counselor's notebook, november 2009

MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER 2009VOL. 46, NO. 3

MASCA

The Essential Question: What is MASCA?By CHRISTINE EVANS

MASCA President

CHRISTINE EVANS

O ne of the things I enjoy most aboutserving as a leader in our profes-

sional association is the opportunity forconversations with school counselors frommany different schools.

Since taking on a leadership role inMASCA in July of 2008, I have been luckyenough to talk with school counselorsfrom all over the country—in person,by phone, through e-mail, and via socialmedia sites. The conversations range fromanswering simple questions and sharingresources and best practices to makingreferrals to programs for students. Wetalk about a variety of things that touchon our daily practice as professional schoolcounselors, and I find all of it to be ex -citing and informative.

During a conversation in a meetinglast week, I had an “aha” moment. Irealized that some things those of us onthe Governing Board take for grantedare not common knowledge and need tobe ex plained. A perfect example of thisis the answer to the question, “What isMASCA?”

MASCA is the professional associationfor school counselors in the Common-wealth of Massachusetts, and we are anaffiliate group of ASCA, the national org -anization. We are made up of practicingschool counselors, graduate student in -terns, counselor educators, school coun-seling administrators, and retired schoolcounselors.

My point is: MASCA is not a “they.”It is a “we.” And when we follow theASCA tradition to speak with “one vision,one voice,” we are speaking for all pro-fessional school counselors. That is whywe are involved in efforts such as promot-ing the MA Model Curriculum, devel-opment of curriculum frameworks, andadvocacy efforts in public policy and gov-

ernment relations.I remember hearing former Commis-

sioner of Education David Driscoll speakat a MASCA conference several years ago.The point he made has stayed with meand still inspires me. He said that in thepast, school counselors did not have avoice in influencing public policy andDOE initiatives that directly affect theirdaily practice. He also said that if we donot step up and speak out to define ourroles in the schools, those who do notknow or understand what we do will de -fine our roles for us.

MASCA’s effort in pushing for legisla-tion, developing frameworks, and work-ing for DESE endorsement of the MAModel stems from our conviction that thework we do in schools is essential to stu-dent success and no one is better equippedto speak to that than school counselors(that is, you and me, the “we” making upMASCA).

If you are not satisfied with lettingothers outside our field tell us how to doour job, I urge you to become more in -volved in our professional associationand our advocacy efforts. Contact me [email protected] and I will gladly signyou up to work on the committee of yourchoice. There is plenty to do, and all arewelcome! ■

MASCA losesa leader

John (Jack) Walsh, MASCA Life Trus -tee, has died at the age of 94.Jack was of the early founders of

MASCA, serving two terms as its presi-dent. He also served as president and sec-retary-treasurer of the Greater BostonGuidance Association, and he was a del-egate to the American Personnel andGui dance Association. Jack earned hisbachelor’s and master’s degrees at BostonUniversity and spent a lifetime servingyoung people.

The Duxbury Clipper wrote about Jack:

He served as a physical fitness officerin the United States Army Air Corps dur-ing World War II, attaining the rank ofCaptain. After the war, he taught andcoached at several New England privateschools until 1952 when he took a jobat Melrose High School. Walsh was alsoa head football coach, track and base-ball coach, but when his wife was diag-nosed with severe emphysema, he hadto minimize his time away from home.

He finished his Master’s degree at Bos -ton University and became a guidancecounselor, then director of guidance andhead counselor until his retirement. Walshalso spent more than twenty years direct-ing various summer camps in Maine, NewHampshire and Massachusetts accompa-nied and assisted by his wife and children.

He retired from Melrose School Systemin 1981 but soon took another job spend-ing the next ten years as an admissionscounselor for Merrimack College. Follow-ing his second retirement he was a lifecoach to many, including those with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, the genetic lungdisease from which his late wife died in1965, and with which three of his fourchildren have been diagnosed. ■

2 COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

2009 – 2010MASCA OFFICERS

PRESIDENTCHRISTINE A. EVANSEast Bridgewater High School11 Plymouth Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333Tel. 508-378-5851 • Fax 508-378-8236E-mail: [email protected]

PRESIDENT-ELECTCAROLYN RICHARDSSomerville High School81 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143Tel. 617-625-6600 x6120 • Fax 617-628-8413E-mail: [email protected]

PAST PRESIDENTKAREN M. D’AMOURManchester Essex Regional High School36 Lincoln Street, Manchester, MA 01944Tel. 978-526-7641 • Fax 978-526-2044E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT ELEMENTARYTBA

