Upcoming events

Switch to Calendar View

• Real Talk: Race, equity, and affirming lives IDEA microcredential

  • Start
    04 Dec 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM
  • End
    26 Feb 2026
  •  
    12:15 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Register

  MASCA is pleased to offer our first Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) microcredential focused on supporting and advocating for racial and gender diverse students.  Over the seven virtual sessions participants will discuss topics such as:
  

  • Being comfortable with being uncomfortable when discussing race and gender identity with students;
  • Exploring how identity impacts our biases and responses to oppression and stereotyping;
    
  • Exploring the intersections of race, gender, and sexual orientation and how they connect with school culture, professional practice, pedagogy, and student and staff relationships;
  • Determining roles in examining oppression; and
    
  • Teaching students skills on how to process methods of addressing reactions to microaggressions and incidents of racism.

  There will be seven virtual meetings from 11:00-12:15 on the following days:

  • Session I - Thursday, November 20 - Johnny Cole - Discussing race with students and how identity impacts our biases and responses to oppression.
  • Session II - Thursday, December 4 - De'Shawn Washington - Creating opportunities for meaningful and planned discussions around race.
  • Session III - Wednesday, December 17 - Jazzmyn Rodrigues - Teaching students skills to process reactions to microaggressions and racism incidents.
  • Session IV - Thursday, January 8 - Anjali Deshpande - Explore intersectionality of race, gender and sexual orientation and how that impacts school culture and relationships.
  • Session V - Thursday, January 22 - Malcolm Andrews - Discussing gender identity with students and how identity impacts our biases.
  • Session VI - Thursday, February 5 - Anjali Deshpande - Creating opportunities for meaningful and planned discussions around gender identity.
  • Session VII - Thursday, February 26 - Tom Schiff - Teaching students skills to process reactions to microaggressions and gender identity incidents.

  While we encourage everyone to attend each virtual session synchronously, we know that is not always possible.  Therefore each session will be recorded and made available only to participating registrants for the microcredential. Participants who attend all seven sessions (or watch the recordings) and complete appropriate pre and post assignments, will be eligible to earn a minimum 10 PDPs and earn a MASCA Microcredential for IDEA.  Ten CEs are also available for an additional cost.

  If you have any questions please contact Bob Bardwell, Executive Director.

  Show details
• December 4 Multilingual Learners SIG meeting

  • When
    04 Dec 2025
  •  
    2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  SAVE THE DATE - The next meeting of the ML SIG will be on Thursday, December 4 from 2:30-3:30 pm via zoom.  Agenda to be announced.

  You must pre-register here.

  
  

  Show details
• Description: The Fateful Story: How Narratives Shape Health, Growth and Resilience

  • When
    05 Dec 2025
  •  
    8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    American International College, 1000 State Street, Springfield MA 01109

  Register

  As counselors we are called upon to witness pain, loss and upheaval and enable our students to make sense of that suffering such that it can, one day, become integrated into a more healthful living. Much of what is disturbing is captured in story:  the narratives our students have developed that represent their understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Yet narratives often, over time, become rigid and stuck in limited understandings both of what had occurred and what was still yet possible; of who one was, and who one might yet become. When this occurs, we lose sight of our capacity, resilience, and worth. In this day-long program we explore the power of narrative to shape our understandings of self and self-in-relation. We examine the value of asking questions that stem from an appreciative or benefit-finding perspective and determine how we might encourage others to construct more productive perspectives using practices that establish a growth, learning-oriented mindset. 

  This session will be presented by Maria Sirois, Psy.D.   Dr. Sirois has spent more than three decades in the boardrooms of business, bedsides of the dying and everywhere in between to do one thing:  offer the data, stories, tools and perspectives that enable us to cultivate resilience, health, wisdom and a greater capacity to lead ourselves and others well, no matter the strain or suffering of the moment. As a resilience expert, positive psychologist and international consultant, she is known for her authenticity, wisdom and compassion. She is the author of three books: the newly released, The Generous Exchange:  How Attention to Beauty, Goodness and Excellence Restores Us and Our World, A Short Course in Happiness After Loss (And Other Dark, Difficult Times) and Every Day Counts. Learn more about Maria at  www.mariasirois.com

  The event is free for all thanks to the generosity of AIC's School of Education.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided. However, if you would like 5 CEs, you will need to pay $50 and if you would like 10 PDPs, you will need to pay $25 and complete an additional assignment.

