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MPS Director of Guidance honored as ‘Mass. State Administrator of Year’

Erin Craven honored by the Mass. School Counselors Association

By Steve Freker

School counseling has certainly evolved over the years, from once serving as simply the professional that helps student pick their classes and then assisting a soon-to-be high school alumnus on a path to pursue after high school.

In a 20-year career as a school counseling professional — the past seven years as Malden Public Schools Director of School Counseling, Testing & Academic Support — Erin Craven has been right in the midst of the changes, enhancements and progress along the way. Craven has served in the departmental leadership role for the Malden Public Schools since her appointment in 2019. Playing a key role in ensuring that MPS school guidance counselors are prepared and supported, she was a 13-year school counselor at Malden High School beginning in 2006, until her appointment in 2019.

After a nomination earlier in the school year by her colleagues and peers, Craven was recently selected and honored with a major, statewide award, “State Administrator of the Year,” presented by the Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA). MASCA made the formal announcement to Malden Public Schools Director Craven at a virtual meeting recently during National School Counseling Week. She will be spotlighted and presented her award at the MASCA Annual Conference on Monday, March 16 at the Framingham Sheraton Hotel.

Craven said she was honored with this statewide award as it relates directly to her work in the Malden district and with its students. “This award means a lot especially because it comes from educators who work in the [school counseling] industry,” Craven told the Advocate. She also said she was particularly honored by the recognition since it was a statewide honor.

As director, in a recent interview with the Malden High School student publication Blue and Gold, Craven described duties “consisting of checking in with middle and high school counselors to ensure that every counselor is ready to always help the students, to advocate for their need, to support families, to support teachers.”

In that interview, Craven explained the difference in planning by counselors who work at a middle school in comparison to the high school. “A lot at the high school level is around post secondary success. A lot at the middle school level is about finding yourself and figuring out friend groups and social groups,” she stated.

Craven has been honored in the past at Malden High School: as the “Mentor of the Year” by the National Honor Society and in 2013 when the Class of 2013 dedicated the Maldonian yearbook in her honor, “demonstrating the significant influence and impact she has at the school.”