SCHOOL COUNSELORS - Montana School Counselor Association

Exciting time in MSCA!
By: Catie Cook Dennehy, MSCA President
March 2015
www.mtschoolcounselor.org
Inside this issue:
President Message...
1
MSCA Top 10
2
Addressing Anxiety
2
ACT Testing
3
YOUR Time
4
Taking Care…
5
MSCA Member Spotlight
6
Prof. Development
7
Graduate Course
8
Officer Nomination
9
Nomination Form
10
MSCA Registration Form 11
We have many things to look forward to this spring and many things and people to be
thankful for! One of the most exciting things from my perspective, is our wonderful speakers at
our Spring Conference this year.
We have April Schottelkorb, an experienced Play Therapist and Teacher, flying into Bozeman to be with us! The fact that we have her coming is also interesting and exciting to Private
and School Based Therapists from the area; who are already asking how they can get in on the
action. If you are interested in attending her workshops, they are offered on Friday and will be
found under “Track One.”
John Moffatt, a retired Principal and survivor of a school shooting (which took place at
Fergus High School, 30 years ago) will also be speaking. He is going to speak to us about the
changing of times in regards to safety and security, and the moving and amazing challenges he
and his family have dealt with along the way.
Returning to be with us, is Todd Garrison from ChildWise Institute. He presented at our
fall conference in regards to Adverse Childhood Experiences and the ACE study. He was so great
that we wanted him to return.
On Friday, while April is presenting, we will also be doing something new and innovative. We can thank Tina Boone for organizing that for us. There will be literally “hands-on” sectionals for upper grade-level counselors to learn about jobs in construction fields and others.
This year at our conference we will be using a Mobile Application that will be able to be downloaded for free on your smart phones and tablets. It will be under the umbrella company called
Crowd Compass. This way we will have a centrally located place to access our presenter’s notes
so that we are not only “green,” but also even more innovative. I understand some people might
not own a cell phone or tablet, so I will be working on other ways to access presenters notes at a
back-up location.
In regards to being more innovative, we do have a Facebook page and if you would join
the page it will give us an opportunity to help us connect and network better. For example, if you
are attending the conference and are looking for someone to room with, that may be a place
where we can communicate those things as we TRANSFORM AND TRAILBLAZE!
We look forward to seeing you all at the conference! Bring your boots of all kinds for the
social, and consider becoming a leader in the Montana School Counselor Association!
MSCA Spring Conference
Important Dates
 MSCA Spring Conference
Early Registration Deadline
March 31, 2015
 MSCA Spring Conference,
Bozeman, Apr 16-17, 2015
 ASCA National Conference
Phoenix, AZ
June 28-July 1, 2015
 MES-MFT, Billings, MT
October 15-16, 2015
M
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SEE YOU THERE!
April 16-17, 2015
SCHOOL
COUNSELORS
Transforming & Trailblazing
Top 10 Reasons to attend the MSCA Spring Conference
By: Deborah Ostertag, President-Elect
It’s time to start thinking about whether
or not you are going to attend the MSCA
Spring Conference in Bozeman April
16th and 17th. The brochure and registration are being created as I write this
article. For some of us, attendance is a
no-brainer, as we go every year. Others
may feel the need to justify attendance
each year. Because, let’s face it; we are
busy professionals, and it is hard to get
away. But because we are busy and it is
hard to get away, I argue that it makes it
all the more imperative to make time for
professional renewal.
I know that I attend because I
find being exposed to new ideas and
strategies, plus developing professional
relationships, to be highly rewarding.
Others may attend for different reasons.
This started me wondering if there has
been any examination of conference
attendance benefits, and I decided to do
a little research. (Isn’t Google a wonderful thing?) I found several articles from
many industries and professions that
proclaimed the benefits of attending
professional conferences. From four of
these articles I’ve developed top ten
reasons to attend the MSCA Spring Conference.
Edwards, S. (2014, October 27). Why
attend conferences? Here are 5 reasons.
