PA Cyber Earns Purple Star School Designation for Commitment to Military Families

April 10, 2025

The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) received a Purple Star designation from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for its commitment to military-connected students and families. Approximately 200 students in military families are currently enrolled at PA Cyber, many of whom face unique educational and social-emotional challenges due to relocation and deployment. Recognizing these hardships, PA Cyber provides dedicated resources and assistance to overcome these obstacles.

“These families take care of us and make many sacrifices in order to serve our country, so this is our opportunity to take care of them,” says Dave Veon, PA Cyber’s point of contact for military families. “We are excited about the new initiatives that we are implementing.”

Some of PA Cyber’s initiatives include: providing teachers and staff with professional development to improve their understanding of these students’ unique needs, maintaining a dedicated webpage with resources for military families, ensuring smooth transitions when these students enroll into or transfer out of PA Cyber, and establishing a relationship with a military base to learn about their family programs. PA Cyber will expand its Purple Star-related initiative over the coming months.

Brianna and Charles A. (Drew) Holmes from Lancaster County have selected PA Cyber as the best school for their children, CJ and Cadence. Charles serves in the Army National Guard, and Brianna is a veteran.

“Both kids are able to stay focused and supported while their dad serves away in training and on missions,” Brianna says. “Since CJ and Cadence have the flexibility of learning through PA Cyber, they are able to travel with their dad at times!”

According to the Military Child Education Coalition, military families experience six to nine relocations on average during their children’s K-12 schooling. Most (76%–80%) of these students are enrolled in public schools like PA Cyber, making it essential for teachers and staff to know how to support them.

“We want to ensure we are supporting these students every step of the way,” says Eric Woelfel, Deputy Chief Operating Officer. “From the time they enroll to preparing them for life after graduation, PA Cyber’s goal is to keep military-connected students on track to be college, workforce, and life-ready.”

To learn more about Purple Star Schools, visit militarychild.org.

Learn more here about what PA Cyber offers students when it comes to school choice.

Media Contact

Jennie Harris / jennie.harris@pacyber.org

About PA Cyber

Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is the most experienced online public school in Pennsylvania. PA Cyber’s online learning environments, personalized instructional methods, and curricula choices connect Pennsylvania students and families with state-certified and highly qualified teachers and rich academic content aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment to any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.