Military Connection

St. Matthew's Catholic School > Parents > Military Connection

 

We are very proud to be recognized as a Virginia Distinguished Purple Star School. St. Matthew’s has an exceptionally strong connection with our armed forces. A large portion of our student population is from military families.

Additionally, our Principal is a retired Navy Commander and many of our teachers and staff are either retired military service members or are spouses of active military service members. This gives us a unique, first-hand perspective and the ability to understand the emotional and psychological challenges that service members’ children must face.

For more information about Purple Star school designation and resources, click here to visit the Military Child Education Coalition website. 

For Admissions information, please click here.

         

 

 Meet our Military Liaison, Alyce Steil

In addition to being the Military Liaison, Alyce works as an Aide for 3rd through 5th grades and also subs in the Clinic. She has been a military spouse for 18 years. Her husband, Doug, recently retired after 21 years in the Navy. They chose to become a part of the SMS family upon their return to the States from Japan in 2017. Military families who have questions specific to the military experience at SMS, or about the Hampton Roads area in general, are welcome to contact Alyce at asteil@smsvb.net.

Alyce can also connect you with the Chapter Advisor to our National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), whose members serve as a student transition team to welcome new students to our school. Our friendly Student Sponsors assist new students in familiarizing themselves with our campus and our school’s procedures and ensure your student finds a peer group with which they are comfortable.

Our Military Lunch Group meets at different grade levels and is led by Ms. Jozelyn Willis, our School Counselor. Jozelyn is a 2017 Virginia Tech Grad and has earned her Master of Education in Mental Health Counseling from Old Dominion University. The Military Lunch Group provides an opportunity for students of parents stationed at home and deployed to talk about their experiences and feelings with other students, as well as participate in some military-themed artistic activities. For more information, Jozelyn can be reached at jwillis@smsvb.net.

Military Family Emotional Support Resources

Tutoring Services for Military Students

 For information about additional academic programs, please see the links below.

FOR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES please go to the Activities tab on our website.

PARENT TEACHER GUILD (PTG)

FOR MILITARY ASSISTANCE WITHIN THE HAMPTON ROADS COMMUNITY, you can visit Military OneSource or the Virginia Department of Education Military Families page to answer many of your military family-related questions or concerns. You can learn more about our diocese’s support for military families relocating to the area here.