To renew excitement about the work Retrieved February 13, 2015, from
you do (Malupa-Kim, 2010).
http://
To learn new things in the school
rugradstudentblog.net/2014/10/27/why
counseling field (Edwards,
-attend-conferences-here-are-52014).
reasons/
To develop new ideas. (Malupa-Kim, Mulapa-Kim, M. (2010, January 1). Pro2010)
fessional Development: Why Attending
To take advantage of educational
Conferences Counts. Retrieved Februopportunities (Singer, 2013).
ary 13, 2015, from http://www.tesol.org/
To network with peers (Popick,
connect/affiliates-regional2013).
organizations/access-affiliate-benefits/
To position yourself to become an
affiliate-news/affiliate-news-novemberexpert in school counseling
2010/professional-development-why(Singer, 2013).
attending-conferences-counts
To share new information with co
Popick, J. (2013, June 17). 4 Reasons
leagues at home (Popick, 2013). Your Employees Should Attend ConferTo present your work to others (We ences. Retrieved February 13, 2015,
from http://www.inc.com/janinehad several presentation propopick/4-reasons-your-employeesposals from members)
should-attend-conferences.htm
(Edwards, 2014).
To evaluate new vendors (MalupaSinger, T. (2013, June 19). 5 Reasons
Kim, 2010).
You Should Attend a Conference in Your
To have fun (Singer, 2013)
Field. Retrieved February 13, 2015,
from
Hope to see you in Bozeman
http://www.mastercardbiz.com/2013/06
April 16th & 17th!
/19/5-reasons-you-should-attend-aconference-in-your-field
Addressing Anxiety
By: Tina Boone, High School VP
While researching careers with our sophomores, I noticed a young man who was off task. When I asked him if he had
a career he wanted to research, he said’ “It’s not in the database. I want to be a stay-at-home son.”
While he was joking, his comment resonated with me. There are many students who struggle with all the decisions
and choices that they face. Around this time, I was re-reading the article on anxiety in the September/October 2014 ASCA
School Counselor magazine. Then on the nightly news, there was a report comparing high school seniors from 15 years ago
to seniors of today. The report stated that kids today log less hours having fun and more hours working, studying and volunteering. The result, they reported, is not all positive. Anxiety is a growing issue among our young adults.
Anxiety is not just increasing in youth, but in our adult population as well. Even looking around at our fellow educators, we can see how close this issue hits home.
As I evaluate my own counseling program, I am finding that I meet ASCA standards in the areas of academic and career counseling; I fall short on personal and social. Like the rest of you, I am given more tasks to do, yet striving to address
other areas of need, such as mental health.
ASCA’s article suggests creating a space where students can talk openly, teaching positive stress-management, encouraging exercise, and building a stress-management plan. They offer a sample plan at http:/www.fosteringresilience.com/
stress_management_plan.php. It also encourages us to note that not all anxiety is bad. There are other resources available. On March 2nd, ASCA is offering a webinar entitled, “Helping Students Reduce Anxiety.” Watch for sessions on anxiety at
MEA and MSCA state conferences.
Lastly, we need to collaborate and share the successful programs and ideas that are being used around the state.
When anxious feelings are too high or misdirected, significant emotional or physical discomfort can follow. On the other side,
anxiety can be beneficial. Controlled anxiety can help individuals prepare for stressors that are coming. We can assist students to build a repertoire of coping strategies by seeking out resources and by tweeking our programs to address mental
health issues.
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www.mtschoolcounselor.org
Statewide ACT Testing
Guest Article: Sara Berg, GEAR-UP
STATEWIDE ACT TESTING FOR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015.
For the fourth year in a row, public high school juniors will be able to take the ACT Plus Writing at their school,
during the school day, at no cost to them or their school thanks to a grant from Montana GEAR UP in partnership
with the Office of Public Instruction. In 2014, 8825 juniors took the test during the school day at their school, resulting in 36 percent of students meeting MUS admissions requirements and 50 percent eligible for the Governor’s Best and Brightest Scholarship. From 2010-2014, the number of ACT test-taking graduates has increased
by 54.5%.
