Jaclyn Durant, a school social worker from the Red Clay Consolidated School District, is the state’s 2025 Delaware Behavioral Health Professional of the Year.

Governor Matt Meyer and Secretary of Education Cindy Marten made the announcement at a statewide banquet honoring the district and charter network behavioral health professionals of the year.

The Richey Elementary school social worker said her goal always is to support the whole child – addressing both emotional and practical needs – so the child can thrive not only academically but socially and emotionally as well.

“I approach my work through a trauma-informed, relationship-based lens, integrating nervous system regulation strategies into the supports I provide,” Durant said.

What those supports looks like differs depending on the level of student need and could include peer conflict resolution strategies, lunch bunch groups and yoga.

One of the projects she developed and continues to facilitate at Richey Elementary is the school’s morning check-in routine and classroom regulation stations.

“As more students began arriving at school dysregulated, I recognized the need for both a daily emotional check-in and accessible Tier 1 regulation supports throughout the day,” Durant said.

She created bilingual feelings charts featuring the school mascot and encouraged teachers to place it outside their classroom doors. Each morning as students enter, teachers greet them and use the chart to gauge how students are feeling.

“This process fosters connection, allows teachers to identify students in need of support, and can be used as a discussion tool during Morning Meeting,” Durant said. “If a student appears dysregulated, the teacher can immediately contact a member of our support staff or encourage the student to use the classroom regulation station – a dedicated space in every homeroom and united arts classroom. Each station includes a carpet or pillow and a basket of self-regulation tools such as fidgets, breathing tracers, yoga poses and affirmation cards. The goal is for students to spend two to five minutes using the tools to regulate then return to learning.”

At the beginning of each school year, Durant visits every homeroom to teach a regulation station lesson, helping students understand when, why, and how to use the space appropriately. This proactive approach has helped students build emotional awareness and identify coping strategies.

“Students and teachers consistently report that the regulation stations have supported not only regulation but also the development of self-management skills. We’re proud that Richey was one of the first schools in Red Clay to implement this initiative, and we continue to see its positive impact on students,” Durant said.

Richey Elementary Principal Gregg Johnson said he has worked beside Durant for 17 years.

“Jaclyn is the heart of our school community. She brings a tireless work ethic and a profound sense of empathy to her role each day,” Johnson said. “Whether she is supporting students through personal struggles, helping families navigate challenges outside of school, or connecting them with critical community resources, her work is consistently rooted in care, equity and dignity.”

The Delaware State Behavioral Health Professional of the Year (BHPY) program is administered by the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE). The program recognizes outstanding service by school employees who are health care practitioners or human service providers who offer services for the purpose of improving an individual’s mental health. The Delaware Charter School Network also is invited to participate. Employees considered for the award include:

• School counselors
• School social workers
• Licensed clinical social workers
• School psychologists
• School nurses

From those nominated at a local level, one behavioral health professional of the year moves forward to represent each district or the charter school community in the state program. Each district/charter network winner receives a $2,000 personal award from the winner’s district or charter school. The state program then chooses one person annually to serve as Delaware’s Behavioral Health Professional of the Year. State winners receive an additional $3,000 personal award from DDOE as well as $5,000 to be used for the educational benefit of his or her students.

Learn more about all the 2025 District/Charter Behavioral Health Professionals of the Year here.

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

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