Longfellow is home to 57 military families, all of whom come with a unique set of circumstances. We have now achieved  The Distinguished Purple Star Award, for excellence in establishing a school culture dedicated to meeting the transitional needs of military connected students.

Virginia, according to Governor Northam, has large numbers of military-connected students in schools.  

“We know that repeated relocations or separation when a parent is deployed can be challenging for military families,” said Northam, as reported in Fredericksburg Today.

To encourage schools to be more aware of these difficulties, schools are eligible to be Purple Star recipients.  To qualify for a Purple Star, schools need to reach out to military families through a liaison and provide resources on issues such as transitions, academic planning, and community engagement. Longfellow’s liaison is Director of Student Services, Marissa Brooks.

“When  new military connected students come to LMS, we match them with a student ambassador to show them around the building,” said Brooks.  We also have a new program in which staff members who are military connected can mentor new students.”

Through this program and others, Longfellow strives to be an important resource to our community.