MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION FEBRUARY 2015VOL. 51, NO. 6

MASCA

Expanding a Student’s Personal VisionBy TINA KARIDOYANES

MASCA President

Sharing Your Timeand Talents

By RUTH CARRIGANMASCA President-Elect

A s you read this edition of the Coun-selor’s Notebook, we will be smack

in the middle of a cold winter. If yourposition is anything like mine, that meansgearing up for some tedious responsibil-ities like course selection, the mastersche dule, MCAS, and AP exams. Lotsof planning, lots of details for importantprograms, but not always a lot of timefor direct service or for professional dev - elopment. Although it is easy to let ad -ministrative tasks take over your worklife, I hope you will take a minute toconsider ways that you can grow pro-fessionally even while meeting thedemands of your busy job.

1. Get involved in MASCA. If youare reading this article, you are morethan likely already a member of our statecounseling organization. If not, pleasejoin! Why not share your time and make

(continued on page 2)

I t’s February. The cold has finally set-tled in, and it’s time to celebrate our

profession during National School Coun-seling Week.

As I pondered ways to celebrate schoolcounselors, I thought about how muchour work contributes to the fiber of ourcommunities. Service is an importantprincipal upon which our country wasfounded, and finding ways to inspirestudents to service across the lifespan isone way that school counselors helpstudents become lifelong learners. Manyschools have community service compo-nents through clubs, graduation require-ments, and their mission statements.

A good friend of mine who is a middleschool counselor incorporates commu-nity service through the guidance cur-riculum and school activities. Studentsparticipate in different drives, they vol-unteer at Christmas in the City, and theywrite letters to members of the armedservices, to name a few. These activitiesare intertwined with the guidance cur-riculum, so that students not only prac-tice community service but also gain abetter understanding of the importanceof the service to society.

With the increased focus on collegeand career readiness and the academiccomponent, civic responsibility and com-munity engagement can become lost.

Wouldn’t it be great if, as we work withstudents, we also educate them aboutcareers in service. Whether it is as aneducator or member of a non-profit orga-nization, the Peace Corps, or similarorganization, we can help our studentsbecome active citizens of the world.

We can also teach them the impor-tance of volunteering time in their adultlife. I know I would not be a school coun-selor today if I hadn’t decided to engagein Junior Achievement when I worked inmultinational banking. Volunteering orengaging in a service-oriented career canbe so fulfilling and life-enriching that Ibelieve it is important at the earlieststages of life to engage in giving of our-selves to others.

As you promote the role of schoolcounselors during National School Coun-seling Week, please take time to engagestudents in the conversation about ser-vice and how it relates to their personalvision across their lifespan. ■

SAVE the DATES!

PreconferenceProfessional Development WorkshopApril 6, 2014 • 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

MASCA Annual Spring ConferenceApril 7, 2015

Go to www.masca.org for details.

2 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

the commitment to get involved in a statelevel leadership position? Volunteeringyour time with MASCA helps connectyou to the state and national school coun-seling agenda.

This issue of the Notebook includes anotice of leadership positions that areavailable. Please take time to consider ifone of these positions might be a goodmatch for your interests and talents,and feel free to speak to any MASCAleader if you have questions.

2. Get involved in your local affil-iate. Although I love being part ofMASCA, I really value my long-termassociation with the South Shore Guid-ance Association. Like most of the affil-iates, SSGA meets on a monthly basis inthe late afternoon.

If you are looking for a way to getinvolved, joining your local affiliate is agreat way to network with and get sup-port from other school counselors. Inad dition, many of the affiliates providefree professional development opportu-nities to its members.

In November, Western Mass Coun-selors Association provided a free, full-day College and Career Readiness toensure that school counselors had thetools to make all K-12 students Careerand College Ready. SSGA is planning anafternoon College and Career Readinessprofessional development workshop forits members in February, with the goalof a comprehensive full-day session in thefall. Many affiliates are offering greatprogramming for their members. To con-tact your local school counseling group,check out the Affiliate section of theMASCA website.

3. Get out of the office if you can.During this busy season, try to get outof the office for a professional develop-ment opportunity of your choice. Al -though it can be hard to get out of theoffice and it always seems as if there istoo much work and too little time, agreat professional development offeringcan be a benefit to your students and canmake you a better counselor. You mightwant to check out the many PD offer-ings at the MASCA Annual Conferenceon April 7 in Boxborough.

If you are a high school counselor, Ihope you take advantage of college touropportunities. College advising becomesmuch more effective and relevant if you’vehad a chance to visit college campusesand network with college admissionspersonnel.

Whatever your particular interest maybe, try to make time to get out of the officeto expand your professional knowledge.

