A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor Thomas Sumter Academy for its strong connection and relationship with military families and to congratulate the Administration, faculty, and students upon receiving a Purple Star designation in recognition of these efforts.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Thomas Sumter Academy has achieved the state's top honor for connection and relationship to families in the Armed Forces; and

Whereas, representatives from the South Carolina Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (SC MIC3) and state Military Child Education Coalition recognized the school on Thursday, December 5, 2024, with the Purple Heart designation at the Thomas Sumter campus; and

Whereas, Thomas Sumter Academy is the first member of the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) in the area to earn the honor and just the third SCISA school overall; and

Whereas, the designation is a top honor and provides a measure of comfort for military members and their families when transitioning into a new area, according to the Military Child Education Coalition. The support is calculated both for students' academics and extracurricular activities to allow them to continue to thrive and prosper; and

Whereas, Sumter School District is a Purple Star School District in South Carolina and Liberty STEAM Charter School is designated as a Purple Star charter school; and

Whereas, criteria for the designation include having a trained, designated school liaison for military families to support issues including relocation, deployment, and academic training. A school or district must have a whole section of its website devoted to military families, a group of students trained to be ambassadors paired with new military students, and professional development for staff to support military-connected families. Criteria are the same for private and public schools; and

Whereas, military dependents make up some forty percent of the school's student body, with parents serving at Shaw Air Force Base, Third Army, or McEntire Joint National Guard Base near Eastover in Richland County; and

Whereas, the state's Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission and Military Child Education Coalition provided training to the Thomas Sumter's faculty leadership team and student government to earn the designation and smooth transitions for military-connected students. Thomas Sumter dedicated about five months to the process to join the state's Purple Star ranks; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is grateful to academic institutions in our State that participate in Purple Star training to help military families serving our great nation to adjust as they accept new duty stations around South Carolina. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Thomas Sumter Academy for its strong connection and relationship with military families and congratulate the administration, faculty, and students upon receiving a Purple Star designation in recognition of these efforts.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Thomas Sumter Academy Head of School Ben Herod.

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