Canyon Hills takes special care in ensuring these students are cared for and supported, said Vice Principal Nicholas Willis.

“It starts at the door with our front office staff who welcome these families,” he said. “Our teachers are knowledgeable about these students and make sure they become part of the class when they move in the middle of the year.”

These and other efforts have earned Canyon Hills High School recognition as one of California’s 2022 Purple Star Schools.

This new recognition program created by the California Department of Education publicly recognizes schools that are committed and equipped to meet the unique needs of military-connected students and their families. Purple Star Program schools seek to reduce the burdens on military-connected students and their families by providing support, creating transition programs and offering staff professional development.

In January, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 31 schools have been designated as Purple Star Schools in the program’s inaugural year.

“Congratulations to the educators, staff, administrators, parents and students at these schools,” said Thurmond, in a news release. “These schools are crucial to supporting our military-connected students and ensuring that they maintain their academic, college and career aspirations while their parents serve our country.”

The military is one of the United States’ largest workforces with more than two million individuals. In 2017, California had 184,540 active duty service members and 56,167 individuals serving in the National Guard and Reserves.

Military-connected students must move whenever their active-duty parent or guardian receives a relocation order. These required relocations mean that a military-connected child can expect to change schools between six and nine times from grades K–12, which is three times more often than nonmilitary-connected children, according to the CDE.

As military-connected students transition between schools, often to different states and countries, they must adapt to varying cultures, school populations, curricula, standards, course offerings, schedules and graduation requirements. As a result, military-connected students often face unique academic and social-emotional challenges and struggle to stay on track to be college- and career-ready.

Willis said the emotional and academic stress experienced by military-connected students at Canyon Hills High School school varies. Some students have lived in multiple states or abroad, while others have been a part of the San Diego military community since elementary school.

“We see students’ anxiety rise when one parent is on deployment, and spouses frequently reach out for help,” Willis said. “The awareness of counselors and teachers of these students when they have struggles is crucial.”

The school has a Military Family and Life Counselor who meets with students 1-on-1. The district also helps facilitate Department of Defense grants that provide tutors in math classes as well as extracurricular college and career programs.

“As a staff, we often view data on our military-connected students,” Willis said. “They add great diversity to our student body, and we look to ensure that our grading and other policies are not having a negative impact on their success.”

Military-connected students are even honored in the school’s name. Many students live in nearby Murphy Canyon, the largest military housing in the area. When the school went through a name change process last year, the name “Canyon Hills High School” was placed on the ballot to acknowledge the importance of Murphy Canyon students to the school’s academic community, Willis said.

California’s 2022 Purple Star Schools Bonsall Elementary School, Bonsall Unified School District Bonsall High School, Bonsall Unified School District Bonsall West Elementary School, Bonsall Unified School District Cabrillo Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District Canyon Hills High School, San Diego Unified School District Compass Charter Schools of Los Angeles, Acton-Agua Dulce USD Compass Charter Schools of San Diego, Mountain Empire Unified School District Compass Charter School of Yolo, Winters Joint Unified School District Dana Middle School, San Diego Unified School District Dewey Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District Fort Irwin Middle School, Silver Valley Unified School District Hage Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District Jonas Salk Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District Lewis Elementary School, Silver Valley Unified School District Lone Tree Elementary School, Wheatland School District Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School, Fallbrook Union ESD Miller Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District Montgomery Middle School, San Diego Unified School District Newberry Springs Elementary School, Silver Valley Unified School District Ocean View Hills School, San Ysidro Elementary School District San Onofre Elementary School, Fallbrook Union Elementary School District Sessions Elementary School, San Diego Unified School District Silver Valley Academy, Silver Valley Unified School District Silver Valley High School, Silver Valley Unified School District Stuart Mesa Elementary School, Oceanside Unified School District Tiefort View Intermediate School, Silver Valley Unified School District Two Rock Union Elementary School, Two Rock Union School District Vivian Banks Charter School, Bonsall Unified School District Wheatland Charter Academy, Wheatland School District Wheatland Union High School, Wheatland Union High School District Yermo Elementary School, Silver Valley Unified School District