Sharing your time, sharing your talents,and growing professionally will make youa better counselor in 2015. As always,thank you for the important work youdo and the difference you make in thelives of students every day. ■

CARRIGAN (continued from page 1)

National SchoolCounseling Week

February 2-6, 2015Celebrate school counselorsin their work to help studentsachieve success and plan acareer.

2014 – 2015 OFFICERS

PRESIDENTTINA KARIDOYANESMansfield High School250 East Street, Mansfield, MA 02048E-mail: president@masca.org

PAST PRESIDENTTHERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MA 02325Tel. 508-531-2640E-mail: theresa.coogan@bridgew.edu

PRESIDENT-ELECTRUTH CARRIGANWhitman-Hanson Regional High School600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA 02382Tel. 781-618-7434 • Fax 781-618-7098E-mail: Ruth.Carrigan@whrsd.org

VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARYVERONICA KNIGHTLowell Elementary School175 Orchard Street, Watertown, MA 02472Tel. 617-926-2666E-mail: veronica.knight@watertown.k12.ma.us

VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGHKATHLEEN SCOTTE-mail: scottk@amesburyma.gov

VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARYJOHN S. STEEREWellesley High School50 Rice Street, Wellesley, MA 02481Tel. 781-446-6290 x4653 • Fax 781-446-6308E-mail: john_steere@wellesley.k12.ma.us

VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORSTBA

VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARYJOHN MARCUSDean College99 Main Street, Franklin, MA 02038Tel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726E-mail: jmarcus@dean.edu

VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORSMEGAN KRELL, Ph.D.; AMY L. COOK, Ph.D.E-mail: vpcounselored@masca.org

VICE PRESIDENT RETIREESJOSEPH D. FITZGERALD, Ed.D.5 Progress Street, Weymouth, MA 02188Tel. 781-264-3426E-mail: jdfitz1831@gmail.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORDONNA M. BROWNAdjunct Professor, UMass BostonP.O. Box 366, 779 Center StreetBryantville, MA 02327Tel. 781-293-2835E-mail: executivedirector@masca.org

TREASURERASHLEY CARON25 Belmont Ave., Stoughton, MA 02072Tel. 508-212-0676E-mail: ashcicero@hotmail.com

SECRETARYKATIE KOZAKE-mail: secretary@masca.org

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORDONNA BROWNE-mail: membership@masca.org

WEBMASTER/TECHNOLOGY COORDINATORROSS WOLFSONE-mail: webmaster@masca.org; info@masca.org

COORDINATOR OFPROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTHELEN O’DONNELL, Ed.D.E-mail: pdchair@masca.org

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITORSALLY ANN CONNOLLY19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154E-mail: sallyconnolly@att.net

FEBRUARY 2015 3

Calling All Future MASCA LeadersBy THERESA COOGAN, Ph.D.

MASCA Past President

C alling all MASCA members whowish to become more actively in -

volved with the leadership team startingnext year. The call for nominations isnow open for select positions on theMASCA leadership team. To access theonline form to see which positions areavailable, please go to http://goo.gl/forms/M6RSYdnhfp. Self-nominationsare welcomed.

For each nominee, the online regis-tration form found at the site and tensignatures of support from currentMASCA members are required. Bothpieces must be received in order for anomination to be considered complete.Details are included on the online form.

The election and voting will take placeat MASCA’s Annual Spring Conferencein April. Only MASCA members are eli-gible to vote. For those who are not able

to attend the conference, we will be usingan online voting system so you will stillbe able to take part in the election.

Please refer to the MASCA websitefor electronic copies of the Policies &Procedures Manual, which contains in -formation and descriptions about thepositions of the MASCA leadership teamas well as the organization’s bylaws. Themanual can be found by clicking About,then Policy. Both resources provideadditional information about the roles.

Thank you for your consideration toget involved and help the organizationcontinue its good work as we move for-ward. This is an opportunity for anyonewho is a MASCA member to consider.

On behalf of the current leadershipteam, we encourage you to consider getting in volved; it is a very rewardingexperience! ■

4 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

MASCA AWARDS Nomination Information

T he MASCA Awards and PublicityCommittee encourages you to nom-

inate a deserving colleague for a presti-gious MASCA Award. Please read theaward category descriptions carefully.For each award nomination submitted,the nominator will provide their contactinformation and contact informationabout their nominee, identify the spe-cific award of interest, and provide aletter of support as to why they are rec-ommending that candidate for the awardcategory selected. This letter should beno more than one page (standard letter).The awards will be presented at theAwards Ceremony held at the AnnualSpring Conference.

