El Paso Independent School District continues to strengthen its support for military families with the addition of 10 new Purple Star campuses, according to an announcement made by the district. This honor, awarded by the Texas Education Agency, singles out schools for their efforts to meet the unique educational and transitional needs of military-connected students.
The newly designated Purple Star schools include a mix of elementary, middle, and high schools: Austin High School, Charles Middle School, Irvin High School, Lundy Elementary School, Mesita ECDC at Vilas, Milam Elementary School, Moreno Montessori, Kohlberg Elementary School, Richardson Middle School, and Tom Lea Elementary School. This brings the district's total to 63, showing their ongoing commitment to supporting over 8,000 military-connected students annually.
To earn the Purple Star Designation, schools must fulfill certain criteria, such as having a campus-based military liaison, creating a transition program for new military-connected students, maintaining a dedicated webpage for military families, and fostering a military family initiative. This designation underscores the district's dedication, with now more than half of its campuses recognized for their commitment to serving these students and their families, according to El Paso ISD.
Cecilia Perez, principal of Moreno Montessori, explained the significance of this achievement in a statement obtained by the El Paso ISD, "Earning this designation shows how deeply El Paso ISD values and supports our military families, at Moreno Montessori, we work to ensure that every child, whether they’ve lived here all their life or just arrived from across the world, feels welcomed, supported, and celebrated, this recognition reaffirms that commitment."
