DOVER, N.J. – Dennis O’Brien Elementary School officially joined a growing network of military-friendly schools on Jan. 30 with a ribbon cutting ceremony recognizing its designation as a Purple Star School. The honor highlights the school’s commitment to supporting students and families connected to the military.
Administrators, teachers, students, parents, and local officials gathered inside the school’s gymnasium alongside representatives from nearby U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal as a purple ribbon was cut to mark the designation.
RIBBON CUTTING VIDEO BELOW:
DOVER, N.J. – Dennis O’Brien Elementary School officially joined a growing network of military-friendly schools on Jan. 30 with a ribbon cutting ceremony recognizing its designation as a Purple Star School. The honor highlights the school’s commitment to supporting students and families connected to the military.
Administrators, teachers, students, parents, and local officials gathered inside the school’s gymnasium alongside representatives from nearby U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal as a purple ribbon was cut to mark the designation.
District officials praised the school’s staff for their dedication and noted that the designation aligns with broader efforts to strengthen partnerships between schools and military communities.
“We are extremely proud that we are one of 11 schools in the state of New Jersey to be recognized as a Purple Star school, and the fact that we are the only school with this distinction in Morris County makes today’s celebration even more meaningful,” said Gaetano Sollazzo, Principal at Dennis O’ Brien Elementary School.
The Purple Star School program recognizes schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to serving military families. Requirements typically include having a designated staff liaison for military-connected students, providing professional development for educators, and offering resources that help students navigate transitions related to deployment or relocation.
For military families, relocation is a fact of life. With each move comes the challenge of transitioning children to new schools, a process that can be fraught with academic and social-emotional hurdles.
“Earning a purple star means that you have intentionally created a welcoming, understanding, supportive environment where students from military families feel supported academically, socially, and emotionally,” said Amanda Dizinno, School Liaison Officer with Child and Youth Services at Picatinny Arsenal.
A military-connected child can expect to move six to nine times from kindergarten through their high school graduation, with approximately 200,000 students transitioning to a new school in any given year.
To ease this burden and recognize schools that go above and beyond to support military-connected students, the Purple Star School program was born. This designation is a beacon for military families, signifying a school's commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for their children.
“Military-connected children face challenges that most of their peers never have to consider—frequent moves, long separations from parents, and the quiet weight of uncertainty that can come with military life,” said Lt. Col. Craig A. Bonham II, U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal, Garrison Commander.
“Yet they show remarkable resilience, adaptability, and strength. They do so in classrooms like these, guided by educators who recognize their unique experiences and choose to support them with intention and care. The purple star designation tells our military families something incredibly important: you belong here. It says that this school sees you, understands you, and is prepared to stand alongside you. It reflects deliberate effort—training staff to understand military life, providing points of contact for families, easing transitions, and fostering a culture where service and sacrifice are respected.”
The non-profit Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) is the national advocate for Purple Star Schools, a grassroots initiative that encourages states and school districts to establish Purple Star School programs.
The Purple Star designation is awarded for three years to schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.
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