MASCA
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION
MASCA advocates for school counselors By BOB BARDWELL MASCA Advocacy Committee Chair
BOB BARDWELL
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ne of the biggest MASCA news items of the summer is that the Government Relations Committee has been renamed the Advocacy Committee. This change was approved at the August MASCA Governing Board meeting. The concern was that although much of what we do centers around legislation and working with policy makers, the work of our committee is much more than that. The new name reflects this more comprehensive scope and allows the committee to reach further with our efforts to advance school counseling across the Commonwealth. The good news as of this writing is that our Bill (HB 4933) is still moving forward. It has been moved out of the House Ways and Means Committee, through the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling; and it now awaits the go-ahead from the House Committee on Bills in the Third Reading. Pending approval, it can go to the House floor for debate. The only problem is that because the House is in informal session, if any legislator objects, the Bill dies and must be re-filed in the next session. The good news is that most of the legislators we (continued on page 4)
VOL. 47, NO. 2
OCTOBER 2010
MASCA and the DESE: A Meeting of the Minds By MARIA PAOLETTI Graduate Student Liaison, Fitchburg State University
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ithout a doubt, MASCA is moving closer to building a working partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Commissioner Chester’s first meeting and open dialogue with the MASCA leaders at the Leadership Development Institute this past July was a tremendous achievement. The meeting started with a brief introduction by MASCA Past President Christine Evans and attendees, and it was followed by five-minute presentations from Katie Gray, Albert Mercado-Garcia, Richard Lapan, and Bob Bardwell. Katie presented her work on MA Model Implentation at the Agawam Public Schools and the implementation timeline. Albert provided impressive data on the success of the Model at Milford High School. Richard described a MASCA statewide study that he will be conducting on implementation of Model programs across all Commonwealth schools (K-12). His data will align with data that DESE is seeking, and it will be furnished to DESE upon completion. Bob served as moderator and explained that MASCA
is willing, ready, and able to partner with DESE and others in supporting student achievement and educational reform.
Progress in Agawam One of Agawam’s goals was to increase the number of students continuing their postsecondary education. For the class of 2010, 90% are planning to continue their education, compared to 87% in 2007. Agawam also posted an increase in the number of students taking rigorous classes and AP courses. Over the past two years, AP enrollment increased by almost 300%. In addition, the school’s dropout rate of 2.2% for 2008-2009 compared favorably to the state’s average of 2.9%. Progress in Milford Milford’s early intervention and education and career plans have also made a positive difference. Dropout rates improved, AP class offerings increased from 8 to 16, and the number of special education and English language learner students enrolled in AP classes increased. Milford (continued on page 6)
Massachusetts School Counselors Association 2010 Fall Conference • October 26, 2010 Holiday Inn, Boxboro
GOLDEN PAST
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2011
Guest speakers include:
YEARS
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PLATINUM FUTURE
• Dr. Carol Kaffenberger • Dr. Mitchell Chester • Regina Williams Tate, Esq. To register, use the form on page 16 or go to www.masca.org.
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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: cspangev@comcast.net PRESIDENT-ELECT MICHELLE BURKE 100 Sohier Road Beverly, MA 01915-2654 E-mail: mburke@beverlyschools.org PAST PRESIDENT CHRISTINE A. EVANS East Bridgewater High School 11 Plymouth Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333 Tel. 508-378-5851 • Fax 508-378-8236 E-mail: cspangev@comcast.net 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
October 2010
inside 8 9
Tweeting Away By Donna Brown
Updating Your MASCA Profile By Joe Fitzgerald
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
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A Focus on Student Health
VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARY JAY LEIENDECKER Vice President Enrollment Services, Dean College Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726 E-mail: jleiendecker@dean.edu
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Progress Made in the Battle Against Obesity
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: DeborahClemence@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
OCTOBER 2010
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Sleep Deprivation and Teenagers By Bob Bardwell
Students Who Self-Injure By Jason Kurland
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MASCA Fall Conference Registration
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News from MASCA
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
©2010 by the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. All rights reserved.
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BARDWELL (continued from page 1) have spoken to do not think that the Bill is controversial. So, mostly likely, it will be passed during the informal session. Then, it is on to the Senate with similar hoops to jump through.
