About
Bright Star's students participate in a program that features rigorous academics and rich life experiences. Our students thrive academically and socially because our core operating principles, which include high expectations, attention to detail, clearly defined standards of accountability, and continuous improvement, provide a framework for success.
Jacqueline Melendez
Resource Specialist Teacher ( 10th )
I am a second year Resource Specialist Teacher at Bright Star Secondary Charter School, I have 15 students in my caseload (recently one more student will be added to my caseload = 16). I am very passionate about helping my students succeed, and I love providing them the resources needed to use as tools for success. I enjoy the daily interactions with all of my students and this is the second year I get the opportunity to work with my (now) 10th grade students.
Tara Cook
Dance Teacher
I am originally from Sacramento, CA, where I received a BA in Child Development from Sacramento State University. I developed a passion for dance early in my career where I attended a Sacramento Performing Arts High School. I dedicated my childhood to the art, studying at Step One Dance & Fitness, Dean Dance Center, and Marguerite Phares Ballet School. My passion for the art continued, as a teaching artist for the Music Center: Performing ArtsCenter of Los Angeles County. Hard work, dedication, and persistence provided me the opportunity to be featured in a variety of arts genres, receiving professional credits in Television- National H&R block commercial, an A Magazine story, Sierra in peril; Theatre- Pasadena Playhouse “Ray Charles Live”, Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast", "Footloose", and "Got Rhythm!". This memorable experience has helped shape my deep love for teaching. I was given a gift and granted the opportunity to become teacher for United Spirit Association, master teacher for Natomas Charter School, Galena Street East School, and Orlando Ballet School. I developed a dance curriculum with the idea of exposing children to the art of dance, entitled, Art Saves Lives aligned with State Standards for the Arts and utilized in 2009 by the Inglewood School District. I have also had the opportunity to train at the school of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre in New York. I am currently an Educator of Dance at Bright Star Secondary Academy, where I act as educational leader for students participating in extra-curricular dance activities, develop curriculum, design classroom culture, collaborate with Arts colleagues on arts related related functions with the School, coordinate auditions, plan field trips dedicated to understanding the art of dance, and coordinate and facilitate recruiting for the dance program.
Tara Cook
Dance Teacher
I have been teaching dance for over 15 years. From Charter schools to being a teaching artist at the Los Angeles Music Center! Dance has always been a way of life for me and I am happy to be teaching the art form to young people.
Jacqueline Melendez
Resource Specialist Teacher 10th
Hello, I am a 2nd year Resource Specialist Teacher at a all Charter School serving students in a low income community. I absolutely love my job, like my husband says it's my world, (ofcourse other than Jesus'God'). Since I was in 4th grade I knew I wanted to become a teacher in a low income community because I wanted to teach students whom could relate to the struggles and educational experience i had growing up. I want to provide the best service, educational experience I can ppssibly provide to students whom are usually denied the opportunity to receive this quality education as a result of where they come from. "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence will stop."...
