Counselor's Notebook, October 2010

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION OCTOBER 2010VOL. 47, NO. 2

MASCA

Massachusetts School Counselors Association2010 Fall Conference • October 26, 2010

Holiday Inn, Boxboro

50YEARS

1961

2011

MASCA advocatesfor school counselors

By BOB BARDWELLMASCA Advocacy Committee Chair

One of the biggest MASCA newsitems of the summer is that the

Government Relations Committee hasbeen renamed the Advocacy Committee.This change was approved at the AugustMASCA Governing Board meeting.

The concern was that although muchof what we do centers around legislationand working with policy makers, thework of our committee is much morethan that. The new name reflects thismore comprehensive scope and allowsthe committee to reach further with ourefforts to advance school counseling acrossthe Commonwealth.

The good news as of this writing isthat our Bill (HB 4933) is still movingforward. It has been moved out of theHouse Ways and Means Committee,through the House Committee on Steer-ing, Policy and Scheduling; and it nowawaits the go-ahead from the HouseCommittee on Bills in the Third Reading.Pending approval, it can go to the Housefloor for debate.

The only problem is that because theHouse is in informal session, if any leg-islator objects, the Bill dies and must bere-filed in the next session. The goodnews is that most of the legislators we

MASCA and the DESE: A Meeting of the MindsBy MARIA PAOLETTI

Graduate Student Liaison, Fitchburg State University

BOB BARDWELL

(continued on page 4)

Without a doubt, MASCA is movingcloser to building a working part-

nership with the Department of Elemen-tary and Secondary Education. Commis-sioner Chester’s first meeting and opendialogue with the MASCA leaders at theLeadership Development Institute thispast July was a tremendous achievement.

The meeting started with a brief in -troduction by MASCA Past PresidentChristine Evans and attendees, and itwas followed by five-minute presentationsfrom Katie Gray, Albert Mercado-Garcia,Richard Lapan, and Bob Bardwell.

Katie presented her work on MAModel Implentation at the AgawamPublic Schools and the implementationtimeline. Albert provided impressive dataon the success of the Model at MilfordHigh School. Richard described a MASCAstatewide study that he will be conduct-ing on implementation of Model pro-grams across all Commonwealth schools(K-12). His data will align with data thatDESE is seeking, and it will be furnishedto DESE upon completion. Bob servedas moderator and explained that MASCA

is willing, ready, and able to partner withDESE and others in supporting studentachievement and educational reform.

Progress in AgawamOne of Agawam’s goals was to increasethe number of students continuing theirpostsecondary education. For the class of2010, 90% are planning to continue theireducation, compared to 87% in 2007.Aga wam also posted an increase in thenumber of students taking rigorous classesand AP courses. Over the past two years,AP enrollment increased by almost 300%.In addition, the school’s dropout rate of2.2% for 2008-2009 compared favorablyto the state’s average of 2.9%.

Progress in MilfordMilford’s early intervention and educa-tion and career plans have also made apositive difference. Dropout rates im -proved, AP class offerings increased from8 to 16, and the number of special educa-tion and English language learner studentsenrolled in AP classes increased. Milford

(continued on page 6)

GOLDEN PAST

PLATINUM FUTURE

Guest speakers include:

• Dr. Carol Kaffenberger• Dr. Mitchell Chester• Regina Williams Tate, Esq.

To register, use the form on page 16or go to www.masca.org.

2 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

2010 – 2011MASCA OFFICERS

PRESIDENTCAROLYN RICHARDSSomerville High School81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143Tel. 617-625-6600 x6120 • Fax 617-628-8413E-mail: [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECTMICHELLE BURKE100 Sohier RoadBeverly, MA 01915-2654E-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENTCHRISTINE A. EVANSEast Bridgewater High School11 Plymouth Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333Tel. 508-378-5851 • Fax 508-378-8236E-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 HIGHRICHARD WHITEGateway Regional Middle School12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA 01050E-mail: [email protected]

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

VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARYJAY LEIENDECKERVice President Enrollment Services, Dean CollegeTel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726E-mail: [email protected]

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

VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORSTHERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, MA 02325Tel. 508-531-2640E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT RETIREESRALPH SENNOTTP.O. Box 1391, Westford, MA 01886Tel. 978-692-8244E-mail: [email protected]

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

TREASURERTINA KARIDOYANESP.O. Box 1007, Monument Beach, MA 02553Tel. 508-759-3986E-mail: [email protected]

SECRETARYJENNIFER JUST 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]

OCTOBER 2010 3

October 2010

www.masca.org

inside

Published by:Massachusetts School Counselors Association10 issues per year, September through June. The yearlysubscription rate is $30.00. Individual copies are $3.00.

Opinions expressed in the articles published herein representthe ideas and/or beliefs of those who write them and do notnecessarily reflect the views or policies of the MassachusettsSchool Counselors Association, Inc.

The acceptance of an advertisement for publication does notimply MASCA endorsement of the advertiser’s programs,services, or views expressed.

Questions concerning submission of articles, publi cationdeadlines, advertising rates, etc., should be addressed toSally Ann Connolly, Editor.

©2010 by the Massachusetts School Counselors Association.All rights reserved.

MASCA

8 Tweeting AwayBy Donna Brown

9 Updating Your MASCA ProfileBy Joe Fitzgerald

10 A Focus on Student Health

11 Progress Made in the Battle Against Obesity

12 Sleep Deprivation and TeenagersBy Bob Bardwell

14 Students Who Self-InjureBy Jason Kurland

16 MASCA Fall Conference Registration

18 News from MASCA


have spoken to do not think that the Billis controversial. So, mostly likely, it willbe passed during the informal session.Then, it is on to the Senate with similarhoops to jump through.