Other committee updates • Members have been closely involved with the state’s Race to the Top application and generating ideas for school districts to spend funding on school counseling related topics. • Members of the committee met with state Rep. Todd Smola (R-Palmer), who shared ideas about future legislation and educated us about the legislative process. • September agenda: ➢ Follow up with DESE contacts about participation on committees that deal with bullying legislation implementation. ➢ Meet with a Research Analyst for the Joint Committee on Education. The purpose is to show how important school counselors are in the education reform movement and to secure a prominent place in the legislative process when such issues as student achievement, career-
and college-readiness, or bullying come before the Legislature. The goal is for MASCA and school counselors to be contacted for opinions and ideas, rather than us having to seek out policy makers. • Advocacy Training Session, Saturday, November 20, 2010. MASCA representatives will participate in the training to be held as part of the ASCA North Atlantic Regional Meeting in Norwood. To attend, please contact me. • Leadership Forum on Beacon Hill, March 16, 2011. Mark your calendars. Brian Law, ASCA President-elect, will join us, and the Governor will also be invited to speak.
MASCA survey results At this time I want to comment on the results of our spring survey. Although most comments were positive and supportive of our work, some expressed concern about the Bill that mandates career plans. The concern is that — in the current climate of budget cuts, layoffs, and larger caseloads — how can school counselors take on another mandated task? I discussed this issue thoroughly in the April
2010 issue of the Counselor’s Notebook (http://www.masca.org/images/counselo rnotebook/cnapril2010.pdf), but let me say here that there were not many things we could have asked for that did not involve money and would still have a chance of being written into law. We did submit a Bill for a pilot program to study the effectiveness of school counseling to achieve career and college readiness, but it was quickly pushed aside for the Career Plan Bill that has no financial cost attached to it. Career plans are already mandated in vocational schools and used in dozens of others. They are effective and help our students, which is the reason we are in this business. If career plans become mandated for all — a manifestation of how important and beneficial they are — administrators MAY take away other duties. Remember: Nowhere in the statutes of our Commonwealth do the words “school counselors” appear. With luck, the committee studying career plans will recommend implementation of mandatory career plans AND coordination of these plans by a professional school counselor. This would be the law of the Commonwealth.
SAVE THE DATES! Advocacy Training Session Saturday, November 20 _____________ Leadership Forum on Beacon Hill March 6, 2011 _____________ For information, contact Bob Bardwell at 413-267-4589 x1107 or bardwellr@monsonschools.com
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Other comments in the MASCA survey expressed concern about lowering student-counselor ratios and requiring counselors in all schools, particularly at the elementary level. Someday this will happen, but we have to be patient. Our advocacy training has taught us that we must first become an established, credible organization. Only then will legislators take us seriously. We have to continue making critical contacts. And we have to build a solid foundation of trust and coalition in which school counselors are sought after for information and opinions regarding educational reform. More and more, DESE sees us as a team player and a vital spoke in the student achievement wheel. We are no longer just an association of school counselors who get together to socialize. We are earning respect and appreciation from those who are in positions of power and can influence policy. Also remember, we have many years of bad public relations to overcome. Even today we hear stories about ineffective school counselors. A colleague only recently told me about a guidance counselor who was caught playing solitaire in her office. “Bad apples� exist in every profession, and stories about them do not help us earn respect and legitimacy. Only when we are considered true partners in student success and achievement, will we be able to submit legislation mandating school counselors and set caseloads. Therefore, I ask for your patience and even willingness to step forward. Lend your support to our work. The more people involved and willing to speak out on issues important to school counseling, the quicker we will achieve our goal. I could say so much more to support the work of the Advocacy Committee. I do not believe there is any political issue that commands 100% support. If you disagree, please do not negate what we are trying to accomplish. We cannot afford division within our ranks. If you are bothered by what we are advocating for, please contact me: 413-267-4589 x1107 or bardwellr@monsonschools.com. I promise that together we can find common ground. Thanks for your support, and stay tuned for further developments in our journey. Buckle up, for it promises to be an exciting ride. I OCTOBER 2010
Oscar Krichmar, MASCA Life Trustee, and his wife, Lucille, participate in a recent MASCA 50th Birthday Celebration planning meeting.
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A Meeting of the Minds MASCA President Carolyn Richards and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester are shown attending MASCA’s Leadership Development Institute.
PAOLETTI (continued from page 1) plans to continue monitoring, documenting, and collecting data on programs.
