At Ferny Grove State School, we acknowledge that families of Australian Defence Force members are presented with additional challenges due to a high mobility rate and service commitments resulting in periods of parental absence from home. As a result, the school participates in the Defence School Mentor Program (DSM) to provide the additional social and emotional support your child may require.
The Defence School Mentors provide support by welcoming new Defence families to the school, ensuring your child has many opportunities to get to know the school quickly and to establish friendships within the classroom and the Defence students' cohort, and by working closely with teachers to ensure your child is supported if any issues arise throughout the school year.
During times of parental absence from home due to deployments, your child will benefit from the support the DSMs can provide by having the opportunity to create cards and other gifts for the absent parent. Working in groups with other children experiencing deployment may help your child make sense of the emotions that come with having their mum or dad away for long periods of time, as well as assist in normalising the unique sacrifices defence families make as part of their service. Your child will benefit from the lunchtime programs run by the DSMs, as these programs aim to create fun and welcoming spaces for ADF children to feel special, develop friendships and feel a sense of belonging.
When the time comes for you to prepare for relocation to your new posting, the DSMs will assist your child prepare for the move by working with your child on researching their new school, the fun and exciting opportunities a new city may offer and by working through a farewell book aimed at addressing the positive and negative emotions associated with moving schools. This book is filled with photographs of your child's experiences and becomes a memento of their time at Ferny Grove State School.
We also have a Facebook group for parents in our Defence community as a tool for sharing relevant information about transition, support and resources. Defence parents at Ferny Grove State School can ask to join and be approved by the page admins.
If you have any queries regarding the Defence School Mentor Program at Ferny Grove SS please contact Jessica De la Jara or Drew Fricker via email at jdela140@eq.edu.au or afric9@eq.edu.au .