Skip to content

EdNC. Essential education news. Important stories. Your voice.

Schools win recognition for support of military students, families

The following is a press release from NC Public Schools


North Carolina is home to a large population of active duty, guard, reserve, and veteran armed services members, and the state’s public schools reflect that. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has launched the Purple Star Award Designation initiative this school year to recognize the state’s strong military presence and its support for military families. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families.

Schools in 10 districts and four charter schools across the state have earned the Purple Star recognition for the 2019-20 school year. In addition, State Superintendent Mark Johnson is honoring Harnett County Schools with the Superintendent’s Purple Star District Award for having all of its schools qualify for the designation.

Schools across the state applied for the special designation, and schools deemed as Purple Star Schools are those that completed several required activities, plus an optional activity, aimed at ensuring strong support for students of military families. Schools earning the Purple Star Award were required to have a staff member as a designated point of contact for military students and families, a designated central administration staff member supporting the point of contact in the school and also the provision of annual professional development addressing special considerations for military students and families.

In addition, Purple Star schools provide a dedicated page on their websites for military family resources or links to the district’s webpage with military family resources as well as a transition program to support inbound and outbound military students and families, along with a checklist for their use. 

For the optional activities, awarded schools selected from one of five activities, with many of the schools opting for more than one. These include a school-hosted annual military recognition event, such as Month of the Military Child, Month of the Military Family, Purple-Up! For Military Kids!, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, a nomination of a student for the Military Child of the Year program. Schools may also have conducted a support project connecting the school with the military community, such as adopt-a-school, letters/care package collections for troops, a staff common-read book about military students or a school video or slide show of pictures to highlight certain aspects of the school facility (i.e. gym, cafeteria, media center, typical classroom, playground) on its website, as a way to help orient new students transitioning to the area. 

After review of all applications, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is proud to award the following schools with the inaugural 2019-20 Purple Star Award Designation:

Carteret County Schools

Broad Creek Middle

White Oak Elementary

Charter Schools

Alpha Academy, Fayetteville

Anderson Creek Academy Charter, Spring Lake

Lincoln Charter, Denver

Wayne Preparatory Academy, Goldsboro

Craven County Schools

Arthur W. Edwards Elementary

Ben D. Quinn Elementary

Bridgeton Elementary

Brinson Memorial Elementary

Creekside Elementary

Early College EAST High

Graham A. Barden Elementary

Grover C. Fields Elementary

Havelock Elementary

Havelock High

Havelock Middle

J.T. Barber Elementary

New Bern High

Roger Bell New Tech Academy

Tucker Creek Elementary

W.J. Gurganus Elementary

Cumberland County Schools

Cape Fear High

Cumberland International Early College High

Cumberland Polytechnic

Douglas Byrd High

Douglas Byrd Middle

Eastover-Central Elementary School of Arts

E.E. Smith High

Gray’s Creek Middle

Jack Britt High

J.W. Coon Elementary

Mac Williams Middle

Pine Forest High

Seventy-First High

Spring Lake Middle

South View High

South View Middle

Terry Sanford High

Westarea Elementary

Westover High

Westover Middle

Harnett County Schools

Anderson Creek Primary

Angier Elementary

Benhaven Elementary

Boone Trail Elementary

Buies Creek Elementary

Coats Elementary

Coats-Erwin Middle

Dunn Middle

Erwin Elementary at Gentry

Harnett Central High

Harnett Central Middle

Harnett County Early College

Harnett Primary

Highland Elementary

Highland Middle

Johnsonville Elementary

LaFayette Elementary

Lillington-Shawtown Elementary

North Harnett Primary

Overhills Elementary

Overhills High

Overhills Middle

South Harnett Elementary

STAR Academy

Triton High

Wayne Avenue Elementary

Western Harnett High

Western Harnett Middle

Hoke County Schools

Don Steed Elementary

Hawk Eye Elementary

McLauchlin Elementary

Rockfish Hoke Elementary

Sandy Grove Middle

Scurlock Elementary

Upchurch Elementary

Moore County Schools

Aberdeen Elementary

Aberdeen Primary

Cameron Elementary

Carthage Elementary

Community Learning Center at Pinckney

Highfalls Elementary

McDeeds Creek Elementary

New Century Middle

Pinecrest High

Pinehurst Elementary

Sandhills Farm Life Elementary

Southern Middle

Southern Pines Elementary

Southern Pines Primary

Union Pines High

Vass-Lakeview Elementary

West End Elementary

West Pine Elementary

West Pine Middle

Crain’s Creek Middle

Onslow County Schools

Carolina Forest International Elementary

Dixon Elementary

Jacksonville Commons Elementary

Meadow View Elementary

Northwoods Elementary

Richlands High

Sand Ridge Elementary

Southwest Elementary

Pender County Schools

North Topsail Elementary

North Topsail Middle

Topsail High

Topsail Elementary

Polk County Schools

Tryon Elementary

Wayne County Schools

Charles B. Aycock High

Eastern Wayne Elementary

Eastern Wayne High

Eastern Wayne Middle

Fremont Stars Elementary

Greenwood Middle

Grantham Elementary

Grantham Middle

Meadow Lane Elementary

Northeast Elementary

Northwest Elementary

Norwayne Middle

Rosewood Elementary

Rosewood Middle

Rosewood High

Spring Creek Elementary

Spring Creek Middle

Spring Creek High

Tommy’s Road Elementary

Wayne School of Engineering

Staff

EdNC staff reporting relies on staff, interns, and columnists.