This Memorial Day, support our military’s families and students, too

For most Americans, Memorial Day signifies the beginning of summer, with beach trips and time off from work. Yet it remains an official day for honoring the sacrifices of U.S. military personnel who have laid down their lives while serving in the armed forces.

So how do we remember them this weekend? Our memories may be expressed through stories, memorials and rituals. We often engage in remembrance to teach and instruct — to express what is important and learn from it. But it’s also a day where we collectively remember to support each other, and I believe that should include action that supports the heroes who are still fighting for our country today.

More: Why do we observe Memorial Day? The somber true meaning behind the national holiday

Today, I reflect on the impact that educators can have in supporting the families of military members. In my 20 years of experience working in public policy and education across the states of Georgia, Missouri and North Carolina, I have had many connections with military students and families.

Memorial Day is even more poignant to observe for me here in North Carolina, a state with the fourth-largest military population in the U.S. and home to over 52,000 children of active-duty military personnel. I think, too, of the educators at North Carolina Cyber Academy (NCCA), who strive to create a network of support to military children and family members.

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Mackenzie Thomas, my friend and colleague at NCCA, is our school’s social worker for 10th- and 11th grade students. Coming from a military background herself, Thomas is a daughter of a veteran and grew up at Fort Bragg. She eventually married a special forces soldier, Staff Sgt. Adam Thomas, who served in Afghanistan and was killed in action.

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Thomas draws upon her own experiences as a military child and spouse to support NCCA’s military students and families.

“It’s really a culture of its own,” Thomas said. “My driving force is for our military students to understand that we have a person who speaks the language.”

As a virtual school, NCCA has more flexibility to provide resources and advocacy for military students to succeed. We have people like Thomas to offer students wraparound services to support the educational journey that works best for them. This is part of our commitment to meet students and families where they are.

Military families are often asked to change locations throughout the course of service, which in a traditional brick-and-mortar institution can disrupt a child’s educational path. Through specialized staff members and individualized academic accommodations, virtual schools can support and serve these students.

Among the numerous educational options available to students, we are proud to be listed among just 10% of North Carolina schools that qualify for the Purple Star designation from the state. This recognition identifies K-12 schools that advocate and support the military community, ensuring our military community is thoughtfully included and accommodated in school plans and curriculum.

Leslie Bryant, NCCA’s Student Services & Community Engagement Officer, is one of the staff members who helps us think intentionally about our military families. Her son, Isaac Armistad, currently serves in the Navy.

“One of our goals as a school was to focus on military families because of the natural transitions that take place within their lives,” Bryant said. “We wanted to go after the Purple Star Award because of what our kids, who are connected to the military, could be going through.”

We recognize that our school has a profound role in shaping the experience of military children. This is why our staff receive annual professional development regarding special considerations for military students and families. Our community of teachers, educators and social workers volunteer to serve as liaisons and advocate for military students to feel a sense of community.

“Having this network of support at school would have been helpful when I was a kid,” Thomas said.

NCCA is proud to provide these students with accessible, well-rounded online education to support their unique academic needs.

On this Memorial Day, I want to thank our staff for their commitment to our military families, and our state legislators for their continued support of innovative models of education like ours — which aids service members and their children. We also recognize the important work of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in maintaining the Purple Star award, which raises awareness of the educational options among military families. Through our institutions and public policies, our society can be flexible, open and welcoming to those who serve.

Martez Hill is superintendent and CEO of the NC Cyber Academy, one of the two statewide virtual public charter schools.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: This Memorial Day, support military families at Fort Bragg and around