VICE PRESIDENT MIDDLE / JUNIOR HIGHRICHARD WHITEGateway Regional Middle School12 Littleville Road, Huntington, MA 01050E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT SECONDARYJENNIFER LISKMedway High School, Medway, MA 02053E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT POSTSECONDARYJAY LEIENDECKERVice President Enrollment Services, Dean CollegeTel. 508-541-1509 • Fax 508-541-8726E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATORSRUTH CARRIGANWhitman-Hanson Regional High School600 Franklin Street, Whitman, MA 02382Tel. 781-618-7434 • Fax 781-618-7098E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT COUNSELOR EDUCATORSTHERESA A. COOGAN, Ph.D.Bridgewater State College, Bridgewater, MA 02325Tel. 508-531-2640E-mail: [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT RETIREESRALPH SENNOTTP.O. Box 1391, Westford, MA 01886Tel. 978-692-8244E-mail: [email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORDONNA M. BROWNAdjunct Professor, UMass BostonP.O. Box 366, 779 Center StreetBryantville, MA 02327Tel. 781-293-2835E-mail: [email protected]

TREASURERTINA KARIDOYANESP.O. Box 1007, Monument Beach, MA 02553Tel. 508-759-3986E-mail: [email protected]

SECRETARYCARRIE KULICK-CLARKBraintree High School, Braintree, MA 02184Tel. 781-848-4000 x2273E-mail: [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP COORDINATORDEBORAH CLEMENCEP.O. Box 805, East Dennis, MA 02641E-mail: [email protected]

COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK EDITORSALLY ANN CONNOLLY19 Bayberry Road, Danvers, MA 01923Tel. 978-774-8158 • Fax 978-750-8154E-mail: [email protected]

NOVEMBER 2009 3

November 2009

www.masca.org

inside

Published by:Massachusetts School Counselors Association10 issues per year, September through June. The yearlysubscription rate is $30.00. Individual copies are $3.00.

Opinions expressed in the articles published herein representthe ideas and/or beliefs of those who write them and do notnecessarily reflect the views or policies of the MassachusettsSchool Counselors Association, Inc.

The acceptance of an advertisement for publication does notimply MASCA endorsement of the advertiser’s programs,services, or views expressed.

Questions concerning submission of articles, publi cationdeadlines, advertising rates, etc., should be addressed toSally Ann Connolly, Editor.

©2009 by the Massachusetts School Counselors Association.All rights reserved.

4 School Lunch: Fit for Consumption?By Sally Ann Connolly

6 Connecting Counselors to ResourcesBy Donna Brown

8 Celebrating National Career Development Month

10 Preparing Students for SuccessBy Karen D’Amour

12 Notes from the Left CoastBy Thom Hughart

13 MASCA Membership

14 Mind-Sets, Learning, and Leadership

15 The Time Is NowBy Ruth Carrigan

16 Free Resources at Prevention Networking Coffee

MASCA


School Lunch: Fit for Consumption?By SALLY ANN CONNOLLY

MASCA Counselor’s Notebook Editor

A hot dog for lunch, two days in arow. That’s how my granddaughter

started kindergarten this year in Danvers.And it’s the same way my first grand-child began her own school career fouryears ago in Newburyport. Then, how-ever, weeks had passed before her mothermade the discovery.

Hot dogs, unfortunately, are possiblythe worst food we can offer our children.Although they are cheap to buy, easy toprepare, and delicious to eat, hot dogs areloaded with salt, saturated fat, and sodiumnitrite. They pose a health risk similar tothat of other cured food products suchas sausage, bacon, and deli meats.

The American Institute for Cancer Re -search (AICR) says that “research onprocessed meat shows cancer risk startsto increase with any portion. . . . Whenmeat is preserved by smoking, curing orsalting, or by the addition of preserva-tives, cancer-causing substances (carcino -gens) can be formed. These substancescan damage cells in the body, leading tothe development of cancer.”

The AICR says that its “2007 expertreport compiled and analyzed over 7000studies on all aspects of diet, physicalactivity, body weight and cancer. TheAICR/WCRF expert panel weighed theevidence on all potential associations and

concluded that the link between diets highin red and processed meat and colorectalcancer is convincing.” As a result, theAICR recommends that processed meatbe avoided: “There is no amount of pro -cessed meat that can be confidently shownnot to increase risk.”

The Cancer Project, an independentaffiliate of the Physicians Committee forResponsible Medicine, maintains that hotdogs also increase the risk of childhoodleukemia. One study of children up tothe age of 10, they say, shows a higherthan normal risk among children whosefathers had eaten 12 or more hot dogsper month. And for those children whohad eaten 12 hot dogs per month, therisk of developing leukemia was ninetimes greater.

Another study cited by the CancerProject points to a higher than normalincidence of brain tumors in childrenwhose mothers had eaten hot dogs onceor twice per week during pregnancy. Fromwatching my own daughters progressthrough their pregnancies, I know thatdoctors set very specific guidelines for theirmothers-to-be. No smoking, no unpas-teurized cheese and drinks, little or noalcohol, and no uncooked deli meats.

