Military Child month

Month of the Military Child: Proud to Support our Military Students

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Hillsborough County Public Schools is proud to be home to 4,000 military-connected families in schools across our district.

It can be tough to be a military child, but our staff are specially trained to make transitions easier on these little heroes. And in April, we are proud to celebrate the Month of the Military Child.

Kim Sukash is our district’s military liaison. She works directly with our schools, especially the ones with the largest population of military families. She makes sure that our schools have the resources to assist military students and that their families can navigate our school system smoothly.

“April is a time to honor and acknowledge the unique sacrifices made by military children,” says Sukash. “These brave students face the challenges of frequent moves, leaving behind friends and adjusting to new schools. Their resilience and strength deserve our recognition and appreciation.”

Hillsborough County Public Schools has 21 schools that are designated Purple Star Schools. The purpose of the Purple Star School of Distinction is to recognize schools that support the unique needs of military families, help military-connected students navigate critical challenges and provide resources for military-connected students. One of those schools is Tinker K-8, which is actually located on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. Tinker K-8 has special resources and clubs for its military children and their families.

Military children students

However, other schools around our district also create special organizations and programs to make military students feel more welcomed.

Boyette Springs Elementary started a Military Kid Club. The club’s goal is to help military children plug in quickly at a new school and to provide them with a place for meeting other students with similar military-life experiences. The fourth and fifth grade students in the club become student ambassadors and are there to help buddy the younger military students.

So far this year, the Military Kid Club at Boyette Springs Elementary has made welcome packages for new military-connected students, created Lego Robotics with a military focus and created banners for parents who are being deployed.

Riverview High School has created a Student 2 Student program that brings military and civilian students together to welcome new students and build connections through service. The Student 2 Student Program is student-led with an overall mission to take care of new students and help them feel a sense of belonging. When a new military-connected student arrives on campus, the students in S2S show them their new campus, introduce them to staff and help them learn more about their new community. It provides fun ways for new students to get to know other students and build new peer groups.

With MacDill Air Force Base located right here in Tampa Bay, our district is no stranger to supporting our military families. It is our honor to take care of our military families and make sure the children feel welcome in school and in the community.

Please remember to Purple Up on April 15 and help us celebrate and honor these special students.

Whether you’re a military family or want to learn more about how to support our military families, visit our website at HillsboroughSchools.org/militaryfamilies

month of the military child

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Originally published in the April 2025 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.