<p> CONNECTIONS The newsletter of the Mercer County Professional Counselors Association Written by Melanie Seaman, President Volume 1, No. 1 – Fall/Winter 2014</p><p>PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORUTNITIES Professional Development (PD) is vital to school counselors. MCPCA has two PD opportunities coming up in January and February, 2015. Jennifer Holmes, PD Chair, is awaiting confirmation on the events before she sends a flyer to Mercer County School Counselors. You do not have to be a member of MCPCA to attend, but you will be charged an additional fee if you are not a member. MCPCA MEMBERSHIP IS ENCOURAGED Why should you become a member of MCPCA? There are many reasons! Members get to participate in special activities of MCPCA that members may not. Members may nominate people to receive professional awards. Members may submit students and adults to receive scholarships from MCPCA. Members may attend PD free or at a reduced price. Members may bring a student to the Caring Awards breakfasts (held annually for students in high school, middle school, and elementary school – each level is held at a separate location). In addition, if your district is utilizing the Danielson model for evaluation, Domain 4 is professional involvement. What better (and less costly way) to become involved than to join your local association! Applications are available on our website: www.mcpcaweb.org. The cost is $20 until the end of December, when prices increase. MCPCA HELD SUMMER LDI FOR EXECUTIVE BOARD Members of MCPCA’s Executive Board attended the first Leadership Development Institute (LDI) at The College of New Jersey on August 7, 2014. The goal of the LDI was to strengthen the connection of Executive Board members and to welcome new members, discuss where members were sitting “on the bus” and if it was the right seat for them (after reading Good to Great prior to the LDI), shift seats on the bus for a more comfortable ride, and plan for MCPCA in the upcoming year and plan long-term goals for years to come. The full-day workshop was very productive. Thanks to Dr. Stuart Roe, TCNJ Counselor Education Department and MCPCA member and PD presenter, a conference room was reserved for the Executive Board members in which they worked all day. We hope our members benefit from the new ideas and other activities planned during LDI.</p><p> http://www.mcpcaweb.org/ MCCC HOSTS MCPCA’S ICE CREAM SOCIAL One of the ideas that came to fruition from MCPCA’s LDI was an ice cream social held at the general membership meeting on October 1, 2014 at MCCC. Savita Bambhrolia, Director of Admissions, presented current information about MCCC. Members of MCCC’s admissions staff and the Honors Academy were present to speak with school counselors and graduate students in attendance. There was plenty of time to network and to enjoy a delicious ice cream bar. This was MCPCA’s social event of the fall (moved from December, a time that is usually far too busy for members to attend). The next social event planned is the Professional Awards Dinner to be held in May. Further information will be sent to members later this year. Be thinking now of persons you would like to nominate for the following awards: Humanitarian; Counselor of the County; County Administrator; Lifetime Achievement, and the Merit Award. The rules for nominating have changed this year. Look for an email about that in the future.</p><p>EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS WORK FOR YOU MCPCA Executive Board members work hard to plan, prepare, and host events designed for you. Members of the 2014-15 Executive Board are: Melanie Seaman, President and Professional Awards Chair; Kasey Kenworthy, First Vice President and Co-Chair of the Middle School Caring Awards; Jennifer Holmes, Second Vice President; Melody Khalifa, Secretary; Doreen Welsh, Treasuer and College Fair Chair; Kathy Jensen, Caring Awards Coordinator and Scholarship Chair; Megan Ferdetta, Co-Chair of the Middle School Caring Awards; Megan Umbach, Technology Chair and Elementary Caring Awards Chair; Shana Williams, Social & Sunshine Chair, and Nancy Dunne, Liaison to Districts. Melanie works at Slackwood Elementary School in Lawrenceville; Kasey works at Pond Road Middle School in Robbinsville; Jennifer Holmes works at Lawrence Intermediate School in Lawarenceville; Melody works at Sayen Elementary School in Hamilton; Doreen works at Lawrence High School in Lawrenceville; Kathy works at Lawrenceville Elementary School; Megan Ferdetta works at Mercer County Technical Schools, Assunpink; Megan Umbach works at Ben Franklin Elementary School in Lawrenceville; Shana works at Crockett Middle School in Hamilton, and Nancy works at Dutch Neck Elementary School in Princeton Junction.</p><p> http://www.mcpcaweb.org/</p>