  SNOW DATE - December 12

  Show details
• December 8 Elementary SIG Meeting

  • When
    08 Dec 2025
  •  
    3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

  Show details
• The Compass: Ethics Symposium & Microcredential II

  • Start
    09 Dec 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM
  • End
    04 Jun 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Register

  The Compass: Ethics Symposium & Microcredential II

  MASCA’s Ethics Committee is excited announce its second microcredential offering.  The Compass: Ethics Symposium & Microcredential II will provide registered MASCA members with high-quality, relevant, timely and interactive content pertaining to topics that often involve legal and ethical challenges and conundrums.  Each session will include a brief overview of the topic, augmented with case studies, and time for small group discussion and debate. The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors will be used to ground our discussion, providing us the compass we need in order to navigate the gray situations that we face in our profession.  Upon completion of the symposium, you will feel empowered to make decisions with confidence regarding the array of ethical challenges we face daily.  Participants who attend all 10 sessions (or watch the recordings) and complete appropriate pre and post assignments, will be eligible to earn a minimum 10 PDPs and earn a MASCA Microcredential for Ethics.  10 CEs are also available for an additional cost.

  NOTE: This symposium is open to all participants, regardless whether you participated in Ethics Symposium I during the 24-25 school year.  The concepts do not build on each other, but rather, are discreet learning units. We look forward to you joining us!

  The series will run roughly once a month from November to June, on varying Tuesdays (with one exception as noted) from 11:00-12:00 via zoom.

  $50 for all 10 sessions for members; $105 for non-members (which includes membership). Additional $100 for the 10 CEs.  

  The 2025-26 dates and topics are:

  2025-2026 DATES	TOPIC
  November 18	The Ethical Decision Making Model
  December 9	The Cyberspace World as a Counselor
  January 13	Diplomacy
  January 27	Negligence
  February 10	Case Law: Navigating Local, State, and Federal Law
  March 3	Individual & Small Group Counseling
  March 31	Sexual Harassment
  April 14	Violence & Threat Assessment
  May 19	DEI: Diversity Fellows Present
  June 4 (Thursday)	Ethics and Advocacy

  Show details
• December 10 Governing Board Meeting

  • When
    10 Dec 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  Show details
• January 12 Elementary SIG Meeting

  • When
    12 Jan 2026
  •  
    3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

  Show details
• January 14 SAC/SSW SIG Meeting

  • When
    14 Jan 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    via zoom

  January 14 Meeting Agenda - TBA

  Pre-register here.

  Show details
• January 27 Governing Board Meeting

  • When
    27 Jan 2026
  •  
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  Show details
• January 29 Counseling Directors SIG

  • When
    29 Jan 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  
  

  Show details
• February 9 Elementary SIG Meeting

  • When
    09 Feb 2026
  •  
    3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

  Show details
• February 11 SAC/SSW SIG Meeting

  • When
    11 Feb 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    via zoom

  February 11 Meeting Agenda - TBA

  Pre-register here.

  Show details
• April 8 SAC/SSW SIG Meeting

  • When
    11 Feb 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    via zoom

  April 8 Meeting Agenda - TBA

  Pre-register here.

  Show details
• March 17 Governing Board Meeting

  • When
    17 Mar 2026
  •  
    12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Sheraton Framingham

  Agenda - TBA

  Show details
• April 13 Elementary SIG Meeting

  • When
    13 Apr 2026
  •  
    3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

  Show details
• May 11 Elementary SIG Meeting

  • When
    11 May 2026
  •  
    3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

  Show details
• June 4 Counseling Directors SIG

  • When
    04 Jun 2026
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

  Show details
• June 10 Governing Board Meeting

  • When
    10 Jun 2026
  •  
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  Show details