Counselor's Notebook, June 2011 by Sally Ann Connolly

MASCA

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION

VOL. 47, NO. 10

The Many Faces of Advocacy By CHRISTINE EVANS, MASCA Past President

CHRISTINE EVANS

s professional educators and school counselors, we often talk about advocacy. In MASCA’s mission statement it is referred to in this way: “MASCA advocates for school counselors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by providing leadership, collaboration, and professional development.” In the summary of the MASCA Annual Day on the Hill Leadership Forum, advocacy was mentioned twice: “Last month over 70 school counselors and their supporters came together at the Massachusetts State House for the third annual Leadership Forum, a professional development and advocacy program sponsored by the Massachusetts Coalition for School Counseling. The program provides school counselors with information and resources to be a better school counselor and to advocate for the school counseling profession in their schools, communities and with their policy makers.” In our work as school counselors, advocacy plays an important role. We advocate for our students when we work to provide the best possible opportunities for them. Or when we seek fair and equitable treatment for them. Or when we speak up to ensure that they receive the support they need to succeed. Or when we ask the admissions office to review their application once again. Or when we appeal a financial aid decision.

We also advocate in our school communities. When we talk about the work we do and how it helps students achieve their goals, we are sharing information that will help stakeholders better understand our roles and responsibilities. This is essential in creating a collaborative team that works together to meet student needs. The Leadership Forum/Day on the Hill is an excellent example of advocacy work that we do in the larger community. Sharing information, seeking support, and working on legislation to provide services that students need are all part of our efforts to reach out to legislators, helping to inform them about what we do and how it helps students. Our advocacy efforts, however, need to be increasingly focused on teaching students how to advocate effectively for themselves. With the current emphasis on college and career readiness, students need to learn self-advocacy skills in school and at home. Teachers, counselors, and parents can help. Students are capable of taking more responsibility for managing time, making decisions, and conducting business transactions. We can help them learn to do so by giving them opportunities before they go off to college. Encouraging students to do what they can for themselves, while standing by to support them, is one of the most valuable gifts we can give them to help find success. Although it may be easier to fill out forms for them, mail their applications, register them for classes, etc., every time we do so, we put students at a disadvantage. They become accustomed to thinking that someone will take care of business for them. It is better for all of us to teach them to advocate for their own needs. When they do what they can for themselves, students will ultimately be more successful and satisfied. ■

JUNE 2011

Advocacy Committee Action Alert

BOB BARDWELL MASCA Advocacy Committee Chair

uesday, June 21 could be the biggest day in MASCA’s recent history. On that day at 10:00 a.m. in Hearing Room A2 in the Massachusetts State House, MASCA will have a chance to testify about its bill to mandate that every elementary school will have a certified elementary school counselor. We need everyone’s help in making this become a reality: all members and non-members, our students (especially those at the elementary level), family members, friends, colleagues, and even neighbors. For those not familiar, House Bill 1068 (An Act to mandate elementary school counselors) would require all public school districts to employ a certified school guidance counselor as outlined in the regulations for Educator Licensure and Preparation. In 2009-2010, an estimated 70% of elementary schools had no school guidance counselor and 41% had no school counselor, adjustment counselor, or social worker. It is critical that we let our elected state senators and representatives know that HB 1068 is important. In this current economic situation, when many school districts are laying off people, there is going to be little interest in adding mandates, particularly if there is no fund(continued on page 4)