I have long suspected that hot dogsplayed a role in the death of my friend.She was only in her twenties when shecontracted and died from cancer. Hermother had imposed a restricted-caloriediet; and for years my friend sated herhunger by secretly cooking hot dogs overan open flame on her kitchen stove.

The World Cancer Research Fundsays that “the everyday choices peoplemake can reduce their chances of get-ting cancer.”

In New Jersey, three individuals—along with the Cancer Project—choseto file a class-action lawsuit against sev-eral hot dog makers including Sara Leeand Kraft Foods. The complainants seekto have warning labels placed on pack-ages of hot dogs, thereby alerting con-sumers to the cancer risk.

We can choose to promote our chil-dren’s health. We can instruct them aboutgood nutrition, serve them only whole-some, nutritious foods, and restrict un -healthy food choices. We can insist: “Inour schools, no dogs allowed.” ■

Improving Adolescent Diets“The lunches students get at school, either through the NSLP [National SchoolLunch Program] or competitive foods, are associated with worse overall dietarybehaviors compared with lunches students bring from home.”

— Hastert, T.A. and Babey, S.H., “School Lunch Source and Adolescent Dietary Behavior,”Preventing Chronic Disease: Public Health Research, Practice, and Policy, 10/8/2006, www.cdc.gov.

NOVEMBER 2009 5


Connecting Counselors to ResourcesBy DONNA BROWN, MASCA Executive Director

Dear Friends,Over the last few years, I’ve had the op -portunity to chat with many of you aboutthe MA Model, Career Plans, and howto start to use them.

Beginning with the Work ReadinessDomain is one of the easiest ways to start.There are lots of resources (many withlesson plans) available on the Internetfor free. Because this is National CareerDevelopment Month, it would be a nat-ural tie-in to focus on career planning.

The following list is just a beginning.Several are gigantic reference sites, whichwill offer dozens of career developmentpossibilities including lesson plans andcurriculum guides. These sites providemultiple links to places like Mass DESE,so I encourage you to think of them asone-stop shopping and use them to launchyour research. Others include scholarlyarticles or research raw materials. All areworthy of at least a quick look, and somemay become favorites.

National Career Development Asso -ciation (NCDA), according to its website,“promotes career development throughits annual celebration of National CareerDevelopment Month. Every November,career development professionals are en -couraged to celebrate with career relatedactivities.” During this time, NCDA spon-sors a poetry and poster contest. The

theme this year is “Bridges to a BrighterFuture: Inspire Your Career—EmpowerYour Lives.” NCDA’s website containssome very useful information and links.www.ncda.org

Massachusetts Career InformationSys tem (MASSCIS) is sponsored by theDivision of Employment and Training(DET). Developed at the University ofOregon, this workhorse provides occu-pational, academic, and vocational in for -mation as well as assessments, financialaid hints, and classroom applications. Itis a free alternative to many of the verypricey, comprehensive planning programs.www.masscis.intocareers.org

America’s Career Resource Network(ACRN) consists of state and federal orga-nizations that provide information, re -sour ces, and training on career and edu-cation exploration. The network’s nationalactivities are funded by a grant from theU.S. Department of Education. For coun-selors, ACRN provides guides and cur-ricula that help them incorporate careerdevelopment into a high-quality aca demicprogram. www.acrnetwork.org

Vocational Information Center isload ed with information for career dev -elopment. Of particular use is the sectionen titled “Career Activities and VocationalLesson Plans.” www.khake.com

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ishome to virtually any statistic you mightever need to bolster your career devel op -

ment program. Wages, research, and oc -cupational information are all found onthe BLS pages. www.bls.gov

Sloan Career Cornerstone Center isa non-profit resource center for those ex -ploring career paths in science, technol-ogy, engineering, mathematics, comput-ing, and medicine. Support from theAl fred P. Sloan Foundation has madethe resources on this site possible. www.careercornerstone.org

America’s CAREER InfoNet is a re -source for making informed career deci -sions to support a demand-driven work-force investment system. Very good linksare provided for both the professionalcounselor and the student. www.acinet.org

Career Planning is a quirky little sitein the About.com collection. There aresome interesting articles that don’t seemto be on other sites. Much of the materialis geared towards parents and students.http://careerplanning.about.com

There are thousands of other sites,but this group will help form a goodcareer information base.

