Military Families

Gunston Middle School is in the process of becoming a Purple Star School. Purple Star schools are designated and approved by the Virginia Department of Education, indicating that the school has demonstrated a commitment to supporting the social-emotional challenges faced by military-connected students. The Arlington Public School Board passed a resolution publicizing our district’s support for military students and families.

More information can be found on the Arlington Public Schools page for Military Families.

Points of Contact

Gunston Point of Contact

Primary Contact Points between Gunston MS and Military Families are listed on the table below. They will be readily available to address any concerns or questions that military-connected students and their families may have, providing personalized support and guidance throughout their time at Gunston MS.

Maria Romero maria.romero2@apsva.us	Bilingual Family Specialist
Shanna Ford shanna.ford@apsva.us	Registrar
Maria Delgado maria.delgado@apsva.us	Teacher and Military Spouse

State Point of Contact

Daniel L. Dunham

Military Student and Family Specialist

dan.dunham@doe.virginia.gov

APS Central Office Point of Contact

Chris Wilmore, Ed. D.

Director of Secondary Education

chris.willmore@apsva.us

Partnership with Fort Myer

The nearest military base to Gunston is Fort Myer (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall), which offers a wide range of services and support for military families, including information about their children’s education and the programs available on or near the base.

At Fort Myer, families can get assistance with:

Department of Defense, private, or public school options
Educational programs for students with special needs
Transition resources for highly mobile children

Contact: E. Ann Daffin Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

elizabeth.a.daffin.civ@mail.mil

ph (703)696-76720

Website: Education Services

Exceptional Family Member Program

Special Education Support and Services

Information related to special education or gifted services is available on the Special Education, Advanced Academics and Talent Development and Parent Resource Center web pages on the Gunston and APS websites. For more details, email prc@apsva.us or call 703-228-7239.

Exceptional Family Member Program: Resource Fort Myers -EFMP

If you have a family member with special needs, it is essential to enroll them in the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) to receive the necessary support to manage their care and required services. This program is designed to help military families access resources that make daily life easier and ensure their loved ones receive proper care.