From the Inside: STARS High-School

As you continue to walk throughout the room at STARS High School you might meet another student who experienced a tragic death in his family. As a result his grades began to reach an all time low and he eventually got in trouble with the law. Ultimately, he phased out of active life in the traditional school setting and one day happened upon STARS High School. Not only did he enroll, he also walked across the stage straight to college. With one successful graduation behind him, he is now focused on a career in auto technology.

By talking with the students, visitors will find the reason many of them dropped out is because they felt the administration at the traditional school did not care. These students were in school at times when they were experiencing hardships in their lives and found no positive assistance. Not knowing how to deal with their problems, the alternative of dropping out appealed to them as the easiest way out.

When talking to these students about their experiences at STARS High School they will say "the staff cared about me and followed up on me on a daily basis," or "the focus was on me as an individual and my individual academic needs." The students even feel the course work is finally beginning to make sense to them and is meaningful to what they are trying to accomplish in "the real world." Some of the students that have already graduated have proudly come back to say that since they have graduated they have received a raise or promotion from their jobs. All this was made possible due to the fact they are now classified as high school graduates and have a high school diploma.

Visitors will also quickly notice how amazing the teacher and the principal who work with these students are. The teacher is one of those who loves teaching, and she teaches morning, noon and night (and surely even in her dreams)! She is always there to provide assistance and add a caring smile or hug, which ever is needed. The principal looks like an ex-defensive lineman, but appearances can be deceiving. As soon as he starts to talk, his love for his job and these students is noticeable and detected in his voice and through his eyes. He is waiting for students to take the first step of being responsible for their own actions, and enrolling in the school. He conferences with each student individually regarding the expectations and how many more credits they need to finish. Once they start, he is there everyday being a role model, a support unit, and the administrator that finally cares about them. If students are absent, he personally calls them, not leaving it for a secretary or counselor to tend to.

The atmosphere is so positive at STARS High School, there is no wonder why students are succeeding semester after semester! And they are indeed succeeding.

-- Special acknowledgment and thanks are given to Dr. John Reiher, principal of STARS High School, for his contributions and input in writing this article. Special thanks is also given for the assistance, understanding, and love he gives each student at STARS High School, enabling them to reach success!

Olga Vaca Durr, M.Ed., is the School Completion Specialist for the Waco Independent School District. She has worked in education for nine years as a teacher, Bilingual Educational Diagnostician, and Administrator. Ms. Vaca Durr has started her Doctorate at Texas A&M University.

Copyright 2002, Integrated Research Services.