ACT test data can be found in GEMS at gems.opi.mt.gov. Montana ACT Profile and College and Career Readiness reports can be found at http://www.act.org/newsroom/data/2014/states/montana.html.
FREE ACT ONLINE PREP
Students can prepare for the ACT Plus Writing with ACT Online Prep free of charge. These licenses are available to Montana public high schools for students grades 9-12, and will continue through August 2015.
Students get timed or untimed practice tests with real ACT test questions and practice essays, and scores are
available instantly. The practice tests can be accessed anywhere, anytime via the Internet, at home or at school
with support. ACT will also send out a Question of the Day, a new ACT Test practice question to help students
get comfortable with the type of questions asked on the ACT, and provide more experience with the test, hopefully reducing test anxiety.
The practice tests give administrators and counselors the total time each student spent on each section of the
site; scores and usage details for each student; reports organized by test and subject area; and analysis of responses to each question to assist teachers in curriculum review.
For questions regarding ACT Online Prep, contact Ashley Makowski at 444-3511 or amakowki@mt.gov.
March 2015
Page 3
How Do You Spend YOUR Time?
By: Chad Kinnett, Elementary VP
One of the most challenging aspects I find in this job is managing the time I have available each day at school. For me, there is
such a balancing act between classroom lessons, individual student needs, responding to crisis or behavioral situations, and
managing all the “other duties as assigned”. One tool that is available from ASCA is the Use-of-Time Assessment. You can access the document on ASCA’s website, or just do a web search for “ASCA use of time” and you can find access to it. Here is a
glimpse of what the document looks like:
This tool is useful in several ways. It allows you to take a snapshot of your day, breaking the duties into four categories: Direct
Student Services, Indirect Student Services, Program Management and School Support, and Non School Counseling Tasks. It can
be helpful to track how much student contact you are having, (or depending on your situation, how much time you are NOT having). It can help you evaluate and prioritize where you are spending your time and to make adjustments accordingly. It can also
be a way of documenting your time for administration and others to see, especially if you are sensing a need to devote more time
in a certain area.
ASCA recommends our time be split 80/20, with at least 80% of our time being connected to student services, and the remaining
amount being connected to program or school management duties. ASCA also recommends a standard practice of completing
this assessment twice a year. Any way you look at it, finding ways to improve our use of time, energy, and resources to better
serve our students is a valuable use of time!
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www.mtschoolcounselor.org
Taking Care of Ourselves Is Not A Luxury
By: Lisa Held, K-12 Vice President
I can’t count the times I have heard or read
about the vital importance of self-care for
school counselors. I also hate to admit the
number of times I have been “too busy” and
simply nodded in agreement while I pushed
that information aside refusing to accept how
much I needed to hear it. The school counseling profession is full of high demands and high
expectations to meet the needs of our students,
colleagues, administrators, and parents. Pile
on personal stress from home, family, friends,
and community, and we can feel emotionally
and physically drained. This can easily lead to
burnout.
School counselors have a tendency to want to
be all things to all people. We are experts in
students’ behavioral concerns and developmental issues. We develop an effective comprehensive school counseling curriculum and
collect data to prove the effectiveness of our
programs. We provide a support system for
faculty, a shoulder for parents, and advocacy
for students. Unfortunately, we can often end
up in situations where we are assigned many
non-counseling duties leaving us with less time
to help our students, families, and staff members. Combine this with a large caseload, isolation, a lack of support from administrators or
other teachers, and interpersonal or professional conflicts. This often produces huge
amounts of professional stress leading to burnout. We are so busy fulfilling everyone else’s
expectations and taking care of everyone
else’s needs, we can forget our own. It quickly
becomes an “all give and no take” relationship
from the counselor’s point of view.