Other committee updates• Members have been closely in volved

with the state’s Race to the Top applica-tion and generating ideas for school dis-tricts to spend funding on school coun-seling related topics.

• Members of the committee met withstate Rep. Todd Smola (R-Palmer), whoshared ideas about future legislation andeducated us about the legislative process.

• September agenda: ➢ Follow up with DESE contacts

about participation on committees thatdeal with bullying legislation implemen-tation.

➢ Meet with a Research Analystfor the Joint Committee on Education.The purpose is to show how importantschool counselors are in the educationreform movement and to secure a promi-nent place in the legislative process whensuch issues as student achievement, career-

and college-readiness, or bullying comebefore the Legislature. The goal is forMASCA and school counselors to be con-tacted for opinions and ideas, rather thanus having to seek out policy makers.

• Advocacy Training Session, Satur-day, November 20, 2010. MASCA rep-resentatives will participate in the train-ing to be held as part of the ASCANorth Atlantic Regional Meeting inNorwood. To attend, please contact me.

• Leadership Forum on Beacon Hill,March 16, 2011. Mark your calendars.Brian Law, ASCA President-elect, willjoin us, and the Governor will also bein vited to speak.

MASCA survey resultsAt this time I want to comment on theresults of our spring survey. Althoughmost comments were positive and sup-portive of our work, some expressedconcern about the Bill that mandatescareer plans.

The concern is that—in the currentclimate of budget cuts, layoffs, and largercaseloads—how can school counselorstake on another mandated task? I dis-cussed this issue thoroughly in the April

2010 issue of the Counselor’s Notebook(http://www.masca.org/images/counselornotebook/cnapril2010.pdf), but let mesay here that there were not many thingswe could have asked for that did notinvolve money and would still have achance of being written into law. We didsubmit a Bill for a pilot program to studythe effectiveness of school counseling toachieve career and college readiness, butit was quickly pushed aside for the CareerPlan Bill that has no financial cost at -tached to it.

Career plans are already mandated invocational schools and used in dozens ofothers. They are effective and help ourstudents, which is the reason we are inthis business. If career plans become man-dated for all—a manifestation of howimportant and beneficial they are—ad -ministrators MAY take away other duties.

Remember: Nowhere in the statutes ofour Commonwealth do the words “schoolcounselors” appear. With luck, the com-mittee studying career plans will recom-mend implementation of mandatory careerplans AND coordination of these plans bya professional school counselor. This wouldbe the law of the Commonwealth.

BARDWELL (continued from page 1)

SAVE THE DATES!

Advocacy Training SessionSaturday, November 20

_____________

Leadership Forumon Beacon HillMarch 6, 2011

_____________

For information,contact Bob Bardwell

at413-267-4589 x1107

[email protected]

OCTOBER 2010 5

Other comments in the MASCA sur-vey expressed concern about loweringstudent-counselor ratios and requiringcounselors in all schools, particularly atthe elementary level.

Someday this will happen, but we haveto be patient. Our advocacy training hastaught us that we must first become anestablished, credible organization. Onlythen will legislators take us seriously.We have to continue making critical con-tacts. And we have to build a solid foun-dation of trust and coalition in whichschool counselors are sought after for in -formation and opinions regarding edu-cational reform.

More and more, DESE sees us as ateam player and a vital spoke in the stu-dent achievement wheel. We are no longerjust an association of school counselorswho get together to socialize. We are earn-ing respect and appreciation from thosewho are in positions of power and caninfluence policy.

Also remember, we have many yearsof bad public relations to overcome. Eventoday we hear stories about ineffectiveschool counselors. A colleague only re -cently told me about a guidance coun-selor who was caught playing solitairein her office.

“Bad apples” exist in every profession,and stories about them do not help usearn respect and legitimacy. Only whenwe are considered true partners in stu-dent success and achievement, will webe able to submit legislation mandatingschool counselors and set caseloads.

Therefore, I ask for your patience andeven willingness to step forward. Lendyour support to our work. The more peo-ple involved and willing to speak out onissues important to school counseling,the quicker we will achieve our goal.

I could say so much more to supportthe work of the Advocacy Committee. Ido not believe there is any political issuethat commands 100% support. If youdisagree, please do not negate what weare trying to accomplish. We cannot af -ford division within our ranks. If you arebothered by what we are advocating for,please contact me: 413-267-4589 x1107or [email protected]. Iprom ise that together we can find com-mon ground.

Thanks for your support, and staytuned for further developments in ourjourney. Buckle up, for it promises to bean exciting ride. �

Oscar Krichmar, MASCALife Trustee, and his wife,

Lucille, participate in a recentMASCA 50th Birthday

Celebration planning meeting.


plans to continue monitoring, document-ing, and collecting data on programs.

Looking forwardwith the DESE

Commissioner Chester responded favor-ably to the presentations, and he ex pressedinterest in exploring connections. Hepointed out that nationally there is aneducational shift toward college andcareer readiness (Obama K-12 policy),whereas the past administration’s focuswas on accountability. He thinks that theMA Model not only makes sense but isat the “front end of the curve where pol-icy is going.”

Presently in Massachusetts, manycollege and career readiness initiativeshave not been launched, and the ones thathave are not joined together as a coor-dinated effort. The Massachusetts CoreCurriculum, for example, is a minimumset of Carnegie course requirements. Thestate is unique in that legislation does notdefine the minimal high school course-work or minimum number of courses.The only two required subjects are phys-ical education and history.

