Provided by Prince William County Schools (PWCS)
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Virginia Council) have named nine PWCS schools as Distinguished Purple Star Schools. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools based on their commitment to meeting the needs of military-connected students and their families. The nine schools receiving this designation are Fitzgerald, Henderson, Kyle Wilson, Pattie, and Springwoods Elementary Schools; Benton and Gainesville Middle Schools; Forest Park and Woodbridge High Schools.
Counselors and other staff at all nine schools work closely with military families to provide relevant resources to military families to ease the transition to the new school and community. Some examples of the resources provided are a student-led transition program that provides peer support for newly enrolled military-connected students and providing support to the students and their families when their service member is deployed.
Ashland and Penn Elementary Schools, and Porter Traditional School all received the Purple Star School designation last year. Every three years, schools will need to reapply for Purple Star designation.
