Austin High School received the state’s new Purple Star Campus Designation for our support and commitment to meeting the needs of military-connected students. Military-connected students make up approximately 10 percent of EPISD’s enrollment and District has five schools on military land. EPISD has a long-standing partnership with Fort Bliss.

“Providing a wide variety of support systems to meet our military-connected students’ needs is absolutely a top priority for the entire EPISD leadership team,” said Alan Weirnicki, EPISD chief quality officer and EPISD’s liaison to Fort Bliss. “We are always looking for better ways to improve support for the unique requirements of our Fort Bliss families as they transition in and out of El Paso and our school district.  The TEA’s Purple Star Campus designation is evidence that our schools are among the best in the state in terms doing just that.” 

To earn this designation, campuses must have:

• Designation of a campus-based military liaison.

• Creation and maintenance of an easily accessible web page that includes information for military-connected students and their families.

• A campus transition program; and

• Offered at least one of the following initiatives: a resolution showing support for military-connected students and families; participation in Month of the Military Child or Military Family Month; or a partnership with a school liaison officer to encourage and provide opportunities for active duty military members.

Austin High School is among the 106 newly designated Purple Star Campus designees throughout the state.