Rhonda Williams wrote in the “ASCA School
Counselor” (1/1/2011) that a burned out
school counselor is a liability. In fact, because
of the demands of school counseling and the
potentially devastating consequences of an
impaired school counselor, the ASCA Ethical
Standards address self-care as an ethical mandate. School counselors must “monitor their
emotional and physical health and practice
wellness to ensure optimal effectiveness.”
They must also “engage in self-care activities
to maintain and promote their emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being to best
meet their professional responsibilities."
Researchers found that the range of school
counselors who have high levels of emotional
exhaustion and burnout is between 30% and
66%. This number is frighteningly high. Thus,
it is important that we monitor and support
each other. Some of the warning signs that you
or a colleague are becoming burned out are:
~ decreased level of involvement with family
or friends
~ difficulty being genuine or emotionally engaged in personal relationships
March 2015
~ reduction of social interactions
~ Do what you love to do - OFTEN
~ increased absenteeism and tardiness
~ Vent your frustrations – find a sounding
board who “gets it”
~ lack of empathy, poor social skills and social
isolation
~ increased preoccupation with personal
needs
~ denial of professional responsibility to students
~ emotional exhaustion
What makes things even more difficult is that
many school counselors function alone in their
schools, and there is seldom the opportunity to
ask for supervision from other counselors.
Therefore, it becomes even more important to
create a balance between your needs and the
demands placed on you – between giving OF
self and giving TO self. Gerald Corey has several great questions to ask yourself when monitoring your own burnout:
~ Is my personal life satisfying and rewarding?
~ Are my relationships where I want them to
be?
~ To what degree am I taking care of myself,
both physically and emotionally?
~ Would I be willing for other school counselors I respect to know about my professional
conduct and decisions?
~ Am I willing to express my vulnerabilities
through consultation or peer supervision?
~ Spend time in your favorite place or with
your favorite people
~ Rest, get a good amount of sleep
~ Work to accept that you will never have everything done at the end of the day. It’s OK to
leave on time! If you stay late limit to two days
per week.
~ Set boundaries for yourself. It’s OK to say no
to scheduling a parent conference at 5pm on a
Friday! It’s OK if you don’t check emails at
home or over the weekend!
~ Find time to eat healthy
~ Go to the gym/yoga class/take a walk
~ Seek out your own therapy
~ Come to the MSCA conference in April
~ Make connections with other school counselors
This work is challenging, detail-oriented,
sometimes frustrating, occasionally isolating,
and often emotional. It is also highly rewarding
and vitally important. Self-care is a priority and
a necessity – not a luxury – in the work that we
do. Take care of yourself, and I’ll see you in
April!
~ Am I generally consistent in my practice?
“It is important to realize that you cannot continue to give and give while getting little in
return. There is a price to pay for always being
available” (Corey, 2001). At some point we
must be able to step back and ask for help and
support for ourselves without any feelings of
guilt for making that request.
That’s where self-care comes in. Basically, selfcare is any activity to promote mental, physical, and emotional well-being. Self-care can be
just about anything, as long as you find it to be
relaxing, enjoyable, or fun! Self-care allows
you to restore your energy and excitement for
your work as a counselor. Self-care also allows
you to be more present with your students and
with people in your personal life.
Here are a few ideas to help you refill your
cup:
~ Ask for support. It’s ok to let other people
help
~ Take your lunch break – Take a tea break –
Take a break!
~Keep your work at school
Page 5
MSCA Member Spotlight
By: Teresa Majerus, Middle School VP
For this newsletter, I have a very special Counselor Spotlight. Mrs. Barb Holden a long time member of MSCA and our current
MSCA Advisor, has announced that she will be retiring at the end of this school year. I, for one, feel very fortunate to have
worked with Barb who is a wonderful advocate for School Counseling and a true leader in our profession. Thanks Barb for all
you have done!