Looking forward with the DESE Commissioner Chester responded favorably to the presentations, and he expressed interest in exploring connections. He pointed out that nationally there is an educational shift toward college and career readiness (Obama K-12 policy), whereas the past administration’s focus was on accountability. He thinks that the MA Model not only makes sense but is at the “front end of the curve where policy is going.” Presently in Massachusetts, many college and career readiness initiatives have not been launched, and the ones that have are not joined together as a coordinated effort. The Massachusetts Core Curriculum, for example, is a minimum set of Carnegie course requirements. The state is unique in that legislation does not define the minimal high school coursework or minimum number of courses. The only two required subjects are physical education and history. The Commissioner feels that MCAS standards need improvement. Although the aim of increasing postsecondary enrollment has been achieved, data shows that college retention is poor. This leaves educators wondering whether students are actually ready for college-level courses. Assessing the Web portal The Commissioner asked for the Governing Board’s opinion on the state’s free college and career Web portal, “Your Plan for College — Get Ready for Life after High School.” Board members commented that although some of the portal’s functions work, others are not yet complete. We are aware that it is a new program and that developers are continuing to fine-tune features and correct issues. Counselors look forward to when it is ready and operating at full capacity. Gathering data MASCA can help the DESE, the Commissioner said, by gathering data on students’ perception of their school and educational experience. The Commissioner pointed out that a recent survey revealed a disconnect between students and adults. Students want four things in
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
school: (1) to feel physically and psychologically safe, (2) to be treated as academically capable, (3) to receive support for being successful in academics, and (4) to be respected and supported by students and adults (in other words, civility and a positive school culture and climate). While Commissioner Chester acknowledged that having this information is important, the challenge is how to feed it back to the faculty.
Improving school climate He stressed, furthermore, that total school effort and support is required to make students’ school experiences positive and to ensure academic success. Adults must model respect and insist on appropriate behavior. Bullying is a part of larger issues such as school culture and climate, civility, demonstrating respect, tolerance for differences, and calling students to be accountable. The Commissioner said that ALL staff will be required to have annual training and all schools will be required to adopt a policy and have a plan in place by December. An online component of training will be available soon.
particularly, need transitional programs and help with course selection. The meeting ended on a positive note. We wanted to convey that school counselors and the DESE have a mutual interest in reform and that we want to be one of the partners in planning and programming. We achieved those goals. When Bob Bardwell asked how MASCA can help, Commissioner Chester responded that he will think of MASCA on topics of equity, school climate, and
other programs. Now that Massachusetts has been awarded Race to the Top funds, there will be many opportunities for training initiatives. School counselors are uniquely qualified to achieve the goals delineated by the Commissioner. We are the “right-hand” for college- and career-readiness, counseling, and student support. We must continue our role as educational leaders, working with administrators to identify initiatives and make plans for student success. ■
Preventing dropout We must also be proactive in dropout prevention. By identifying which students are likely to struggle in later grades and be more likely to drop out, educators can provide early intervention, prevention, and support systems. The risk factors include: mobility, discipline problems, absences, retention in grades, and low academic performance. Supporting and challenging students The Commissioner emphasized that students need “intellectual engagement, rigor, and support.” We must focus attention on how to engage them intellectually, how to support them for academic success, and how to improve the pipeline to AP courses. This is true especially for underrepresented populations. The Commissioner recommended the Mass Insight Education program as a way to help achieve these goals. For information about the program, go to http:// www.massinsight.org/about. Students also need organizational skills and support as they transition through the grades. Students entering ninth grade, OCTOBER 2010
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Tweeting Away By DONNA BROWN MASCA Executive Director
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ast year when I first opened the Twitter account, I was really unsure of its usefulness. Would I find that I’d signed on to read mundane musings about the demise of education by people I didn’t know, or would I feel I was being held hostage by my computer as I tried to slog through a gazillion tweets about what someone had for supper? Although sometimes the sheer number of tweets is overwhelming, neither is the case. Rather, I’ve learned a great deal about education, social media of all types, and incredible resources. I’ve tried to read most of my tweets to determine which ones might be of interest to other professional counselors, and those I’ve retweeted to my followers. Several recent tweets dealt with using social media in the classroom; and since most of us are delivering at least some of our curriculum in the classroom, I thought I’d share these possibilities.
