Three Decades Later, Stacey Starr Still Finds Joy in Teaching

The way she hustles and goes the extra mile for her students, you’d think that math teacher Stacey Starr was in her first year as an educator.

If so, you’d be off by 32 years.

After three years at Morton Junior High, Starr has spent the past three decades teaching math at Bryan Station High. She has taught it all, Algebra 1, 2, and 3, geometry, trig, calculus 1 and calculus 2, remedial classes, and advanced and Advanced Placement classes.

She still never misses a day, routinely stays at school until 6 or 7 at night, brings home-baked treats to school, creates hands-on interactive math games, embraces new technology and attends professional development programs in the summer. “I’ve gone so many times, the school stopped sending me,” Starr said.

“I love what I do and can’t imagine leaving my kids. I have no plans of retiring. I love teaching too much.”

Her effervescent personality livens up her classroom as she transforms math-phobic students into math enthusiasts.

“I’m bubbly, energetic and happy in the classroom,” she said. “We’re laughing all the time.”

Currently, her course load includes three sections of advanced geometry, two of which include eighth-graders from Bryan Station Middle. She also teaches calculus 1 and calculus 2 along with a flex class four times a week for eighth graders who need help with high school geometry.

Whatever the class, math games play a central role in instruction. Over the years, Starr has created enough games to fill a six-foot high cabinet in her room.

“Students love the games,” she said.

When not at Bryan Station, Starr sings in her church choir. She comes from a singing family – The Amburgey Family who performed gospel music. Once when she was in fifth grade, the family spent a full year touring across the U.S. Her parents recorded five gospel albums.

Still, Starr knew she always wanted to teach. Nothing can replace the connections she makes with her students.

As she walked through the school’s halls on the day she was interviewed for this story, one of her students from last year tugged at her sleeve and said, “I miss you.”

“Students don’t care so much about what you’re teaching until they know you care about them,” Starr said. “Relationships are the most important part of teaching.”