The Commissioner feels that MCASstandards need improvement. Althoughthe aim of increasing postsecondary en -rollment has been achieved, data showsthat college retention is poor. This leaveseducators wondering whether students areactually ready for college-level courses.

Assessing the Web portalThe Commissioner asked for the Govern-ing Board’s opinion on the state’s freecollege and career Web portal, “YourPlan for College—Get Ready for Lifeafter High School.” Board members com-mented that although some of the portal’sfunctions work, others are not yet com-plete. We are aware that it is a new pro-gram and that developers are continuingto fine-tune features and correct issues.Counselors look forward to when it isready and operating at full capacity.

Gathering dataMASCA can help the DESE, the Com-missioner said, by gathering data onstudents’ perception of their school andeducational experience. The Commis-sioner pointed out that a recent surveyrevealed a disconnect between studentsand adults. Students want four things in

PAOLETTI (continued from page 1)A Meeting of the Minds

MASCA President Carolyn Richardsand Massachusetts Department ofElementary and Secondary EducationCommissioner Mitch ell Chester areshown attending MASCA’s LeadershipDevelopment Institute.

OCTOBER 2010 7

school: (1) to feel physically and psycho-logically safe, (2) to be treated as acad em -ically capable, (3) to receive support forbeing successful in academics, and (4) tobe respected and supported by studentsand adults (in other words, civility anda positive school culture and climate).

While Commissioner Chester ac know -ledged that having this information isimportant, the challenge is how to feedit back to the faculty.

Improving school climateHe stressed, furthermore, that total schooleffort and support is required to makestudents’ school experiences positive andto ensure academic success. Adults mustmodel respect and insist on appropriatebehavior.

Bullying is a part of larger issues suchas school culture and climate, civility,demonstrating respect, tolerance for dif-ferences, and calling students to be ac -countable. The Commissioner said thatALL staff will be required to have annualtraining and all schools will be requiredto adopt a policy and have a plan in placeby December. An online component oftraining will be available soon.

Preventing dropoutWe must also be proactive in dropoutprevention. By identifying which studentsare likely to struggle in later grades andbe more likely to drop out, educators canprovide early intervention, prevention,and support systems. The risk factorsinclude: mobility, discipline problems, ab -sences, retention in grades, and low aca-demic performance.

Supporting and challengingstudentsThe Commissioner emphasized that stu-dents need “intellectual engagement,rigor, and support.” We must focus atten-tion on how to engage them intellectu-ally, how to support them for academicsuccess, and how to improve the pipe -line to AP courses. This is true especiallyfor underrepresented populations. TheCommissioner recommended the MassInsight Education program as a way tohelp achieve these goals. For informa-tion about the program, go to http://www.massinsight.org/about.

Students also need organizational skillsand support as they transition throughthe grades. Students entering ninth grade,

particularly, need transitional programsand help with course selection.

The meeting ended on a positivenote. We wanted to convey that schoolcounselors and the DESE have a mutualinterest in reform and that we want tobe one of the partners in planning andprogramming. We achieved those goals.

When Bob Bardwell asked howMASCA can help, Commissioner Chesterresponded that he will think of MASCAon topics of equity, school climate, and

other programs. Now that Massachu-setts has been awarded Race to the Topfunds, there will be many opportunitiesfor training initiatives.

School counselors are uniquely quali-fied to achieve the goals delineated by theCommissioner. We are the “right-hand”for college- and career-readiness, counsel-ing, and student support. We must con-tinue our role as educational leaders,working with administrators to identifyinitiatives and make plans for studentsuccess. ■


Tweeting AwayBy DONNA BROWN

MASCA Executive Director

Last year when I first opened theTwitter account, I was really unsure

of its usefulness. Would I find that I’dsigned on to read mundane musings aboutthe demise of education by people I didn’tknow, or would I feel I was being heldhostage by my computer as I tried toslog through a gazillion tweets aboutwhat someone had for supper?

Although sometimes the sheer num-ber of tweets is overwhelming, neither isthe case. Rather, I’ve learned a great dealabout education, social media of all types,and incredible resources.

I’ve tried to read most of my tweetsto determine which ones might be of in -terest to other professional counselors,and those I’ve retweeted to my followers.Several recent tweets dealt with usingsocial media in the classroom; and sincemost of us are delivering at least someof our curriculum in the classroom, Ithought I’d share these possibilities.

As a starting point, I recommend read -ing (and downloading) Tools for the 21stCentury Teacher by Michael Zimmer, aTechnology Integration Specialist in Ken-tucky. Zimmer has prepared a basic hand -book of 21st century technologies thatteachers can use in their classrooms—mostly for free. Twitter, Glogster, TitanPad, Wallwisher and Wordle are amongthe tools described, and he has includedsuggestions for use in the classroom as

well as additional resources. This is a longURL, but it’s direct: http://issuu.com/mzimmer557/docs/tools_for_the_21st_century_teacher.

Another must-see is found at www.internettutorials.net, a site that can helpyou understand how the Internet actu-ally works. Included are sections on RSS,social media, and search engines.

Once you feel comfortable with someof the technologies, take a look at www.EduDemic.com and all it has to offer.One list that immediately caught my eyewas “The 100 Best (And Free) OnlineLearning Tools.” As EduDemic says,“You will find a dazzling number of free(open) resources to learn, engage and justmake learning more fun.” This is ab so -lutely true. The list is divided into cate-gories such as “Sharing and Collaborat-ing,” “Open Courseware Search Engines,”and “Online Academic Video Sites.”

