SANFORD, NC – J. Glenn Edwards Elementary School of Lee County Schools became the first school in the district to earn the Purple Star Award designation from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). The award is presented to schools who apply and demonstrate military-friendly practices with a commitment to military students and families.
“The Purple Star Award is something that I wanted to pursue for J. Glenn Edwards because we do serve a high volume of military families, and I truly believe that our public schools are perfectly positioned to make a tremendous impact on military student success.” said Emily Mize, Principal at the school. “This award gave us a goal to fine tune our policies and practices to be the best they can be to serve the unique needs of military students and families.”
To earn the Purple Star Award, schools are required to complete a list of activities during the 2023-2024 school year. Each school must provide its staff with annual professional development regarding special considerations for military students and families. Additionally, the school must have a dedicated page on its website for military family resources.
The school also has to designate a staff member as the point of contact who serves as a consultant for military students and families. The school must include a transition program to support inbound and outbound military students and families, including providing inbound and outbound checklists for military students and families along with support for students enrolling and withdrawing.
Edna Stephens serves as the Military and Family Life Counselor at J. Glenn Edwards. She helps provide support to families on issues ranging from coping skills and conflict resolution to deployment stress, reintegration, relocation adjustment, separation, homesickness, grief, and loss.
“Mrs. Stephens’ role is one of providing stability in the often-chaotic lives of our military families,” Mize said. “Deployments, frequent PCS moves and family separations are simply a fact of life for our military service members and their families. To give these students the best possible chance to be successful in school, we have to be sure our staff are aware of the unique challenges that they face and help provide a calm, stable learning environment that can adapt to meet them where they are.”
Principal Mize added, “Every child is different, and those needs must be recognized and met in order for them to achieve. J. Glenn Edwards is dedicated to providing a nurturing learning environment for every student, including our military students and families.”
In early May, Mize and Dr. Chris Dossenbach, Superintendent of Lee County Schools, will travel to Raleigh for a special ceremony recognizing each Purple Star Award School across the state for the 2023-2024 academic year.