News Releases

For Immediate Release: November 11, 2024
Contact: communications@doe.virginia.gov
                    Todd.Reid@doe.virginia.gov

Richmond, Va. — The Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on  Educational Opportunity for Military Children (The Council) are recognizing 190 Virginia public and private schools as “Purple Star” schools. The Purple Star designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated their commitment to meeting the needs of military-connected students and their families.

“Virginia is home to the largest population of military connected children in the country,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons. “As a military spouse myself, and the mother of members of the military, I understand the unique needs our military-connected families face and the important roles our schools play in supporting them. I am proud that so many of Virginia’s schools are stepping up to support the children of our service members, and I am proud to recognize their commitment to those who serve our nation.”

Fifty schools were second-time recipients of the distinction and 41 were third-time recipients. This is the seventh year the VDOE and The Council have designated Purple Star schools. Since 2018, VDOE and The Council have provided 791 awards to deserving schools across Virginia, 489 of which have maintained an active designation and 228 have received the designation more than once. 

This year, Falls Church City Public Schools, Gloucester County Public Schools, and King George County Public Schools have achieved Purple Star division status. To reach and maintain Purple Star division status, all schools in the school division must have an active Purple Star School Designation. Chesapeake Public Schools, York County Public Schools, and Stafford County Public Schools have maintained their Purple Star division statuses this year with the awarding of schools in their divisions.  

The Council was created in 2009 to ensure that all matters related to the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children were managed with fidelity. The compact expresses the commitment of participating states to remove barriers to academic success for children of military families. The Council is responsible for the ushering in of the Purple Star designation award program in the Commonwealth. Virginia was the second state, after Ohio, in establishing Purple Star school recognition. Today, there are 43 states who have adopted the Purple Star School designation program.

Schools earning the award receive a certificate of recognition from the Virginia Council and a Virginia Purple Star. Schools retain the designation for three years before being required to reapply.  

The 2024-25 Virginia public and private schools that have earned a Purple Star award are listed below. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are receiving their second Purple Star award and those with two asterisks (**) are receiving their third award:

Albemarle County Public Schools

Baker-Butler Elementary School
Lakeside Middle School 

Alexandria City Public Schools

Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School 

Arlington County Public Schools

Cardinal Elementary School
Gunston Middle School
Nottingham Elementary School
Yorktown High School  

Chesapeake County Public Schools

** B. M. Williams Primary
Butts Road Intermediate School
**Camelot Elementary School
**Cedar Road Elementary School
*Crestwood Intermediate 
**Deep Creek Central Elementary School
*Deep Creek Elementary
*Deep Creek High School
**Deep Creek Middle School
*E.W. Chittum Elementary School
*G. A Treakle Elementary School
*Georgetown Primary
**Grassfield Elementary
**Grassfield High School
*Great Bridge Intermediate
*Great Bridge Primary School 

Chesapeake County Public Schools

*Greenbrier Primary School
*Hickory High School
**Hickory Middle School
**Indian River High School
**Oscar Smith High School
*Rena B. Wright
**Southeastern Elementary
*Southwestern Elementary
*Sparrow Intermediate
*Thurgood Marshall Elementary
*Truitt Intermediate School
**Western Branch High School
*Western Branch Intermediate School
*Western Branch Primary School 

Fairfax County Public Schools

Bren Mar Park Elementary 
Bryant High School
Bush Hill Elementary School
*Cameron Elementary School
Chantilly High School
Cherry Run Elementary School
**Clermont Elementary School
Columbia Elementary
Cooper Middle School
Deer Park Elementary
Dranesville Elementary School
Fairfax High School
**Fairview Elementary School
**Flint Hill Elementary School
Forestdale Elementary School 