Also on EduDemic is “The 35 Best Web2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You.”This list was generated by educators whoare part of a Personal Learning Network(PLN). A member asked, “What are yourtop 5 five web 2.0 tools that you usewith students?” Hundreds of responseswere sent, and the top 35 are listed. Notall are free (or necessarily even cheap),but all are tried and true.

EduDemic also has a companion site,www.EduDatum.com, that has hundredsof snippets of data that can be used inthe classroom or for presentations.

If you would rather learn by watching,there is an excellent site—http://edupln.com/video—that has a wide variety ofapplicable videos.

An excellent one about posting onsocial media and the possible consequen -ces is appropriate for high school stu-dents and can be used as part of a lessonon careers and work readiness: http://edupln.com/video/digital-footprints-your-new.

For some simple, short video expla-nations of tools like Twitter, take a lookat www.commoncraft.com.

Lastly, please join me at http://twitter.com/MASCAExDr. ■

DONNA BROWN

OCTOBER 2010 9

Over the past several weeks, I havebeen receiving e-mail reminders

from the MASCA website that my mem-bership is about to expire and that Ishould renew it online using the link inthe e-mail. It was very simple to do andcertainly was more convenient than mail-ing a form along with a check.

At the end of this email, I happenedto notice the following statement fromDeborah Clemence, MASCA’s Member-ship Coordinator:

“After a review of the information inthe RunMyClub (RMC) system, MASCA’sMembership Management system, we’vediscovered that many member profilesare missing information or contain out-dated information. We use this informa-tion to send out notices that help mem-bers. I encourage you to take a momentat this time to review your profile andcorrect any errors/omissions.”

Updating your Profile is very impor-tant in order to get current informationabout workshops, conferences, and polit-ical action sent directly to you via youre-mail.

To add your information, access theRMC system from the “Members” linkon our website (www.masca.org) or viathe following link, www.runmyclub.com/masca/login.asp. If you have forgottenyour login Username or Password, sim-ply click on the “Click Here” on the log-in page.

Once you are logged into the system,click on “Preferences” at the top of thepage. You will be taken to the “My Pro-file” portion of the site, where you canupdate the fields in your profile. Pay at -tention to the “Membership Info” page.At the bottom is an area where you cancontrol the contact listing options thatother members can view in the MASCADirectory.

I encourage you to update yourinformation and make use of theMASCA web site to keep abreast of yourprofession. ■

Updating YourMASCA Profile

By JOE FITZGERALDMASCA Technology Committee

Chair

Stay informedwith MASCA’s website

You will find information about college fairs,conferences, and resources to assist in your workwith students. Go to www.masca.org/


A Focus on Student Health

Obesity rates in youthMass in Motion — a program designed topromote wellness and prevent obesity —has found that “more than one-third ofthe students in 80 Massachusetts schooldistricts are overweight or obese.” Thepercentage “ranged from a low of 9.6percent in Arlington to a high of 46.6percent in Lawrence.”— http://wbz.cbslocal.com/2010/09/08/

Headaches in teens ST. PAUL, Minn., January 18, 2010 —Teens who are overweight, get little exer -cise or who smoke may be more likely tohave frequent headaches and migrainesthan teens with none of these factors,according to a study published in theAugust 18, 2010, online issue of Neurol-ogy®, the medical journal of the Ameri-can Academy of Neurology.

Teens with all three of the negativelifestyle factors were 3.4 times more likelyto have frequent headaches than thosewith none of the negative lifestyle factors.Of those with all three negative lifestylefactors, 55 percent had frequent head -aches, compared to 25 percent of thosewith no negative lifestyle.

“These lifestyle factors have rarelybeen studied in teens,” said Andrew D.Hershey, MD, PhD, of the University ofCincinnati College of Medicine and amember of the American Academy ofNeurology, who wrote an editorial accom -panying the study. “This study is a vitalstep toward a better understanding oflifestyle factors and potential preventivemeasures that can be taken.”

Academic achievement andnutrition“Long-standing evidence documents thedevelopmental and cognitive benefits ofadequate nutrition, and many studiesconfirm that proper nutrition enhancesacademic achievement….

Since more than 53 million youngpeople spend 13 formative years in thenation’s 121,000 schools, policymakershave taken note that schools are an ap -propriate place to address healthy eatingand to establish healthy habits for life.”

— Promoting Healthy Communitiesand Reducing Childhood Obesity: Legis -lative Options, National Conference ofState Legislatures (March 2009). �

Obesity and health“Obesity kills more Americans every yearthan AIDS, all cancers, and all accidentscombined. It is causing health problemsin children that were unthinkable 30years ago. That is why the AMA is work-ing to halt the spread of obesity,” saidAMA Board Member Mary Anne Mc -Caffree, MD. “As physicians, we knowthe importance of instilling healthy habits

early in a person’s life and getting allfamily members involved in makinghealthy food choices and increasingphysical activity.”— www.medicineandtechnology.com/

2010/09/september-is-national-childhoodobesity.html/

OCTOBER 2010 11

Progress made in the battle against obesityBOSTON – Friday, July 30, 2010 – Gov-ernor Deval Patrick today signed into lawlegislation ensuring that only foods thatmeet established nutritional standards aresold in public schools during school hours.

The law, “An Act Relative to SchoolNutrition” (H 4459), also mandates thatthe Department of Public Health (DPH)create specific food guidelines throughthe regulatory process.

“This law is an important step towardensuring that there are healthy choices forkids at school,” said Governor Patrick. “Iwant to thank our partners in both theLegislature and in the private sector forrecognizing that the health and well-beingof our children is a key part of ensuringa solid foundation for their futures.”

