Star Program

A Parent’s Question & Answer Guide

to the STAR Process at M-H-LT

What is STAR?

STAR stands for STudent Assistance Resource team.  The STAR process is a collaborative problem-solving effort to help students.   Concerned adults get together to brainstorm ideas and activi-ties to promote student success in school, whether it be to raise grades, improve motivation, provide enrichment and acceleration, increase self-confidence, complete homework, foster positive peer relationships, or monitor health concerns.  STAR is the result of a state-wide grant for schools showing success in developing programs for student interventions.  In 2000, M-H-LT was one of only seven Wisconsin schools chosen to participate.  Our district is now in the fifth year of this grant and has served as a model for schools statewide.  The primary purpose of STAR is to use all available resources “to do whatever it takes” to make school a positive experience for children and families.

Who is on a STAR team?

A STAR team always includes the class- room teacher(s) and may also include an administrator, guidance counselor, school psychologist, nurse, school social worker, resource support teacher, speech and language therapist, occupational therapist and YOU the parent.  STAR team participants are determined by the specific concerns for the student.  Community professionals working with the student may also be invited.

Can I participate?

YES!  At M-H-LT we welcome your participation and value the information that you bring to the discussion about your child.  You are the expert on your child.  Your observations of how your child learns best and the skills they demonstrate in environ-ments away from school are critical to the collaborative problem-solving process.

What happens at a STAR meeting?

At your child’s STAR meeting, we will review the areas of concern and the previous interventions that have been implemented to address these.  Keeping your child’s strengths in mind, we will set a goal, identify strategies to achieve that goal, and establish a timeline for reviewing progress.  A copy of the plan will be pro-vided to all STAR team members.

I’d like more information . . .

If you think your child could benefit from the STAR process, simply call 356-5206 (extension #205) to request a STAR meeting.  A meeting will be scheduled with your child’s teacher(s) and the appropriate specialists within the week.

Parent Comments:

“It’s an overwhelmingly wonderful feeling to have a room full of loving, caring people from every facet of the educational system believing that every child has the right and privilege to learn, drawing on their varied backgrounds, resources, and abilities, getting to know your child and working together to assure that this young mind is receiving the best education he or she can in the U.S. public school systems.

“ . . . We felt helpless about our son’s situation until someone recommended we request a STAR meeting.  It has made all of the difference in the world.  School is now a happy place for our son.”

“ . . . I talked with Mary Jane about our situation and she told me about the STAR PROGRAM.  We then set up an appointment with our child’s teachers to meet with me . . . it was very rewarding doing this.”

“ . . .The teachers all had very good comments and suggestions to help her and us with our situation.  Sometimes it’s very helpful to have others involved instead of just the parents.”

“ . . . To me this program has really helped all of us and my daughter.”

“ . . . There are still issues that we need to deal with but now we’re not alone – we have help.”