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

2010 – 2011 MASCA OFFICERS

MASCA

PRESIDENT CAROLYN RICHARDS Somerville High School 81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143 Tel. 617-625-6600 x 6120 • Fax 617-628-8413 E-mail: crichards@k12.somerville.MA.US PRESIDENT-ELECT MICHELLE BURKE Beverly High School 100 Sohier Road Beverly, MA 01915-2654 E-mail: mburke@beverlyschools.org PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTINE A. EVANS Randolph High School 70 Memorial Parkway, Randolph, MA 02368 Tel. 781-961-6220 x 545 • Fax 781-961-6235 E-mail: evansc@randolph.k12.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARY JACQUELINE BROWN East Somerville Community School 42 Prescott Street, Somerville, MA 02143 Tel. 617-625-6600 x 6517 • Fax 617-591-7906 E-mail: jbrown@k12.somerville.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGH RICHARD WHITE Gateway Regional Middle School 12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA 01050 E-mail: RWhite@GRSD.org VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARY JENNIFER LISK Medway High School, Medway, MA 02053 Tel. 508-533-3228 x 5107 • Fax 508-533-3246 E-mail: lisk@medway.k12.ma.us VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARY JAY LEIENDECKER Vice President Enrollment Services, Dean College Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726 E-mail: jleiendecker@dean.edu

June 2011

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

VICE PRESIDENT RETIREES RALPH SENNOTT P.O. Box 1391, Westford, MA 01886 Tel. 978-692-8244 E-mail: ralphsennott@hotmail.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: dbrownmasca@gmail.com

TREASURER TINA KARIDOYANES P.O. Box 1007, Monument Beach, MA 02553 Tel. 508-759-3986 E-mail: tkaridoyanes@gmail.com SECRETARY JENNIFER JUST McGUIRE Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School 220 Sandwich Road, Bourne, MA 02532 Tel. 508-759-7711 x 247 • Fax 508-759-5455 E-mail: jmcguire@uppercapetech.org MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR DEBORAH CLEMENCE P.O. Box 805, East Dennis, MA 02641 E-mail: Deborah_Clemence@verizon.net 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

JUNE 2011

Time to Be Heard By Michelle Burke

Summertime and Easy Living By Donna Brown

ED’S VIEWS By Ed Bryant

MA MODEL MATTERS: Collaboration, Leadership, and Accountability By Barbara Page

THE INTERN’S TALE: A Summer’s Success By Nicole Heath

Navigating MASCA’s Website By Joe Fitzgerald and Ron Miller

MASCA Tributes 2010-2011

Published by: Massachusetts School Counselors Association 10 issues per year, September through June. The yearly subscription rate is $30.00. Individual copies are $3.00. Opinions expressed in the articles published herein represent the ideas and/or beliefs of those who write them and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. The acceptance of an advertisement for publication does not imply MASCA endorsement of the advertiser’s programs, services, or views expressed. Questions concerning submission of articles, publication deadlines, advertising rates, etc., should be addressed to Sally Ann Connolly, Editor.

www.masca.org

BARDWELL (continued from page 1) ing to support it. However, we have to try. As school counselors, we know exactly how valuable elementary school counselors are to the overall well-being of all students, and a successful elementary school counseling program will have benefits for all students well beyond the elementary school years. We now have to convince everyone else just how important these counselors are and why there should be a mandate that every school have at least one. Here is what you can do to help: 1. Attend the hearing on June 21. If you are willing to testify, let us know. 2. Contact members of the Joint Committee on Education (http://www. malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J14) to advocate for this bill, particularly if you are a constituent of one of these 17 members. Not sure who your legislators are? Go to www.wheredoivoteinma.com and you can locate your legislators. 3. Contact your state senator and representative and encourage them to support HB1068. 4. Ask everyone in your network to do the same. The bullying legislation passed last year with overwhelming support because there was a public outcry. Why can’t this be true for mandating elementary school counselors as well?

Update on Other Bills MASCA’s other two bills filed in this session were ones that were filed previously. The hearings for those bills will be in the fall. They include: House Bill 1941, An Act Establishing a School Counseling Leadership Pilot Project to Accelerate College and Career Readiness in Massachusetts Public Schools House Bill 1945, An Act to Assure College and Career Readiness through Six-Year Career Plans for all Massachusetts Public School Students The MASCA Advocacy Committee is always looking for more members and those willing to help. Visit the Committee’s webpage at www.masca.org or contact Bob Bardwell, MASCA Advocacy Committee Chair at bardwellr@monson schools.com for more information.

