President’s Letter: Making MASCA Happen

Welcome to November, Massachusetts school counselors!

Your MASCA Governing Board has been busy this fall, advocating for our profession and offering new opportunities for growth. MASCA offered a unique professional development opportunity in early October, a New Counselor Bootcamp. We were thrilled to have so many counselors interested in this event that we had a waitlist! We will continue to bring new professional development to different locations in the state.

Most of our committee chair positions have been filled, and those leaders are always looking for members to help in the committee work. Participating on a committee is a small commitment that can help MASCA in big ways, so it is a perfect way to get involved with your state association. Here is a list of committees and the people to contact if you are interested in serving:

• Advocacy Committee: April Megginson, amegginson@bridgew.edu
• Awards and Publicity Committee: Jeremie Bateman, jbateman@lexingtonma.us
• Conference Committee: Ruth Carrigan, ruth.carrigan@whrsd.k12.ma.us
• Mass Model Committee: Helen O’Donnell, helenod@att.net
• Member Services – see below
• Professional Development Committee: Sandra Collins, sac1330@gmail.com
• Research and Evaluation Committee: Christine Shaw,
• Strategic Planning and Nominating/Bylaws Committees: Jennifer McGuire, jmcguire@uppercapetech.org
• Technology Committee: Karen Botcheller, kbotcheller@hudson.k12.ma.us

We are still searching for a chair for the Member Services Committee, so please consider serving in this way.
 
MASCA is searching for a new treasurer after Ashley Caron had to step down due to a family situation. We appreciate Ashley’s professional, competent service over the last several years. The stipend position of treasurer will work in conjunction with the accounting firm SCA, which recently began working for state school counselor associations as a service of ASCA. If you or someone you know is competent on QuickBooks and would like to serve the state association, please email me at b_meyer@stoughtonschools.org.

National School Counseling Week is February 3-7, 2020, and MASCA leaders are planning to commemorate the week. Watch for announcements with ideas for celebrating and advocating, both in your school building and possibly at the State House!

Keep up the hard work you do each and every day for our students, and know that you are making a difference. Remember to care for yourself, as well.
 
Contact Barbara W. Meyer, MASCA president 2019-20, at b_meyer@stoughtonschools.org.