Counselor's Notebook, January 2015 by Sally Ann Connolly

MASCA

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION

Graduate Student Wellness: Strategies for a New Year

VOL. 51, NO. 5

JANUARY 2015

Welcome to the New Year By TINA KARIDOYANES MASCA President

By KATIE KOZAK M.Ed. Student in School Counseling, Bridgewater State University

cross Massachusetts there are more than a dozen school counseling training programs. Each of these programs is unique, and so is each student’s experience within their program of choice. Yet, one element seems universal for all school counseling graduate students: stress. I am in my seventh and final semester of full-time graduate study. I am deeply involved with MASCA, interning approximately 30 hours per week, holding two jobs, volunteering regularly with a local mentoring program, and keeping up with my coursework. Juggling all of these responsibilities is stressful and challenging, but I have learned a few strategies over the course of my studies that help me find balance and maintain personal wellness. Ensuring that I schedule “me time” each week is critical. “Me time” is a predetermined block of time each day, usually between 30 and 60 minutes, where I give myself permission to fully engage in an activity for my own enjoyment. During this time, I do not check professional e-mail accounts, complete tasks related to my obligations, or review my planner. Prioritizing time for myself helps me remain focused and energized while fulfilling (continued on page 6)

t is amazing to believe that it is January

development workshops and conferences

2015, and we are already halfway

is a way to renew and inspire you as

through the school year. One of the bene-

well as to learn more about the constant

fits of working in a school year is that you

changes in our field.

have two opportunities to “renew”: once

This school year, MASCA has been

at the start of the school year and then

working with DESE at their regional con-

again at the start of a new calendar year.

ferences around the state. The remain-

Many of us approach the new year with

ing dates are January 15 at the Westford

resolutions for improvement or renewed

Regency in Westford, and January 22 at

commitment to ourselves. As school coun-

Delaney House in Holyoke. At these

selors it is in our nature to give of our-

meetings, MASCA presenters will address

selves and put the needs of others ahead

the Reach Higher Initiative from the White

of our own. Whether it is to your stu-

House as presented by Michelle Obama at

dents, communities, families, or friends, it

the ASCA conference this past summer.

is often hard to find balance. As you pre-

MASCA representatives will also address

pare your resolutions for the coming year,

Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for stu-

I would like you to think of ways to find

dents and best practices.

balance and fulfillment for yourselves.

I am excited to share with you that the

When thinking of balance, I often

planning for the 2015 Annual Spring

think of ways to simplify my daily tasks

Conference — Blocks in Bloom — is well

and find ways to work “smarter,” not

underway. We hope you are able to join

“harder.” Certainly we all have days

us at the Boxborough Holiday Inn on

where there is no escaping the challenges

Tuesday, April 7. Registration for the con-

of our profession, but seeking ways to be

ference is now open. Go online for more

more efficient and share best practices is

information: www.masca.org.

an opportunity for growth as well as seeking balance. Participating in professional

I hope that you have a happy and healthy 2015! ■

Massachusetts Accountability Report Card By DAVID ELSNER, MARC Chair

hrough research and analysis, counselors gain a deeper understanding of how their efforts impact student achievement and career readiness. Accountability requires measuring and communicating the results of a school counseling program. The MARC and MARC Jr. provide a template for presenting that information in simple terms so students, families, and the school community can see clearly how a comprehensive, developmental program benefits all students. Using student result data, these documents share a powerful story about how students are positively affected by school counseling programs.

This is the tenth year of the MARC and MARC Jr. awards, and we are pleased that over 100 schools have completed this important process and submitted their documentation to MASCA for recognition. More information and sample documents can be found in the Accountability section of the MA Model and on the MASCA website under the MA Model tab. Join us in April for pre-conference MARC and MARC Jr. guided instruction and a MARC reunion gathering. ■

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

MARC Jr. Awards, Fall 2014 These awards demonstrate exceptional commitment to promoting success for all students through the implementation of the ASCA / MA Model for Comprehensive School Counseling. Cambridge Rindge and Latin School: Clare Garman Cheshire Elementary School: Nicole Baran Seyerlein Hoosac Valley Middle & High School: Shannon Clark Hoosac Valley Middle & High School: Loriann Moro, Megan Scott Lee Middle and High School: Dan Korte McCann Technical School: Sara Avery, Chad O’Neill, Dawn Vadnais Monomy Regional High School: Jonathan Bennett

