The Indiana Department of Education recently announced 35 newly designated Purple Star schools.

Schools receiving the designation are awarded for their significant display of commitment to service members, veterans and students and families connected to the nation’s military.

During Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Diane Altemeyer, director of federal and state programs for Seymour Community School Corp., said all eight schools have been designated as Purple Star schools.

Those awarded in 2021 join 60 schools awarded with Indiana’s inaugural Purple Star designation in 2020. The designation is valid for three years.

“Schools also have to meet certain criteria, including having an assigned point of contact for military families, and that contact has a training requirement,” Altemeyer said.

Katie Leitzman, assistant director of federal and state programs, is serving as the corporation’s assigned point of contact for military families and has completed the required training. Altemeyer said Leitzman organizes a lot of the efforts behind the scenes at the district level.

Other requirements to be designated as a Purple Star school are having a dedicated webpage as a resource for service members, veterans and military families, holding an annual military program and having a public military display.

“Every building in the Seymour schools corporation has a program or ceremony to honor our veterans,” Altemeyer said. “Our principals work really hard to honor our military families in their own unique way, and within a few steps of entering each of our school buildings, visitors are greeted with a display that honors our military families.”

It also is required for a school board resolution publicizing support for military students and families and employment of military service members and their immediate family members.

“Our school board passed a resolution at a prior board meeting recognizing and showing support for our military families,” Altemeyer said. “The resolution passed by the board publicly acknowledges that when known will guarantee an interview to active military service members and their immediate family who meet the minimum qualifications for job openings.”

She said the support of military families is evident in all of the corporation’s schools.

“I wanted to recognize all of the efforts that Seymour Community Schools puts forth to honor our veterans,” Altemeyer said. “It takes a team effort, and when I reflect on the honor and reverence shown in our community on behalf of our military families, I’m quite humbled and honored to be here before you tonight to provide one more example of our schools’ excellence.”

Katie Jenner, Indiana’s secretary of education, said the state is especially thankful for Hoosiers’ commitment to service members.

“This Veterans Day, it is an honor to award an additional 35 schools with the Purple Star designation,” Jenner said. “These schools work year-round to honor our service members and their families as well as prepare students to pursue their dreams after high school, including the pursuit of enlistment leading to service.”

Seymour High School Principal Greg Prange said he is very proud the school has been recognized for this accomplishment.

“My stepson-in-law was a Marine. My nephew is in the Navy. My stepfather was in the Army and was a POW,” Prange said. “Personally, the military is very important to me and my family. I want everyone in the school to be proud, supportive and respectful of those who have answered the call to defend our country and protect our freedoms.”

Each year, SHS has graduates enter the military, and recruiters visit the lunchroom on a regular basis. The Wall of Fame at the high school has several graduates who were military leaders who made enormous contributions to the security of our country.

“Over the years, we have had schoolwide presentations, and in recent years, we make a schoolwide announcement that speaks of the history of Veterans Day and how it continues to be relative to our current society,” Prange said.

“Several of our classes have had veterans speak to students. Our art classes are creating a personal project this year. Most of our students have been to the memorial at Gaiser Park, and many of them have visited Washington, D.C. Our band and choir also incorporate military-themed music into some of their concerts,” he said.

Prange said this world would be very different if it didn’t have people willing to fight to protect freedom, and America has been blessed with generations of brave men and women who have without hesitation answered their nation’s call.

“Veterans Day is the day that is set aside to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions are appreciated and to underscore the fact that all those who have served and their families have sacrificed and done their duty,” Prange said. “Veterans Day gives us an opportunity to publicly proclaim that appreciation.”

Cortland Elementary School Principal Lori Lister said she also is honored to receive the award.

“Every year, we have a Veterans Day program that all our students participate in. Our music teacher, Mrs. (Carolyn) Jones, works with the students to learn patriotic songs and poems, which are incorporated into the program,” Lister said. “Our students have also made cards and collected items for our active military. It is important for students to honor our veterans, current military members and their families because all of these people have or are currently sacrificing for our freedom.”

Emerson Elementary School Principal Julie Kelly said she is proud that her school and the corporation have been recognized.

“To me, it is a reflection of our community and the deep roots Seymour and Jackson County have with the military via Freeman Field, our many veterans and our memorial,” she said. “As a community, honoring our veterans is embedded. The Purple Star distinction is a way that Emerson and Seymour schools are reflecting that heritage.”

Staff and students at Emerson begin their day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, which is a positive way to incorporate American heritage and honor veterans and their families for the sacrifices they have made and will make, Kelly said.

“The pledge provides a common foundation to lead into conversations about our United States, how it was hard fought to be founded and the long history of the United States protecting and defending our country,” she said.

Beyond the daily pledge, the school has an annual Veterans Day program, participates in letter writing to deployed military members, incorporates positive patriotic lessons in kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms and offers support to any students who have parents deployed.

“Unless a child has a parent in the military, there really is no way for the child/student to understand the sacrifices families make to protect and defend all people in the United States,” Kelly said. “It’s an honorable career, and as a school, we can help build understanding, compassion and respect for veterans and their families through our actions, curriculum and habits.”