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Laurel Intermediate honored with 2025'26 SAFIRE Sapphire Award for counseling program
Summary
The board recognized Laurel Intermediate School's counseling program and counselor Tracy Dutton for earning one of four 2025'26 SAFIRE Sapphire Awards in Delaware; the program credited a 26% reduction in behavioral referrals.
The board took a moment to honor Laurel Intermediate School and counselor Tracy Dutton after the district announced that Laurel Intermediate was one of only four Delaware recipients of the 2025'26 SAFIRE (Sapphire) Award, a recognition for comprehensive, data-informed school counseling programs.
The superintendent introduced the recognition and noted that the SAFIRE Sapphire Award honors counseling programs that provide individual student support and build schoolwide systems to improve academic outcomes, graduation rates and attendance. The district noted that the counseling program's gender-specific groups in grades 5 and 6 and behavior-focused interventions were associated with a 26 percent drop in behavioral referrals, which staff said helped keep more students learning and improved school climate.
The board invited counselor Tracy Dutton to come forward for recognition. The district asked the board and audience to join in congratulating staff and the school for the award.
