By Susan Burton, Henry County Schools Communications Director
PURYEAR, TN — In a collaborative effort to enhance its alternative learning initiatives, Henry County School System has implemented the K-5 STAR (Support, Teach, Achieve, Restore) Classroom and relocated the program to Dorothy and Noble Harrelson School in Puryear.
This specialized program serves K-5 students by integrating emotional regulation and behavioral management directly into the academic lessons. By transitioning from the alternative center to a primary school setting, the improved program focuses on equipping students with the specific strategies needed to achieve both behavioral stability and long-term academic success.
The program uses a well-known system called The Zones of Regulation. This system uses four colors to help children understand their emotions:
• Blue: Feeling slow (sad, tired, or bored).
• Green: Feeling calm and focused (ready to learn).
• Yellow: Feeling worked up (stressed, excited, or frustrated).
• Red: Feeling out of control (angry or overjoyed).
How the Program Works
The 16-week program will serve students from Harrelson, Henry, and Lakewood Elementary Schools. Mr. Tim Mason is the principal, and the classroom is taught by a team of two experts: Rachel Stepp, a certified teacher, and Savannah Hunt, a district behavioral therapist.
“We proposed the idea to Director of Schools, Dr. Leah Watkins, after seeing how well the curriculum aligns with student needs,” said Rachel Stepp. “It empowers students to use specific skills to regulate their own behavior rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.”
“The Zones make big feelings easier to understand,” adds Hunt. “Instead of feeling overwhelmed, students learn to identify their ‘color’ and use simple tools to get back to a calm state where they can learn.”
By teaching these skills early, the STAR Classroom aims to give students a “common language” for their emotions, helping them stay balanced and reach their goals in the classroom.
Photo: Rachel Stepp, teacher, talks about the Zones of Regulation as behavior therapist, Savannah Hunt listens.