The Virginia Purple Star Designation Program for Schools
The Virginia Purple Star Designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. Schools that earn the award will receive a special Purple Star recognition to display onsite.
A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all the required activities, plus one optional activity. The Virginia Department of Education’s Military Student Support Process Action Team, (MSSPAT) formed by the Virginia Department of Education, will review all school applications for the award. Final approval on awards will be made by members of the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
Application
Applications for the Purple Star Designation are being accepted from April 1, 2020 until September 25, 2020. The application can be found inside the application packet. All applicants are asked to be careful to read the directions included in this packet and to send any questions to Dan Dunham, VDOE Military Student and Families Specialist at dan.dunham@doe.virginia.gov.
How to Qualify
The school must have a staff point of contact (POC) for military students and families. The POC serves as the primary link between the military family and the school. This contact could be a counselor, administrator, teacher or another staff member;
- The school based POC must have completed VDOE Modules: Supporting Our Military–Connected Children in School Settings: Moving them from Risk to Resilience Module 1
and Module 2. Additionally, POC must complete the follow up questions found in the application and supply a copy of the module completion certificate. - The POC works with school administration and or military program partners to conduct a school wide professional development that informs staff of the unique needs of military-connected students and on supports available to support these students. Evidence of this training would include copies of sign in sheets and training materials presented.
- The school keeps or links to a division wide page dedicated to military student and family support. This web page must include the following information.
- Military Families: Planning your Arrival to (Insert School Division):
Information on Enrollment and the registration process - Military Families: Preparing your Move from (Insert School Division):
Information on educational records requests and transfers - Academic Planning for Military Families:
Information on Advanced Academic Programs and application deadlines (Specialty Centers), Graduation Requirements, Diploma Options, and Home Instruction - Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children:
Information on the Compact Rules and their application - Special Needs Navigation and Parental Rights:
This includes information on Special Education services and parental rights to include parental consent. - Other matters of Importance:
This may include, Impact Aid, Student-Parent Survey, PTA and PTSA, Extra Curricular Activities and local Community Supports etc.
- Military Families: Planning your Arrival to (Insert School Division):
- The school division has assigned a central office staff member to be the contact for the school based liaison and military families; and
- The School maintains a student led transition program to include a student transition team coordinator. This program should provide peer support for newly enrolled and withdrawing students to include those that are military connected. Evidence could include; calendar of events, a narrative of activities conducted, flyers, photos or student welcoming or training materials.
- Division Wide Activities - Purple Star Schools must provide evidence that the division completed at least one of the following:
- Division wide professional development regarding special considerations for military students and families. Evidence of this training should include the following documentation: agenda, presentation materials and names of participants.
- The school board passes a resolution publicizing the school division’s support for military students and families. Applicant must include a copy of the resolution.
- The school division hosts a military recognition event designed to demonstrate a military-friendly culture across the school division community. In addition to the event summary please provide copies of marketing materials, news articles or photographs.
- Submitted the application by the deadline.
Purple Star Honorees
2019-2020
On October 23, 2019, the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact for Military Children announced the awarding of Purple Star Designation to the following schools for their excellence in supporting military connected children and their families.
- Arlington County – Discovery Elementary
- Chesapeake – Crestwood Middle, Great Bridge Middle, Greenbrier Intermediate, Greenbrier Middle, Hickory Elementary, Hugo Owen Middle, Indian River Middle, Jolliff Middle, Oscar Smith Middle and Western Branch Middle
- Colonial Heights – Lakeview Elementary
- Fairfax County – Carl Sandburg Middle, Fairhill Elementary, Fort Hunt Elementary, Franconia Elementary, Gunston Elementary, Hayfield Elementary, Key Center, Laurel Ridge Elementary, Mosby Woods Elementary, Mount Vernon High, Orange Hunt Elementary, Riverside Elementary, Saratoga Elementary, Stratford Landing Elementary, W.T. Woodson High, Walt Whitman Middle, Washington Mill Elementary and Woodley Hills Elementary
- Hanover County – Patrick Henry High
- Loudoun County – Trailside Middle
- Norfolk – Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, Bay View Elementary, Camp Allen Elementary, Granby Elementary, Larchmont Elementary, Sewells Point Elementary, Willard Model Elementary and Willoughby Early Childhood Center
- Poquoson – Poquoson High
- Portsmouth – Victory Elementary
- Prince George County – L. L. Beazley Elementary and North Elementary
- Prince William County – Alexander Henderson Elementary, Forest Park High, Frannie W. Fitzgerald Elementary, Gainesville Middle School for the Arts & Sciences, John F. Pattie Elementary, Kyle R. Wilson Elementary, Louise A. Benton Middle, Parkside Middle, Springwoods Elementary and Woodbridge Senior High
- Spotsylvania County – Wilderness Elementary
- Stafford County – Hampton Oaks Elementary, Rockhill Elementary, Widewater Elementary and Winding Creek Elementary
- Suffolk County – John Yeates Middle and Nansemond Parkway Elementary
- Virginia Beach – Alanton Elementary, Arrowhead Elementary, Bayside High, Bayside Middle, Bayside Sixth Grade Campus, Birdneck Elementary, Brandon Middle, Brookwood Elementary, Centerville Elementary, Christopher Farms Elementary, Corporate Landing Elementary, Corporate Landing Middle, Frank W. Cox High, Green Run Collegiate, Green Run High, Independence Middle, John B. Dey Elementary, Kempsville Meadows Elementary, Kempsville Middle, King’s Grant Elementary, Landstown Elementary, Landstown High, Landstown, Larkspur Middle, Linkhorn Park Elementary, Luxford Elementary, Lynnhaven Middle, North Landing Elementary, Ocean Lakes Elementary, Ocean Lakes High, Old Donation School, Pembroke Elementary, Pembroke Meadows Elementary, Plaza Middle, Princess Anne Middle, Providence Elementary, Red Mill Elementary, Rosemont Elementary, Rosemont Forest Elementary, Salem High, Salem Middle, Strawbridge Elementary, Tallwood High, Thalia Elementary, Thoroughgood Elementary, Three Oaks Elementary, Trantwood Elementary, Virginia Beach Middle, Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center and Windsor Woods Elementary
- York County – Bethel Manor Elementary, Bruton High, Tabb Elementary, Waller Mill Elementary, Yorktown Elementary and Grafton Middle
- Six private schools also earned Purple Star designations. These schools are Browne Academy in Alexandria, Peninsula Catholic School in Newport News, St. Pius X Catholic School in Norfolk, St. Francis of Assisi School in Triangle, and Chesapeake Bay Academy and Saint Mary Star of the Sea School in Hampton, Virginia.
2018-2019 Purple Star Honorees
- 2018-2019 Purple Star Honorees List-This is a Word document. – Awarded on October 24, 2018