Breakfast for 5 star students

By Jeremy Pittari/Item Staff Writer

STAR students with Picayune Jr. High School were treated to breakfast at PJ’s Coffee Wednesday morning for being great students.

Those 34 students, all of which were of the highest category of STAR student, took a walk in the brisk morning air from the school down Goodyear Boulevard to the nearby coffee house.

“They really enjoyed that,” said Picayune Jr. High Assistant Principal Diana Hawkins.

Most students dressed up for the occasion.

Hawkins said the breakfast that day was a reward for those students who have kept a five star rating under the school’s STAR program. STAR stands for Successful, Terrific, And Responsible Students. There are three levels to the program, from 3 to 5 stars. To be categorized as a five star student, a student must have all A’s, have had no disciplinary referrals during the nine weeks, and have accumulated three or fewer tardies or absences.

Four star students must meet the same requirements but can have A’s and B’s. Hawkins said the school has 84 four star students. Three star students, of which the school has 15, must have all A’s and B’s, three or fewer tardies or absences and could have had a disciplinary referral, but not have had an in-school suspension or out-of-school suspension.

STAR student status is reevaluated every nine weeks, Hawkins said. She hopes to be able to have another reward program for the five star students during future nine week periods.

Kevin Cox, owner of the Picayune PJ’s, said he was approached by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization to hold the breakfast for the five star students. The PTO also paid for the breakfast. He agreed since he has been supportive of the schools and students in the past by providing coupons for free Italian cream sodas for students who excel.

Cox said he would consider allowing the school to conduct another event such as the one held on Wednesday in the future.

“For me, they are the future coffee drinkers of America, and the future leaders of America,” Cox said.

The program promotes each student’s positive behavior, proper attendance and, since they are more likely to be in class, the student’s grades and performance are improved, Hawkins said. The overall goal for the program is to increase students’ test scores, as well as to continue to promote regular school attendance and positive behavior.