By JP WILSON

john.wilson@gaflnews.com

CORDELE -- Picture a room full of middle school children, some who are known to have anger problems or like to talk too much or back talk the teacher. Picture some of those children in the room as students who fight, who often disrupt the classroom, and some who are consistently tardy. Now, picture those students saying "Yes sir," or "yes ma'am" when a teacher talks to them. Picture the teacher spending the entire period teaching.

Although it seems highly unlikely that this can happen, the fact is that many troubled children can be reformed and learn how to act in the classroom. Many can exceed in school and increase their chances of reaching their maximal potential. Many can lead an exemplary life. And they can make this change without seeing the inside of a Youth Detention Center (YDC) or without being expelled and losing a year's worth of education. Schools don't necessarily have to turn a troubled child away in order to improve the learning environment for other children. There is an alternative, and it has nothing to do with alternative schools.

The Student Transition and Recovery Program (STAR) at Crisp County Middle School is doing wonders for the learning environment. The STAR Program is used by the school and juvenile judges as an alternative to detention, suspension, expulsion and other less effective disciplinary tools for children who misbehave. Students placed in the STAR Program at Crisp County Middle School attend their normal classes at the school and return home each evening. In the morning before school and in the afternoon after school, students participate in exercises, counseling, tutoring and military-style drills. The STAR program is for both males and females and its target age range is from nine to 15.

There are three STAR Program components. STAR I is a one-day prevention component in which students are referred to the program by parents and school officials for unruly behavior. For example, a child may be constantly disrupting the classroom and sent to the office. If the child is faced with in-school suspension (ISS), the administrator handling the child may offer one day in the STAR Program as an alternative to missing three full days of classes. With the parent's consent, that child will be sent to the program.

STAR II is a 30-day component in which students are referred to the program by parents and school officials for serious, continuous rule violations.

STAR III is a 24-week component in which students are ordered by the court to attend as an alternative to incarceration for detainable, severe offenses.

Also, STAR students do not have to worry about what they are going to wear to school. A free uniform, consisting of a black sweat shirt and pants, is also provided to STAR students.

A typical Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in the STAR program for students begins at 5:30 a.m. with physical training. The children do a variety of exercises, such as stretches, running, jumping jacks, sit-ups, pushups, squats, Chinese jumping jacks, the forward crab crawl, the reverse crab crawl, the duck walk, mountain climbing, side-straddle hops, and cherry picking. All STAR staff is CPR, first-aid certified.

At 7 a.m. the children shower and have breakfast, and report to school for classes. At 3:30 p.m., the students return to the STAR facility (located in the rear building at Crisp County Middle School) to do their homework and to have their conduct reports checked. Each STAR student is required to bring a folder to his/her classes and have the teachers initial the folder, stating how the child's behavior was during the class. Study hall also begins at 3:30. During this time, STAR students complete all of their homework assignments and receive counseling. At 6 p.m., STAR students are usually picked up by their parents, unless they aren't finished with their homework. If a child isn't finished with his/her homework, that child will remain at the school until it is complete.

At 7 p.m. STAR instructors telephone parents' homes to check in on the students. At 9 p.m., the children must report to their rooms. Lights out for the children is at 10 p.m. If, however, a child becomes defiant toward his/her parent, the parent can call a STAR instructor. The instructor will talk to the child on the phone. If this does not work, then the instructor will drive to the child's home and confront the student. Discipline is essential in the STAR program and respect for the parent(s) is crucial.

On Thursdays, the STAR students will do an all-day workout (5:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) with STAR instructors. On this day physical training is the focus. On Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon, the STAR program has "Life Skills" and the STAR students also perform community services. Students will go to school on Saturday and learn about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco usage. The students have to take mandatory drug tests. They will also learn about anger management, self-esteem and self-image.