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DONNA BROWN As a starting point, I recommend reading (and downloading) Tools for the 21st Century Teacher by Michael Zimmer, a Technology Integration Specialist in Kentucky. Zimmer has prepared a basic handbook of 21st century technologies that teachers can use in their classrooms — mostly for free. Twitter, Glogster, Titan Pad, Wallwisher and Wordle are among the tools described, and he has included suggestions for use in the classroom as
well as additional resources. This is a long URL, 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 help you understand how the Internet actually works. Included are sections on RSS, social media, and search engines. Once you feel comfortable with some of the technologies, take a look at www. EduDemic.com and all it has to offer. One list that immediately caught my eye was “The 100 Best (And Free) Online Learning Tools.” As EduDemic says, “You will find a dazzling number of free (open) resources to learn, engage and just make learning more fun.” This is absolutely true. The list is divided into categories such as “Sharing and Collaborating,” “Open Courseware Search Engines,” and “Online Academic Video Sites.” Also on EduDemic is “The 35 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools Chosen By You.” This list was generated by educators who are part of a Personal Learning Network (PLN). A member asked, “What are your top 5 five web 2.0 tools that you use with students?” Hundreds of responses were sent, and the top 35 are listed. Not all are free (or necessarily even cheap), but all are tried and true. EduDemic also has a companion site, www.EduDatum.com, that has hundreds of snippets of data that can be used in the 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 of applicable videos. An excellent one about posting on social media and the possible consequences is appropriate for high school students and can be used as part of a lesson on careers and work readiness: http:// edupln.com/video/digital-footprintsyour-new. For some simple, short video explanations of tools like Twitter, take a look at www.commoncraft.com. Lastly, please join me at http:// twitter.com/MASCAExDr. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Updating Your MASCA Profile By JOE FITZGERALD MASCA Technology Committee Chair
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ver the past several weeks, I have been receiving e-mail reminders from the MASCA website that my membership is about to expire and that I should renew it online using the link in the e-mail. It was very simple to do and certainly was more convenient than mailing a form along with a check. At the end of this email, I happened to notice the following statement from Deborah Clemence, MASCA’s Membership Coordinator: “After a review of the information in the RunMyClub (RMC) system, MASCA’s Membership Management system, we’ve discovered that many member profiles are missing information or contain outdated information. We use this information to send out notices that help members. I encourage you to take a moment at this time to review your profile and correct any errors/omissions.” Updating your Profile is very important in order to get current information about workshops, conferences, and political action sent directly to you via your e-mail. To add your information, access the RMC system from the “Members” link on our website (www.masca.org) or via the following link, www.runmyclub.com/ masca/login.asp. If you have forgotten your login Username or Password, simply click on the “Click Here” on the login page. Once you are logged into the system, click on “Preferences” at the top of the page. You will be taken to the “My Profile” portion of the site, where you can update the fields in your profile. Pay attention to the “Membership Info” page. At the bottom is an area where you can control the contact listing options that other members can view in the MASCA Directory. I encourage you to update your information and make use of the MASCA website to keep abreast of your profession. ■
OCTOBER 2010
Stay informed with MASCA’s website You will find information about college fairs, conferences, and resources to assist in your work with students. Go to www.masca.org /
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A Focus on Student Health Obesity and health “Obesity kills more Americans every year than AIDS, all cancers, and all accidents combined. It is causing health problems in children that were unthinkable 30 years ago. That is why the AMA is working to halt the spread of obesity,” said AMA Board Member Mary Anne McCaffree, MD. “As physicians, we know the importance of instilling healthy habits
early in a person’s life and getting all family members involved in making healthy food choices and increasing physical activity.” — www.medicineandtechnology.com/ 2010/09/september-is-nationalchildhoodobesity.html/
Obesity rates in youth Mass in Motion — a program designed to promote wellness and prevent obesity — has found that “more than one-third of the students in 80 Massachusetts school districts are overweight or obese.” The percentage “ranged from a low of 9.6 percent in Arlington to a high of 46.6 percent in Lawrence.” — http://wbz.cbslocal.com/2010/09/08/ Headaches in teens ST. PAUL, Minn., January 18, 2010 — Teens who are overweight, get little exercise or who smoke may be more likely to have frequent headaches and migraines than teens with none of these factors, according to a study published in the August 18, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Teens with all three of the negative lifestyle factors were 3.4 times more likely to have frequent headaches than those with none of the negative lifestyle factors. Of those with all three negative lifestyle factors, 55 percent had frequent headaches, compared to 25 percent of those with no negative lifestyle. “These lifestyle factors have rarely been studied in teens,” said Andrew D. Hershey, MD, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. “This study is a vital step toward a better understanding of lifestyle factors and potential preventive measures that can be taken.” Academic achievement and nutrition “Long-standing evidence documents the developmental and cognitive benefits of adequate nutrition, and many studies confirm that proper nutrition enhances academic achievement…. Since more than 53 million young people spend 13 formative years in the nation’s 121,000 schools, policymakers have taken note that schools are an appropriate place to address healthy eating and to establish healthy habits for life.” — Promoting Healthy Communities and Reducing Childhood Obesity: Legislative Options, National Conference of State Legislatures (March 2009). I
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
Progress made in the battle against obesity BOSTON – Friday, July 30, 2010 – Governor Deval Patrick today signed into law legislation ensuring that only foods that meet established nutritional standards are sold in public schools during school hours. The law, “An Act Relative to School Nutrition” (H 4459), also mandates that the Department of Public Health (DPH) create specific food guidelines through the regulatory process. “This law is an important step toward ensuring that there are healthy choices for kids at school,” said Governor Patrick. “I want to thank our partners in both the Legislature and in the private sector for recognizing that the health and well-being of our children is a key part of ensuring a solid foundation for their futures.” “This law reflects the Patrick-Murray Administration’s deep commitment to promoting wellness and controlling obesity in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. JudyAnn Bigby. “It’s significant because it helps children develop habits that will impact their overall health throughout their lives.”