“This law reflects the Patrick-MurrayAdministration’s deep commitment to pro-moting wellness and controlling obesityin the Commonwealth,” said Secretary ofHealth and Human Services Dr. JudyAnnBigby. “It’s significant because it helpschildren develop habits that will impacttheir overall health throughout their lives.”

“We’re committed to providing a high-quality education for every student in theCommonwealth,” said Secretary of Edu-cation Paul Reville. “But we recognize thatacademic achievement is the result of acombination of factors including highexpectations and excellent teaching, butalso the readiness and preparedness ofstudents when they arrive in school. Nu -trition plays a key role in student learn-ing and this bill will help schools withtheir efforts to improve the ability of stu-dents to be successful.”

“This new law will help kids choosehealthier foods during the school day,”said DPH Commissioner John Auerbach.“It’s a wonderful complement to Gover-nor Patrick’s Mass in Motion anti-obe-sity initiative, which is dedicated to cre-ating conditions that promote healthyeating and physical activity.”

“This is a great day for nearly a mil-lion children in the Massachusetts pub-lic schools,” said Executive Director ofthe Massachusetts Public Health Associ-ation, Valerie Bassett. “This law will put

healthier food choices in schools, so thatthe next generation has a fairer chanceat long, healthy lives free from diabetes,heart disease or other preventable chron-ic illness.”

The legislation signed today encour-ages and supports the use of local, freshfarm products in schools and requiresthe availability of fresh fruits and veg-etables as snacks at schools. It also callson the Department of Public Health andthe Department of Elementary and Sec-ondary Education to set guidelines forthe training of school nurses around theissues of obesity, diabetes and eating dis -orders. Additionally, the bill makes a spe-cial effort to allow for reasonable exemp-tions at extracurricular events, specialfundraisers and other venues.

“This will be an important milestonein our fight to curb the epidemic ofchild hood obesity which is a major pub-lic health problem and can lead tochron ic diseases in adults such as dia-betes and heart disease,” said SenatorSusan C. Fargo. ■


Sleep Deprivation and TeenagersBy BOB BARDWELLMASCA Past President

D o you have a tough time gettingyour adolescent up for school in

the morning? Do they go to bed lateand want to sleep in? Are the sleepingpatterns of your adolescent changing asthey grow older?

Your child is not alone and the re -search says this is normal.

Studies estimate that between 20 and30% of adolescents experience some formof sleep deprivation. Teens on averageneed 9.25 hours of sleep per night, yetapproximately 75% of teens go to bedafter 11:00 p.m. on school nights. Thismeans they get less than 6.5 hours of sleepa night. The average teenager typicallygets 7.4 hours of sleep per night.

Since the majority of high schools startbefore 8:00 a.m. and because adolescentsare biologically driven to sleep longer andlater than adults, the effects of insuffi-cient sleep are dramatic.

Starting between the ages of eight andtwelve, triggered by hormonal changes,the adolescent’s circadian rhythm changes.Research indicates that as adolescentsprogress through puberty, their brainsare stimulated more later in the day, whichwould result in better academic perfor-mance. However, most exams such as theACT and SAT occur in the morning.

Parents surveyed report that 23% ofteens complained of being tired duringthe day compared to only 11% of chil-dren under 12. Fifteen percent of teensreport that they fell asleep during schoolat some point.

Lack of sleep also contributes to in -creased disciplinary problems and poorergrades as well as memory deficits, lack ofinformation processing, decreased crea -tivity, decreased socialization, and theinability to handle complex tasks.

A 1998 survey of more than 3000high school students found that studentswho reported that they were getting C’s,D’s, & F’s in school obtained about 25minutes less sleep and went to bed about40 minutes later that students who re -ported getting A’s & B’s.

Sleep deficiencies can also jeopardizeone’s immune system and thus lead to anincrease susceptibility to illness.

In addition, sleep deprivation is a prob -

lem for teen drivers. One study found thatannually drivers age 25 and under causemore than 50% of the 100,000 crashesresulting from drowsiness and fatigue.

Adolescent sleep difficulties are alsoassociated with psychopathologies suchas depression and attention deficit dis-order (ADD). Increased drug and alco-hol abuse can also be linked to this phe-nomenon.

Solving the problemSome feel that the sleep missed during theweek can be just made up on the week-ends. This is not the case. The truth isthat teens need a consistent sleep patternand should maintain the same scheduleevery night, which means going to bedand getting up at the same time, even onthe weekends.

The most obvious solution is to movethe start of school time to later in the day,although after-school sports, jobs, andother activities and changing the schooland community culture are huge obsta-cles to overcome. Legislation (known asthe ZZZ’s to A’s Act) was introducedinto the 109th Congress in 2005 andreferred to the Education Subcommitteeon Educational Reform. The bill en cour -ages school districts to move startingtime to no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Unfor-tunately it was never acted upon.

In the interim, parents and guardiansshould establish a reasonable bedtime andwake time that is consistent through outthe week. Nix the late night social activ-ities and limit late night working hours.Establishing a bedtime routine that in -cludes a quiet activity such as reading abook or warm shower and avoiding caf-feine later in the day will also help. Com-

puter games and flickering televisionsshould also be avoided as bedtimeapproaches.

Daily exercise is also suggested; how-ever, it should not occur within two hoursof bedtime.

While a quick 30-minute nap afterschool may help, longer naps later in theevening will negatively impact the bed-time routine. Even dimming the lightingas bedtime approaches and exposing thechild to bright lights in the morning canprove effective.