Spotlight on… Barb Holden
In August 1993, I began the most amazing career as a Middle
School Counselor. On June 12, 2015, I will finish that career and
retire. Allow me, please, to reflect on that journey.
a membership of half of the state’s certified counselors. We
were pleased to be part of the School Counseling Leadership
Initiative, the committee that included the top educational leaders in the state. We created training for OPI on Comprehensive
I am a Montana girl, living primarily in Great Falls as a child. I
School Counseling Programs. We put on an amazing conference
went to Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. I met my
every year for our fellow counselors. What a ride! I will always
husband, Lon, there and he was also a Montanan, having lived in
cherish my involvement with you all.
Havre most of his life. We began our life together in Hawaii,
where I was a first year teacher in a rural Hawaiian elementary
My dream for this profession is that we will always remember it
school on Oahu. As he went to grad school, I learned to love the is about the kids. I have been so fortunate to live this part of my
culture, the music, the dance, and the people of Hawaii. I loved life caring for my Middle School students and their families. I
teaching, but I had so much to learn! Moorhead, Minnesota and remember as I started that one professor asked us to determine
Hauula, Hawaii were not at all the same. I taught in Hawaii for
which therapeutic approach we would use. As I pondered this, I
two years and then in Missoula for three as my husband went to realized that what really mattered, what would be my approach,
Law School. I had my first baby as he finished his degree and I
is what I learned from my Mom. As I finish this, let me share
intended to take a year off as we moved to Great Falls.
what I wrote for a newsletter years ago….
That is where my life went in new directions. I ended up teaching Lamaze Childbirth classes for 13 years. I loved working with
pregnant women and their coaches at this significant time in
their lives. I was the education director for my church, I worked
to develop a Teen Pregnancy Coalition, and then became Director of the newly formed Alliance for Youth (a coalition of individuals and agencies dealing with at-risk youth behaviors.) And we
were raising three kids by then.
It wasn’t long before I realized I needed to work directly with
young people. At 45, I went back to school and earned my Masters in Counseling and my LCPC and away I went!
I love counseling and all we accomplish for students, parents
and counselors in Montana. I started counseling at the beginning of the big changes in school counseling and was proud to
soon be part of the leadership of the Montana Counseling Association and then MSCA. MSCA is near and dear to my heart. We
worked very hard to develop a strong organization that now has
Page 6
What I learned from my mom:
My mom showed me that goodness is within every person I encounter. She taught me that the “glass full” philosophy is a real
strength for living. My mom taught me about the importance of a
good work ethic, of being responsible and living such that people could count on me. I learned over and over that problems
can be solved and that careful thought will usually result in options. I also learned that love can do amazing things.
As you have the privilege to continue in this incredible profession, appreciate every moment of the opportunity you have to
serve Montana’s students. If it works for you, use some of my
thoughts to strengthen your work. Know that if I can ever be of
any support to you, just call.
www.mtschoolcounselor.org
Professional Development Ideas: More Opportunities for Collaboration
By: Lindsey Nichols, Counselor Education Representative
Did you know that Google
Hangout is a HIPAA compliant
platform for counseling supervision according to ACA? This is
one simple way to be able to connect to other school counselors to
share ideas and provide support,
even if we may be miles away. In
an effort to create more opportunities for collaboration across levels, I contacted school counseling
programs across Montana and
wanted to share offerings of potential interest (organized by date
offered – some are coming up
SOON!):
Mental Health Facilitation for
Educators, UM-Missoula (15
OPI Renewal units, free OR 1 university credit, $135) Online:
March 16th- April 23rd/June 20th &
Face-to-Face meeting March 21st
in Missoula. For details, please
contact instructor/lead facilitator
Lindsey Nichols at Lindsey.nichols@umontana.edu or
406.243.5820.