OCTOBER 2010
“We’re committed to providing a highquality education for every student in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Education Paul Reville. “But we recognize that academic achievement is the result of a combination of factors including high expectations and excellent teaching, but also the readiness and preparedness of students when they arrive in school. Nutrition plays a key role in student learning and this bill will help schools with their efforts to improve the ability of students to be successful.” “This new law will help kids choose healthier foods during the school day,” said DPH Commissioner John Auerbach. “It’s a wonderful complement to Governor Patrick’s Mass in Motion anti-obesity initiative, which is dedicated to creating conditions that promote healthy eating and physical activity.” “This is a great day for nearly a million children in the Massachusetts public schools,” said Executive Director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, Valerie Bassett. “This law will put
healthier food choices in schools, so that the next generation has a fairer chance at long, healthy lives free from diabetes, heart disease or other preventable chronic illness.” The legislation signed today encourages and supports the use of local, fresh farm products in schools and requires the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables as snacks at schools. It also calls on the Department of Public Health and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to set guidelines for the training of school nurses around the issues of obesity, diabetes and eating disorders. Additionally, the bill makes a special effort to allow for reasonable exemptions at extracurricular events, special fundraisers and other venues. “This will be an important milestone in our fight to curb the epidemic of childhood obesity which is a major public health problem and can lead to chronic diseases in adults such as diabetes and heart disease,” said Senator Susan C. Fargo. ■
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Sleep Deprivation and Teenagers By BOB BARDWELL MASCA Past President
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o you have a tough time getting your adolescent up for school in the morning? Do they go to bed late and want to sleep in? Are the sleeping patterns of your adolescent changing as they grow older? Your child is not alone and the research says this is normal. Studies estimate that between 20 and 30% of adolescents experience some form of sleep deprivation. Teens on average need 9.25 hours of sleep per night, yet approximately 75% of teens go to bed after 11:00 p.m. on school nights. This means they get less than 6.5 hours of sleep a night. The average teenager typically gets 7.4 hours of sleep per night. Since the majority of high schools start before 8:00 a.m. and because adolescents are biologically driven to sleep longer and later than adults, the effects of insufficient sleep are dramatic. Starting between the ages of eight and twelve, triggered by hormonal changes, the adolescent’s circadian rhythm changes. Research indicates that as adolescents progress through puberty, their brains are stimulated more later in the day, which would result in better academic performance. However, most exams such as the ACT and SAT occur in the morning. Parents surveyed report that 23% of teens complained of being tired during the day compared to only 11% of children under 12. Fifteen percent of teens report that they fell asleep during school at some point. Lack of sleep also contributes to increased disciplinary problems and poorer grades as well as memory deficits, lack of information processing, decreased creativity, decreased socialization, and the inability to handle complex tasks. A 1998 survey of more than 3000 high school students found that students who reported that they were getting C’s, D’s, & F’s in school obtained about 25 minutes less sleep and went to bed about 40 minutes later that students who reported getting A’s & B’s. Sleep deficiencies can also jeopardize one’s immune system and thus lead to an increase susceptibility to illness. In addition, sleep deprivation is a prob-
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BOB BARDWELL lem for teen drivers. One study found that annually drivers age 25 and under cause more than 50% of the 100,000 crashes resulting from drowsiness and fatigue. Adolescent sleep difficulties are also associated with psychopathologies such as depression and attention deficit disorder (ADD). Increased drug and alcohol abuse can also be linked to this phenomenon.