Just knowing that sleep deprivation isa normal adolescent experience may notprovide the relief needed to offset thenegative side effects. However, with edu-cation implementing the research-basedrecommendations and a bit of patience,the harmful behaviors may improve.

Education about the importance ofsleep is just as important as educationabout exercise, nutrition and drugs andalcohol. If all else fails, it may be appro-priate to discuss concerns with a medicalprofessional.

Perhaps it is time to take a closer lookat this phenomenon and seek solutions.It is not a problem that will just go away.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Bob is past president of both MASCAand NEACAC. Currently he serves asSecondary Level Vice President of theAmerican School Counselor Association(ASCA). �

BOB BARDWELL

A study of students in grades9-12 in Rhode Island showedthat ”a simple half-hour delayin high school start time ledto a significant improvementin students’ mood, alertness,and motivation, and increasedtheir average sleep time dur-ing the week.”

— Katrina Woznicki, WebMDHealth News (July 6, 2010).

OCTOBER 2010 13


Students Who Self-Injure: Implications for School CounselorsBy JASON KURLAND

T he article “Students Who Self-In jure:School Counselor Ethical and Legal

Considerations”* in ASCA’s ProfessionalSchool Counseling examines self-injuri-ous behavior by students and its legal andethical concerns for school counselors.According to the article, the number ofstudents who have reported engaging inself-injury has increased. And althoughonly one in four of the general popula-tion engage in self-injury, thirteen per-cent of the adolescent population havebeen found to do so.

School counselors, in their work withstudents, are in a unique position to iden-tify and respond to the problem before itbecomes a serious threat to the student’sphysical and emotional health and abil-ity to succeed in school.

Defining self-injuryThe DSM-IV considers self-injury to bea subset of self-harm. It is defined as theintentional, direct injuring of body tis-sue without suicidal intent. The DSM-IV, however, does not provide diagnosticcriteria for the identification of deliber-ate self-harm.

Self-injury can be inflicted by various

means including scratching, branding,cutting, self-hitting, burning, and biting.Studies suggest that cutting appears to bethe most common, constituting as muchas eighty percent of all reported cases.

Cutting is typically done with objectssuch as razor blades or knives with theextent of injury ranging from superficialscratches to deep wounds through mul-tiple layers of skin. The most commonlyreported sites of the body are the arms,wrists, legs, breasts, thighs, stomach, andgenitals.

Self-injury vs. suicidal behaviorDistinguishing between self-injury andsuicidal behavior can be difficult. Al -though suicide is not the intention ofself-injury, the relationship between thetwo is complex because self-injuriousbehavior may be potentially life-threat-ening. Individuals who self-injure, more -over, have been found in forty-sixty per-cent of suicides.

Reasons for self-injuryMany theories for this behavior have beenproposed, and all of them seen to sharethe belief that self-injury serves to releasesome form of stress. For example, a stu-dent who has difficulty expressing certainemotions such as fear, anger, jealousy,and sadness may find that self-injuryrelieves the stress caused by withholdingthese emotions.

Although a common myth about self-injury is that the person is seeking atten-tion, a study by Claudine Fox and KeithHawton revealed that self-harmers inflicttheir injuries in private and are usuallyvery reluctant to disclose their actions toanyone, even close family and friends.

Detection of self-injuryThe private nature of self-injury makesdetection very challenging. One possiblesign to look for is the student’s conceal-ment of injuries by inappropriate cloth-ing, such as long-sleeved shirts or pantsin hot weather.

Plan of actionWhen a school counselor determines thata student is engaging in self-injurious be -

havior, several complex decisions mustbe made, including the issue of confiden-tiality.

The American School Counselor Asso-ciation maintains that professional schoolcounselors must respect student privacyand keep information confidential unlessthe student is in immediate danger ofharming themselves or others.

Thus, if the student’s injuries aredetermined to be life-threatening or anindication of suicide, the counselor shouldimmediately report it to either the stu-dent’s parents or other school counselorsand seek legal advice from the school’sdistrict attorney on the appropriate courseof action.

Determining whether or not the stu-dent’s injuries are life-threatening or thatthe student might commit suicide, how-ever, can be difficult. If the counselor isunsure, then he should consult with otherschool counselors, the school nurse, andmental health professionals who special-ize in self-injury.

If the injuries are not immediately life-threatening, the counselor should doeverything possible to protect the stu-dent’s privacy and encourage the studentto speak with his or her parents. Thecounselor can also ask the advice of theprincipal without revealing the student’sname.

A No-Harm Contract can be adoptedas part of school policy. This would ex -plain to students and parents what behav-iors require the school administration totake specific actions in order to keep stu-dents safe.

School counselors have the unique op -portunity to work with administratorsto develop a school policy for dealing withself-injurious behavior, reporting sus pect -ed cases of self-injury, and notifying par-ents. In doing so, counselors can achieveone of their primary duties: to maintainthe safety and well-being of studentsand others.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

*Victoria E. White Kress et al., Profes-sional School Counseling, ASCA, Volume10, No. 2 (December 2006), 203-209. �

EvaluatingNet resources

“Self-injury is just one of manyissues that are at the forefront ofconfusing and disturbing adoles-cent problems. With the help ofonline resources, school counselorscan provide the best referencesfor their students and families aswell as use the most up-to-dateinformation in all as pects of theirguidance program.”

— Michael Moyer, Ph.D., et al.,“Self-Injurious Behaviors on the Net:A Survey of Resources for School,”http://www.schoolcounselor.org/files/11-5-277%20Moyer.pdf.

OCTOBER 2010 15

Mark your calendar!

