FCASD NAMED PURPLE STAR SCHOOL
FCASD NAMED PURPLE STAR SCHOOL
Fox Chapel Area School District Director of Literacy Dr. Dana Simile accepted the district’ s Purple Star School designation as part of the Standards Aligned System( SAS) Institute, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in Hershey, in December. Also featured in the photo are Amy Lena, the deputy secretary for the state Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Brian Campbell, director of the Bureau of Curriculum, Assessment, and Instruction. ox Chapel Area
FOX CHAPEL AREA SCHOOL NEWS
The Fox Chapel Area School District was awarded a Purple Star School designation by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Fox Chapel Area’ s designation runs January 2026 through December 2029.
Purple Star Schools is a program that supports military-connected children as they relocate to new schools due to a parent’ s / guardian’ s change in duty station. This designation is given to Local Education Agencies( LEAs) and schools for their commitment to serving active-duty military families and students through efforts such as designating a military liaison and providing a transition initiative.
To achieve Purple Star School designation, LEAs and schools must meet multiple criteria, including designating a staff member as a military liaison, detailing how the LEA or school identifies military-connected students, maintaining a publicly accessible webpage to provide resources for military-connected students and their parents / guardians, and providing a transition initiative led by students.
“ I am proud that the Fox Chapel Area School District has earned the Purple Star designation,” said Superintendent Dr. Mary Catherine Reljac.“ It shows that we have a commitment to not just the educational needs, but also to the social and emotional needs of students from military families. We have dedicated resources to help not just these children, but their families, during times of transition.”
More information about the Purple Star Schools program can be found at https:// militarychild. org / programs-and-initiatives / purple-star-schools /.
FCASD SEEKS COMMUNITY EXPERTISE
The Fox Chapel Area School District is seeking community members to serve on the Fox Chapel Area School Authority and the Resource Planning Advisory. The School Authority provides insight into facilities projects in the district. The Resource Planning Advisory assists with long-range financial planning and monitors financial trends.
Individuals interested in either group should send a résumé to Superintendent Dr. Mary Catherine Reljac at marycatherine _ reljac @ fcasd. edu.
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