Solving the problem Some feel that the sleep missed during the week can be just made up on the weekends. This is not the case. The truth is that teens need a consistent sleep pattern and should maintain the same schedule every night, which means going to bed and getting up at the same time, even on the weekends. The most obvious solution is to move the start of school time to later in the day, although after-school sports, jobs, and other activities and changing the school and community culture are huge obstacles to overcome. Legislation (known as the ZZZ’s to A’s Act) was introduced into the 109th Congress in 2005 and referred to the Education Subcommittee on Educational Reform. The bill encourages school districts to move starting time to no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Unfortunately it was never acted upon. In the interim, parents and guardians should establish a reasonable bedtime and wake time that is consistent throughout the week. Nix the late night social activities and limit late night working hours. Establishing a bedtime routine that includes a quiet activity such as reading a book or warm shower and avoiding caffeine later in the day will also help. Com-
puter games and flickering televisions should also be avoided as bedtime approaches. Daily exercise is also suggested; however, it should not occur within two hours of bedtime. While a quick 30-minute nap after school may help, longer naps later in the evening will negatively impact the bedtime routine. Even dimming the lighting as bedtime approaches and exposing the child to bright lights in the morning can prove effective. Just knowing that sleep deprivation is a normal adolescent experience may not provide the relief needed to offset the negative side effects. However, with education implementing the research-based recommendations and a bit of patience, the harmful behaviors may improve. Education about the importance of sleep is just as important as education about exercise, nutrition and drugs and alcohol. If all else fails, it may be appropriate to discuss concerns with a medical professional. Perhaps it is time to take a closer look at this phenomenon and seek solutions. It is not a problem that will just go away. ––––––––––––––––––––
Bob is past president of both MASCA and NEACAC. Currently he serves as Secondary Level Vice President of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). I
A study of students in grades 9-12 in Rhode Island showed that ”a simple half-hour delay in high school start time led to a significant improvement in students’ mood, alertness, and motivation, and increased their average sleep time during the week.” — Katrina Woznicki, WebMD Health News (July 6, 2010).
COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 2010
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Students Who Self-Injure: Implications for School Counselors By JASON KURLAND
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he article “Students Who Self-Injure: School Counselor Ethical and Legal Considerations”* in ASCA’s Professional School Counseling examines self-injurious behavior by students and its legal and ethical concerns for school counselors. According to the article, the number of students who have reported engaging in self-injury has increased. And although only one in four of the general population engage in self-injury, thirteen percent of the adolescent population have been found to do so. School counselors, in their work with students, are in a unique position to identify and respond to the problem before it becomes a serious threat to the student’s physical and emotional health and ability to succeed in school.
Defining self-injury The DSM-IV considers self-injury to be a subset of self-harm. It is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue without suicidal intent. The DSMIV, however, does not provide diagnostic criteria for the identification of deliberate self-harm. Self-injury can be inflicted by various
Evaluating Net resources
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Self-injury is just one of many issues that are at the forefront of confusing and disturbing adolescent problems. With the help of online resources, school counselors can provide the best references for their students and families as well as use the most up-to-date information in all aspects of their guidance 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.
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means including scratching, branding, cutting, self-hitting, burning, and biting. Studies suggest that cutting appears to be the most common, constituting as much as eighty percent of all reported cases. Cutting is typically done with objects such as razor blades or knives with the extent of injury ranging from superficial scratches to deep wounds through multiple layers of skin. The most commonly reported sites of the body are the arms, wrists, legs, breasts, thighs, stomach, and genitals.
Self-injury vs. suicidal behavior Distinguishing between self-injury and suicidal behavior can be difficult. Although suicide is not the intention of self-injury, the relationship between the two is complex because self-injurious behavior may be potentially life-threatening. Individuals who self-injure, moreover, have been found in forty-sixty percent of suicides. Reasons for self-injury Many theories for this behavior have been proposed, and all of them seen to share the belief that self-injury serves to release some form of stress. For example, a student who has difficulty expressing certain emotions such as fear, anger, jealousy, and sadness may find that self-injury relieves the stress caused by withholding these emotions. Although a common myth about selfinjury is that the person is seeking attention, a study by Claudine Fox and Keith Hawton revealed that self-harmers inflict their injuries in private and are usually very reluctant to disclose their actions to anyone, even close family and friends. Detection of self-injury The private nature of self-injury makes detection very challenging. One possible sign to look for is the student’s concealment of injuries by inappropriate clothing, such as long-sleeved shirts or pants in hot weather. Plan of action When a school counselor determines that a student is engaging in self-injurious be-
havior, several complex decisions must be made, including the issue of confidentiality. The American School Counselor Association maintains that professional school counselors must respect student privacy and keep information confidential unless the student is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others. Thus, if the student’s injuries are determined to be life-threatening or an indication of suicide, the counselor should immediately report it to either the student’s parents or other school counselors and seek legal advice from the school’s district attorney on the appropriate course of action. Determining whether or not the student’s injuries are life-threatening or that the student might commit suicide, however, can be difficult. If the counselor is unsure, then he should consult with other school counselors, the school nurse, and mental health professionals who specialize in self-injury. If the injuries are not immediately lifethreatening, the counselor should do everything possible to protect the student’s privacy and encourage the student to speak with his or her parents. The counselor can also ask the advice of the principal without revealing the student’s name. A No-Harm Contract can be adopted as part of school policy. This would explain to students and parents what behaviors require the school administration to take specific actions in order to keep students safe. School counselors have the unique opportunity to work with administrators to develop a school policy for dealing with self-injurious behavior, reporting suspected cases of self-injury, and notifying parents. In doing so, counselors can achieve one of their primary duties: to maintain the safety and well-being of students and others. ––––––––––––––––––––
*Victoria E. White Kress et al., Professional School Counseling, ASCA, Volume 10, No. 2 (December 2006), 203-209. I COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
ED’S VIEWS By ED BRYANT, NCC MASCA Life Trustee
Mark your calendar! 21st Service Academies/ROTC Night Danversport Yacht Club November 3, 2010 • 6:00 p.m.
