Counselor's Notebook, September 2011 by Sally Ann Connolly

MASCA

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION

Trends in School Counseling By DONNA BROWN MASCA Executive Director

VOL. 48, NO. 1

SEPTEMBER 2011

RTTT Pre-Conference Workshop Holiday Inn, Boxboro Monday, October 24 Dr. Vivian Lee, “Using Data to Advocate for Systemic Change” (Dr. Lee will be available throughout the day to support teams.)

DONNA BROWN

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f you have had the chance to read the latest ASCA School Counselor, you’ve probably started to think about the Five Trends presented in the July/August issue. ASCA asked a number of school counseling leaders to describe what they thought would be the most important issues facing school counseling in the next five years. After sorting through a myriad of topics, five were mentioned by the majority.

Trend 1: Schoolwide Bully Prevention The first trend mentioned was no surprise: “Schoolwide Bully Prevention.” Brent Burnham, the author, is a school counselor at Midway Elementary School (Utah), an adjunct faculty member at Utah Valley University, and a 2011 School Counselor of the Year finalist. In his article he describes four hallmarks and eight key components of the bully prevention program he has developed at his school. Among the hallmarks of this program are progress towards systemic change, commitment from the entire school community, teaching of comprehensive strategies and skills, and sustainability. According to Burnham, one of the most important components is administrative support because without strong leader(continued on page 4)

MASCA Fall Conference Tuesday, October 25 Morning keynoter: Dr. Vivian Lee, “Own the Turf: Using Data to Promote College and Career Readiness K-12” MARC and MARC Jr. Recognition Awards

Thanks for MASCA Scholarship To the Editor: I am thrilled about winning the $250 for a “summer program for a student in need.” There is a camp in one of our towns, Camp Putnam in New Braintree, that is basically a Fresh Air Fund type camp. One of the weeks during the summer is open to children from our local communities. Many of our middle school students have gone to camp there as young-

er campers and are now in the Advanced Camper program. They do all kinds of activities as a group and train to help out the younger campers as well. It is a terrific program, and I have donated the money to that program as it will go towards many of my middle school students, not just one. Thank you, MASCA. — Barbara Page, Counselor Quabbin Regional Middle School

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

2011 – 2012 MASCA OFFICERS

MASCA

PRESIDENT MICHELLE BURKE Beverly High School 100 Sohier Road Beverly, MA 01915-2654 Tel. 978-921-6132 x 11107 E-mail: mburke@beverlyschools.org

September 2011

PAST 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 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 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 ALBERT MERCADO Stacy Middle School 66 School Street, Milford, MA 01757 Tel. 508-478-1181 • Fax 508-634-2370 E-mail: amercado@milfordma.com

inside 5 6

Bully-Proofing Your Schools: A Program Review By Emily Herring

Professional Development News By Helen O’Donnell, Ed.D.

VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARY TBA 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 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

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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 ASHLEY CARON 25 Belmont Ave., Stoughton, MA 02072 Tel. 508-212-0676 E-mail: ashcicero@hotmail.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: membership@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

SEPTEMBER 2011

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Advocacy Committee Update By Bob Bardwell

MA Model Implementation: A Collaboration By Ann Marie Mutz and Susan Pivero

Greetings from VP Middle / Junior High By Albert Mercado

Affiliate News

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

Tweets of Note rsabella Russell Sabella MARC REPORT: Bullying in Grades 3-12 in MA http://bit.ly/ruJoS9

rsabella Russell Sabella The Relationship Between Cyberbullying and School Bullying (article) http://bit.ly/mUkmaa

Join us on Twitter: Donna Brown: MascaExDr Sally Ann Connolly: sallyconnolly1

BROWN (continued from page 1) ship, systemic change will not be possible. He also points out that staff training needs to include all staff: teachers, secretaries, aides, bus drivers, nurses, administrators, and anyone who interacts with students. The importance of data in making plans of action is stressed. Burnham has produced an ASCAway podcast on anti-bullying issues: www. ascaway.podbean.com.