LOVE Workshop Series, UMMissoula. ($150 per day) Approved for NBCC CEU’s (6.5/day)
*will pursue OPI Renewal Units by
request. Please contact Kristy
Kominek at UM for more details:
Kristy.Kominek@mso.umt.edu,
406.243.5252
Friday, 3/20, 8:30-4:30 – Romantic Relationships as Healthy Partnerships: Adlerian Approaches to
Couples Counseling and Education
with Dr. Jon Carlson – Governor’s
State University
Post-Master’s Addictions Certificate program, MSUBozeman. Completely online (12
credits) coursework. For more
information, please contact program director Katey Franklin at
kathryn.franklin1@montana.edu
Friday, 4/24, 8:30-4:30 – Emotion
or 406.994.3245
Focused Couples Counseling with
Dr. Mark Young – Gonzaga UniSupervisor Training for Site Suversity
pervisors, MSU-Bozeman. Fall
Friday, 5/8, 8:30 – Complications
semester face-to-face meeting.
of Love, Part I: The Challenges of
For more information, please conParenting with Drs. Sara Potact Dr. Rebecca Koltz at rebeclencheck & John Sommersca.koltz@montana.edu or
Flanagan AND Part II: Aging Well
406.994.3299
Together with Drs. Catherine Jenni & Jana Staton
Additional upcoming events will
MSCA course, COUN 595:
continue to be shared. If you
School Counseling Strategies know of any related short, longFrom Theory to Practice, UMterm or one-time professional deMissoula (3 graduate credits)
velopment opportunities happenFace-to-face: MSCA Conference,
ing at or in connection to your
Bozeman, April 16th & Online
Montana alma mater, please con(April - June). For details, please
tact me at Lindcontact instructor Dr. Renee’
sey.nichols@umontana.edu or
Schoening at rschoe406.243.5820. My hope is to conning2010@hotmail.com or
tinue to share this information
406.491.2206.
with all MSCA members.
Lindsey Nichols, CER
March 2015
Page 7
Graduate Course Offering through the U of M!
By: Renee’ Schoening, Advocacy Committee Chair
School Counseling Strategies: From Theory to Practice is a 3 credit graduate level course offered through
the University of Montana!
The purpose of this course is to enhance the learning provided through the sessions at the Spring MSCA Conference and to engage the student in goals and improvement strategies for their district program. One on one coaching toward this goal will be
provided and peer collaboration maximized. Students will be grouped by level (ie. all K-12 counselors together, all elementary, etc.) and encouraged to collaborate and share ideas for program development. They will have online access to facilitate
group sharing. This is a tremendous opportunity to earn credit while furthering the mission of the School Counseling Leadership Initiative through rigorous school counseling program development.
Taught by Renee’ M. Schoening, Ed.D., LCPC, LMFT, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Counselor Education, University of
Montana and Elementary School Counselor.
Cost is $550 and course requirements to be completed by June 21st.
To register for School Counseling Strategies- From Theory to Practice (COUN 595):
please go to the following link: http://mdpln.org/?p=3911
Click on 'Add to Cart'
Click on 'View Cart'
Click on 'Apply Coupon'
Renee’ Schoening, ACC
Enter ‘goldenticket’ for Coupon Code
Click 'Apply Coupon'
Click on 'Proceed to Checkout' link
Complete 'Billing Details' section (all cells must be completed)
Under 'Additional Information- Order Notes', please type in how payment will be made e.g. personal check, check from
school district, etc. (Each registrant will be contacted for payment arrangement.)
Click 'Place Order'
Confirmation email will be sent, along with an email from the COUN595 team regarding payment arrangement.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS SECTION IS LIMITED TO 20 PARTICIPANTS, so please act now if interested!
Save the Dates
October 15-16, 2015
April 8-12, 2015
Helena, MT
Red Lion Colonial Hotel
Billings, Montana
Call for Applications to Present!!!