Newsletters for counselorsAdditionally, there are several free news -letters that can provide additional infor-mation:

Career Pro Weekly is a free weekly ca -reer information newsletter from Bridges.com. http://careerpronews.bridges.com

High School Counselor Week –North east is a weekly newsletter of in -formation taken from a variety of newssources of interest to counselors. www.HSCounselorWeek.com

SchoolCounselor is a newsletter cre-ated by Russ Sabella, former ASCA pres-ident and techno guru. www.schoolcounselor.com ■

DONNA BROWN

National CareerDevelopment Month

is celebrated inNovember

National Career Development WeekNovember 16-20

National Career Development DayNovember 18

NOVEMBER 2009 7

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From students and faculty in lab coats and scrubs,

to the concentrated energy in our modern, high-tech

laboratories, to the hustle and bustle within our soaring

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Everything we do reflects our commitment to educating

the next generation of capable and compassionate health

care professionals and researchers. We encourage students

to contact our admission office at 617.732.2850 to schedule

an individual visit through our

Visit Concierge.

Schools at a Glance: • School of Nursing

• Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene

• School of Radiologic Sciences

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• School of Pharmacy

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MCPHS Means Health Care


Celebrating National Career Development Month“Professional tradeswomen offer hands-on workshop experiences in their tradeor technology and participate in a fashionshow demonstrating their work gear. Thegirls learn about career options, salaryranges, and get to try out the work.”

— Annual Conference for High SchoolGirls and their Guidance Counselors:Women, Work, and Community, ME:Submitted by Susan Russell, Coordinator

“We gave out popcorn to students withhelpful career development tips on eachcup such as choosing a major, network-ing, writing a resume, and goal setting.”They held on-the-spot resume critiquingand career testing (using Holland’s Codes)

— University of Cincinnati, OH:Submitted by Carly Dennis,Career Counselor

“Students had to create a bi-fold boardfor their career of interest, illustrate whatthe job might look like or involve, whatcolleges offer the program needed, whatacademic skills are needed, and list com-munity service activities, summer jobs,or volunteer work related to the career.”

— Cleveland Early College HighSchool, OH: Submitted by Karen Sweezy.Create a Career Vision Board

“We had a “Dress for Success” day wherestudents who dress for a job interview aregiven a raffle ticket and we had drawingsfor prizes. We had another day for “Dressfor Your Favorite Occupation Day.” Win-ners for the school’s poetry and poster con-test were announced and awarded prizes.”

— Horry County Schools, SC: Submit-ted by Kathryn Hilgenkamp

Activities for students included job shad -owing and interviews with entrepreneurs.

— Greenville Technical College, SC:Submitted by Phyllis Utley

“7th grade students dressed up in a careerof their choice on career day. As theywent around to classrooms other stu-dents were able to push a button and thenthey would reiterate information abouttheir career. The knowledge they neededto remember included job description,salary & outlook, education, interestsand similar occupations. Students chosevarious jobs from veterinarians, bakers,fighter pilots to stunt performers.”

— Sargent Central School, ND: Sub-mitted by Rachel Olsen

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Reprinted from the National Career Dev -elopment Association, “Creative Ways toCelebrate,” http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sd/news_article/5415/blank/blank/true ■

For career developmentideas, go to www.ncda.org

ED’S VIEWSBy ED BRYANT, MASCA Life Trustee

O ften “Ed’s Views” will deal withMASCA retirees. It is my opinion

that our affiliates have many retirees intheir membership. Do we know the num-bers? If so, how are they contributing toMASCA? How is MASCA serving them?

The following information on life -style is from T. Bernier. It can apply toall members.

1. Quit smoking2. Maintain healthy weight3. Exercise4. Eat healthy5. Get regular wellness exams6. Stimulate your brain7. Maintain caution (such as prevent-

ing falls)Speaking of falling. A serious fall in

my driveway led to a painful shoulderinjury and treatment at Lahey Clinic inBurlington.

For the MASCA 50th AnniversaryCommittee: Here is an historic moment.On May 29, 1991, MASCA voted to in -crease dues: Professional, $25 to $28;Re tiree, $8 to $10; Affiliate, to $20; andAssociate, to $25. At that time what didmembers receive for their dues?

To help increase our membership, afterreading your copy of CN, share it witha non-member.

Counselors, do you give students tipsfor attending a college fair? For example,what to wear, what to bring, how to in -troduce yourself to admission counselors,kinds of questions to ask, how to be pre-pared, getting your name on mailing lists,etc. The college fair is a good way to start.

Did you read Tony Dungy’s book,Quiet Strength? His son, Jamie, died atage sixteen. My daughter, Diane, alsodied at age sixteen. There are many teendeaths. How does one handle grief?Counselors, a reminder from Dungy: “Weall can change the course of our nationand world, one life at a time, for the restof our lives.” Keep up your good work. ■

Don’t forget my Academies/ROTC Nightto be held on November 4 at Danvers -port Yacht Club.

