Academic Resources

Welcome to Early Alert and Starfish

With students at the heart of the BCTC mission, Early Alert supports student access, success, and persistence by acknowledging academic progress, identifying and targeting barriers to student success, and providing an available student support network. Early Alert uses data analytic tools like Civitas Illume to proactively identify and communicate to specific students, such as those enrolled in high impact courses or with low predicted persistence scores, who may need critical wraparound services. Early Alert also facilitates the use of Starfish across BCTC. Starfish is a tool that students can use to raise their hand for help and that student support specialists use to communicate with students about their progress. Early Alert helps guide those communications to the right specialists and follows up to make sure students get timely information to help them be successful.

Early Alert collaborates with student services on:

Academic and non-academic referrals
Student hand raises (Raise Your Hand in Starfish)
Faculty raised flags and kudos
Strategic communications and outreach to specific student populations (e.g., students in high impact courses)

Early Alert Administrative Staff Information:

Dr. Christopher Ledford
Director of Institutional Effectiveness/Early Alert College Lead
Telephone: 859-246-6626
Email: christopher.ledford@kctcs.edu

Email BCTC Early Alert: BL-EarlyAlert@kctcs.edu

Starfish for Students

Starfish provides you with ONE central location to find the people on campus who can help you succeed!

Access Starfish via My Path on our Current Students page. You can also access Starfish through Blackboard or your Student Self-Service.

Access your My Success Network (Assigned Advisor, Instructors, Student Success Specialist, etc.)
1. Find people on campus who are here to help you succeed.
2. Click on the navigation icon on the top left side of page. Click on your “My Success Network”.
Schedule an appointment with your assigned advisor during Priority Registration (Fall semester: October; Spring semester: March):
1. Click on the navigation icon on the top left side of page. Click on your “My Success Network”.
2. Find your “Academic Advisor-Assigned” under ‘Your Connections’
3. Select the button to the right of your advisor’s name and select ‘Schedule’. Click ‘Advising’ – then select the ‘General Advising’ option. Click continue.
4. Select your desired date and time. Click continue. Note the campus and office location.
5. Provide appointment details for your advisor (major, etc.) then confirm appointment. You will receive a confirmation email to your KCTCS account.
6. Note: If the ‘Schedule’ options it not available next to your advisor’s name, you can contact your assigned advisor directly by clicking ‘Call’ or ‘Email’.
Receive updates throughout the semester on your course progress and take action:
1. Your instructors will weigh in on your progress throughout the semester and provide you with the steps and resources to be a successful student! Check your KCTCS email regularly for these notifications which will come from notices@starfishsolutions.com
2. Also find these notifications in Starfish by clicking on “Messages” from the navigation icon.
“Raise Your Hand”
1. From the navigation icon, click on “Raise Your Hand”.
2. Utilize this feature if you need help in any area ranging from academic support to personal concerns.
Personalize! Complete your profile and intake form:
1. From the navigation icon, click the drop down menu next to your name. You can choose “Institutional Profile” or “Intake”.
2. Profile - upload a photo, specify an alternate email address, and select appointment reminder settings.
3. Intake – tell us a little bit about yourself (what are your educational and career goals?)

If you have question, please feel free to contact Brandi Thomas, Early Alert/Starfish Manager at
BL-EarlyAlert@kctcs.edu

Method 1: Access Courses from the Starfish Menu

In Starfish, click the Starfish Menu button in the top left corner.
Select Courses in the Menu that opens.
A window will open that displays your current courses. If any grades have been posted in Blackboard, or flags that have been raised in Starfish, you will see them displayed in the Grades and Agenda tabs for the course.
In Courses View, you can use the Soccer Ball icon to Raise Your Hand for help with that specific course.
You can also Raise Your Hand for help in the Starfish menu from Step 1.

Method 2: View Messages

Navigate back to the Starfish menu and select Messages.
In the Messages window, set your filter and you can view any messages, flags, etc. you have received in Starfish.