Begins January 26, 2015
Deadline April 30, 2015
GO TO: http://www.mea-mft.org/
educators_conference.aspx
Page 8
www.mtschoolcounselor.org
OFFICER
NOMINATION
FORM
Nomination for What Position: ___________________________________________
Personal Information:
Name of Candidate____________________________________________________
Home Address________________________________________________________
Work Name and Address ______________________________________________
________________________________________________
Home Phone _______________________
Work Phone _______________________ Cell Phone _________________________
E-Mail Address ________________________________________________________
Name of Person Nominating ____________________________________________
Address_______________________________________________________________
Work Phone________________________ Cell Phone_________________________
E-Mail Address_________________________________________________________
Please attach the following:
1. A letter of recommendation from the person(s) nominating the individual (or a letter if selfnominating).
2. Please include a statement indicating educational background; professional employment;
academic and/or professional honors; professional, community or civic contributions; and
any other information pertinent to this nomination.
3. Please send information to: Catie Cook Dennehy, 3030 Flynn Lane, Missoula, MT 59808
by: APRIL 6, 2015
March 2015
Page 9
AWARD
NOMINATION
FORM
Select one: _______ Counselor of the Year _______ Advocate of the Year
Name of Nominee: ____________________________________________________________________
School Name and Address: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Number of years in profession: ____________
MSCA Member?: Y N Unsure
Work Phone: _______________________ Email Address: ___________________________________
Nominator’s Name: ___________________________________________________________________
School Name and Address: ____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Work Phone: ______________________ Email Address: ____________________________________
Please include a letter of recommendation from the person(s) nominating the individual. If possible, please include his/her educational background; professional employment; academic and/or professional honors; professional, community, or civic contributions; and any other information pertinent to this nomination. For School Counselor or the Year nominees, please describe how
the nominee has demonstrated excellence in the following capacities: creative school counseling innovation, effective school
counseling programming, leadership skills, and contributions to student enhancement.
Please submit all nominations before Friday, March 27, 2015, by mailing a hard copy, fax, or email.
Chad Kinnett
Big Sky Elementary School
3231 Granger Avenue East, Billings, MT 59102
ckinnettmsca@gmail.com
Fax 406-656-0247
Nomination/Award guidelines:
For Counselors
Annually, we recognize the best professionals in our field. School Counselor of the Year nominees are judged on the following
criteria: creative school counseling innovation, effective school counseling programming, leadership skills, and contributions to
student enhancement. By nominating a school counselor for this award, you are giving a well-deserved tribute to a colleague.
Nominee must have been in current position for at least 3 years and must be an MSCA member.
For Advocate
The School Counselor Advocate of the Year nominees may be district or building level administrators, school board members,
legislators, supervisors of guidance services, or any individuals who have made significant contributions to the implementation
and improvement of school counseling programs. The purpose of the Advocate of the Year Award is to recognize persons who
have demonstrated their belief in and support of school counseling programs that have had an impact on counselors and their
students at the local, state, or national level.
Page 10
www.mtschoolcounselor.org
M
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April 16, 17, 2015
SCHOOL
COUNSELORS
Holiday Inn –
Bozeman, MT
Transforming & Trailblazing
Bozeman Holiday Inn Information
Reservations: 1-800-366-5101 or 406-587-4561
Book online at www.hibozeman.com
Room rate: $86.00, single or double, plus 7% tax
A block of rooms has been reserved for conference participants until April 10th.
When making reservations ask for group block with the code: MSC
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Name: ______________________________________________________________
Email: ______________________________________________________________
Home Address: _______________________________________________________
Home Phone: ____________________
Cell Phone: ______________________
School: _____________________________________________________________
School Address: ______________________________________________________
School Phone: ___________________
Membership Category:
___ Professional
Counselor Level: ___ Elementary
Registration Fees:
School Fax: ______________________
___ Student
___ Middle
___ High
___Auxiliary
___ K-12
___ Retired
___ College
___ Other
Postmarked on or before March 24th
____ Professional - $175 ( By March 24th)
_____ Professional—$200 (After March 24th)
____ Student & Retired Members - $80 (By March 24th)
_____ Student & Retired Members -$105 (After March 24th)
T-Shirts: Pre-Order ONLY by March 24th—COST $10
T-Shirt Size: ____ Small
____ Medium
____ Large
____ X-Large
____ XX-Large
___ YES, I will attend the Thursday Annual Meeting and Counselor of the Year Luncheon (No Add’l Charge)
___ YES, I would like to make an additional donation of $ _______ to support MSCA’s purpose & vision.
Our GREEN efforts—we will be using USB drives and folders this year instead of binders.
