Sumner counseling team highlights programs that lowered referrals, raised pass rates for vulnerable students
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Summary
Sumner School District student services staff told the board that counselor-led groups and targeted supports reduced behavior referrals and helped McKinney‑Vento students’ pass rates rise from 48% to 69% after the first semester, and described partnerships to expand access to mental-health services.
At a Sumner School District board meeting, Assistant Superintendent David Brower introduced a student services presentation showing counselors’ work to improve students’ social-emotional safety and academic outcomes. The presentation included short-term group interventions, data-driven tracking and community partnerships that staff say led to measurable improvements.
The panel — led by Sarah O'Donnell, executive director of student services, and Sherry Simpson, director of behavior and mental health supports — outlined that counseling is embedded in the district’s strategic plan and uses the American School Counselor Association framework to connect academic, career and social-emotional supports. "Everything we do is rooted in our strategic plan," Brower said when opening the presentation.
Counselors gave concrete examples. Tawny, a counselor at Emerald Hills Elementary, described a Rafiki group ("Rafiki means friend in Swahili") created after a needs assessment found students with African heritage reported feeling less safe or welcomed. Tawny said the group of 10 students, guest speakers and family involvement increased students’ sense of belonging and coincided with a dramatic fall in SWIS behavior referrals for a high‑referral student: "In the first trimester, 39 ... to 10 for the last 2 trimesters," Tawny said, noting the decline improved the classroom learning environment.
At Crestwood, counselor Ali Hubbell described a six‑week Emotional Regulation Peer Leaders Club that paired kindergarten and second‑grade students using a tier‑2 Character Strong curriculum. Hubbell said pre/post averages on five social‑emotional measures rose to an average of 4 (on her scale) and kindergarten SWIS referrals fell by the end of the program.
High‑school counselors detailed targeted work for McKinney‑Vento (homeless and unaccompanied) students and foster youth, using weekly grade reports to identify students who need immediate support. "We tracked weekly reports and pulled students in for supports such as adjusting transportation so they could stay for tutoring," said Dacia Berry, counselor at Bonney Lake High School. Berry reported that pass rates for McKinney‑Vento students increased from about 48% at the start of the year to 69% after the first semester and that year‑end rates were similar.
Panelists emphasized partnerships that expand access to care, citing arrangements with MultiCare and local agencies such as Daybreak and Pathways to Change to provide in‑building therapy or referrals. Staff also described parent nights for FAFSA and college/career options and said counselors spend substantial time on teacher consultations and family outreach to coordinate supports.
Board members praised the presentation and asked questions about data tools and parent notification. The panel described how SWIS entries use dropdown categories plus free‑text comments and said staff sometimes provide printed SWIS summaries for doctors or parents when appropriate.
The presentation closed with board thanks and recognition for the counselors’ work. District staff said many of the interventions are ongoing and that the district will continue to track outcomes and align counseling work to the strategic plan.
