HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) — Dozens of schools across Hampton Roads are being honored with a Purple Star designation for supporting students and families in the military.

To qualify for a Purple Star, schools must have a staff member designated as the point of contact for military students and families. Virginia is home to several of the largest military installations in the country. Currently, there are more than 80,000 school-age military-connected students attending schools in Virginia. 

Since 2018, VDOE and The Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity of Military Children have selected 328 schools across Virginia for the award of which 192 have been honored twice.

This year, Chesapeake Public Schools became Virginia’s first district to have 100% of its schools with the purple star designation.

In Virginia Beach, 46 schools were named 2022-23 Virginia Purple Star schools. About 20% of students in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) are military-connected, meaning that they have active-duty family members or are military-dependent youth.

VBCPS honorees are Arrowhead Elementary, Alanton Elementary, Bayside 6th Grade Campus, Bayside Middle, Bayside High, Brookwood Elementary, Centerville Elementary, Christopher Farms Elementary, Corporate Landing Middle, Creeds Elementary, Fairfield Elementary, First Colonial High, Glenwood Elementary, Green Run Collegiate, Green Run High, Holland Elementary, Independence Middle, Kempsville Meadows Elementary, Kempsville Middle, King’s Grant Elementary, Landstown Elementary, Landstown High, Landstown Middle, Larkspur Middle, Luxford Elementary, Lynnhaven Middle, Ocean Lakes Elementary, Ocean Lakes High, Old Donation School, Pembroke Elementary, Pembroke Meadows Elementary, Plaza Middle School, Princess Anne Elementary, Princess Anne Middle, Providence Elementary, Red Mill Elementary, Rosemont Forest Elementary, Salem High, Salem Middle, Strawbridge Elementary, Tallwood High, Thalia Elementary, Thoroughgood Elementary, Three Oaks Elementary, Trantwood Elementary, and Virginia Beach Technical and Career Education Center.

In Hampton, five schools were also honored as Purple Star schools. The schools are Armstrong School for the Arts, Burbank Elementary School, Eaton Fundamental Middle School, Jones Magnet Middle School, and Kecoughtan High School. 

Below are additional schools honored with the designation:

  • Gloucester County
    • Bethel Elementary, Botetourt Elementary, Gloucester High, Peasley Middle
  • Newport News
    • Katherine G. Johnson Elementary
  • Norfolk
    • Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, Camp Allen Elementary, Larchmont Elementary, Northside Middle, Willoughby Early Childhood Center
  • Poquoson
    • Poquoson Elementary, Poquoson High, Poquoson Middle, Poquoson Primary School
  • Portsmouth
    • Churchland Elementary, Churchland Middle, Victory Elementary
  • Williamsburg-James City County
    • Lois S. Hornsby Middle, Warhill High
  • York County
    • Bethel Manor Elementary, Grafton Middle, Mount Vernon Elementary, Queens Lake Middle, Seaford Elementary, Tabb Elementary, Waller Mill Elementary, York High, York River Academy, Yorktown Elementary, Yorktown Middle

The following private and parochial schools also earned Purple Star awards this year:

  • Browne Academy, Christ the King Catholic School, Peninsula Catholic High, Portsmouth Catholic Regional School, Saint Bernadette Catholic School, Saint Francis of Assisi School, Saint John the Apostle Catholic School, Saint Pius X School, Star of the Sea Catholic School, Saint Mary Star of the Sea School

This is a preliminary list of schools across Hampton Roads with the purple star designation. 10 On Your Side will update the story as additional schools become available.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.