State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria announced on Wednesday the 44 Ohio schools that received the Purple Star designation for their commitment to serving military-connected students and families. Those schools included Bellville Elementary in the Clear Fork Local Schools.
“A supportive school environment can have a significant impact on our military-connected students, and we’re happy to see such a great interest in this designation by Ohio’s schools,” said Superintendent DeMaria. “These Purple Star schools provide our children and families with the resources they need to be successful. We’re thankful for their service and honored to continue the important work of improving services for Ohio’s military families.”
The list of schools that received the designation and more information on the Purple Star can be found online here.
The Purple Star designation for military-friendly schools recognizes schools that show a major commitment to serving students and families connected to our nation’s armed forces. Purple Star awardees receive a special Purple Star recognition to display in their buildings. The Purple Star Advisory Board, formed by the Ohio departments of Education, Higher Education, Veterans Services and Adjutant General, helps decide eligibility.
A Purple Star school will receive the designation for two years. After two years, the school must reapply. The Purple Star emblem was selected because purple symbolizes support for military families.
There are 34,000 children in Ohio with one or more parents serving in the military. This includes the children of active duty, reserve and Ohio National Guard members. Some of these children will attend six to nine different schools throughout their K-12 educational experiences. In addition to changing schools often, a student can be affected by a parent’s deployment. Schools can help students and families face these issues by connecting them with the resources they need.