METHOD OF PAYMENT:
ADDRESS - MAIL TO:
___ Check enclosed
___ Purchase Order enclosed #____ (Include a copy of the PO)
Catie Cook Dennehy, President- MSCA,
3030 Flynn Lane, Missoula, MT 59808
March 2015
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MSCA 2014-15 Board Members
President
Catie Cook Dennehy, Hellgate Elementary
2385 Flynn Lane, Missoula, MT 59808
cdennehy@hellgate.k12.mt.us
Ph: 406-532-2087
President Elect
President Elect-Elect
Deborah Ostertag, Conrad High School
215 S. Maryland, Conrad, MT 59425
deborah.ostertag@conradschools.org
Ph:406-278-3285
Katie DiBerardinis, Chief Joseph Middle School
4255 Kimberwicke Street
Bozeman, MT 59715
kdiberardinismsca@gmail.com
Ph: 406-522-6321
Past-President
Advisor
Jodi Morgan, Thompson Falls School
PO Box 129, Thompson Falls, Mt 59873
jmorgan@blackfoot.net
Ph: 406-827-3561
Barbara Holden, East Side Middle School
4040 Central Ave., Great Falls, MT 59405
barb_holden@gfps.k12.mt.us
Ph: 406-268-6490
High School Vice-President
Elementary School Vice-President
Tina Boone, Skyview High School
1775 Sierra Blvd. Billings, MT 59105
boonet@billingsschools.org
Ph: 406-281-5200
Chad Kinnett, Big Sky Elementary
3231 Granger Ave. E, Billings, MT 59102
ckinnettmsca@gmail.com
Ph: 406-281-6204
Middle School Vice-President
Teresa Majerus, Lewistown Junior High
914 West Main, Lewistown, MT 59457
tmajerus@lewistown.k12.mt.us
Ph: 406-535-5419
K-12 Vice-President
Lisa Held, Shields Valley School
PO Box 40, Clyde Park, MT 59018
lheldmsca@gmail.com
Ph: 406-686-4621
Treasurer
Secretary
Erica Zins, Russell Elementary
3216 Russell St., Missoula, MT 59801
ezins@hotmail.com
Ph: 406-728-2400 Ext. 4830
TBA
Editor
Brandi Fox, Powell Co. High School
709 Missouri, Deer Lodge, MT 59722
bfox@pchs.dl.k12.mt.us
Ph: 406-846-2757 Ext. 14
The MSCA Newsletter is published three times annually as a service to our members (Sept 15, Dec 15, Mar 15). All issues are sent to members electronically.
Board members, except for Treasurer and Secretary, submit articles of interest related to their level of representation. We welcome articles of interest from
members or other educational professionals who would like to share information (due 30 days prior to publication). We encourage submissions be written in
a friendly, informative, and practical style rather than technical or academic. Articles must be original and references are to be used when appropriate rather than footnotes. Articles must meet the mission of MSCA. No compensation is given for submitted articles. All articles are available on the MSCA website: www.mtschoolcounselor.org.
Advertisements may be submitted according to guidelines found on the website. (Full P. 1X=$150, 1/2 P. 1X=$125, 1/4 P. 1X=$75, 1/2 Column 1X=$50; see
additional options). We reserve the right to edit copy or reject advertisements that do not meet the mission of MSCA.
Disclaimer: Information printed in the MSCA Newsletter does not represent an official MSCA policy or position, and the acceptance of advertising does not
constitute an endorsement or approval by MSCA of any advertised service or product.
Submit articles and inquiries to: Brandi Fox, bfox@pchs.dl.k12.mt.us or call 406-846-2757 ext. 14
Page 12
www.mtschoolcounselor.org

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