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Cheryl Garmin, district IT director, details STAR Academy online skills program
Summary
Cheryl Garmin, the district's information technology and cyber security director, described STAR Academy — a self‑paced online set of employability and life‑skills modules launched in October 2024 — and said the platform now contains just under 4,000 student accounts and some 2,800–3,200 course completions.
Cheryl Garmin, the district’s information technology and cyber security director, described STAR Academy as a self‑paced online program that offers students short modules in workplace and life skills, and said the platform has grown rapidly since its October 2024 launch.
“STAR is an acronym and it actually stands for skills training and readiness,” Garmin said. She told host Shminka Elwin that the platform is available to any student and that modules are intended to improve communication, customer service, teamwork, digital literacy and other employability skills.
Garmin listed nine courses currently available, including communication; customer service; collaboration and teamwork; critical thinking and problem solving; digital literacy; adaptability and resilience; time management and organization; creativity and innovation; and a newly released basic finances module. She said some teachers require specific courses for classroom roles such as teacher’s aide, but most student participation is voluntary and self‑paced.
The program launched in October 2024, Garmin said, and saw about 900 students join in the first month. “To date, as of I think I just looked today, there’s just under 4,000 students,” she said, clarifying that not all accounts reflect completed courses. Garmin estimated roughly 2,800 to 3,200 course completions.
Garmin said she develops the course content herself and that limited staff capacity restricts how frequently she can overhaul modules. She described incremental updates made in response to student feedback and said the basic finances course was released the day before the interview.
Looking ahead, Garmin said she plans to create courses on work ethic, leadership and technical skills, and invited students to propose topics and collaborate on course development. “I would love to have a student collaborate with me and to, like, help develop these kinds of courses,” she said.
Advising seniors who are unsure about joining STAR Academy, Garmin said: “You literally have nothing to lose by jumping in. It’s at your own pace, at your own speed … you deserve to have that sense of pride and accomplishment attached to your resume.”
The podcast episode closed with Garmin encouraging students to get involved and with the host thanking her for appearing.