MASCA members may not need keysto happiness, but here are some from theReader’s Digest (March 2004): wealth,desire, intelligence, genetics, beauty, friend -ship, marriage, faith, charity, and age.What do you think is a key to happiness?

NOVEMBER 2009 9

ED BRYANT


Preparing Students for SuccessBy KAREN D’AMOUR, MASCA Past President

T he Massachusetts Business Alliancefor Education (MBAE) is an organi-

zation that was formed in 1988 in partto address employer concerns about theskill sets of high school graduates. Youmay be familiar with their efforts on be -half of employers and the workforce skillsneeded for the 21st Century.

Today, MBAE is engaged with theMass achusetts Department of Elemen-tary and Secondary Education (DESE) inthe development of a work readiness cur-riculum for Massachusetts public schools.MBAE seeks to shape and define how

our schools successfully prepare studentsfor postsecondary education and/or theworkforce.

As counselors working in the publicschool system, we need to be aware of theMBAE recommendations.

The MBAE recommends that the grad-uation standards being developed andimplemented by the MA-DESE addressseveral components. These are listed inthe document, Preparing For The Future:Employer Perspectives on Work Readi-ness Skills (October 2006).

You may find that your school is al -ready addressing these areas or that youcould use more effort in a specific area.When considering these tasks, I hope youwill think of new ways to help all of yourstudents gain these skill sets—for theirbenefit and the benefit of others.

The recommendations include:

• Require work experience throughin ternships, paid employment, or com-munity service for all high school grad-uates. These opportunities can both en -gage students in learning (with potentialfor reducing the dropout rate) and givethem valuable skills for future success.

• Incorporate public speaking into thehigh school curriculum.

• Support activities that impose dead -lines, enforce tardiness rules, and includeteam projects.

• Support schools in developing, main-taining, and adding co-curricular oppor-tunities for acquiring skills. Local com-panies can become actively involved withtheir local schools as financial support-ers, volunteers, and providers of services.

Because school counselors work withall students, we are positioned well to helpimplement the services, training, and re -search findings that will help our studentsbecome high-functioning adults who com-plete high school and pursue further edu-cation and successful careers.

If you have a best-practice exercise thatcontributes to areas mentioned above andyou would be willing to share it with otherMassachusetts school counselors, pleasee-mail it to me at [email protected],and thank you. ■

MASCA 2009 DIRECTORY OFMASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL COUNSELORS

The Directory lists school counselors in K-12 public, private, parochial, and re gionaland technical high schools. Phone, fax, and e-mail information is in cluded. EachMASCA member will receive one (1) complimentary copy.

PLEASE USE THE ORDER FORM BELOW to order more copies. Download theform at www.masca.org or order online and use your credit card.

1-5 copies @ $30.00 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. ____ $_________

Additional Copies6 or more @ $25.00 each . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. ____ $_________

Shipping/Handling @$3.50 each copy . . . . . . . . No. ____ $_________

P.O. Processing Fee (per order) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $_________

Make checks payable to: MASCA TOTAL: . . $ __________

If mailing this form, send to:Ms. Marla Schay, Weston High School, 444 Wellesley St., Weston, MA 02493

Questions? E-mail [email protected]

Your name and contact information:

Name: ______________________________________________________________

School District/Business: _______________________________________________

Mailing Address: _____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

E-mail Address: ______________________________________________________

Phone: _____________________________________________________________

5.00

KAREN D’AMOUR

NOVEMBER 2009 11

Notes from the Left CoastBy THOM HUGHART, MASCA Past Executive Director


OK. So I didn’t actually make it allthe way to the West Coast, but

Phoe nix is pretty close. I thought Iwould take advantage of my past posi-tion in MASCA and write about myexperiences and reflections here in theValley of the Sun.

Let’s dispense with the obvious first.Yes, it is hot. The highest I experiencedso far was about 116º, but I refuse to playgolf if it’s over 105º. Is there a differencebetween 105º with 5% humidity and 88ºwith 70% humidity? Absolutely! I willtrade a day of 116º for the twenty-seveninches of snow I had on one weekend inFebruary that required three separateshov elings to clear my driveway so Icould get to work on Monday.

But what about school counseling inthe state of paradise?

I am working at a small charter school.It is only in its second year of existence,meaning there are only ninth and tenthgraders currently. Oh, did I mention that

there are only seventy students in thehigh school, with seven teachers, elevenstaff, and about eight or nine courses?

Currently, there are more than 320charter high schools in Arizona. In thetraditional high schools the student tocounselor ratios tend to be between 400and 1200 students per counselor. Thereare some serious caseload issues here.

