Our Mission: We provide a more personalized school that, together with academic rigor and quality teaching, will better prepare all students to meet the high expectations of today and the complex demands of tomorrow.

Our Goals:

• Promote student accountability
• Provide a personal education plan for each student
• Increase parent involvement
• Develop a range of curriculum opportunities and modes of teaching
• Provide every student with access to multiple forms of technology for skill development
• Practice equity at all levels

Students attending The STAR School can expect to share their education experience with students who answer YES to the following questions…

• Are you inventive, innovative, or imaginative?
• Do you like experimenting with color and design?
• Do you love the theater?
• Are you creative, musical, or artistic?
• Do you enjoy dancing, music, performing, art, design, or writing?
• Do you enjoy solving problems in creative ways?

A Day in the Life of a Student at The STAR School:

• Band: We are able to use our musical talents for ourselves and the enjoyment of others at concerts and during games.
• Math: We can take Algebra, Geometry, or Algebra II. We are learning to show our work, explain how we get our answers, and why they are correct.
• Science: In The STAR School, we learn science as it affects our human lives. We design and investigate our own experiments, practice our oral presentations skills using Microsoft PowerPoint®, utilize our creativity in developing a science video presentation, and test our skills in scientific debate on a topic in astronomy.
• Language Arts: We study literature through the arts. We write plays, poetry, and short stories. We make creative presentations about our independent reading; from puppet shows to fashion shows, anything goes!
• Art: We get to show our creative side as we learn new skills.
• Social Studies: We explore and discuss history, geography, and the way people live in other countries to prepare us for the future.
• French: We are studying the French culture and improving our skills in the language. We are also learning about French history.
• Info Tech: We are learning about word processing; making databases and spreadsheets; using Microsoft Publisher® and Adobe Photoshop® to make presentations, web design, and other projects; learning new search skills; and career planning, including the 4Ps.
• Personal Choices: We are learning about relationships, goal setting, and service to the community.
• Special Education: We receive support in our general education classes and work on our career goals. We prepare for state tests and the academic rigor required in STAR and Mt. Rainier High School.

Core Course Sequence at The STAR School:

• 9th Grade
  • Language Arts (Honors available)
  • World Geography (Honors available)
  • Integrated Science I (Honors available)
  • Information Technology
  • Math (in sequence)
  • French or Band
• 10th Grade
  • Language Arts (Honors available)
  • Modern World History (Honors available)
  • Integrated Science II (Honors available)
  • Family Health and PE
  • Math (in sequence), French, Band, or other elective *

    * All 10th grade students, regardless of their small learning community, can select any elective open to sophomores at Mount Rainier High School. Students of The STAR School have first choice of art and music electives.