Why These Bills Are Important The goal of these bills supports President Obama’s call for a more highly educated work force and Governor Patrick’s goals of greater college and career readi-

ness for Massachusetts students. School counselors are the only professionallytrained members of the school community who assist our young people in the transition from high school to college, the military, or the work force. An extensive study done by researchers at UMass Amherst and the Chicago Public Schools found that high school counselors: • play an important role in promoting student academic achievement, • impact how students plan, prepare, search, apply, and enroll in college, and • play a vital role in helping students successfully transition to high school. A report released by the College Board clearly articulates the meaningful and effective ways school counselors can be significant contributors to college attainment for all students. Additional research has shown that students find greater success in school if they have the best schedule for their abilities and needs, they can identify their interests and abilities, they have a plan for school and beyond, and they can set goals (Brown, 1999) and that K-12 career development programs enhance academic achievement (Evans and Burch, 1992).

HB 1941 is a good bill because • It would create a pilot project in 10 school districts, which will include rigorous evaluation, assuring accountability. • It will produce evidence-based and data-driven standards and practices for highly effective career and college readiness that can be implemented state-wide.

HB 1945 is a good bill because • Many resources are invested in posthigh school planning for students, but many students have never been asked to articulate their plans formally. Vocational high schools in the Commonwealth already have a mandate to create such a plan for all students. This bill ensures that every student in the Commonwealth has a plan. • The average college student changes his / her major multiple times. A formal six year career plan will help some students avoid having to change majors and/ or colleges.

HB 1068 is a good bill because • It would require all elementary schools to employ a certified school guidance counselor. • Currently many elementary schools do not have a school counselor on staff. ■

Time To Be Heard By MICHELLE BURKE MASCA President-elect

s school counselors in the day-today operations of a school, we make important connections that help us to perform our duties effectively. We connect with students, parents, teachers, special educators, school nurses, administrators, adjustment counselors, admissions representatives, graduate students, secretaries, and custodians, to name a few. How are these daily connections similar? How do they differ? Are you initiating enough of them? Do you have time for all of them? What is the purpose of each? In our schools and communities, we represent the role of the school counselor, and positive, effective connections must be our goal. We need to be approachable, open to new ideas, and productive members of the educational team. Many look to us for the answers in helping students, and students look to us for direction and support as they prepare for challenges of independence. Recently, many others have begun to look to us for help in readying the next generation to become prepared, productive workers in a changing economy. They are asking us to create or continue to improve guidance programs that will help our students to be career and/or college ready. Gone, also, are the days when counselors—with seven or eight individual appointments—would rarely leave their office. Gone are the days that would lead others to wonder, “What is it that school counselors do in schools all day?” Our connections are increasing, and our expertise is being called upon. We have asked to be heard, and people are listening. For next year I have adopted the theme, “It Is Our Time.” Let us continue to make positive connections that will help our students as well as educate others on the importance and effectiveness of school counselors and counseling programs. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

JUNE 2011

Summertime and Easy Living By DONNA BROWN, MASCA Executive Director

DONNA BROWN

chool’s almost out, and visions of vacation dance in one’s head. Long, lazy days at the lake; shopping the MORNING of a one-day sale; sleeping in the day after a Red Sox West Coast game all pirouette through your mind. Ah, summertime and the living is easy. Right. For many of us, summer is just an extension of the regular year. Some morph from regular school to summer school. Others will spend the summer in the classroom as students. Still others will find themselves transformed into waiters, sales people, landscapers, or even historic inter-

preters in an attempt to make ends meet. There seem to be endless possibilities for how to spend a summer vacation, so what are your plans? Regardless of anything else, counselors always seem to spend some time thinking about what they will do “next year.” Sometimes, that thinking time is imposed by our contract by mandating days after the school year and days before. We might also be involved in planning or professional development workshops. If your school has chosen RTTT, 4-C, you may be headed to a MASCA seminar to learn more about college and career readiness and the Mass Model. A number of counselors will be able to make their own plans for the entire summer and virtually all counselors will have some “free” time. So, what to do? For the rainy days of summer, I recommend reading and playing on your computer. The first is a no-brainer. By the end of June, all of us have lists of “must reads” from the year’s best seller lists. Usually, we devour books during

