GULF SHORES — At the Jan. 15 meeting, Gulf Shores Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution allowing the city school system to apply for the Alabama Purple Star Schools program, supporting military family students.

Assistant Superintendent for Gulf Shores City Schools (GSCS) Stephanie Harrison presented the resolution at the Jan. 8 work session and regular meeting. She spoke on her own experience as a child in a military family.

"I went to five different elementary schools myself," she said. "It is difficult when you have to move state to state and sometimes during the year. [With this program] we'll have a person on each campus that goes through training to be able to specifically help military families with their needs."

This will allow the school system to improve on strategies already in place, such as classes through virtual school, and publish helpful information on the program on the school website.

According to the resolution, the Alabama Purple Star Schools program recognizes and works with unique challenges caused by frequent moves, family separation and reintegration.

The elementary, middle and high schools will maintain student-led programs providing peer support for transitioning or new military students.

School board president Kevin Corcoran said this resolution is not just an "attaboy" for the school system.

"This is committing resources and an ongoing perpetual commitment to military families, understanding the idiosyncrasies of being a military family and as many moves as they take on," he said. "If there's any group we need to be especially attentive to, it's our veterans and our active-duty people. It's a great program."

Harrison said now that the board has approved the resolution, GSCS can apply through the Alabama State Department of Education to be recognized as a military-friendly Purple Star School.

Each Gulf Shores campus will be joining schools in the Baldwin County Public School and Orange Beach City School systems in recognition of being military friendly, bringing the county to a total of 11 Purple Star Schools.

According to GCM reporting, previously recognized Purple Star Schools in Baldwin County include Florence B. Mathis Elementary, Daphne East Elementary, Daphne Elementary, Daphne High, Orange Beach Middle and High School, Spanish Fort High, Stonebridge Elementary and W. J. Carroll Intermediate School.