The nomination form is available fromJanuary 31 – March 1 on the “Events”page of the MASCA website. You do notneed to be a MASCA member to accessthe nomination form. The deadline forsubmission is March 1. No nominationswill be accepted after this date. TheAwards Committee will review nomina-tions and contact both the nominatorand the nominee.

This year, the Awards Ceremony willtake place as a part of the President’sReception to be held at the Holiday Inn,Boxborough (location of the conference),between 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. on Mon-day, April 6. Refreshments will be pro-vided. No additional registration feebeyond the conference registration isrequired to attend the ceremony. Pleasevisit www.masca.org for conferenceinformation and registration. Winnersneed not be present; they will beacknowledged during the ceremonyusing key phrases from the nominationletters. Winners will also be featured inthe June 2014 Counselor’s Notebook.

MASCA AWARD CATEGORIES

MASCA Counselor of the YearA current MASCA member and licensedcounselor serving during the currentschool year as a school counselor in eitheran elementary, secondary, or postsecon -dary school. This counselor will havemade outstanding contributions to his/

her school. The recipient will have excel-lent rapport with pupils, parents, andschool personnel and be a highly res pect -ed counselor of students.

MASCA Administrator of theYearAn administrator who has made an out-standing and significant contribution tothe guidance and school counseling move -ment, developed and/or implemented aninnovative program, or initiated improve-ments of school counseling services.

MASCA Leadership AwardA current MASCA member and licensedschool counselor serving during the cur-rent school year in an elementary, secon -dary, or postsecondary school or in a localor regional school system, who demon-strates strong, positive leadership skillsin the counseling profession at the local,state, or national level.

MASCA Torch AwardRising StarAn individual who has entered the schoolcounseling profession within the last fiveyears and is a model for new counselors,demonstrating the highest standards ofprofessional competence, outstanding con-tributions to the school community and/or profession, and excellent rapport withstudents, parents, and school personnel.

MASCA Torch AwardRetiring CounselorA counselor who is retiring in the currentyear or has retired within the last fiveyears. This counselor has served as amodel for new counselors, demonstratedthe highest standards of professional com-petence and excellent rapport with stu-dents, parents, and school personnel, andmade outstanding contributions to theschool community and/or profession.

The George ThompsonMemorial Scholarship AwardThis is a $1,000 scholarship award namedin honor of George Thompson, a long-time friend and contributor to MASCA.The award winner is a school counsel-ing graduate student who demonstratesexceptional promise for leadership andcontribution to our profession. Nomina-tions from counselor educators and in -ternship supervisors are encouraged. ■

FEBRUARY 2015 5

The Art of Silence in the Counseling RelationshipBy JENNIFER JAMESON

M.Ed. Student in School Counseling, Bridgewater State University

T he use of silence is a powerful coun-seling microskill that, if used inten-

tionally, can have a significant impact onthe counseling session. Silence is a coreskill in the helping process and aids inthe development of the counseling rela-tionship. (Ivey, Ivey, & Zalaquett, 2009)

When silence is authentic and mean-ingful in a counseling session, it can pro-vide a moment of clarity for both the stu-dent and the counselor. It gives an oppor-tunity to sit quietly, collect thoughts, andevaluate the situation. It also enhances thestudent’s ability to self-reflect. Often, havinga moment or two of silence can be morehelpful than tackling the issue right away.

During my graduate training, I havebeen afforded several opportunities to be -come aware of this skill and to practiceusing it effectively. Both my courseworkand practicum experiences have given mea deeper understanding and greater appre-ciation of the value of silence.

When I was first learning, I thought:“I’m not sure how I can use this skill effec-tively. Aren’t we supposed to be talkingwith the students during the sessions?” Iwas overwhelmed with the thought of how,when, and where I would use silence as aschool counselor. I had to take a stepback and evaluate what it means to beeffective.

Recently, I worked with a student whohad a high level of anxiety. All of the stu-dent’s nonverbal cues led me towards adecision to sit quietly. Nothing could besaid in the first few minutes that wouldhave provided any type of therapeuticbenefit. I acknowledged his presence andhanded him a stress ball. Watching hisbody language as we sat there quietly, Icould tell what he needed was a space tothink and collect himself. I was intentionaland authentic with the use of silence; andI knew, in that moment, it was the bestdecision I could have made for him.

Being effective as a school counselor, Ihave learned, means meeting studentswhere they are and providing a safe envi-ronment for them to express their thoughts

and feelings. Being effective does not meanyou will have all of the answers. It is aboutbeing present and in the moment.

Whether the situation is academic,social/emotional, or career focused, coun-

seling is a collaborative effort that mustbe shared and recognized by both mem-bers of the relationship. At times, silenceis the best way to accomplish this. ■

Silence, a core skill in counseling,aids in the development of asuccessful counseling relationship.

