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Three Suffolk Public Schools are among 190 Virginia schools to be awarded the Purple Star designation by the Virginia Department of Education(VDOE), according to a media release from VDOE. 

Col. Fred Cherry Middle School, Elephant’s Fork Elementary and Northern Shores Elementary each earned the distinction for the first time according to the release.

The Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children are recognizing 190 public and private schools in Virginia as “Purple Star” schools. The designation is given to military-friendly schools that have shown a commitment to meeting the needs of military-connected students and their families.

“Virginia is home to the largest population of military-connected children in the country,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Coons. “As a military spouse myself, and the mother of members of the military, I understand the unique needs our military-connected families face and the important roles our schools play in supporting them. I am proud that so many of Virginia’s schools are stepping up to support the children of our service members, and I am proud to recognize their commitment to those who serve our nation.”

Among the recognized schools, 50 received the distinction for the second time, and 41 received it for the third time. This marks the seventh year the Virginia Department of Education and the Council have awarded Purple Star designations. Since 2018, the organizations have presented 791 awards to schools across Virginia, with 489 maintaining an active designation and 228 earning the distinction more than once.

This year, Falls Church City Public Schools, Gloucester County Public Schools, and King George County Public Schools achieved Purple Star division status, which requires all schools in a division to maintain active Purple Star School designations. Chesapeake Public Schools, York County Public Schools, and Stafford County Public Schools have retained their division status with the recognition of schools in their districts.

Established in 2009, the Council oversees matters related to the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which aims to eliminate barriers to academic success for military families. The Purple Star designation program was introduced in Virginia as the second state to implement it, following Ohio. Today, 43 states have adopted the program.

Awarded schools receive a certificate of recognition from the Virginia Council and a Virginia Purple Star. The designation lasts for three years, after which schools must reapply. 

The 2024-25 list of Virginia public and private schools earning the Purple Star award is detailed below, with an asterisk (*) marking second-time recipients and two asterisks (**) indicating third-time honorees. 

This is the seventh year that the VDOE and the Virginia Council have awarded the Purple Star designation. Schools retain the designation for three years and must reapply to continue to be recognized. Schools receiving their second or third Purple Star award are denoted with an asterisk (*) and two asterisks (**) respectively.

Here is a complete list of the 2024-25 Virginia Purple Star Schools:

