All Chesapeake schools awarded Purple Star for commitment to meeting military families’ needs
This month, Chesapeake Public Schools became the first division in Virginia to have all its schools designated 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,” states a press release from the Virginia Department of Education.
Schools are selected by the DOE and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which oversees the state’s commitment to remove barriers to academic success for children of military families. Schools retain the designation for three years before having to reapply.
There are more than 80,000 military-connected students attending schools in Virginia.
To qualify for the award, schools must have a staff member designated as the point of contact for military students and families. Award-winning schools also provide resources and programming on issues important to military families, such as academic planning and transitions between schools, divisions and states.
The education department has awarded the Purple Star since 2018. This year, 189 schools were selected for the honor. The Chesapeake schools receiving Purple Star awards this year: Crestwood Middle, Great Bridge High, Great Bridge Middle, Greenbrier Intermediate, Greenbrier Middle, Hickory Elementary, Hugo Owens Middle, Indian River Middle, Jolliff Middle, Norfolk Highlands Primary, Oscar Smith Middle, Western Branch Middle and Hopkins Elementary.
Multiple other Hampton Roads schools also received the Purple Star designations this year. Armstrong Elementary School for the Arts, Jones Magnet Middle, Kecoughtan High, Paul D. Burbank Elementary and Thomas Eaton Fundamental Middle in Hampton; Katherine G. Johnson Elementary in Newport News; Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, Camp Allen Elementary, Larchmont Elementary, Northside Middle and Willoughby Early Childhood Center in Norfolk; and Churchland Elementary, Churchland Middle and Victory Elementary in Portsmouth.
In Virginia Beach, this year’s awardees were Arrowhead Elementary, Alanton Elementary, Bayside 6th Grade Campus, Bayside High, Bayside Middle, Brookwood Elementary, Centerville Elementary, Christopher Farms Elementary, Corporate Landing Middle, Creeds Elementary, Fairfield Elementary, First Colonial High, Glenwood Elementary, Green Run Collegiate, Green Run High, Holland Elementary, Independence Middle, Kempsville Meadows Elementary, Kempsville Middle, King’s Grant Elementary, Landstown Elementary, Landstown High, Landstown Middle, Larkspur Middle, Luxford Elementary, Lynnhaven Middle, Ocean Lakes Elementary, Ocean Lakes High, Old Donation School, Pembroke Elementary, Pembroke Meadows Elementary, Plaza Middle, Providence Elementary, Princess Anne Elementary, Princess Anne Middle, Red Mill Elementary, Rosemont Forest Elementary, Salem High, Salem Middle, Strawbridge Elementary, Tallwood High, Thalia Elementary, Thoroughgood Elementary, Three Oaks Elementary, Trantwood Elementary and Technical and Career Education Center.
Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com