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

2014 – 2015 OFFICERS

MASCA presents MARC awards

PRESIDENT TINA KARIDOYANES Mansfield High School 250 East Street, Mansfield, MA 02048 E-mail: president@masca.org PAST PRESIDENT THERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D. Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA 02325 Tel. 508-531-2640 E-mail: theresa.coogan@bridgew.edu PRESIDENT-ELECT RUTH CARRIGAN Whitman-Hanson Regional High School 600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA 02382 Tel. 781-618-7434 • Fax 781-618-7098 E-mail: Ruth.Carrigan@whrsd.org VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARY VERONICA KNIGHT Lowell Elementary School 175 Orchard Street, Watertown, MA 02472 Tel. 617-926-2666 E-mail: veronica.knight@watertown.k12.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGH KATHLEEN SCOTT E-mail: scottk@amesburyma.gov VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARY JOHN S. STEERE Wellesley High School 50 Rice Street, Wellesley, MA 02481 Tel. 781-446-6290 x4653 • Fax 781-446-6308 E-mail: john_steere@wellesley.k12.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORS TBA

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

VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARY JOHN MARCUS Dean College 99 Main Street, Franklin, MA 02038 Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726 E-mail: jmarcus@dean.edu VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORS MEGAN KRELL, Ph.D.; AMY L. COOK, Ph.D. E-mail: vpcounselored@masca.org VICE PRESIDENT RETIREES Joseph D. FitzGerald, Ed.D. 5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188 Tel. 781-264-3426 E-mail: jdfitz1831@gmail.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DONNA M. BROWN Adjunct Professor, UMass Boston P.O. Box 366, 779 Center Street Bryantville, MA 02327 Tel. 781-293-2835 E-mail: executivedirector@masca.org TREASURER ASHLEY CARON 25 Belmont Ave., Stoughton, MA 02072 Tel. 508-212-0676 E-mail: ashcicero@hotmail.com SECRETARY KATIE KOZAK E-mail: secretary@masca.org MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR DONNA BROWN E-mail: membership@masca.org WEBMASTER / TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR ROSS WOLFSON E-mail: webmaster@masca.org; info@masca.org COORDINATOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HELEN O’DONNELL, Ed.D. E-mail: pdchair@masca.org COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITOR SALLY ANN CONNOLLY 19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923 Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154 E-mail: sallyconnolly@att.net

JANUARY 2015

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

s your MASCA President-Elect and a member of the MA Reach Higher team, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to represent school counselors across Massachusetts at the recent White House Convening of the Reach Higher Initiative. For those of you unfamiliar with the program, the goal of the Reach Higher Initiative is to help inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year institution. This movement has gained momentum since the First Lady addressed school counselors at ASCA in July. A White House Convening was held at Harvard in July, and the second White House Convening was held recently at San Diego State University. The MA Reach Higher team attending the San Diego Convening included counselor educators Mandy Savitz-Romer (Harvard), Tim Poynton (UMass Boston), and Scott Solberg (Boston University) and school counselors Yolanda Johnson and Laura Stebbins (Springfield Public Schools), data specialist Joseph Wyman (Springfield Public Schools), MASCA Past President Katie Gray, and me. Although team member Bob Bardwell was unable to attend the conference, he participated virtually and remains a leader on this initiative. Over the course of the convening, our team spent several exciting and inspiring days working with educational leaders across the country as we discussed goals and made plans to help our students set and reach important college and career readiness benchmarks. On the final day of the conference, our team from Massachusetts made a commitment to leverage the time and resources necessary for school counselors to lead implementation of quality college and career readiness programs and activities. Although we are still fine-tuning our action plans, MASCA is prepared to be a leader on this initiative. We will be presenting career and college readiness programming at the 2015 MASCA conference, and we are investigating additional CCR professional development offerings

for the future. As we look toward 2015, I would like to challenge school counselors in Massachusetts to think about making a New Year’s resolution to improve Career and College Readiness programming for students. With the challenges that school counselors face (too little time, too little funding for worthy projects, etc.), it can be difficult to move forward. Despite the obstacles, I encourage you make a New Year’s resolution or a pledge to implement at least one new program or activity to help your students become college or career ready. According to Reach Higher programming information sent by Bob Bardwell earlier in the school year, MASCA members are encouraged to make pledges for new initiatives to help more students pursue postsecondary education, not ones that are currently being implemented or recently were implemented. Pledges can vary in size and scope. Some may be completed in a relatively short period of time, while others will take longer to implement.