Trend 2: Helping disadvantaged students Abby Holley, lead school counselor at Shaw PCS in Washington, D.C., is the author of the second article about poverty entitled, “Helping Disadvantaged Students Achieve.” Like Burnham, Abby Holley writes from personal experience at a school where over 90 percent of students’ families receive government and school financial support. She offers a look at the challenges faced by students and staff and shares some of the strategies that have worked. Admitting that what works is often very simple, Holley shares the solutions that have worked for her, among which are consistency, inclusion of parents, and shared data. Trend 3: Use of technology Two articles are included in this trend: “Take a Risk,” by Dave Forrester, a school counselor at Olympia High School (WA), a past technology chair for Washington SCA, and an Adobe Education Leader; and “Collaborate, Create, Communicate” by Diane Harazin, an instructional technology education specialist for Fairfax County Public Schools (VA). Forrester’s article focuses on the need for school counselors to take risks in using technology. He includes his favorite free tech tools, with suggestions for how each might be used. He also cites our own Dr. Tim Poynton and EZAnalyze! Harazin’s article pinpoints ways technology can be used by students and offers ways this same technology can help support programs designed by school counselors. She, too, shares the tools she likes best and explains how and why they are of use. Trend 4: School counselor’s role “Moving from ‘Guidance’ to School Counseling” by Kathryn Sax, a school counselor at Pope High School in Marietta, GA, offers a look at how a school coun-

seling program evolves. Readers follow the school counselors as they embrace the ASCA Model and change their school, eventually earning RAMP status. For any schools implementing the MA Model, this is a must read. Sax clearly outlines the steps that make change both possible and sustainable. It is no surprise that in her opening paragraph she states, “We discovered three tools that helped win administration’s support: training faculty and staff, clear proposals in line with school goals, and the use of data to evaluate the school counseling program.” She also suggests ways to ensure administrators understand what counselors do to help all children. This trend section also included a very short article, “A Team Approach,” by Douglas Thilman, principal of Cary High School (NC). Thilman describes the team structure of his high school and the important role school counselors play in it. He says that because of the relationship between administrators and school counselors, students are better served and become more successful.

Trend 5: Funding Two school superintendents — Christopher McGinley (Lower Merion School District in Ardmore, PA) and Sharon Zoeliner (Louisburg Unified School District 416 in Louisburg, KS) — provide a short essay on this trend. McGinley’s, “The New Normal,” paints a picture all too familiar to us as counselors. He provides some of the back story to our current financial difficulties. The economic crisis that has lowered property values has decreased revenue in areas relying on property taxes to fund education. The ending of federal stimulus money has taken a toll in many districts, he continues. He clearly and succinctly describes the funding problems faced. He is also concerned about how we have come to use “reduction in force” to depersonalize our actions. In “The ABCs of Funding,” Zoeliner explains the basics of school funding. She discusses what funds are available to local schools and how they are usually meted out. She ends by suggesting we get specific information about our own schools from our school’s business manager. These five trends can serve as discussion starters in your counseling office or your school. While individual schools will have many other issues, they certainly will top most lists. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Bully-Proofing Your Schools: A Program Review By EMILY HERRING, Counselor, Paul R. Baird Middle School

