Bellbrook Middle School was one of 165 in the state of Ohio to earn its Purple Star recognition on Monday afternoon.
The Purple Star award signifies the willingness of the staff at Bellbrook Middle School – and the district as a whole – to do whatever it takes to make sure students of military families overcome obstacles when transitioning between school settings. Ohio’s military-connected youth require supports to ensure their unique social, emotional and academic needs are met.
The Purple Star award signifies the school has demonstrated commitment to serving these students and families.
“The Bellbrook community has enjoyed an outstanding relationship with the Wright Patterson Air Force Base and our military personnel,” Bellbrook Middle School Principal Jeff Eckley said. “Being a part of the Purple Star School program helps us assist our students from military families and make the challenges of deployment and relocation more manageable. We are very proud of this designation and it is reflective of the hard work of our staff.”
Ohio’s Purple Star Advisory Board established a set of criteria that schools must meet to be considered for a Purple Star designation. The certification last three years.
Future Forward Ohio, the state’s strategic priorities for education, recognizes the importance of overcoming obstacles to learning. Receiving the awards means the school once again demonstrated its commitment to serving military students and families and that the staff is dedicated to making sure students are successful in school and when transitioning between different districts.
“Our proximity to Wright Patterson Air Force Base comes with a great deal of responsibility,” Superintendent Dr. Doug Cozad said. “We know these families work hard to protect our nation and that means we need to work equally as hard to protect their children’s education. We have high standards at Bellbrook and our entire staff does its best to make sure the students in our district can meet them, no matter the obstacle.”