the early days of summer. Most are not scholarly works; indeed some are downright trashy! By mid-summer, though, we are ready for some intellectual stimulation, and I would like to offer two recommendations. The first is The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. This is the story of a woman whose cancer cells were extensively cultured without her permission in 1951. It is extremely wellwritten so that any non-medical reader is able to understand the science involved as well as the human story being told. The second, School Counseling Principles: Remembering the Past, Shaping the Future: A History of School Counseling by Norman C. Gysbers, Ph.D., traces the development of school counseling from its beginnings in the early 1900s to the present time. If you were unable to hear him speak at ASCA last summer or at the MASCA conference in April, be sure to add this to your summer reading. If you did hear Dr. Gysbers, this will give you the rest of the story. My second recommendation is to play with your computer. Usually we go online when we need something pronto. As a result many of us have not had time to leisurely look for sites that can help us work smarter. Since virtually all of us spend at least a few days in the classroom, why not build up some resources now. There are lesson plans, work sheets, assessments, and videos available for school counselors. Start with the ASCA site at www. schoolcounselor.org. Additionally, there are sites that will teach you how to make really good PowerPoints, blogs, or websites. Begin your search at Russ Sabella’s site, www. schoolcounselor.com. Other sites can help make your classroom visits more interesting (and dare I say it, FUN!). Go to www.Glogster.com or www.Wordle.com. Google “free resources for school counselors,” and you will be dazzled by the number of hits you will get. The point is: you can do this at your own pace. Enjoy your time off, but always remember that just like the folks speculating on oil prices, we are in the futures business. The more information and training we have, the more successful we are. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

ED’S VIEWS

ED BRYANT MASCA Life Trustee

y thanks to MASCA for the recognition award presented at the 50th Birthday Celebration for my 30 plus years of service. Also, thanks for the chance to say a few words. Someday I need to finish my guidance department, stormy-boat-trip story. Again, congratulations to Helen O’Donnell, Mary Westcott, Oscar Krichmar, and their gang for the bash. Now that Charles Brovelli’s health is improving, I will have a chance to present him with his well-deserved Tribute Award. After more than thirty years of submitting articles for the Counselor’s Notebook, it is time for me to say goodbye. My thanks to editors Oscar Krichmar and Sally Connolly for putting up with me. At the conference it was enjoyable sitting with an old friend, Dr. Ron Fredrickson, and his lovely wife. We were on the Board of the old Massachusetts Counseling Association. Ron and his wife own a huge farm in Kansas. Interesting conversation. My last suggestion: Read the book, Championship Fathering: How to Win at Being a Dad. There are many absent dads, and this book may help to explain the role of the father. I assume that my MASCA title will still be “Armed Forces Liaison.” Don’t forget to remind your students of the 22nd Academies / ROTC Night at Danversport Yacht Club, to be held on November 2. Grades 9 and above are invited. We average 300 parents and students. I hate to receive calls from parents who say that they never heard about it. I just received a thoughtful and beautiful thank-you from a Malden Catholic student who had attended and was later accepted to the USN Academy, thanks to the help of his counselor. Have a great summer and an even better future. ■ JUNE 2011

MA MODEL MATTERS: Collaboration, Leadership, and Accountability in a Practical Sense By BARBARA PAGE, Quabbin Regional Middle School

fter going through two days of the MA Model Institute training last summer, my head was swimming. I remember asking myself: Where do I start? How is this going to happen at my school? What do all these terms like collaboration, leadership, and accountability mean in a practical sense? I knew that I was heading into a longterm process that would take years to get up to full speed. Like anything else, though, implementing the MA Model starts with one foot in front of the other. I had several new ideas for this school year and was excited to start last fall. With the new anti-bullying law I knew there was work to be done in that area.

