Bossier Parish is now home to eight Purple Star Schools, the most of any school district in Louisiana, which demonstrates the highest level of support to our military community.  

Three more schools – Apollo, Legacy and Elm Grove Middle – were surprised with banners signifying their official state designation as Purple Star Schools. The Bossier Chamber of Commerce also designated the schools as Military Community Champions. Other schools that already received Purple Star distinction include Parkway High, Cope Middle, Benton Intermediate, Benton Middle and Kingston Elementary. 

Meeting the criteria to receive Purple Star distinction is not easy, which is what makes it significant. Legislation was passed last summer to give schools throughout Louisiana the opportunity to be deemed Purple Star Schools if they met a stringent set of criteria and set a high standard when it comes to providing various support services to military children and their families.  

“This allows the parents to know when they come to the Bossier Parish School Board, these schools are ready to meet the needs of their students and ready to work with them for the transition,” said Holly George, Military Services Liaison at Bossier Schools. “It’s a large criteria to become a Purple Star School and we are excited that we have some of the first ones in the state.”  

Bossier’s Purple Star Schools will be recognized in Baton Rouge at the April meeting of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Altogether, more than 2,600 military-connected students attend Bossier Schools.