ED BRYANT
A
gain, well done to Bob Bardwell for his report on bullying. It is definitely a hot topic since the suicide in Massachusetts. During my early school years, the bullies would call me Porky. Later, after keeping in shape from sailboat racing, the name was dropped. A few years ago the Ipswich Rotary Club had a bullying project. We asked classes of sixth graders if they were familiar with bullying, and most raised their hands. Students and teachers developed many activities, including posters. Our Rotary Club should take another survey. A suggestion for our spring conference: Ross Ellis on the topic of social networking. Mindy Popp provides volunteer counseling services to students. Let’s Get Ready, a non-profit with an office in Boston, will hold its College Application Completion Day on December 12. Memories: Oscar, remember when you were CN Editor? My job at the time was Executive Director. Governing Board members declared that we could no longer afford your assistant editor. Although she seemed efficient and cooperative, the Board said that the money could be used elsewhere. Did you know that your old iPhone is worth money? Do you want information on lifelong learning? Try www.wannaLearn.com. For 2011, what are you doing to move MASCA forward? What are your thoughts and ideas about our association? Join a committee, help your affiliate, attend a conference. Join in the Happy Birthday 2011 celebration. Enjoy the fall season. And remember: Service Academies/ROTC Night, November 3, Danversport Yacht Club. ■ OCTOBER 2010
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MASCA Fall Conference Registration
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Building 21st Century Academic and Employability Skills Holiday Inn, Boxboro, MA • October 26, 2010 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, webmaster@masca.org, or membership@masca.org.
• • • • • •
Request online registration: webmaster@masca.org. 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 pdchair@masca.org. 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 pdchair@masca.org. • 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
Registration Type (check category and options) 2010 registration includes: morning breakfast, snack, luncheon buffet, keynoter, workshops, exhibits, and afternoon Institute. Early Bird Rate (ends 10/1/2010) MASCA member and on-line registration or 10/1 postmark Regular registration (after 10/1/2010) WALK-IN registration: Add $20 to total MASCA 2010-2011 PDPs: Add $25 to total PO processing fee: Add $10 per invoice Total Amount Due
TOTAL PAYMENT ENCLOSED $____________
Retired
MASCA Professional Member by 10/1
Grad Student
Non-MASCA member
Counselor Educator
Retiree Graduate Student* (*not employed as a school counselor)
Member
Non-member
$115
$170
$ 60
$ 80
$125 $ 20 $ 25 $ 10
$180 $ 20 $ 25 $ 10
$ 70 $ 20 $ 25 $ 10
$ 90 $ 20 $ 25 $ 10
$_________
$_________
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 • registrar@masca.org
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COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
MA Model Matters By ELIZABETH REED MASCA MA Model Committee Chair
W
ith a new school year underway, school counselors are busy clarifying responsibilities and planning annual calendars so that they can manage and promote department services, deliver content, and work with all students to improve academic success and close the achievement gap. As you begin your work and consider how to assess the impact of your programs and services, are you using data to assess outcomes? Does the data identify needs and help plan future programming? A framework to help you answer these questions is the MA Model for Compre-
hensive School Counseling Programs. By using the Model you can streamline your counseling program so that ALL students benefit. Over the past couple of years, MA Model Institute members have submitted articles to the Notebook about implementation initiatives at their schools. These articles will continue, but, in addition, we are introducing a new column, “MA Model Matters.” This column will specifically address the four components of the MA Model: Foundation, Management, Delivery, and Accountability. Implementing the Model does take
time, but “MA Model Matters” will help you to look at it one segment at a time. Next month’s article by Albert Mercado will discuss how Milford High School conducted a needs assessment of their school community. We encourage you to visit www. masca.org for more MA Model information and tips. If you have column feedback, would like to learn more about MA Model Institute training opportunities, or would like to join the MA Model Committee, contact me at 413-267-4589 or reede@monsonschools.com. ■
MASCA Spring Conference and 50th Birthday Celebration April 10 -12, 2011 Exhibit Hall • Events • Concurrent Workshops • Receptions • Awards Sunday Welcome Keynoter: Dr. Norm Gysbers
Art Athletic Training Biology Business Management Chemistry Communication Computer Information Systems Compute Science Criminal Justice Economics Education English Environmental Science Ethnic and Gender Studies General Science History Liberal Studies Mathematics Movement Science Music Nursing Political Science Psychology Regional Planning Social Work Sociology Spanish Theatre Arts