In light of these numbers, the ASCAModel is very strong here. The state de -partment of education has endorsed theModel, and classroom guidance curricu-

lum presentations are a requirement. Aninteresting note: In Massachusetts theDESE has a staff person assigned to workwith school counselors eight hours perweek. Here the State Guidance Coun-selors Supervisor is a full-time position.

I have been spending quite a bit oftime getting up to speed on the impor-tant state requirements that seem to fallon the counselors.

The first is ECAPs (Educational andCareer Action Plans) for all students be -ginning with the class of 2013. These arecomparable to the Massachusetts CareerPlans (see the model on the DESE website).Here, this is a major statewide effort, andI have already attended three presenta-tions on them. The ECAPs can be devel-oped electronically by using the CIS sys-tem (which is AzCIS here and MASSCISfor you) or the Naviance program.

The other hot topic for guidance /school counselors is the transition processfor students on IEPs. I attended a twoand a half day conference just on transi-tions. This state has a real commitmentto Measurable Postsecondary Goals thatare realistic and attainable. Consequently,a huge percentage of the public schoolpopulation plans on attending commu-nity college and then finishing at a four-year school, thus saving somewhere be -tween $15,000 and $30,000. Beginningthis year, schools (i.e., counselors) will berequired to contact all graduated seniorsone year after graduation to see if theycompleted their Measurable Postsecon -dary Goal.

It’s different here, period. In terms ofwhich side of the fence the grass is green -er on, I couldn’t say. I do find the stu-dent loads indefensible. I will continue atmy little Paradise Honors High School.

Have a great school year. Stay in formedthrough MASCA. Support each other.Take care of yourself. Be well and safe. ■

THOM HUGHART

MASCA 2009-2010Connecting Counselors

in the 21st Century

NOVEMBER 2009 13

MASCA MembershipThe Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA) is dedicated to providing information andservices that will support the counseling profession. Joining MASCA not only keeps counselors connectedand informed but also strengthens the guidance profession as a whole.

MASCA Membership Benefits:

• Your support of MASCA initiatives, which include professional development and advocacy forall counselors

• Subscription to the Counselor’s Notebook, mailed to you monthly when school is in session andavailable online

• Reduced rates at fall and spring conferences• Subscription to the MASCA e-mail list for timely updates and information• Access to online database of all MASCA members• Opportunities to participate on a variety of MASCA committees

Our membership application is now online. You can choose to pay by credit card or by check. If you payby credit card, your membership application can be approved in a timely manner. To renew or to join, goto the MASCA website:

www.masca.org/masca/memberships/htm


SAVE THE DATES!

Leadership Forum on Beacon HillMarch 10, 2010

___________

MASCA Annual Spring ConferenceApril 11-13, 2010

Sheraton Ferncroft, Danvers___________

ASCA Annual ConferenceJuly 3-6, 2010

Boston Sheraton

Mind-Sets, Learning, and Leadership

W hy do some students thrive onchallenges while others, just as

bright and competent, withdraw or dete-riorate under the same circumstances?

Carol Dweck, Ph.D., developmentalpsy chologist and author of the bookMINDSET: The New Psychology of Suc-cess, has spent over two decades research-ing this very topic, and her discoveriesare changing the way schools view learn-ing and businesses regard leadership.

She finds that the answers to the ques-tions in the Mind-Set quiz do indeed in -fluence approaches to learning, reactionsto failure, and even the bottom line. Dweckpresents research showing that many suc-ceed or fail based on how they think aboutintelligence, talents and abilities.

Dweck finds that people have one oftwo mind-sets on the subject: fixed andgrowth. People with a FIXED mind-setbelieve that intelligence (along with tal-ents and abilities) is fixed and can’t bechanged. People with GROWTH mind-sets believe our brains—intelligence—can be developed, like a muscle. The real-world implications of these two mind-sets are enormous.

The two groups differ in three signifi-cant ways—their goals, their beliefs abouteffort, and their reaction to failure.

Mind-Sets in EducationGOALS

• Growth mind-set students viewlearning as the most important goal.While they care about grades, they thinkit is more important to learn the materialthan to test well.

• Fixed mind-set students think themost important thing is to look good andavoid mistakes.

EFFORT• Growth mind-set students believe

that the harder they work at something,the better they will get. While not every-one can be an Einstein, they think thateven geniuses have to work hard to reachtheir goals.

• Fixed mind-set students, many ofwhom have gone through years of schoolwith high grades and little effort, believethat if you have ability, you don’t needeffort. In fact, these students viewed theneed for effort as a condemnation of theirintelligence.

REACTION TO FAILURE• Growth mind-set students are resil -

ient in response to failure. They developstrategies to improve.

• Fixed mind-set students believe thatif you have ability, you don’t need effort.

Working hard implies a lack of intelli-gence, so when things get harder as theymove through school, they have a choice.

