Military-Friendly Purple Star Schools Named In Burke Area

BURKE, VA — Schools in the Burke area have been named Purple Star Schools for meeting the needs of military families.

The Purple Star School designations are made by the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

Schools qualify by having a designated staff member as a contact for military students and families and providing resources and programming on issues important to military families like transitions between schools.

In all, 40 schools in the Fairfax County Public Schools system were named Purple Star Schools in 2022. In the Burke area, schools were recognized for being included for both the first and second time:

First Time Purple Star Schools in Burke area:

• Cardinal Forest Elementary School
• Kings Glen Elementary School
• Silverbrook Elementary School
• Terra Centre Elementary School
• Robinson Secondary School

Second Time Purple Star Schools in Burke area:

• Laurel Ridge Elementary School
• Orange Hunt Elementary School

"This is an honor for FCPS, our first-time Purple Star schools and those who continue to be recognized year over year," said FCPS Superintendent Michelle Reid in a statement. "I commend our school and division staff for everything they continue to do to support the complex needs of our military-related students and families."

This is the fifth year Purple Star Schools have been designated in Virginia. Schools keep the designation for three years and can reapply afterward. Over the five years, Fairfax County Public Schools has had 53 Purple Star Schools, or over a quarter of its 198 schools.