On Friday, 272 families received food via a partnership between Washington Court House City Schools (WCHCS), the Ohio National Guard (1-134th Field Artillery Regiment), the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, and WCH Grace United Methodist Church.
The free family food distribution drive-thru was held at the Washington High School and Middle School campus from 10 a.m. to noon.
This distribution, according to WCHCS Marketing and Communications Director Trevor Patton, is one of many projects the district has undergone in connection with the military, and the district’s Purple Star award. WCHCS earned the Purple Star from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) last school year, according to Patton.
According to the ODE website, “The Purple Star Award for military-friendly schools recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. Schools that earn the award will receive a special Purple Star recognition to display on-site. A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all the required activities, plus one optional activity, listed below. The Purple Star Advisory Board, formed by the Ohio departments of Education, Higher Education, Veterans Services and the Adjutant General, helps decide a school’s eligibility for the award.”
The optional activities schools can take part in for the award, according to the website, include providing professional development for staff regarding special considerations for military students and families, the passage of a resolution by the local school board publicizing the school’s support for military children and families, and hosting a military recognition event that demonstrates a military-friendly culture.
The required activities, according to the website, include maintaining a page on the school website dedicated to resources for military families, and having a staff member act as a point of contact for military students and families. This point of contact would be serving as a primary liaison between the military students/ families and the school.
“The liaison completes professional development on special considerations for military students and families under federal law. The ‘Military Children in Ohio’s Schools’ course is available on the ODE learning management system and may be used to complete this requirement. The liaison identifies and informs teachers of the military-connected students in their classrooms and the special considerations military families and students should receive,” explains the website.
Patton is acting as the district’s Purple Star liaison for WCHCS military students and families.
Information in this article was provided by WCHCS Director of Marketing and Communications, Purple Star Liaison Trevor Patton.
Reach Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355 or on Twitter @JennMWoods.
