero@hotmail.com

SECRETARYJENNIFER JUST McGUIREUpper Cape Cod Regional Technical School220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA 02532Tel. 508-759-7711 x247 • Fax 508-759-5455E-mail: jmcguire@uppercapetech.org

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORDEBORAH CLEMENCEP.O. Box 805, East Dennis, MA 02641E-mail: membership@masca.org

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITORSALLY ANN CONNOLLY19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154E-mail: sallyconnolly@att.net

JUNE 2012 3

THE DEADLY TAN: May the war on tanning beds rageRe “End the war on sun” by Jennifer Graham (Op-ed, April 21): The war on sun—and tan-ning beds in particular—has just begun. At least I hope so. A study published this year in theJournal of Clinical Oncology concluded that tanning bed use increases the incidence of can-cer. Looking at 73,494 nurses from 1989 to 2009, researchers said, “Our data provide evi-dence for a dose-response relationship between tanning bed use and the risk of skin cancers,especially [basal cell carcinoma], and the association is stronger for patients with a youngerage at exposure.”

Almost all of us have been touched by cancer, personally or through our relationships.Cancer, some polls show, is our greatest fear. Fortunately, we can make lifestyle changes tolessen the likelihood of becoming victims of some cancers, such as skin cancer.

We must continue to educate our young people about beneficial and harmful doses of sun-light. And if we are serious about promoting health, we should ban tanning salons altogether.

Sally Ann Connolly, Danvers

— Reprinted from Letters to the Editor I Letter I The Deadly Tan, The Boston Globe, April 28, 2012, A10.

Skin Cancer Facts• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, causing nearly half of the cancers in the

United States.• There are three common forms of skin cancer: basal cell and squamous cell (non-melanomas)

and melanoma.• Most non-melanoma cancers occur on sun-exposed areas.• Number of cases each year in the United States: non-melanoma, 2 million; mela noma,

75,000.• Melanoma is the most serious form. • Deaths due each year to: all forms of skin cancer, 12,000; melanoma, 9,000.• Early detection and treatment are essential.

— Information provided by the American Cancer Society (2012) �

4 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

COOGAN (continued from page 1)In addition to the poster sessions, we

held panels geared specifically to gradu-ate student membership. One panel wascomprised of guidance directors, whodiscussed the job outlook in Massachu-setts and of fered strategies for the jobsearch process and the job interview. Anadditional panel centered on strategiesfor transitioning into the first year ofwork as a school counselor.

Planning for the futureMASCA plans to continue these effortsin future conferences, and we are opento hearing from our graduate studentmembership about possible topics.

Graduate Students: Please considerbe coming part of the Annual SpringMASCA Conference next year. It is awonderful event where you get to meetand network with other graduate stu-dents from across the Commonwealth aswell as practitioners in the field. Thereare also many professional developmentopportunities for you through the work -shops and sessions.

This opportunity is open to graduatestudents at every stage of training. Al -though the primary graduate studentevents are commonly held on the firstday of the conference (Sunday), you arewelcome to stay and join us for additionaldays. Whether you submit a proposal forthe Graduate Student Poster PresentationSession or come as an at ten dee, this is agreat experience to put on a resume anda great way to get involved in the schoolcounseling community.

If you are able and willing to give moreto MASCA, several committees invite yourparticipation. Contact President-Elect Jen-nifer Lisk for more information.

Mark your calendars now for January2013, when detailed information aboutthe call for poster presentation proposalswill be posted on MASCA’s website. Top-ics can be based on a research project orformal paper that you have completed inone of your classes. In order to participatein the poster session, you must be a mem-ber of MASCA. The cost of graduate stu-dent membership is minimal, so considerbecoming a member and receive mem-bership benefits now. To sign up, go toMASCA’s website, www.masca.org.

Join us on April 6-8, 2013, as we re -turn to Hyannis for our Spring MASCAConference. �

SAVE THE DATESJuly 10-11, 2012 MA Model Implementation Institute 2012

(Tuesday-Wednesday) Dean College

October 22, 2012 RTTT Fall 2012 College and Career Summit(Monday) Boxboro

October 23, 2012 MASCA Fall Conference(Tuesday) Boxboro

April 7-9, 2013 MASCA Annual Spring Conference(Sunday-Tuesday) Hyannis

April 9, 2013 RTTT Spring 2013 College and Career Summit(Tuesday) Hyannis

JUNE 2012 5

THE INTERN’S TALE: Preventing Bullying in SchoolBy ELAINE KRACOV

Master’s Student in School Counseling, Bridgewater State University

I n 2010, Massachusetts was touted aspassing probably the most compre-

hensive anti-bullying law in the country.The Massachusetts bill requires teachersand other school staff to report bullyingto the principal or another administra-tor picked to handle reports when theysee or become aware of it. It mandatestraining for teachers and staff, every year,on prevention and intervention. It callsfor instruction on heading off bullyingfor students in every grade level as partof the curriculum.

