Carl Junction named military-friendly school district

Emily Younker, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·3 min read

Apr. 1—CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Carl Junction School District is one of seven school districts across the state to earn the 2023 Missouri Purple Star designation, which honors districts and schools that support military families.

The announcement by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education was made Thursday. The other 2023 awardees are the Blair Oaks, De Soto, Hickory County, Knob Noster, St. Clair and Warrensburg school districts. Additionally, four schools within the Warrensburg district achieved the distinction.

"This program is just one way to reiterate our state's commitment to our service members," said Margie Vandeven, commissioner of education, in a statement. "As we continue to celebrate April as the Month of the Military Child, it is an honor to award these seven school districts and four schools with the Purple Star designation. Each district and school works to support our service members and their families throughout the community, while also ensuring these children are prepared to find their path to success in Missouri."

The Purple Star designation is awarded to local education agencies that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to the military, including active duty, National Guard or Reserve members, and military veterans, the state education department said.

In order to apply for the recognition, a school district must offer districtwide professional development regarding considerations for military students and families, have an assigned point of contact for military families and require that individual to undergo specific training, host an annual military program and adopt a resolution publicizing support for military students and families, according to the education department.

David Pyle, assistant superintendent for operations, said Carl Junction was already doing many of those things.

For example, one of those criteria, the annual military program, has occurred in Carl Junction for more than two decades in the form of a Veterans Day assembly for high school and junior high school students. Area veterans also are invited to the assembly, which includes student performances and a reception in the veterans' honor, Pyle said.

"The Carl Junction School District has always valued individuals and families who have served our country, and we want to be inclusive of all students and support them, but especially those from families with a military connection," he said. "We just think (the Purple Star designation) is a way to really demonstrate to military families and students affiliated with them that we support them."

Pyle said the percentage of Carl Junction students from military families isn't large, but there are some who fit that description. He said the goal is "to ensure that if we have a student who is transferring here because of a change in service of a family member, or if they're already here and they have a parent who is going to be deployed, that we're aware of that and we're intentional about providing those additional supports."

As a Purple Star designee, the Carl Junction School District will receive a special recognition to display somewhere on its campus and on its website.

The 2023 and 2022 Missouri Purple Star designees will be recognized at the Month of the Military Child kickoff event on April 5 in the Capitol rotunda. Last year, the Miller School District was named a 2022 Purple Star district.