Rochester School Board approves start of application for Indiana Purple Star School Designation

The Rochester School Board decided to get the ball rolling for potentially becoming a Purple Star School when a motion was approved to start the application process during its meeting Tuesday.

The Indiana Purple Star School Designation is a program that honors schools that have proven to display significant commitment to families connected to the military, whether it be service members or veterans. Purple Star School requirements include assigning a designated staff member to serve as a liaison for families of service members and veterans, training requirements, a dedicated display and webpage that provides recognition and resources families of service members or veterans, and employment of military service members and their immediate family members at the schools. 

The program was designed to help mitigate the challenges of high mobility by setting standards for and publicly designating military-friendly schools that are best equipped to meet the unique needs of military families. 

In 2023, the Indiana Department of Education announced 102 newly-designated and/or redesignated Purple Star Schools in the state, the largest group since the award was created in 2020.

Rochester Community Schools Superintendent Jana Vance said they plan on providing things like photographs of Columbia Elementary students properly folding the United States flag, information on their Veterans Day programs they hold each year throughout the school district, and more for the application process, with hopes of approval.

Once the application is submitted, the state will decide the approval for Rochester Community School Corp. If approved, the Purple Star School Designation would be valid for three years.