OCTOBER 2010
Private quality. Public value. Discover more by visiting us online at wsc.ma.edu. Westfield State Office of Admission Post Office Box 1630 · Westfield, MA 01086 (413) 572-5218 · wsc.ma.edu
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News from MASCA CSCA honors O’Boy In April 2010, Catholic School Counselors Association honored its Counselor of the Year: Patsy Ann O’Boy. A member of the guidance staff of Bishop Feehan High School for the past seventeen years, Patsy Ann is a devoted member of the team. She goes above and beyond her duties, having served as Yearbook Advisor and Mock Trial Advisor. Patsy Ann always makes time for her
students, and she keeps their needs as a top priority. She can even be found collecting money for a student with a particular need, all the while protecting the student’s identity. Her peers say that Patsy Ann is “part of the fabric of the school.” She has brought honor and integrity to her role as guidance counselor, and for many years she has been a dedicated and inspirational member of CSCA. Congratulations, Patsy Ann!
Honor Your School Counselor “Tributes” A MASCA 50th Birthday Promotion 50
YEARS
1961
2011
MASCA Birthday Reception Monday, April 11, 2011 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
50
2011
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Did a school counselor encourage you to accomplish your goals and follow your dreams? Did a school counselor you know make a positive difference in the lives of students? Do you want to express your appreciation to that 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 invited to attend the MASCA 50th Birthday Reception, where they will be honored with a Certificate of Recognition. Submissions are welcome from all residents, school systems, MASCA affiliates, students, past graduates, families, administrators, and others. To get started, click on the 50th Birthday School Counseling Tributes link on the homepage. Submit a fifty-word tribute about the counselor’s impact on your life or the lives of students. A photo is optional.
For more information, e-mail tributes@masca.org. 18
CSCA awards scholarships Each year CSCA awards scholarships in recognition of the accomplishments and good work of local high school students. This year, $500 scholarships went to three students for their dedication to community service and strong academic profile: Marissa Grennon, Cardinal Spellman High School; Matthew King, Boston College High School; and Alyssa Smith, Coyle & Cassidy High School. CSCA wishes the students success in their college careers and a bright future. MASCA Spring Conference to feature Gysbers Norman C. Gysbers, Ph.D. will be a featured speaker at the MASCA Spring Conference to be held next April. Gysbers is a Curators’ Professor in the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri. His research and teaching interests are in career development, career counseling, and school guidance and counseling program development, management, and evaluation. In addition to his duties at the University of Missouri, he has lectured extensively, including assignments at the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and University of British Columbia. He is the author of 90 articles, 38 chapters in published books, 15 monographs, and 22 books, one of which was translated into Italian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. Gysbers has also served as editor of the Career Development Quarterly, 19621970, President of the National Career Development Association, 1972-73, President of the American Counseling Association, 1977-78, and Vice President of the Association of Career and Technical Education, 1979-1982. From 1978 until 2006, he was the Editor of The Journal of Career Development. His research and teaching accomplishments have earned him many prestigious awards, most notably the National Career Development Association’s Eminent Career Award in 1989 and the ASCA Mary Gehrke Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK
OCTOBER 2010
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Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc. COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK Sally Ann Connolly, Editor
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
NEWBURYPORT, MA PERMIT NO. 96
.......................................... NAME
.......................................... ADDRESS
.......................................... STATE
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Send this form to: Deborah Clemence P.O. Box 805 East 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.
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Building 21st Century Academic and Employability Skills Holiday Inn, Boxboro • October 26, 2010
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 CN or register online at webmaster@masca.org. Make checks payable to MASCA and mail to: Joe Fitzgerald, Registrar, 5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188 • registrar@masca.org