Delaware News

Two Schools Earn State School Counseling Award

Department of Education | News | Date Posted: Monday, October 9, 2023


Blue gem with the words Excellence in School Counseling.

Appoquinimink School District’s Bunker Hill Elementary School and Capital School District’s Kent County Secondary Intensive Learning Center have earned Delaware’s Sapphire Award for Excellence in School Counseling.

 

This state recognition, now in its fourth year, recognizes school counseling programs that are comprehensive, data-informed and designed to serve all students.

“Both these schools have used data to strategically design services and interventions to improve student outcomes,” Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said, noting each program uses a combination of classroom lessons, small group counseling and individual supports to support the success of its students.

 

The schools design programming to meet the specific needs of their students.

Brittni Piser, school counselor at Bunker Hill Elementary, wants her students to learn the importance of good behavior early in the their school career. She teaches students about their emotions and how to manage them in ways that will help them to be successful through her classroom lessons and small groups, as well as her check in/check out program for students who need additional support.

Andrea Woodard, school counselor at the Kent County Secondary ILC, focuses a lot of her work on getting students on track for graduation. She provides interventions such as classroom lessons, individual planning, and collaboration with others to help students plan for their future and make connections between school success and achieving those goals.

 

Research shows that school counseling programs that are aligned to the American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA) National Model improve student outcomes. These comprehensive programs: 

 

  • Are based on data-informed decision-making;
  • Are delivered to all students systematically;
  • Include developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on the mindsets and behaviors all students need for postsecondary readiness and success;
  • Close achievement and opportunity gaps; and
  • Result in improved student achievement, attendance and discipline.

 

Through the Delaware Department of Education’s partnership with the Delaware School Counselor Association (DSCA) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), both schools are now eligible to also receive ASCA’s Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) award.

 

The schools will be recognized formally for the honor during DSCA’s National School Counseling Week celebrations February 5-9, 2024. 

 

Bunker Hill Elementary is Appoquinimink’s first school to earn this award. The Kent County ILC joins South Dover Elementary as the second school in Capital to earn this award. Capital is the only district to earn multiple awards.

 

The Sapphire Award is open to all Delaware public school districts and charter schools. School counseling programs must be implemented by a state-certified school counselor.

 

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

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Two Schools Earn State School Counseling Award

Department of Education | News | Date Posted: Monday, October 9, 2023


Blue gem with the words Excellence in School Counseling.

Appoquinimink School District’s Bunker Hill Elementary School and Capital School District’s Kent County Secondary Intensive Learning Center have earned Delaware’s Sapphire Award for Excellence in School Counseling.

 

This state recognition, now in its fourth year, recognizes school counseling programs that are comprehensive, data-informed and designed to serve all students.

“Both these schools have used data to strategically design services and interventions to improve student outcomes,” Secretary of Education Mark Holodick said, noting each program uses a combination of classroom lessons, small group counseling and individual supports to support the success of its students.

 

The schools design programming to meet the specific needs of their students.

Brittni Piser, school counselor at Bunker Hill Elementary, wants her students to learn the importance of good behavior early in the their school career. She teaches students about their emotions and how to manage them in ways that will help them to be successful through her classroom lessons and small groups, as well as her check in/check out program for students who need additional support.

Andrea Woodard, school counselor at the Kent County Secondary ILC, focuses a lot of her work on getting students on track for graduation. She provides interventions such as classroom lessons, individual planning, and collaboration with others to help students plan for their future and make connections between school success and achieving those goals.

 

Research shows that school counseling programs that are aligned to the American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA) National Model improve student outcomes. These comprehensive programs: 

 

  • Are based on data-informed decision-making;
  • Are delivered to all students systematically;
  • Include developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on the mindsets and behaviors all students need for postsecondary readiness and success;
  • Close achievement and opportunity gaps; and
  • Result in improved student achievement, attendance and discipline.

 

Through the Delaware Department of Education’s partnership with the Delaware School Counselor Association (DSCA) and the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), both schools are now eligible to also receive ASCA’s Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) award.

 

The schools will be recognized formally for the honor during DSCA’s National School Counseling Week celebrations February 5-9, 2024. 

 

Bunker Hill Elementary is Appoquinimink’s first school to earn this award. The Kent County ILC joins South Dover Elementary as the second school in Capital to earn this award. Capital is the only district to earn multiple awards.

 

The Sapphire Award is open to all Delaware public school districts and charter schools. School counseling programs must be implemented by a state-certified school counselor.

 

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

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Related Topics:  , , , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.