21st Service Academies/ROTC NightDanversport Yacht Club

November 3, 2010 • 6:00 p.m.

A gain, well done to Bob Bardwellfor his report on bullying. It is def-

initely a hot topic since the suicide inMassachusetts.

During my early school years, thebullies would call me Porky. Later, afterkeeping in shape from sailboat racing,the name was dropped.

A few years ago the Ipswich RotaryClub had a bullying project. We askedclasses of sixth graders if they were fa -miliar with bullying, and most raisedtheir hands. Students and teachers dev -eloped many activities, including posters.Our Rotary Club should take anothersurvey.

A suggestion for our spring confer-ence: Ross Ellis on the topic of socialnetworking.

Mindy Popp provides volunteer coun-seling services to students. Let’s Get Ready,a non-profit with an office in Boston, willhold its College Application CompletionDay on December 12.

Memories: Oscar, remember whenyou were CN Editor? My job at thetime was Executive Director. GoverningBoard members declared that we couldno longer afford your assistant editor.Although she seemed efficient and coop-erative, the Board said that the moneycould be used elsewhere.

Did you know that your old iPhoneis worth money?

Do you want information on lifelonglearning? Try www.wannaLearn.com.

For 2011, what are you doing tomove MASCA forward? What are yourthoughts and ideas about our associa-tion? Join a committee, help your affili-ate, attend a conference. Join in theHappy Birthday 2011 celebration.

Enjoy the fall season. And remember:Service Academies/ROTC Night, No vem-ber 3, Danversport Yacht Club. ■

ED’S VIEWSBy ED BRYANT, NCC

MASCA Life Trustee

ED BRYANT

To qualify for member registration rates: MASCA membership must be current (i.e., paid) by 10/1/2010. POs are NOT considered paid. To check your membership status: Counselor’s Notebook address label, [email protected], or [email protected].

•• Request online registration: [email protected]. All registrations will be confirmed electronically.

• Paper registration: Print clearly, one registration form per person. Mailed form MUST be accompanied by check or PO#.

• Payment options: (1) online with credit cards (MC or Visa; no debit), (2) offline with check or purchase orders.

• If you are employed as a full-time school counselor, you are NOT eligible for the graduate student rate.

• Registrations after 10/22/2010 will be charged an additional $20 fee.

• Refund policy: Written requests by 10/20 to [email protected]. A $20 processing fee will be charged. NO REFUNDS after 10/20 without written approval by conference chair (Ex., bereavement). Payment is expected for registrant non-attendance.

• Registrant name and work mailing addresses will be shared with select sponsors. To opt out: e-mail [email protected].

• If you have special needs or require an accommodation, notify us by 10/20/2010.

• Hotel room reservations: Ask for MASCA rooms, 978-263-8701. For AV rentals, 978-263-8701.

First name __________________________ Last name____________________________________________ E-mail address: ______________________________________________ (required for automated on-line or registrar confirmations) Preferred mailing address: School/Work (include school name) Home Check here if NEW address

School _______________________________________________________________________________ Street address ________________________________________________________________________ City/town ______________________State ______ ZIP ____________ Phone_____________________

Position Title: ___________________________________________________ Elementary Middle School High School Administrator Retired Grad Student Counselor Educator

Registration Type (check category and options) 2010 registration includes: morning breakfast, snack, luncheon buffet, keynoter, workshops, exhibits, and afternoon Institute.

MASCA

Professional Member by 10/1

Non-MASCA member

Retiree Graduate Student*

(*not employed as a school counselor)

Member Non-member

Early Bird Rate (ends 10/1/2010) MASCA member and on-line registration or 10/1 postmark

$115 $170 $ 60 $ 80

Regular registration (after 10/1/2010) $125 $180 $ 70 $ 90 WALK-IN registration: Add $20 to total $ 20 $ 20 $ 20 $ 20

MASCA 2010-2011 PDPs: Add $25 to total $ 25 $ 25 $ 25 $ 25

PO processing fee: Add $10 per invoice $ 10 $ 10 $ 10 $ 10

Total Amount Due $_________ $_________ $_________ $_________

TOTAL PAYMENT ENCLOSED $____________ CHECK No.____________ **PURCHASE ORDER #________________ **For POs, you will be sent an invoice electronically for YOU to submit for payment via your school/business office protocol.

Make check payable to MASCA. Please list registrant names on PO and payments. Mail to: Joe Fitzgerald, Registrar, 5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188 • [email protected]


50YEARS

1961

2011

MASCA Fall Conference RegistrationBuilding 21st Century Academic and Employability Skills

Holiday Inn, Boxboro, MA • October 26, 2010

OCTOBER 2010 17

ArtAthletic Training

BiologyBusiness Management

ChemistryCommunication

Computer Information SystemsCompute Science

Criminal JusticeEconomicsEducation

EnglishEnvironmental Science

Ethnic and Gender Studies General Science

HistoryLiberal Studies

MathematicsMovement Science

MusicNursing

Political SciencePsychology

Regional PlanningSocial Work

SociologySpanish

Theatre Arts

Westfield State Office of AdmissionPost Office Box 1630 · Westfield, MA 01086(413) 572-5218 · wsc.ma.edu

Private quality. Public value. Discover more by visiting us online at wsc.ma.edu.

MA Model MattersBy ELIZABETH REED

MASCA MA Model Committee Chair

With a new school year underway,school counselors are busy clari-

fying responsibilities and planning annualcalendars so that they can manage andpromote department services, delivercontent, and work with all students toimprove academic success and close theachievement gap.