Fairfax County Public Schools

**Fort Belvoir Primary 
**Fort Belvoir Upper School
Great Falls Elementary School
Haycock Elementary School
Hollin Meadows Elementary School
**Hunt Valley Elementary School
*Island Creek Elementary School
John R. Lewis High School
*Keene Mill Elementary School
Little Run Elementary School
Mount Eagle Elementary School
Newington Forest Elementary School
Oak View Elementary School
Oakton High School 
Olde Creek Elementary School
Pine Spring Elementary
*Ravensworth Elementary
Riverside Elementary School 
**Sangster Elementary
*Union Mill Elementary School
Waples Mill Elementary School
**Waynewood Elementary School
White Oaks Elementary School  

Falls Church City Public Schools

Jessie Thackery Preschool
Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School
Meridan High School
Mt. Daniel Elementary School
Oak Street Elementary School 

Gloucester County Public Schools

Page Middle School 
*Petsworth Elementary School  

Hampton City Public Schools

Barron Fundamental Elementary School
Kilgore Gifted Center
Phoebus High School
Hunter B. Andrews
Tarrant Middle School 

Henrico County Public Schools

Henry Ward Elementary School 

Isle of Wight County Public Schools

Carrsville Elementary 

King George County Public Schools

King George Elementary
King George High School
King George Middle School 
Potomac Elementary School
Sealston Elementary School  

Loudoun County Public Schools

*Brambleton Middle School
Broad Run High School
Little River Elementary School
*River Bend Middle School
Stone Bridge High School  

Newport News City Public Schools

General Stanford Elementary School  

Norfolk City Public Schools

** Bay View Elementary School
*Tarrallton Elementary School
*Willard Model Elementary School  

Portsmouth Public Schools

Brighton Elementary
Churchland High School
Cradock Elementary School
Douglass Park Elementary
Park View Elementary School
W.E. Waters Middle School
Waterview Elementary  

Prince William County Public Schools

** Ashland Elementary
Cedar Point Elementary School
Gar-Field High School
*George G. Tyler Elementary
J.W. Alvey Elementary School
Martin Luther King Jr Elementary
** Mary G. Porter Traditional School
Osbourn Park High School
** Parkside Middle School 
*Pattie Elementary
Ronald Reagan Middle School
The Nokesville School
Triangle Elementary School  

Spotsylvania County Public Schools

Battlefield Elementary
Battlefield Middle School
Berkeley Elementary  

Spotsylvania County Public Schools

Cedar Forest Elementary School
Chancellor Elementary
Chancellor High School
Courtland High School
Freedom Middle School
Harrison Road Elementary School
Livingston Elementary School 
Massaponax High School
Ni River Middle School
*Parkside Elementary
Post Oak Middle School
*Riverview Elementary School
Smith Station Elementary School
*Spotswood Elementary School
Spotsylvania Elementary School
Spotsylvania High School  

Stafford County Public Schools

** Conway Elementary
*Falmouth Elementary School 
** Rocky Run Elementary  

Suffolk City Public Schools

Col. Fred Cherry Middle School
Elephant's Fork Elementary
Northern Shores Elementary  

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

** Bayside High School
**Brandon Middle School
*College Park Elementary School
Corporate Landing Elementary School 

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

** Corporate Landing Middle School
First Colonial High School 
** Floyd E. Kellam High School
*Great Neck Middle School
** Hermitage Elementary School
*Kempsville High School 
*Kingston Elementary School
** Landstown Middle School
** Linkhorn Park Elementary School
*Malibu Elementary 
New Castle Elementary
** North Landing Elementary
*Princess Anne Elementary
*Princess Anne High School
*Salem Elementary School
** Shelton Park Elementary School
** Virginia Beach Middle School
*W.T. Cooke Elementary
** Windsor Woods Elementary School
*Woodstock Elementary School   

Virginia Private Schools

*Alexandria Country Day School
Atlantic Shores Christian School
Cape Henry Collegiate
*Norfolk Collegiate School
** Our Lady of Mount Carmel School
*Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School
Saint Rita School
*St. Louis Catholic School 

Virginia Private Schools

St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School
*Star of The Sea Catholic School  

Williamsburg James City County Public Schools

Jamestown High School 

York County Public Schools

Bruton High School
** Coventry Elementary School
**Grafton Bethel Elementary 
*Magruder Elementary
**Tabb Middle School 

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