I needed to make sure the students knew about the law, and I wanted to be proactive and educate them early in the year, rather than informing them after the fact, when they could get into serious trouble. Like most middle schools, we have incidents of bullying and meanness. How do we increase awareness and get students to help make the school a better place? Do I go into classrooms and offer a oneshot lesson? What can we do together? I thought about the MA Model. The terms “collaboration, leadership, and accountability” were still swimming around in my head. I have a wonderfully supportive administrative team at Quabbin

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! MASCA Fall Conference October 25, 2011 • Holiday Inn, Boxborough

Regional Middle School. Daily, my principal, assistant principal, colleague, and I share ideas. Together we decided to invite an Assistant District Attorney from Joe Early’s office in Worcester to talk with the students. Julie Lesure has been to Quabbin many times for a variety of presentations, and we knew that she could deliver a strong, no-nonsense message, which she did. But what else could we do for the students? At the end of October I attended the fall MASCA conference. There I first heard about the young adult book, The Revealers, by Doug Wilhelm. After listening to other counselors talk about how they used this anti-bullying novel in their school, I realized that it could be a wonderful addition to our anti-bullying initiatives. I quickly wrote and was awarded a grant from the Quabbin Education Foundation for Students and Teachers (QUEST) to fund this project. They gave us money to buy 50 copies of the book and host the author for a day of presentations for students and an evening workshop for community members. We divided students into small groups of 10-12 each with a staff member, and we carved out 30 minutes of time each day to read the novel to the kids over a couple of weeks. There was much discussion and excitement in the school about the project. When Mr. Wilhelm came to visit, he was a huge hit. Students and staff completed surveys following the project. We were looking to expand the dialogue and awareness of bullying and hoping that students would develop more empathy. Our data showed that we accomplished our goals. Without the impetus to implement the MA Model, I don’t know if this project would have taken place. I was inspired by what I heard at the fall conference and was driven to provide services for all students. By collaborating with my administrative team, the project came to fruition. I took on a leadership role by spearheading the project and used data to evaluate its effectiveness. All of this was driven by my interest and motivation to implement the MA Model. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

THE INTERN’S TALE: A Summer’s Success By NICOLE HEATH Master’s Student in School Counseling, Bridgewater State University

have been a school counseling intern in an urban high school for one full year and have recently begun my final semester of fieldwork. My experiences thus far have taught me that it can often be difficult for interns to meet direct contact hour requirements with students. I acknowledged early last year that I needed to set up a plan to spend quality time with students and gain invaluable counseling experience while still in my role as an intern. Many school counselors begin their school year two weeks before students return and remain at the school two weeks after students leave for summer break. Because my counseling supervisor remains on the site and the students are not busy with classes during these four weeks, I thought that spending time with them then would be ideal. I recruited a group of students to spend four weeks of their summer delving into exploring postsecondary education and career options, interpersonal relationships, and community service themes. I contacted local businesses to inquire if they would make small donations to be used as rewards for student attendance and participation. Several were willing. Perhaps the most notable was the donation by Domino’s Pizza of free pizza certificates. I also wanted to incorporate fun, weekly field trips as incentives, and I sought funding for these as well. I contacted grant-based youth programs in our city. One was willing to pay for the transportation of our students in exchange for my assistance in their efforts to recruit youth for the creation of a mural portraying themes of peace, community service, and cooperation. Twelve students elected to join my group, and it was a huge success. They enjoyed coming to group and having a chance to discuss their concerns with peers while, at the same time, playing games and earning rewards. Each week we went on free field trips. These included a hike in Myles Standish State Forest, a free movie at Flagship Cinemas, a walking tour of Plymouth, and a visit to a park where we planted flow-

JUNE 2011

ers and cleaned up the grounds. We concluded our summer group with a pizza party courtesy of Domino’s. My experience has shown that it is feasible for interns to spend quality time with students. And there are local businesses and community programs that are willing to help us achieve this goal. ■

Reminder from MASCA Check your membership expiration date on the mailing label of this issue of CN. Renew your membership at www.masca.org.

