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• October 20 Elementary SIG meeting

  • When
    20 Oct 2025
  •  
    3:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Come join your fellow elementary school counselors for our next meeting on Monday, October 20 from 3:15-4:15 PM via zoom.  The focus will be a collaborative and engaging discussion focused on one of the most important aspects of our work - how students are referred to us for support.

  This is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues, share the unique systems and processes your school uses for referrals, and learn about the strategies others have found effective. Whether your school uses formal referral forms, teacher recommendations, parent requests, or student self-referrals, we want to hear about it!

  Let’s explore:

  • The different ways students find their ways to us for support
  • What’s working well (and what’s not)
  • Ideas for streamlining or improving the referral process
  • Ways to ensure all students who need support are seen

  Bring your questions, insights, and curiosity. We're all in this together, and we can learn so much from each other.

  You must pre-register here.

  
  

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• October 21 Governing Board Meeting

  • When
    21 Oct 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

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• October 29 Counselors of Color Affinity Group

  • When
    29 Oct 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Are you a counselor of color looking for a dedicated space to connect, share, and collaborate with peers?  If so, you're invited to join MASCA's Counselors of Color Affinity Group (CoC AG)!

  Our group is a safe, supportive space for members who identify as counselors of color. We'll gather to share ideas, discuss contemporary issues facing us and our students, and identify collaborative strategies to support one another in our important work.

  Our first meeting of the school year will be:

  • When: October 29, 2025
  • Time: 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
  • Location: Zoom (you must pre-register here)

  We recognize the unique challenges and experiences of counselors of color, and the CoC AG is intentionally created as a safe space for this community. Therefore, participation is open only to those who identify as a person of color.

  
  

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• MASCA November 4 PD Training - Bridging Roles: School Counselors in Special Education Support

  • When
    04 Nov 2025
  •  
    8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Assumption University
  • Spaces left
    59

  Register

  Join us for our annual Election Day Professional Development Program - Bridging Roles: School Counselors in Special Education Support  at Assumption University in Worcester on Tuesday, November 4 from 8:00 AM-3:00 PM.

  Program objectives:

  • Learn about the way these disabilities impact academics, social dynamics, emotional regulation, executive functioning and crisis intervention
  • Best practices for school counselors to support these students
  • Strategies and accommodations to advocate for with teachers and administrators

  Program topics:

  • Understanding IEP Diagnoses: Trends and Implications
  • Reading Between the Lines: A Counselor’s Guide to Supporting Students with SLDs
  • The Power of Communication: Speech, Language and Learning
  • When Health Impacts Learning
  • Voices of Autism: Learning from Families
  • Dual Needs: Navigating ELL Students in Special Education
  • Beyond the Scores: Understanding Neuropsychological Testing and Finding
  • Promoting Inclusion and Accessibility School-Wide

  Breakfast and lunch are included.

  5.5 CE's and 10 PDP's available

  Cost: $50 for members and $105 for non-members (includes one-year membership). 

  5.5 CEs is $55 extra.  PDPs are free.

  You must register for CEs separately here.

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• MASCA November 4 PD Training - Bridging Roles: School Counselors in Special Education Support - CE registration only

  • When
    04 Nov 2025
  •  
    8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Assumption University
  • Spaces left
    93

  Register

  Bridging Roles: School Counselors in Special Education Support  at Assumption University in Worcester on Tuesday, November 4 from 8:00 AM-3:00 PM.

  5.5 CE's available

  Cost: $55 for members 

  You must register for the event here separately.

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• November 10 Elementary SIG Meeting

  • When
    10 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

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• November 12 SAC/SSW SIG Meeting

  • When
    12 Nov 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    via zoom

  The Wednesday, November 12th from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM.  SAC/SSW (School Adjustment Counselor/School Social Worker) SIG will feature Christa Collier, MS, LSW, Director of Training, Education and Special Initiatives at the Massachusetts Children’s Alliance will join us to speak about Problematic Sexual Behaviors of 7-12 year olds including indicators and their statewide evidence-based learning collaborative treatment model. The Massachusetts Children’s Alliance serves as the statewide coalition of the 12 Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in the state and is an accredited state chapter of the National Children’s Alliance (NCA).

  Pre-register here.

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• Board Member Info session

  • When
    12 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  The annual nomination process for new voting board members is now open.  This is much earlier than usual since the Bylaws were updated in April 2024. MASCA members will elect three voting Governing Board Members.  Voting will take place from February 9 - 27, 2026.

  The Board Member position is for three years (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029). Duties include serving as one of nine voting members of the Governing Board, attending meetings on a regular basis as well as the annual summer Leadership Development Institute (LDI), bringing concerns of constituents to the attention of the Board with recommendation for action, participating in our annual conference and various professional development offerings.  Board members also support MASCA’s Strategic Plan as well as give input to the annual work plan.

  Still not sure, and want more info about that being on the Board entails? We will be offering a Board Member Info Session on Wednesday, November 12 from 3:30 – 4:30 PM on Zoom. You must pre-register here!

  If you are ready to submit your nomination form, you may do so here.  Nominations, with additional documentation, are due on Friday, December 12.  PLEASE NOTE: Before submitting you will be required to list 10 MASCA members who support your nomination and will need an updated resume.

  
  

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• November 18 Middle Level SIG meeting

  • When
    18 Nov 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  The next meeting of the Middle Level SIG will be on Tuesday, November 18 from 9:00-10:00 AM via zoom.  Join Jacki Lundstrom (Arlington Public Schools) and Dawn Martin (Mansfield Public Schools) for a conversation on best practices to support student mental health in Middle School. Jacki and Dawn will share some of their own resources and practices and time will be provided for people to share their own favorite resources.

  You must pre-register here.

  
  

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• The Compass: Ethics Symposium & Microcredential II

  • Start
    18 Nov 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

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• November 20 Counseling Directors SIG

  • When
    20 Nov 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    Via zoom

  Agenda - TBA

  You must pre-register here.

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• November 20 Retirees SIG Meeting

  • When
    20 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:30 PM - 4:40 PM
  • Location
    via zoom

  November 20 Meeting Agenda - Issues Facing Retirees 

  Speaker: Marie Ardito, Retirees United Retirement Specialist  

  MASCA's 2024 Special Award Recipient, Maria Ardito, will again present her webinar on Issues Facing Retirees, for colleagues anticipating retirement. She is very informed and considered an expert.  Her very detailed ppt and contact information will be posted on the Retiree SIG webpage. She welcomes your inquiries during the webinar or email questions to helenod@att.net with Retiree SIG in subject line 
  

  Pre-register here.

  
  

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• 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.

  
  

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• 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

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• 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.

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• December 10 SAC/SSW SIG Meeting

  • When
    10 Dec 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
  • Location
    via zoom

  December 10 Meeting Agenda - TBA

  Pre-register here.

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• December 10 Governing Board Meeting

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

  Agenda - TBA

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• January 27 Governing Board Meeting

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

  Agenda - TBA

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• January 29 Counseling Directors SIG

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

  Agenda - TBA

  
  

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• March 17 Governing Board Meeting

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

  Agenda - TBA

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• 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.

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• June 10 Governing Board Meeting

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

  Agenda - TBA

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