From the Chair: Change, Growth and Progress in 2020

Welcome to 2020! It’s hard to believe we are already jumping into a new year and decade!
 
2019 started off quickly, with the MESCA board and committees working hard to advocate for school counselors. Our annual MESCA Conference was a huge success (check out these photos). We were lucky to have two outstanding keynote speakers: Kirsten Perry, ASCA School Counselor of the Year, and Dr. Bryan Pearlman, who talked about trauma and mental health. I encourage you to join his Facebook group Maslow Before Bloom; he posts many excellent resources on his page. We had several engaging breakout sessions; you can download handouts on our MESCA members-only Facebook page.  Conference feedback was excellent we even celebrated MESCA’s 40th anniversary! Stay tuned for details for next year’s conference.
 
Looking for more professional development? Check out ASCA’s webinar series and ASCA U Specialist Trainings. If you attended the ASCA conference in Boston and loved it, or are looking for a national conference to attend, the ASCA National Conference takes place in Seattle, Wash., from June 27-30, 2020. Interested in becoming a RAMP school? Join our “Maine RAMP’s It Up” Facebook group for support, ideas, collaboration and learning.
 
School counselors in Maine have a new voice at the state level. The DOE created a new position, Mental Health/School Counseling Specialist. We welcome Bear Shea as he takes on this new job.  Bear is committed to working closely with MESCA and school counselors around our state to make sure our needs are being met at the state level. 
 
MESCA is continuing to work both on new initiatives and ongoing ones. Our goal is to support all of you. Reach out to us any time and to your fellow school counselors. School counselors can connect on many social media platforms, not only here in Maine but across the world. We are in this together! MESCA members, join our MESCA Facebook page for updates, articles and resources.
 
Don’t forget about National School Counseling Week, February 3-7!  Please join us at the Hall of Flags in Augusta on Friday, February 7 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. as we announce our new Maine school counselor of the year and advocate on behalf of our profession. Don’t be afraid to let your staff, administration, school board and community know about National School Counseling Week – this is an opportunity to promote who you are and what you do! Check out the promotional resources on ASCA’s website.
 
As always, I am grateful to be part of such an amazing profession. Each one of you makes a difference every day in the lives our students, families, staff and community. I hope you were able to take some time for you over the winter vacation and are able to set your sights on a new, exciting year in 2020. Take time to celebrate yourself and your school counselor colleagues!
 
Contact Bonnie Robbins, MESCA board chair, at brobbins@rsu16.org.