Since the time of this bill passing I haveinterned in two different school districts:one at the middle school level and one atthe high school level. Both have adoptedthe PeaceBuilders program for their dis-tricts. PeaceBuilders is a science-based,research-validated, violence preventioncurriculum and professional developmentprogram for grades pre-K to 12. Its essenceis a common language—six principles,taught, modeled, and practiced. Thesesame principles set behavioral expecta-tions, reduce aggression, and transformthe climate and culture of any environ-ment to one which is cooperative, pro-ductive, and academically successful.

After compiling positive results gleanedfrom pre- and post-survey data collectedfrom a particular PeaceBuilders lesson im -plemented in the classroom for studentsone day, I read the comments made bystudents regarding two questions thatwere given to them as a lesson activity.Although not part of the pre/post resultsrequested by my supervisor, it was im -portant for me to both discover and sharewith you what the high school studentshad to say about online vs. in personconfrontations.

The majority (88%) of participatingstudents chose an in person over an on -line option to settle an argument. Themajority (71%) chose the online over anin person option as easier for confronta-tions. In summary, the survey said: anonline option to confrontation is easierfor students because it provides a phys-ical, mental, and emotional safety net.The in person option to confrontation, for

the most part, allows for authenticity, in-timacy, clarity, maturity, and responsibil-ity in the student’s relationships with peers.

The students’ responses are promising.I see evidence that the majority of ourhigh school students are on the right dev-elopmental track. The lessons they arelearning are the same ones we continue to

learn on different levels as adults. Despitethe social media craze, our youth do un -der stand the value of face-to-face inter-actions with others.

Will bullying ever end? Probably not,but as adults involved in pedagogical ef -forts, we have a responsibility to over-come any indifference to it. �

6 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

ADVOCACY UPDATEProgress in Anti-Bullying Legislation

By NICOLE MURPHY

Malcolm Smith, Ph.D.—Family Edu-cation and Policy Specialist for the

University of New Hampshire’s Cooper-ative Extension—is one of the many ad -vocates who helped pass anti-bullyinglegislation in New Hampshire in 2010.He says: “After many years of research,we have learned that bullying in ourschools and in our society is a much moredamaging and dangerous experience forchildren than we ever suspected. Unfor-tunately, it’s much more widespread andis occurring at an earlier age than everbefore. We’ve also learned that bullyinghas many serious consequences for thechildren who are bullied, for the bulliesthemselves, and for the bystanders whowitness it.”

Currently, there is no federal law thatprohibits bullying in schools. Two fed-eral pieces of legislation, however, havebeen proposed: The Safe Schools Im prove -ment Act (SSIA) and The Student Non -discrimination Act (SNDA). Both lawswould require school districts to imple-ment and report on anti-bullying pro-grams (including cyberbullying). Thoseprograms would also require identifica-tion of characteristics such as sexualorientation and gender identity.

Traditionally, such educational issuesare the domain of the states, and in 2010,Massachusetts took the initiative to be -come one of 46 states to pass anti-bully-ing legislation.

The original K-12 anti-bullying legis-lation in Massachusetts did not includeschool counselors. Fortunately, Gail Oker -man, Sharon Greenholt, and Bob Bard-well advocated with DESE on behalf ofMASCA for counselors to have a “seatat the table” in order to address the per-spective on the profession and studentswe serve.

By the time the bill passed out of theJoint Committee on Education for con-sideration by both Houses, Gail, Sharon,and Bob were involved in conversationwith Anne Gilligan of DESE about theanti-bullying legislation and the degree towhich school counselors are positioned andskilled to address this issue in schools.Gail and Sharon were also involved inbrain storming sessions with DESE about

Guidance on Implementing SEL Curric-ula K-12, so that social-emotional skillsets would be taught in schools to pre-vent relational aggression.

Concern over the bullying of vulner-able populations, especially LGBT youth,has become more apparent in recent years.This hit close to home when an 11-year-old Springfield student hanged himself in2009 after enduring daily taunts aboutbeing gay.