They can work hard and feel dumb,risking their special status and easy per-fection, or they can retire, finding it moreacceptable to fail through lack of effortrather than revealing a less than optimalintelligence. Some students, and even par-ents, pull themselves out of challengingclasses rather than risk a lower gradepoint average.

Mind-Sets in BusinessAccording to Dweck, when business lead -ers have a growth mind-set, companiesthrive. The type of leader who continu-ally ask questions, is always trying toimprove, and believes that mistakes helppeople learn, lead companies into great-ness. When CEOs believe the companyis only a platform for their brilliance, theorganization frequently ends up beingsacrificed.

Leaders with a growth mind-set en -cour age their employees to look at, nothide their mistakes, and to use feedbackto alter their strategies. These companieshave extensive mentoring and employeedevelopment programs.

Dweck uses contemporary examplesto illustrate her findings.

The leaders of Enron, for example,thought of themselves as the “smartestguys in the room.” They became obsessedwith talent and didn’t cultivate a cultureof learning and growth. With this fixedmind-set, the Enron environment dis cour -aged people from admitting or correct-ing mistakes.

On the other hand, Jack Welch, theCEO of GE and one of the most highlyregarded executives in business, had agrowth mind-set. He was devoted to staffgrowth and made a point of seeking outinsights from front-line workers.

Do you work in a growth mind-set orfixed mind-set organization? What isYOUR mind-set?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Reprinted from Laughter Works, www.laughways.com. Laurie Young of Laugh-ter Works will be a keynote speaker at theMASCA Annual Spring Conference. ■

NOVEMBER 2009 15

The Time Is NowBy RUTH CARRIGAN

MASCA VP Guidance Administrators

RUTH CARRIGAN

G reetings. I hope that your start tothe school year has been a good

one and that by the time this issue of theNotebook reaches you, the hectic paceof the start of school has settled down.In my office we are already in the midstof a busy year, and we are focused on ourstudents and our guidance curriculum.

In case you are wondering about thenew name and picture for the VP GuidanceAdministrators, I have been ap point ed bythe MASCA Executive Board to fill therole that was left vacant when Caro lynRichards made the decision to take onthe challenge of president-elect. I wish hermuch success in this new leadership role.

For me, this is a return trip to theMASCA Governing Board after a longhiatus. I started my career in the mid-1980s in the world of higher educationand served as MASCA VP Postsecon daryfor a number of years. After spendingabout fifteen years on the college level, Itransitioned to high school guidance, andfor the last five years I’ve held the roleof Director of Guidance for the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District.

I am excited to be back on the MASCABoard to help promote school counseloradvocacy and to recognize the value ofthe important work that counselors doevery day.

Implementing the MA ModelOne of the most important things wecan do for our students is work with allof them via a comprehensive guidance cur-riculum using the Massachusetts Modelfor School Counseling as a guide.

Some of you have probably been think-ing about implementing the Model butare waiting until you have some extra timeto do some research and develop lessons.My advice (like that of a past NIKE mar-keting campaign) is JUST DO IT!

If your office is anything like mine,there is always much more work to dothan I have time for. Waiting until youhave time probably means that it willnever happen. My advice is to embracethe Model, make it a priority, and getyour staff on board to help.

When my school was first developingour guidance curriculum, we used some

of our professional development time toput together lessons, and we were ap -proved for some summer stipend curricu-lum work. We worked together as a teamand found that implementing the Modelhelped shape a common goal for the workwe do as a department.

You should also remember that thereis no “one best way” to implement theModel and a school counseling curricu-lum. You need to find a way to make itwork within your district, with your sche -dule, and with the administrators in your

building. Although the challenges can begreat, the payoff for your students canbe tremendous.

At my school, after implementation ofour guidance curriculum, we increasedthe college-going rate of our students by16% in one year, and we’ve maintainedthat increase for the past four years. Al -though our guidance curriculum may notbe perfect, it is one that works for ourschool and our students. Most importantly,it helps keep our department focused onthe important work that we need to do.

My goal for upcoming articles is toshare with you some best practices. Ifyou have some proven strategies for suc-cess regarding the implementation of yourguidance curriculum, I hope you will alsoshare them with colleagues.

Please feel free to contact me at [email protected] if you have any ques-tions or success stories. And remember, ifyou are waiting until you finally have timeto implement a guidance curriculum, nowis the time to make the commitment. ■


Golden Past,Platinum Future:

MASCA 50thBirthday Celebration

The MASCA 50th Birthday Commit-

tee has been meeting regularly to

make plans for a celebratory lun-

cheon at the MASCA Annual Spring

Conference 2011, which will be held at the Ferncroft in Danvers. Invited

guests will be past presidents, executive directors, and OSCAR recipients.

