Arizona Purple Star School

Supporting Military Connected Students

Our Commitment

At Sky Island School of Nature and the Arts, we are proud to be recognized as an Arizona Purple Star School, demonstrating our commitment to supporting military-connected students and families. We deeply appreciate the sacrifices made by our nation’s service members and understand the unique challenges that come with military life. Our goal is to provide stability, understanding, and a sense of community for every child who walks through our doors.

Military Family Resources

We recognize that military families often experience frequent moves, deployments, and transitions. Our staff is here to make those changes as seamless as possible, ensuring that your child feels supported academically, socially, and emotionally from day one.

Point of Contact

Heather Heredia

heather.heredia@skyislandschool.org

If you have questions or need assistance related to military family support, please reach out to Heather Heredia. She serves as your dedicated connection for enrollment assistance, community resources, and ongoing support throughout your time with us.

Welcoming New Military Families

Transitioning into a new school can be overwhelming, but at Sky Island you’re not alone. To help new students feel at home, we pair each incoming military-connected student with a trained Student Buddy who helps them navigate their first days, introduces them to classmates, and shows them around our campus.

This peer support program helps build confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging from day one.

Honoring Our Heroes

We proudly recognize and honor the service and sacrifice of military members throughout the year. Our observances include schoolwide activities, moments of remembrance, and opportunities for students to learn about the importance of service and community.

Annual Observances

  • Patriot Day - September 11

  • Veterans Day - November 11

These events are designed to inspire respect, gratitude, and civic pride among our students as we come together to honor our heroes.

Additional Resources

  • School Liaison Officer

    • A SLO serves as the link between military families, military commands, and local schools to support the educational needs of military-connected students.

  • Military Interstate Compact (MIC3)

    • An agreement between all states that addresses key issues encountered by military families: eligibility, enrollment, placement, and graduation.

  • Military One Source

    • A resource/website that provides a wide range of support and services to help with military life challenges.

  • Military Child Education Coalition

    • A nonprofit that helps military-connected children, families, and educators deal with the educational challenges that come with military life.

  • Tutoring

    • An online tutoring service funded by the Department of Defense that provides free tutoring and academic help for eligible students.

  • Bloom (Military Teens)

    • A program of the National Military Family Association (NMFA) that is a digital platform and community by military teens and for military teens. It was created to give military connected teens a voice, share experiences, and offer support.

  • Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC)

    • A program that offers free, non-medical counseling to military families to help with everyday challenges and transitions.