Join your colleagues for professional development and networking.For details, go to MASCA’s website, www.masca.org.

6 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

RESEARCH NOTES

Musical training can improvelanguage and reading WASHINGTON, August 8, 2014 —Learning to play a musical instrument orto sing can help disadvantaged childrenstrengthen their reading and languageskills, according to research presentedat the American Psychological Associa-tion’s 122nd Annual Convention.

The findings, which involved hundredsof kids participating in musical trainingprograms in Chicago and Los Angelespublic schools, highlight the role learn-ing music can have on the brains ofyouth in impoverished areas, accordingto presenter Nina Kraus, PhD, a neuro-biologist at Northwestern University.

“Research has shown that there aredifferences in the brains of children raisedin impoverished environments that affecttheir ability to learn,” said Kraus. “Whilemore affluent students do better in schoolthan children from lower income back-grounds, we are finding that musicaltraining can alter the nervous system tocreate a better learner and help offsetthis academic gap.”

— http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2014/08/musical-training.aspx.

Creative movement carriesbenefits In 2007, Hillary Rodham Clinton said:“Today in the United States, businessesare continually asking for more creativethinkers for our 21st century economy.By creative thinkers, I mean workers whohave an ability to speak clearly, listenclosely, workers who engage in the learn-ing process, who solve problems, as wellas those who value individual responsi-bility and integrity. More often than not,these types of workers were exposed tothe arts when they were students.

Take a look at a recent study whichfound that students who study the artsare more likely to outperform their peeracademically. For example, in a recentstudy on SAT scores, students who stud-ied dance scored an average 36 pointshigher on the verbal and 16 points higheron math.” ■

FEBRUARY 2015 7

Professional Development NewsBy HELEN C. O’DONNELL

MASCA Professional Development Coordinator

2015 MA Model Institutes • MA Model Institute For Comprehen-sive School Counseling Programs (Intro-ductory Institute)• MA Model Institute 2.0: Next Steps

MA Model Institute Workshop(Introductory)The MA Model Institute Workshop will beheld on Monday, April 6, from 9:00 a.m. –2:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Boxboro.

To wrap up the 2014 Institutes andkick off the 2015 training, the agendaincludes awareness of ASCA’s new Mind -sets and Beliefs, presentation of standards-based CCR curriculum, using iPads inthe classroom (hands-on training), pro-gram accountability and assessmentstrategies, and guided instruction indeveloping your MARC or MARC Jr.

Past Institute graduates are invited toshare their continued implementationwork and join in continued professionaldevelopment related to the strengthening

of comprehensive, developmental schoolcounseling programs.

The 2014 MA Model Institute co hortswill present their MARC and MARC Jr.poster sessions to showcase their class-room lessons, implementation initiatives,methods of evidence collection, andsummary documentation of how stu-dents are more CCR ready as a result oftheir school counseling program.

All past MA Model participants, reg-istrants of the 2015 MA Model Insti-tutes, colleagues and graduate studentsinterested in implementing comprehen-sive school counseling programs arewelcome. Registration details are postedon MASCA’s website.

Professional DevelopmentCoursesThe PD Committee has identified grad-uate courses that will enhance the schoolcounselor’s role with Michelle Obama’snational Reach Higher Initiative and pro-

motion of College and Career Readinessfor all students. Pending new coursesoffered as part of the MASCA/Fitch-burg State University professional devel-opment partnership include:• Fundamentals of College Financing• College Advising• School Counseling Curriculum: Dev -elopment, Implementation, Assessment

Course plans include hybrid formatswith both face-to-face and online course -work. Registration options: 45 MASCAPDPs or three graduate credits (for anadditional fee). Watch for updates. Sendyour inquiries to me at helenod@att.netor pdchair@masca.org.

Help wantedTechnology assistance is needed to man-age the SMART goals and DDM Librariesat www.masca.org. Support will be pro-vided. Volunteers are invited to contactme at helenod@att.net or pdchair@masca.org. ■

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDNEWBURYPORT, MA

PERMIT NO. 96

Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc.COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Sally Ann Connolly, Editor

IN CASE OF NON-DELIVERY, RETURN TO:Donna M. BrownP.O. Box 366Bryantville, MA 02327

DESE MonthlyWebinars

Content-based and thematic web -inars will be offered from 2:00 to3:00 p.m. on the following dates.The webinars are open to all in -terested parties (schools/districts,community organizations, highereducation institutions, workforcedevelopment organizations).

3/10/15Career Development Education:Career Awareness, Exploration

and Immersion

4/14/15Summer Transition Programs

5/12/15Individual Learning Plans

6/09/15MA Model for Comprehensive

School Counseling Programs

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.