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