For Immediate Release: April 5, 2022
Contact: Charles Pyle (804) 371-2420
RICHMOND — Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow is encouraging Virginia schools this month to honor students whose parents serve in the armed forces. Governor Glenn Youngkin has designated April as the Month of the Military Child to pay tribute to the thousands of military children in the commonwealth.
Virginia is home to several of the nation’s largest military installations and is home to more military-connected children than any other state. More than 80,000 military-connected children reside in the commonwealth and more than 69,000 are enrolled in Virginia public schools. These include students with parents on active duty and students whose parents serve in the reserves and National Guard.
Balow is encouraging all educators, administrators and school support staff to wear purple on national “Purple Up! For Military Kids Day,” Wednesday, April 20, to show their support for military students.
Purple represents the blending of the colors of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Virginia Department of Education is helping schools promote Purple Up! For Military Kids Day with a flyer available on the VDOE website.
In addition, Balow is encouraging public and private schools to apply for the Virginia Purple Star Award. The recognition — awarded by VDOE and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children — honors military-friendly schools that demonstrate their commitment to meeting the needs of military students and their families. The application window for the award opened on April 1, and will remain open until September 21.
To qualify for a Purple Star, schools must have a staff member designated as the point of contact for military students and families. The point of contact serves as the primary link between the military family and the school. Schools must also provide resources and programming on issues important to military families, such as academic planning and transitions between schools, districts and states.
Since the creation of the program in 2018, 258 Virginia schools have earned Purple Star awards.
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