Albany Creek State School provides a wide range of programs and services to support students with diverse needs. We acknowledge and cater for students with learning difficulties, gifts and talents, students who require support for behaviour, students who have English as a second language (ESL) and students who have a diagnosis in one or more of the categories of Intellectual Impairment (II), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Speech Language Impairment (SLI), Hearing Impairment (HI), and Physical Impairment(PI).
At Albany Creek State School we appreciate that all students learn and achieve at different rates. While some students may have different milestones, given appropriate teaching practices in a warm supportive environment our students can achieve to their maximum potential.
Visit Student with additional needs page for more information.
Guidance services
The professional services of guidance officers attached to Education Queensland are available to the school. When particular learning needs become apparent and teachers require specialised assistance, guidance officers are consulted. For this to occur, the consent of parents is required. In some cases special arrangements are made for students to be taught by learning support teachers or other specialist staff.
Chaplain
A School Chaplain is placed in the school at the request of a committee consisting of representatives from school administration, parents and local churches. Our School Chaplain works with and compliments existing school support services including those provided by the Guidance Officer, providing counselling, pastoral care and support for students and staff. Visit our Chaplain page for more information.
Defence School Mentor (DSM)
A Defence School Mentor provides support to children of Australian Defence Force members and their families, particularly during their transition into and out of school on posting and during long term deployment.
The Defence School Mentor (DSM) is an employee of the school, with funding provided annually from the Department of Defence to facilitate the best possible educational outcome for children of Defence members. This funding program is administered by the Defence Community Organisation (DCO) and recognises the partnership between education authorities, schools and Defence to support Defence members and their families."
The Defence School Mentor was formally known as the Defence School Transition Aide (DSTA). The name change reflects the role that we perform in the school; the program has not changed. The position was created as there was an understanding that some children experience difficulties academically and socially each time they move schools. As the DSM I help children to overcome these issues and settle in more quickly. I also help all defence children at the school should they seek or require assistance.
Mobility has been identified as a key issue affecting Defence families. As the DSM I have introduced a range of programs to support defence families and deal with issues relating to being a mobile family. Some of these include:
- Welcome BBQ at the beginning of the year, open to students and families
- Helping families settle into their new school community
- Supporting children when a parent is away on deployment
- Assist in the school in understanding the needs of ADF parents and their children
- Monitoring new children in the playground and helping them when necessary
- Lunch time activities aimed at forming friendships
- Encouraging fellow students to look after new students and adopting a buddy system
- Assist new families with local facilities, sports programs and extracurricular activities.
- Assisting families to collect work portfolios and academic records or reports for the new school
- Help the school commemorate special events such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day commemorations
- Monitoring day to day children's personal issues such as friendships
- Act as a point of contact for ADF families within the school
- Assist with Education Assistance Scheme (tutoring)
- Farewell activities which includes a farewell book from teachers and students
Contact
For more information on the Defence School Transition Aide, please contact the school office on (07) 3264 0111 or by email: tmort37@eq.edu.au
Defence school mentor parent pack (PDF, 1,047KB)
Defence mentor trifold (PDF, 881KB).pdf