assachusetts General Law passed a requirement for all public schools in the Commonwealth to employ bullying reporting procedures as well as a prevention and education curriculum. This law states: “Each school district … shall provide age-appropriate instruction on bullying prevention in each grade that is incorporated into the curriculum of the school district or school. This curriculum shall be evidence-based.” This year at my school the administration focused on making the school compliant with this mandate. Administration worked with school support services to review possible programs, curriculums, and initiatives that would not only satisfy the legal requirements but also be flexible enough to conform to the school’s unique needs. Many programs were reviewed and discussed. Second Step is a popular choice, so the team explored that program as well as other structured curriculums with scripted lessons. The team decided that although research supported their effectiveness, the highly structured programs lacked flexibility. The school wanted not only the bullying prevention piece but a culture and climate change within the school that would transition easily into the high school. Elementary schools in the district have been using the Responsive Classroom model. Although the next logical step for the middle school was the Developmental Designs, the team considered that it necessitated a drastic change to the building’s schedule and would require more staffing. With budgets cuts looming, the team continued to look for a program that would work within the current parameters. Months later, the team reviewed and approved adoption of Bully-Proofing Your School: A Comprehensive Approach for Middle Schools by Bonds and Stoker. Originally designed for the elementary level, the program has been expanded to include both middle school and high school levels. Its unique focus — i.e., target group—is the “caring majority.” This majority is the body of students not involved in bullying behaviors on a day-today basis, and they are not the targets. Rather, they are the students who wish bullying was not present and understand the harmful consequences it brings to all SEPTEMBER 2011

students in the school. BPYS works to empower these students, while incorporating the more traditional approach of providing coping strategies to both the target and the student engaging in bullying type behaviors. BPYS has four basic concepts: (1) being a systematic, comprehensive program; (2) promoting climate change; (3) teaching skills to avoid victimization; and (4) developing the caring majority. These concepts complement the school’s goals for the upcoming school year and incorporate past climate change work among the staff. The previous year, staff in our school developed a Behavioral Matrix that outlined the expectations of the students in three areas: Respect, Responsibility, and Safety. These three areas clearly outlined how they could be demonstrated in class, the hallways, the main office and during morning activities, lunchtime, etc. With the Matrix already completed, culture and climate change had already begun. BPYS will help us to be more unified in language and procedures in sup-

port of the Matrix and in dealing with situations that may escalate to bullying. BPYS has developed five grade-level lessons, which teach students common language to label behaviors and concrete ways to stop disrespectful situations from escalating or occurring. Follow-up lessons are taught in class to keep students thinking of the topic and to expand real-life experiences. Because they address ASCA’s Common Core Standards and Career Developmental Expectations, these lessons are easily integrated into the classroom. In academic areas, our school has been working diligently to implement the Response to Intervention Model. BPYS will complement this model by offering a social-emotional tiered response. BPYS also offers the benefit of not being overwhelming to implement. Changes to the schedule and day-to-day operations are not drastic, and implementation is slow but steady. We have already issued Safety Surveys to students, parents, and staff to establish a baseline of data. And we expect BPYS to be the best fit for our middle school. ■

Professional Development News By HELEN O’DONNELL, Ed.D. Professional Development Committee Chair

ean College in Franklin welcomed the MA Model Cohort 2011 with outstanding facilities, excellent dining, overnight lodging in their condos, and gracious hospitality. A special “thank you” goes to Kathy Ryan, Director of Enrollment Operations, who attended to all our needs. School counseling colleagues from Chelsea, Chelmsford, Everett, Pittsfield (Taconic and Pittsfield High Schools), and Salem came together for two days of training and collegial sharing about the MA Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and its implementation. At the end of the academic year, with my technical assistance and mentoring, par-

ticipants will present their implementation work at poster sessions to be held during the MASCA spring conference. They will also complete a MA Accountability Report Card (MARC Jr.).

By BOB BARDWELL MASCA Advocacy Committee Chair

Expanded website resources Thanks to the work of Maria Paoletti over the summer, more resources are now available on MASCA’s website. Both restricted and unrestricted areas were expanded, and members can access all materials. To access them, click on the MA Model Tab. If you use materials that have been designed and posted by your colleagues, please remember to cite your source. ■