The U.S. Department of Educationhas released a report summarizing anti-bullying legislation at the state level. Itexamines the differences in state lawsand shows that some are far more com-prehensive in how they define bullying.

Increased awareness has resulted inmany states amending their anti-bullyingstatutes to include specific definitions ofbullying. Of the six New England states,Vermont was the first to include an enu-merated definition of bullying in its leg-islation. In 2011, both Connecticut andRhode Island passed amendments to in -clude more comprehensive definitions.Alison Gil, public policy manager for theGay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Net -work, a national advocacy organization,says: “The majority of state model policieswere enumerated, even in states withoutenumerated anti-bullying laws, showingthat state education officials considerthis a critical component, removed fromthe context of political debate.”

Summary of House Bill 3584,Current Amendment toMassachusetts 2010Anti-Bullying Legislation As part of the Massachusetts original anti-bullying legislation, the Legislature es tab -lished an oversight commission chairedby Attorney General Martha Coakley.Rec ommendations from the committeebecame HB 3584. At the end of April, thebill was still making its way through thestate legislature. Its passage would amendMassachusetts current law and require:

• Schools to make explicit in schoolanti-bullying plans that certain enumer-ated categories of students are particularlyvulnerable to bullying and harassment.

• School districts to annually report

bullying incidents data to the DESE.DESE must then compile the data and pub -lish an annual report submitted to theAttorney General and the state legislature.

• DESE to develop a student survey toassess the prevalence, nature, and severityof bullying in schools, which each schooldistrict must administer at least onceevery five years.

• Each school to identify a school of -ficial responsible for receiving reports ofbullying to collect the data and forward-ing them to DESE.

• DESE to analyze the data from eachdistrict in order to identify long-termtrends and areas of improvement and tomonitor bullying prevention efforts inschools over time.

Although our roles and responsibilitiesas school counselors may vary from schoolto school, all of us play an integral partin preventing and addressing bullying in -cidents in our schools. As advocates forour students, our voices must be heard,not just within our schools but withinthe state legislature.

Please visit the MASCA website todayat www.masca.org for an update on thisbill and others relevant to school coun-seling. A call or e-mail to lawmakers aboutchanges that you believe in can have asignificant impact on the well-being andsuccess of students in our schools.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

With contributions by Gail Okermanand Shannon Doran �

Help Stop BullyingThe StopBullying.gov editorial boardhas introduced a revitalized www.stopbullying.gov site. Building onthe momentum started a year agoby the Obama administration andrelaunched in partnership with theDepartment of Education, StopBullying.gov provides action stepsindividuals can take to prevent andstop bullying in their schools andcommunities.— ASCA, ASCA Aspects, www.schoolcounselor.org/

JUNE 2012 7

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

NEWBURYPORT, MAPERMIT NO. 96

Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc.COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Sally Ann Connolly, Editor

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NAME

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADDRESS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CITY ZIP CODESTATE

Send this form 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 Thanks Its SupportersMASCA greatly appreciates the colleges and organizations that

advertise in the Counselor’s Notebook. With their support, MASCAkeeps school counselors informed and up to date. Thank you:

Assumption College Institute for School Counseling

Bay Path College

Bay State College

Curry College

Dean College

Fisher College

Framingham State University

Hofstra University

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

New England Kurn Hattin Homes

New England Institute of Technology

Rivier College

Southern New Hampshire University

Stonehill College

Stony Brook University

UMass Boston

University of Maine

University of New England

Universal Technical Institute

Westfield State University

MASCA AdvocacyCommittee seeks

volunteers

N ew committee members or short-term volunteers are needed so that

the Advocacy Committee can fulfill itsmission. Projects include:

• Planning the annual advocacy eventat the State House,

• Tracking bills relevant to the field,

• Keeping MASCA membership in -formed,

• Organizing e-mail and call cam-paigns to legislators,

• Organizing speakers for legislativehearings,

• Organizing and/or providing writtenand oral testimony at legislative hearings,

• Staffing the Advocacy Table atMASCA conferences.

Involvement in the Advocacy Com-mittee is an exciting way to gain insightinto cutting-edge educational issues andinfluence proposed legislation in supportof students in your town and across thestate. Essentially, the goal is to create acommunication network among MASCAmembers so that we can join in the con-versation at the legislative level as well.All are welcome.

If you are interested, please writeShannonDonanEdu@gmail.com. �