MASCA Spring Conference 2011

— Photos courtesy of Kathleen Barrett, St. Joseph College, CT

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Navigating MASCA’s Website By JOE FITZGERALD and RON MILLER MASCA Technology Committee

he appearance of MASCA’s website has changed quite a bit, and over the summer it will change more. When you first go to the site, the homepage allows you to link to other pages. Under the MASCA logo is a tab bar with eight tabs on it: Home: This default tab will take you back to the homepage. About: The drop down menu found here directs you to information about the Organization, its Publications, Becoming a Member, and Contact information. Affiliates: This tab takes you to links for your local guidance organizations and their information. Events /Conferences: Under this tab you find upcoming events, an events calendar, and past conferences. Members: Here are links to becoming a member (joining MASCA), membership benefits, and a Members-Only area. Resources: Counselor Resources, Professional Development, Research, Student Counselor Resources, Parent Resources, Student Resources, Job Postings. MA Model: This takes you to the Model resources. Search: This is a typical search facility on web pages that will search on words and direct you to information on the site. Although all tabs on the home page provide you with very good information, the MEMBERS TAB needs particular attention and should be updated periodically. Under this tab is a “Members-Only Area,” which you can select to check and edit all of your membership information. This will take you to a page entitled Members-Only Area and a message about what you can do there. Under it is the following sentence: Click HERE to access our Members-Only Area. The word “HERE” is a link to where you can access your profile and edit or update it. When you click on it, you will be taken to another page that will ask for your username and password. There is no expectation that you will know it, so you can choose “Click Here if you have forgotten your Username and Password.” Follow the directions to put in your e-mail address, and almost immediately you will receive an e-mail with your username and password JUNE 2011

You can then change the password to something easier to remember. Even if you do not need to make changes, check out what is there. We advise that you use your home/personal e-mail for MASCA information because schools and organizations sometimes block certain e-mail that they perceive

as junk mail. If you still are not receiving information from MASCA, go to the About Tab, then Contact Us, which will take you to the webmaster link for Ron Miller. Have a smooth ending to your school year, and do something new with technology over the summer! ■

MASCA Spring Conference 2011

— Photos courtesy of Kathleen Barrett, St. Joseph College, CT

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

SAVE THE DATES! MA Model Summer Institute July 13, July 14, and November TBA Dean College, Franklin _____________

Advanced MA Model Institute

June 15, 10:00 a.m. Working with Undocumented Students for Counselors An update on regulatory issues and resources available to advise undocumented students through the college enrollment process

July 12, July 13, and November TBA Sites: TBA

Webinars with counselors will be recorded and made available for ondemand viewing this spring at http:// www.mefa.org/schoolcounselors/.

For details, go to www.masca.org. Send inquiries to pdchair@masca.org.

Webinars will be eligible for Professional Development points, and instructions will be provided to participants. Register online at https://mefaevents. webex.com.

N.B. These are not RTTT training sessions.

JUNE 2011

MEFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Counselor Webinars

MASCA TRIBUTES 2010-2011 Marilou Cashman Nominator: MASCA Governing Board Marilou was guidance director at Natick High School for many years. She has been the backbone of MASCA, serving as President and Executive Director. Recipient of MASCA’s highest award, the O.S.C.A.R., Marilou is dynamic, articulate, and a strong supporter of counseling services for all. She is an inspiration to all. Don Coverdale Nominator: GBGA Don believes in and has lived by the mantra, “Counselors as Leaders.” He has served on MASCA’s Governing Board, and he is co-founder of MASCA’s Urban Counselors Association. A former METCO coordinator, Don opened East Boston High School as an SAT and ACT test center. Jacqui DeLorenzo Nominator: NECA NECA: member since 1975, Executive Board member. A counselor at North Shore Community College for 38 years, Jacqui has supported innumerable students with her positive influence and career guidance. She is author of Thread of Hope, which portrays her triumph over adversity resulting in her community outreach in anti-bullying education.