A pledge may be as simple as changing a policy so that more students can take Advanced Placement courses. Or a school district could pledge to hire additional school counselors to reduce caseload size and allow counselors to provide more students assistance with the college application process. Other simple pledges could be partnering with an agency like American Student Assistance to offer an on-site FAFSA Completion Night for students and parents, or implementing a college/career readiness lesson or activity for elementary or middle school students. The ideas and opportunities are endless, especially considering the number of individuals, school districts, and groups that could make such pledges. If you are interested in being part of the Reach Higher Initiative and this exciting work, please contact me at Ruth. Carrigan@whrsd.org. As always, I thank you for the important work you do every day and for the difference you make in the lives of your students. Best wishes for a healthy and happy 2015. ■

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

JANUARY 2015

Making Career Preparation Work for Students The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has released a major report, “Opportunities and Options: Making Career Preparation Work for Students,” through its Career Readiness Task Force to bring a renewed focus to the issue of career development education for ALL students. The taskforce analyzed leading career preparation practices in the U.S. and abroad and identified specific policies states must adopt to dramatically improve the preparation of their high school graduates. The three high level recommendations in the report include: 1. Enlist the employer community as a lead partner in defining the pathways and skills most essential in today’s economy. 2. Set a higher bar for the quality of career preparation programs, enabling ALL students to earn a meaningful postsecondary degree or credential. 3. Make career readiness matter to schools and students by prioritizing it in accountability.

KOZAK (continued from page 1) my commitments throughout the rest of the day. When I am invited to participate in a new project or opportunity, I carefully consider whether I will be able to fully commit without compromising my performance elsewhere. If I cannot, I politely decline. Saying no is challenging. As a future job-seeker, I want to impress and connect with as many professionals in the field as possible. Thankfully, I have discovered that people are usually impressed with me even when I say no because it demonstrates my ability to set realistic expectations for myself and to honor the obligations that I already have. Finally, I rely on classmates who have become friends to normalize and validate my feelings and experiences. Making friends with other students in my program has eased the stress of graduate school immensely. Whether I want feedback on an idea for an assignment or I need to vent because I feel overwhelmed or I need someone to remind me that taking “me time” in the midst of a major project is okay, my friends are there to support me. Because these friends are completing the same assignments, balancing similar responsibilities, and experiencing the same stressors as I am, they are able to understand and encourage me in ways that my friends and family outside of the program cannot. Being a school counselor-in-training is exciting, fulfilling, and challenging. In exchange for sacrifices and hard work, I know that I am perfecting the skills I need to improve the lives of my students. However, even the most exceptional skills are weakened when personal wellness is neglected. Fellow trainees, I invite you to try some of my strategies and find your personal path to wellness. Your success in this endeavor will make you not only a happier, healthier person, but also a stronger school counselor. ■

SAVE THE DATE! MASCA Annual Spring Conference April 7, 2015 6

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Social Media and Older Adults By Joe FitzGerald, Ed.D., MASCA VP Retirees version of Skype), and Tablets & Smartphones. Facebook has been very popular, and we will expand it in the next term. We are also looking into Twitter because of the short messages that often have important links in the messages. In the last column, I thought I could use the MASCA website for an idea regarding the use of Twitter for retirees. That idea has not panned out the way I thought it would for many reasons, not

the least of which is my time and a technology transition within MASCA. I have started to pursue Twitter by getting my “forgotten password” and looking into a program on how to use it at the Twitter site. At the MASCA Spring Conference I would like to plan a session on social media for retirees. The moderate use of social media can really keep us retirees in the MASCA loop. ■

have spent some time looking into social media and how that impacts retirees, but I have not found a way to translate that to our group. I do know that the interest in using social media is there and the use of it has potential for seniors, particularly because it is a good way to communicate. I am not completely sure, however, about how to best use it or how it can be effectively used by all counselors no matter their status. I have gotten a good feel for the technology interests of older adults and have found that, while they are still interested in learning how to use their computers, many are moving toward tablets: Kindles, iPads, tablets, and smartphones. Once they have these devices, they tend to find that they can use them to access social media such as Facebook, Skype, FaceTime, etc. Although they are not social media technically, older adults also show great interest in learning how to use the Internet and e-mail more effectively. I know this because of my work with the older adults who have taken courses in our non-profit Senior Computer Learning Center program (SCLC). SCLC started out as a technology program that taught older adults how to use their computers, but it has evolved into a program that reflects the high interest in the use of social media. It makes sense. Seniors like to communicate, and these kinds of social media allow this to happen. Ten to twenty years ago we could not do this in the comfort of our home or workplace. That was the realm of science fiction. The fiction, however, has become a reality. Our program, run by volunteers, has fielded about 20 courses that serve approximately 150 students each session. My curriculum proposal for 2015 includes: Internet and E-mail, Using the Kindle, iPad, & iTunes, FaceTime (Apple’s JANUARY 2015

Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK Sally Ann Connolly, Editor

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DESE Monthly Webinars Content-based and thematic webinars will be offered from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. on the following dates. The webinars are open to all interested parties (schools/districts, community organizations, higher education institutions, workforce development organizations). 2/10/15 Graduation and Dropout Rate Data 3/10/15 Career Development Education: Career Awareness, Exploration and Immersion 4/14/15 Summer Transition Programs 5/12/15 Individual Learning Plans 6/09/15 MA Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs