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Gatesville ISD outlines Purple Star push and Fort Cavazos partnership to aid military‑connected students
Summary
District staff told the board it will apply for Purple Star designation for all five campuses, expand campus military liaisons and host May 5 professional development to support student transitions from Fort Cavazos; Garrison Commander Colonel Stokes praised the partnership.
District officials told the Gatesville ISD Board of Trustees they are preparing Purple Star designation applications for all five campuses and expanding supports for military‑connected students.
The district presentation said it has assigned military liaisons on each campus (often counselors or administrators), will create a military‑families webpage on the Gatesville ISD site, and will run staff training on May 5 led by the campus military liaisons. The application for Purple Star designation is due in mid‑June, and district staff said they are "packing up the evidence" after a year of preparations.
Speaker S3 said the youth sponsorship program helps students who arrive after a permanent change of station by providing transition buddies, information and a sense of belonging. Leticia Sanchez, identified in the meeting as a Fort Cavazos school liaison officer, attended a planning meeting, the presenter said.
Colonel Stokes, introduced as the Garrison Commander for Fort Cavazos, told the board the installation provides many city‑like services and thanked Gatesville ISD for supporting military‑connected students. "It takes a team of teams," he said, and noted he will be transferring to West Fort Cavazos but praised the ongoing partnership.
District staff emphasized the Purple Star work is informational on the agenda; no board action was required. The board was told the district previously passed a resolution supporting military families and participated in the Month of the Military Child in April as part of ongoing engagement with Fort Cavazos.
The district said the Purple Star designation could streamline supports for frequent student moves — staff noted military families move more often than typical district families and that clear transition procedures can reduce stress and social isolation for students.
Next steps: the district will complete the May 5 professional development, finalize the application materials and submit the Purple Star applications in mid‑June.