Advocacy Committee Update

BOB BARDWELL

uesday, June 21 proved to be a great day in MASCA’s history. Ten members and supporters testified before the Joint Education Committee at the State House in Boston about the importance of elementary school counselors and why they should be mandated in our state. 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 2009-10, an estimated 70% of elementary schools in Massachusetts had no school guidance counselor and 41% had no school counselor, adjustment counselor, or social worker. Accompanying me in testifying before the Committee were Dr. Randal Reback, Professor of Economics at Barnard College; Joan D’Onofrio, parent and educator; Marlborough Public Schools’ Gail Okerman, School Counselor Educator at Fitchburg State and experienced elementary school counselor; Bridget Dullea, Grade 5/6 School Counselor, Agawam Middle School; Benjamin Bardwell and his mother Wendy, Grade 3 Student at Whately Elementary School; Shannon Doran, graduate student in school counseling, University of Massachusetts; and Dick Madden, MASCA member and retired school counselor. Abby Dolan, a grade 5 student from Groton Dunstable Middle School, was unable to attend, so her statement was read by Allison Bardwell. But the hearing was only the first step. Now the hard work begins. We must let our elected state senators COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

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 funding to support it. However, we have to try. As school counselors, we know how valuable elementary school counselors are to the overall well-being of all students. We know also that a successful elementary school counseling program has 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 we need a mandate that every school have at least one. Here is what you can do to help: 1. Contact members of the Joint Committee on Education to advocate for this bill, particularly if you are a constituent of one of these 17 members: http://www. malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J14. Not sure who your legislators are? Go to www.wheredoivoteinma.com. 2. Contact your state senator and representative and encourage them to support HB 1068. 3. 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 the mandating of elementary school counselors?

ing behind the scenes meeting with staffers of the Joint Education Committee; Julie Johnson, Government Relations staffer at the MTA; State Rep. Todd Smola, sponsor of HB 1068; Dr. Saeyun Lee, Policy Director, Executive Office of Education; and supporters of career plans (Jill Norton from the Rennie Center and Dr.

Scott Solberg, the new dean and school counselor educator at Boston University). The MASCA Advocacy Committee is always looking for those willing to help. For more information, visit the MASCA Advocacy Committee webpage at www. masca.org or contact me at bardwellr@ monsonschools.com. ■

To advocate for MA House Bill 1068, contact your legislator at www.malegislature.gov/Committees/Joint/J14

Update on other bills MASCA’s other two bills filed in this session had been filed previously: • 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 hearings for those bills will be held on November 1. There is great interest in HB 1945. It has been a topic of conversation in many arenas and passed in the House during the last session. If you are interested in testifying or assisting with this hearing, please let us know. In addition to working on the above three bills, the Committee has been workSEPTEMBER 2011

MA Model Implementation: A Collaboration By ANN MARIE MUTZ and SUSAN PIVERO Pittsfield High School and Taconic High School

s the Lead Counselors in both high schools in the Pittsfield district, we did not jump on the MA Model train when it was first introduced. Call it reluctance, call it sit back and observe, or simply fear of the unknown, we were in no hurry. But now, thanks to the incredible training, resources, and support from MASCA, we are ready and excited to move forward to implement the Model in our district. The impetus to embracing the MA Model initiative has been the Race to the Top (RTTT) plan approved for our district and the unwavering support of our administrative team at all levels within the district and the two schools. We value their leadership in this task, and we appreciate their combined encouragement and allocation of financial resources for professional development of our school counseling team. The school counseling departments at the two high schools in the district, Pittsfield and Taconic, have always worked together to present consistency in our

philosophy and goals. This partnership continues; all eight counselors from both high schools work together to create and share one mission: college and career readiness for all students. As lead counselors, when we attended the 2011 MASCA Spring Conference in April, the tasks ahead seemed overwhelming. But one key message that we took from the conference speakers and our peers was to attend the MA Model Institutes as a team. Five of us were able to do so. From the recent Implementation Institute we walked away dazed at the amount of information we absorbed and thrilled at our newfound understanding of the Model. We also established great new collegial relationships with counselors and leaders from other schools in the state, and the information exchange was invaluable. With the support of our administrators, we immediately followed the training with a full week of professional development for all counselors to review the Institute training and begin our im-

plementation. As a team, we designed and drafted a department graphic that visually represents the vision of our collaborative community partnership. With our art department’s help, the completed graphic will brand all school counseling department materials and resources.