 Albemarle County Public Schools

*   Baker-Butler Elementary School

*   Lakeside Middle School

 Alexandria City Public Schools

*   Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School

 Arlington County Public Schools

*   Cardinal Elementary School

*   Gunston Middle School

*   Nottingham Elementary School

*   Yorktown High School

 Chesapeake County Public Schools

*   **B. M. Williams Primary**

*   Butts Road Intermediate School

*   **Camelot Elementary School**

*   **Cedar Road Elementary School**

*   Crestwood Intermediate

*   Deep Creek Central Elementary School

*   Deep Creek Elementary

*   Deep Creek High School

*   Deep Creek Middle School

*   E.W. Chittum Elementary School

*   G. A Treakle Elementary School

*   Georgetown Primary

*   Grassfield Elementary

*   Grassfield High School

*   Great Bridge Intermediate

*   Great Bridge Primary School

*   Greenbrier Primary School

*   Hickory High School

*   Hickory Middle School

*   Indian River High School

*   Oscar Smith High School

*   Rena B. Wright

*   Southeastern Elementary

*   Southwestern Elementary

*   Sparrow Intermediate

*   Thurgood Marshall Elementary

*   Truitt Intermediate School

*   Western Branch High School

*   Western Branch Intermediate School

*   Western Branch Primary School

 Fairfax County Public Schools

*   Bren Mar Park Elementary

*   Bryant High School

*   Bush Hill Elementary School

*   Cameron Elementary School

*   Chantilly High School

*   Cherry Run Elementary School

*   Clermont Elementary School

*   Columbia Elementary

*   Cooper Middle School

*   Deer Park Elementary

*   Dranesville Elementary School

*   Fairfax High School

*   Fairview Elementary School

*   Flint Hill Elementary School

*   Forestdale Elementary School

*   Fort Belvoir Primary

*   Fort Belvoir Upper School

*   Great Falls Elementary School

*   Haycock Elementary School

*   Hollin Meadows Elementary School

*   Hunt Valley Elementary School

*   Island Creek Elementary School

*   John R. Lewis High School

*   Keene Mill Elementary School

*   Little Run Elementary School

*   Mount Eagle Elementary School

*   Newington Forest Elementary School

*   Oak View Elementary School

*   Oakton High School

*   Olde Creek Elementary School

*   Pine Spring Elementary

*   Ravensworth Elementary

*   Riverside Elementary School

*   Sangster Elementary

*   Union Mill Elementary School

*   Waples Mill Elementary School

*   Waynewood Elementary School

*   White Oaks Elementary School

 Falls Church City Public Schools

*   Jessie Thackery Preschool

*   Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School

*   Meridan High School

*   Mt. Daniel Elementary School

*   Oak Street Elementary School

 Gloucester County Public Schools

*   Page Middle School

*   Petsworth Elementary School

 Hampton City Public Schools

*   Barron Fundamental Elementary School

*   Kilgore Gifted Center

*   Phoebus High School

*   Hunter B. Andrews

*   Tarrant Middle School

 Henrico County Public Schools

*   Henry Ward Elementary School

 Isle of Wight County Public Schools

*   Carrsville Elementary

 King George County Public Schools

*   King George Elementary

*   King George High School

*   King George Middle School

*   Potomac Elementary School

*   Sealston Elementary School

 Loudoun County Public Schools

*   Brambleton Middle School

*   Broad Run High School

*   Little River Elementary School

*   River Bend Middle School

*   Stone Bridge High School

 Newport News City Public Schools

*   General Stanford Elementary School

 Norfolk City Public Schools

*    Bay View Elementary School

*   Tarrallton Elementary School

*   Willard Model Elementary School

 Portsmouth Public Schools

*   Brighton Elementary

*   Churchland High School

*   Cradock Elementary School

*   Douglass Park Elementary

*   Park View Elementary School

*   W.E. Waters Middle School

*   Waterview Elementary

 Prince William County Public Schools

*    Ashland Elementary

*   Cedar Point Elementary School

*   Gar-Field High School

*   George G. Tyler Elementary

*   J.W. Alvey Elementary School

*   Martin Luther King Jr Elementary

*    Mary G. Porter Traditional School

*   Osbourn Park High School

*    Parkside Middle School

*   Pattie Elementary

*   Ronald Reagan Middle School

*   The Nokesville School

*   Triangle Elementary School

 Spotsylvania County Public Schools

*   Battlefield Elementary

*   Battlefield Middle School

*   Berkeley Elementary

*   Cedar Forest Elementary School

*   Chancellor Elementary

*   Chancellor High School

*   Courtland High School

*   Freedom Middle School

*   Harrison Road Elementary School

*   Livingston Elementary School

*   Massaponax High School

*   Ni River Middle School

*   Parkside Elementary

*   Post Oak Middle School

*   Riverview Elementary School

*   Smith Station Elementary School

*   Spotswood Elementary School

*   Spotsylvania Elementary School

*   Spotsylvania High School

 Stafford County Public Schools

*   Conway Elementary

*   Falmouth Elementary School

*    Rocky Run Elementary

 Virginia Beach City Public Schools

*   Bayside High School

*   Brandon Middle School

*   College Park Elementary School

*   Corporate Landing Elementary School

*   Corporate Landing Middle School

*   First Colonial High School

*   Floyd E. Kellam High School

*   Great Neck Middle School

*   Hermitage Elementary School

*   Kempsville High School

*   Kingston Elementary School

*   Landstown Middle School

*   Linkhorn Park Elementary School

*   Malibu Elementary

*   New Castle Elementary

*   North Landing Elementary

*   Princess Anne Elementary

*   Princess Anne High School

*   Salem Elementary School

*   Shelton Park Elementary School

*   Virginia Beach Middle School

*   W.T. Cooke Elementary

*   Windsor Woods Elementary School

*   Woodstock Elementary School

 Virginia Private Schools

*   Alexandria Country Day School

*   Atlantic Shores Christian School

*   Cape Henry Collegiate

*   Norfolk Collegiate School

*   Our Lady of Mount Carmel School

*   Saint Gregory the Great Catholic School

*   Saint Rita School

*   St. Louis Catholic School

*   St. Thomas Aquinas Regional School

*   Star of The Sea Catholic School

Williamsburg James City County Public Schools

*   Jamestown High School

York County Public Schools

*  Bruton High School

*  Coventry Elementary School

*  Grafton Bethel Elementary

*  Magruder Elementary

*  Tabb Middle School

Three school divisions have achieved Purple Star division status, which requires all schools in the division to have an active Purple Star designation. They are:

*   Falls Church City Public Schools

*   Gloucester County Public Schools

*   King George County Public Schools

Three school divisions have maintained their Purple Star division statuses from last year. They are:

*   Chesapeake Public Schools

*   York County Public Schools

*   Stafford County Public Schools

The Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children was created to ensure that the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children is properly managed. Virginia was the second state in the U.S., after Ohio, to establish the Purple Star program. Currently, 43 states have adopted the Purple Star school designation program.