South Carolina H 3717: Thomas Sumter Academy Purple Star recognition

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3717 Text of Previous Version (Jan. 15, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3717

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

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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This web page was last updated on January 15, 2025 at 04:34 PM