Collaborative Step 1: Calendars In working teams of two — each with a specific assigned goal — we began implementing our first collaborative action plan: calendars for our diverse stakeholders. One team developed internal school counseling department calendars to guide our planning and detail our collaborative responsibilities for administrative leaders. Another team created a concise calendar specifically for teachers. A third team is designing grade-level specific annual calendars for students and their families in grades 9-12. Exciting progress has been made, and draft documents are ready for department and administrative review.

Collaborative Step 2: Websites

Mandating physical activity in schools The recent Massachusetts mandates for healthful food choices in our schools (“State bans unhealthy food sales in schools,’’ Metro, July 14) took a giant step forward against childhood obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. Now we must follow the lead of the United Kingdom. This month top medical officers there set the first UK-wide guidelines, which call for at least three hours of daily physical activity for children under 5 years of age and at least one hour for those ages 5 to 18. By mandating daily physical activity for all youngsters in our schools, we can loosen the tethers to electronic devices and give the green light to fitness for this generation and the next. — Sally Ann Connolly, “Letter to the Editor,” The Boston Globe, July 20, 2011, A12. • MA House Bill 1053, Mandatory physical education for all students grades K-12 Hearing to be held on 9/20/2011 • Bill in Congress to promote September as National Childhood Obesity • Awareness Month http://www.govtrack.us /congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hr112-339

A fourth team is taking responsibility for our website. We want the website to be a resource for all and a vehicle to showcase our work. This team did an incredible amount of research exploring websites around the country, and it has already completed some training from our technology department. We will be posting the data we collect and analyze to document how our programs and services contribute to the academic success and college/career readiness of our students. In addition, we brainstormed on our Vision, and we are excited about what we feel accurately and completely represents us as school counselors: Inspire— Learn — Grow…Together. We designed a logo for this Vision and are working with others (more artistically inclined) to develop it. Can you sense how proud we are of what we have accomplished already? Just months ago we felt overwhelmed, but with Dr. Helen O’Donnell at the helm of training, we are now confident and looking forward to showcasing our success story. A group of counselors have moved from ground zero in the MA Model to a model program. ■ COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Greetings from VP Middle/Junior High

ALBERT MERCADO MASCA VP Middle/Junior High

for college-level work by the time they graduate high school. In addition, although more of our students are graduating from high school and going on to college, more are also finding themselves in remedial courses. This is a national concern that we can no longer ignore. As middle school counselors, we can tackle this issue. The efforts of MASCA and the pending legislation on a six-year career plan are good examples. The work

we do now with our students and their families will determine if they will be prepared to take the gateway courses in grades seven and eight to ensure that they are college and career ready upon graduation from high school. Please contact me and share your stories and successes in relation to college and career readiness activities at the middle school level. Have a safe and prosperous school year. ■

alutations. My name is Albert Mercado and I am your MASCA Vice President for Middle/Junior High School. I have been a school guidance counselor and administrator for the past eleven years. Recently, I completed the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), and I am excited to continue to be involved with MASCA in my new role. Please contact me with your thoughts, achievements, opinions, and concerns over the next year in relation to school counseling at the middle school level. I would love to connect with you via LinkedIn. As we start the new school year, take some time and reflect on your role as a school guidance counselor. We are all being asked to do more with less. But this is also a perfect time for us to define ourselves and use our creativity, resources, and programmatic goals to do more, despite the financial uncertainties and difficulties that have arisen. We don’t know what the next fiscal school year will bring. Thus, it’s important that we continue to communicate our values, roles, and contributions to our school board, parents, and stakeholders. Take time to reflect and seize those opportunities that will allow you to brand your school counseling program as a core program for all students. A perfect example is the Race to the Top Program, which gives us an historic opportunity to develop and reform our college and career readiness efforts at the K-12 level. College and career readiness is a concern for all students, K-12. Unfortunately, middle school years can often be “the forgotten middle” in relation to college and career readiness activities. A recent report shows that fewer than two in ten eighth-graders are on target to be ready