As you begin your work and considerhow to assess the impact of your programsand services, are you using data to assessoutcomes? Does the data identify needsand help plan future programming?

A framework to help you answer thesequestions is the MA Model for Compre-

hensive School Counseling Programs.By using the Model you can streamlineyour counseling program so that ALLstudents benefit.

Over the past couple of years, MAModel Institute members have submittedarticles to the Notebook about imple-mentation initiatives at their schools.These articles will continue, but, in addi-tion, we are introducing a new column,“MA Model Matters.” This column willspecifically address the four componentsof the MA Model: Foundation, Manage-ment, Delivery, and Accountability.

Implementing the Model does take

time, but “MA Model Matters” will helpyou to look at it one segment at a time.Next month’s article by Albert Mercadowill discuss how Milford High Schoolconducted a needs assessment of theirschool community.

We encourage you to visit www.masca.org for more MA Model infor-mation and tips. If you have column feed -back, would like to learn more about MAModel Institute training opportunities,or would like to join the MA ModelCommittee, contact me at 413-267-4589or [email protected]. ■

MASCA Spring Conference and 50th Birthday CelebrationApril 10-12, 2011

Exhibit Hall • Events • Concurrent Workshops • Receptions • AwardsSunday Welcome Keynoter: Dr. Norm Gysbers

Honor Your School Counselor “Tributes”A MASCA 50th Birthday Promotion


News from MASCA

CSCA honors O’BoyIn April 2010, Catholic School Counsel -ors Association honored its Counselorof the Year: Patsy Ann O’Boy.

A member of the guidance staff ofBishop Feehan High School for the pastseventeen years, Patsy Ann is a devotedmember of the team. She goes above andbeyond her duties, having served as Year-book Advisor and Mock Trial Advisor.

Patsy Ann always makes time for her

students, and she keeps their needs as atop priority. She can even be found col-lecting money for a student with a par-ticular need, all the while protecting thestudent’s identity.

Her peers say that Patsy Ann is “part ofthe fabric of the school.” She has broughthonor and integrity to her role as guidancecounselor, and for many years she has beena dedicated and in spirational member ofCSCA. Congratulations, Patsy Ann!

CSCA awards scholarshipsEach year CSCA awards scholarships inrecognition of the accomplishments andgood work of local high school students.This year, $500 scholarships went to threestudents for their dedication to commu-nity service and strong academic profile:Marissa Grennon, Cardinal SpellmanHigh School; Matthew King, Boston Col-lege High School; and Alyssa Smith, Coyle& Cassidy High School. CSCA wishes thestudents success in their college careersand a bright future.

MASCA Spring Conference tofeature GysbersNorman C. Gysbers, Ph.D. will be a fea-tured speaker at the MASCA Spring Con-ference to be held next April. Gysbers isa Curators’ Professor in the Departmentof Educational, School, and CounselingPsychology at the University of Missouri.His research and teaching interests arein career development, career counsel-ing, and school guidance and counselingprogram development, management,and evaluation.

In addition to his duties at the Uni-versity of Missouri, he has lectured ex -tensively, including assignments at theUniversity of Hong Kong, Chinese Uni-versity of Hong Kong, and University ofBritish Columbia.

He is the author of 90 articles, 38chap ters in published books, 15 mono-graphs, and 22 books, one of which wastranslated into Italian, Korean, Japan-ese, and Chinese.

Gysbers has also served as editor ofthe Career Development Quarterly, 1962-1970, President of the National CareerDevelopment Association, 1972-73, Pres-ident of the American Counseling Asso-ciation, 1977-78, and Vice President ofthe Association of Career and TechnicalEducation, 1979-1982. From 1978 until2006, he was the Editor of The Journalof Career Development.

His research and teaching accom plish-ments have earned him many prestigiousawards, most notably the National CareerDevelopment Association’s EminentCareer Award in 1989 and the ASCAMary Gehrke Lifetime AchievementAward in 2004. ■

MASCA Birthday ReceptionMonday, April 11, 2011

5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Did a school counselor encourage you to accomplishyour goals and follow your dreams?

Did a school counselor you know make a positivedifference in the lives of students?

Do you want to express your appreciation tothat counselor?

Here is your chance to pay tribute.Sign up and post your tribute at www.masca.org.

Tributes will be posted on the website, and nominees will be invitedto attend the MASCA 50th Birthday Reception, where they will behonored with a Certificate of Recognition.

Submissions are welcome from all residents, school systems, MASCAaffiliates, students, past graduates, families, administrators, and others.

To get started, click on the 50th Birthday School Counseling Tributeslink on the homepage. Submit a fifty-word tribute about the coun-selor’s impact on your life or the lives of students. A photo is optional.

For more information, e-mail [email protected].

50YEARS

1961

2011 50YEARS

1961

2011

OCTOBER 2010 19

Keynoter: Dr. Carol Kaffenberger, author of ASCA’s Making Data Work Workbook

Luncheon Speaker: DESE Commissioner Dr. Mitchell Chester

Afternoon Institute Trainer: Regina Williams Tate, Esq.,Massachusetts Anti-Bully Legislation and Implementation Mandates

DR. CAROL KAFFENBERGER DR. MITCHELL CHESTER REGINA WILLIAMS TATE, Esq.

Register by mail using the registration form included in this issue of CNor register online at [email protected].

Make checks payable to MASCA and mail to:Joe Fitzgerald, Registrar, 5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188 • [email protected]

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 Fall Conference

Building 21st Century Academic andEmployability Skills

Holiday Inn, Boxboro • October 26, 2010

50YEARS

1961

2011

Documents

Counselor's Notebook, October 2010