Sedalia 200, District Schools Earn Purple Star Designation

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) announced March 19 the school districts and individual school buildings that earned the 2025 Missouri Purple Star designation — the fourth round of designees in this statewide program.

Included are Sedalia School District 200 and these district schools: • Heber Hunt Elementary • Horace Mann Elementary • Loftus Early Childhood Center • Parkview Elementary • Sedalia Middle School • Skyline Elementary • Smith-Cotton Junior High • Washington Elementary.

Smith-Cotton High School earned the designation last year.

“This program is just one way to reiterate our state’s commitment to our service members,” said Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger. “As we kick off April as the Month of the Military Child, it is an honor to award these Purple Star designations. Each of the schools and districts works to support service members and their families in their local community, while also ensuring military children are prepared for success later in life.”

The 2025 Purple Star designees are invited to be recognized at the Month of the Military Child Kickoff event at 10 a.m. April 1 in the Capitol Rotunda, hosted by the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission and DESE.

The Purple Star School designation is awarded to military-friendly local education agencies (LEAs) that have demonstrated a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military — including active duty, National Guard or Reserve members, and military veterans. LEAs that earn this designation will receive a special Purple Star recognition to display onsite and on the school district (or individual school building) website.

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Superintendent Dr. Todd Fraley said, “In recent years the Sedalia School District has made it a priority to develop better and more effective relationships with our military families and with Whiteman Airforce Base. It is with great pride and honor for the district to receive this recognition in doing our part to not only support our troops but also their families.”