SEPTEMBER 2011

NECA names leaders Northeast Counselors Association has announced that its Executive Board 20112012 will consist of:

AFFILIATE NEWS

President Kathleen Scott

NECA honors counselors Northeast Counselors Association held its Awards Night on May 11 at Danversport Yacht Club. Sponsor of the event was Dean College. The following awards were presented:

President Elect TBA

Administrator of the Year Award Irene Duros Leadership Award Michelle Burke Counselor of the Year Award Ruth Ryan Rising Star Award Nicole Luongo Torch Award Jacqui DeLorenzo Special Awards Paul Moran Celia Barletta Deborah Gray

Past President Michelle Burke Secretary Caitlin Bailey Treasurer Charles Brovelli VP High School Barbara Coutinho VP Middle School Maureen Leuke VP Elementary Donna Brennan VP Vocational/Technical Gary James VP Postsecondary Jacqui DeLorenzo

Brovelli receives recognition

VP Retirees Sally Ann Connolly Membership Jillian Celi MASCA Trustee TBA Members at Large Florence Athanasia Ed Bryant John Gould Marjorie Hensley James Millea Ralph Sennott James Stafford Thomas Walsh Mary Westcott Graduate Student Liaison Steven Gwinn Counselor Educator Judith Josephs

GBSCA announces leadership Greater Boston School Counselors Association (formerly, Greater Boston Guidance Association) held its final meeting of the 2010-2011 academic year on May 12. Host for the meeting was Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Receiving scholarships from the affiliate were Ariana Roche (Medford High School) and Monika Girnius (North Quincy High School). GBSCA officers for 2011-2012 are: Co-Presidents John Steere Meredith Chamberland Past President James Ash Secretary/Treasurer/Membership Amy Redfearn To contact the association, e-mail jgbsca@ comcast.net. â&#x2013;

Ed Bryant, MASCA Life Trustee (left), presents Charles Brovelli with the Tribute Award certificate. Charlie, former MASCA Directory Editor, was unable to attend the formal ceremonies held at the MASCA Spring Conference. Belated congratulations from MASCA for many years of service to the organization and its affiliates.

Renew your MASCA membership and enjoy all the benefits. www.masca.org

COUNSELORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTEBOOK

SEPTEMBER 2011

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

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RTTT Pre-Conference Workshop Monday, October 24 • Holiday Inn, Boxboro _____________

MASCA Fall Conference Tuesday, October 25 • Holiday Inn, Boxboro _____________

MASCA Fall Conference Keynoter

r. Vivian Lee, Senior Director of Counselor Advocacy at the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) of The College Board, will be the MASCA Fall Conference keynote speaker. NOSCA is charged with advocating for school counselors on a national level. Its goal is to advance equity and social justice in educational outcomes for all students, but especially for underserved populations. Much of Dr. Lee’s work centers on training school counselors to become datadriven, culturally responsive practitioners who can engage in the systemic change necessary to meet the needs of all student populations. Additionally, she works

DR. VIVIAN LEE with counselors, district leaders, state departments of education, professional organizations, and counselor educators to advance equity-focused counseling practice. Lee is past president of the Maryland Association for Counseling and Develop-

ment, co-director of the NOSCA-CSCOR Fellows Program, and since 2004, associate adjunct professor at University of Maryland, College Park. A former teacher, secondary school counselor, director of guidance and counseling, and full-time counselor educator at Old Dominion University and University of Scranton, she is the author or co-author of articles and book chapters on conflict resolution, group counseling, and developing school counseling programs. Internationally, Lee just completed a collaborative, nine-year library / school building project in Ghana, West Africa. In 2008 she was awarded the Counselors for Social Justice O’Hara Award. ■