Louise Forsyth* Nominator: MASCA Louise had a major impact on our profession. For MASCA: Board of Trustees member (since its inception), Executive Director (second), President (sixth), Public Relations Chair, Archivist (first), O.S.C.A.R. Awardee (second), Life Trustee (first). National level: ASCA (president) and APGA (president). ASCA established the annual Public Relations Award in her honor. John Gould Nominator: NECA John, retired counselor from North Reading High School, is an indefatigable worker with more than 30 years service to professional organizations. NECA: cofounder, president, Membership Chair, Life Trustee, MASCA Trustee. NSGDA: Secretary. MASCA: Conference Committee Registration Chair, Exhibits Chair. Honored by MASCA as “Counselor of the Year” and O.S.C.A.R. recipient. Marjorie Hensley, Ed.D. Nominator: NSGDA A retired school counselor from Essex Agricultural and Technical Institute, Marjorie is known for her dedication and commitment to professional development, which she willingly shares with others. A loyal and dedicated member of NECA, she was named by the affiliate as honorary Life Trustee. Michael Moresco Nominator: NSGDA Michael is director of guidance at Lynnfield High School and a member of North Shore Guidance Directors Association. He devotes his extra time to coaching. A frequent speaker at Salem State University, he is committed to professional development and service to his constituents. He’s a strong advocate of oneon-one counseling. Paul Murphy Nominator: GBGA Paul began teaching English at Rindge Tech in 1955 and since 1965, he was a school counselor at Cambridge Rindge and Latin. Former president of Greater Boston Guidance Association, Paul served on MASCA’s PR Committee and on the Conference Committee for 20 years.

Carol Ryan-Tarka Nominator: Andrew Tarka Carol exemplifies the highest standard of professionalism as a counselor for 39 years in Fitchburg and as a college educator. A past president of MASCA, inspirational chairman of the Curriculum Guide, and worthy recipient of an O.S.C.A.R., Carol continues to lend her expertise as a member of the 50th Birthday Celebration Committee. Ralph Sennott Nominator: GBGA Longtime member of GBGA and MASCA, for the past several years Ralph has served on MASCA’s Governing Board as Vice President Retirees. As Conference Committee Chair, Ralph spearheaded many successful conferences. He is committed to the advancement of School Counseling and always encourages professional development involvement. He leads by example. James Stager Nominator: NSGDA Jim has been Director of School Counseling at St. John’s Prep in Danvers since 2001. He joined the department in 1977 after teaching for several years in NYC and West Roxbury. Jim holds a master’s in history from Manhattan College and a master’s in school counseling from Salem State University. Frank Sullivan Nominator: NSGDA Educators are rarely provided with opportunities to witness a final product. Equally undeniable is educators become part of a student’s life-journey. As a singular thread is woven through a fabric, ultimately becoming part of its essence, the presence of school counselors is woven deeply into the fabric of student lives. WMCA Executive Board Nominator: WMCA President Arlene Tierney Thank you for your dedication: President-Elect, Paula Pagos, Past President, Becky Lescarbeau; Secretary, Ruth Robert; Treasurer, Sheila Burke; Chairpersons: Graduate Liaisons, Anna Tansey and Angela Coffey; Membership / Social, Gina Massa; Newsletter, Kathy Conlon; Nominations, Bob Bardwell; Publicity/Awards, Chris Soverow; Professional Development, Ellen Frost and Betsy Ogonis; Reservations, Carrie Buckner; Scholarship, Donna Lyons. *Deceased nominee

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

JUNE 2011

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

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MASCA Thanks Its Supporters MASCA heartily thanks all those who advertised in this year’s Counselor’s Notebook. With your support, school counselors throughout Massachusetts have been able to communicate with one another — sharing ideas, information, and professional development opportunities. Thank you, Assumption College

New England Institute of Technology

Bay Path College

UMass Boston

New England Kurn Hattin Homes

University of Hartford, Prosthetics & Orthotics Program

Northeastern University Bouvé College of Health Sciences

University of Maine

Curry College

Dean College Princeton Prize

University of New England

Framingham State University Rivier College

Universal Technical Institute

Southern New Hampshire University

Westfield State University

Hofstra University

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Stonehill College Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Stony Brook University