Committee members include Co-chairs Oscar Krichmar and Mary West-

cott, Lillie Davis, Ed Bryant, Carol Ryan Tarka, Andy Tarka, Donna Brown,

Ralph Sennott, Sally Connolly, Larry West, Fred Laire, Manny Mano lo poulos,

Helen O’Donnell, Judi Masters, Maureen Martin and John Gould.

50YEARS

1961

2011

MASCA PDP SIGNUP FORMI want to sign up for MASCA PDPs.

Name: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

E-mail: _________________________________________________________

Send a check for $25 made payable to MASCA along with your stampedMASCA conferences’ Certificates of Attendance and completed Evidence ofLearning Forms documenting AT LEAST 10 HOURS of professional devel-opment training to:

Helen O’Donnell, Ed.D.10 Maplewood Terrace

Hadley, MA 01035

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

Where: Essex District Attorney’s OfficeTen Federal StreetSalem, MA 01970

Please join the Essex District Attorney’sJuvenile Justice Unit for coffee. All pro-fessionals who work in prevention, inter -vention, and those who work with juve-niles are invited and welcome to takeprevention materials.

Available for the first time will be ournew est prevention program, The TruthAbout Drugs and Alcohol. This Power-Point presentation is designed to educatestudents about the serious impact thatdrugs and alcohol can have on their lives.This program covers the social, physical,and legal consequences of drug and alco-hol use through slides and videos andmay be facilitated by educators, policies,counselors and other professionals.

In addition, you can take back to yourschools and agencies:

• Underage DrinkingMiddle School Version

• Underage DrinkingHigh School Version

• Underage Drinking for Adults

• Drugs 101 for Adults

• Choose 2 Refuse

• Choose to Keep Your Freedom

Please feel free to bring any materials youmay want to share with others. Coffeeand muffins will be served. Come and net -work with others in the prevention field.Share materials, programs, and ideas overa cup of coffee.

For more information, call 978-745-6610

Ruth BudelmannExt. 5086

Mariellen FidrychExt. 5085

Meghan MeagherExt. 5055

Carrie Kimball-MonahanExt. 5079 ■

Free Resourcesat Prevention

Networking Coffee

NOVEMBER 2009 17


CorrectionIn the September issue

of CN, the name of a MASCAEmerging Leader was

misspelled. We apologize andextend our congratulations to

John Steere, counselor atWellesley High School.

Reminderfrom MASCA

Check your membershipexpiration date on the mailing

label of this issue of CN.Renew your membership at

www.masca.org.

Affiliate NewsSSGA plans meetingsSouth Shore Guidance Association hasplanned its calendar for the coming year.Members will be hosted by the follow-ing schools:

September 29, 2009Monmouth University

October 19, 2009Nichols College

November 17, 2009Benjamin Franklin Institute of TechnologyCandles to Crayons donations

December 2009Stony Brook University

January 2010Mitchell College

February 2010Florida Southern College(tentative)

March 2010Fisher College

April 2010Universal Technical Institute

May 2010University of Maine/Fort Kent(tentative)

WMCA announces calendarWestern Massachusetts Counselors Asso -ciation has set the following dates for itsmeetings:

October 20, 2009Delaney Househosted by Benjamin Franklin Instituteof Technology

December 3, 2009Holyoke Community College

January 25, 2010TBAhosted by Massachusetts College ofLiberal ArtsMARC Presentation

March 9, 2010at American International CollegeCounselor of the Year Presentations

May 19, 2010Springfield MarriottScholarship Presentations andSecretary’s Nighthosted by Cazenovia College ■

NOVEMBER 2009 19

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

NEWBURYPORT, MAPERMIT NO. 96

Massachusetts School Counselors Association, Inc.COUNSELOR’S NOTEBOOK

Sally Ann Connolly, Editor

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NAME

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ADDRESS

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CITY ZIP CODESTATE

Send this form to:Deborah ClemenceP.O. Box 805East 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.

SAVE THE DATE!

Massachusetts Coalition forSchool Counseling Advocacy Day

March 10, 2010 • State House, Boston

Advocate for our students, our schools, and our profession

MASCA, NEACAC, and The College Board have joined together to sponsor the 2010 Advocacy Dayon Beacon Hill.

School counselors and others who believe in quality school counseling programs in our schools willspend a day at the State House advocating for issues that are important to school counselors and theyoung people we serve.

Participants will receive training on legislative issues and advocacy and will talk in person with ourelected legislators and other policymakers to inform them about who we are and what we do, andabout the importance of quality school counseling in our students’ education and lives.

YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRUCIAL FOR THIS TO WORK!All of our voices are needed for this effort to be effective.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Please mark your calendars now. More details are forthcoming.

Questions? Please contact Bob Bardwell at [email protected].

counselor's notebook, november 2009

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