Military Support Team
About Us
Supporting Military Connected Students to succeed in school and life!
The average military connected student will move 6-9 times throughout their school aged years, which is three times more than their non-military counterparts. According to Blue Star Families one of the top 5 concerns of military connected families is that the unique understanding of military life is not fully understood at school.
The Davis School District recognizes this need for support to military connected families and has partnered with the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to provide much needed supports to all military connected students in the district through Military Educational Therapists and Military Family Advocates. Members of the team have received training to support military children and families including the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission.
Contact Information
Main Office:
(801) 402-2359
Fax:
(801) 402-5308
Hours:
7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Staff
- Erin Webster, Military Family Advocate
- Francesca Suarez, Military Family Advocate
- Jenn Rupp, Military Educational Therapist
- Jordan Dye, Military Educational Therapist
Erin Webster, Military Family Advocate
I am a single mom of 3 Davis School District Students, with a BS in Family Studies. While I am not personally military connected, I have spent 3 years working as a Family Advocate for the Davis School District. This experience has given me a wealth of knowledge of community resources that can benefit and remove barriers for the students and families of our district. I am passionate about helping families have the tools and confidence they need to succeed. I look forward to using these skills as I work with our military connected families and promoting a military lens through out community.
I enjoy spending time with my children, being outside, reading and traveling.
Francesca Suarez, Military Family Advocate
Francesca Suarez, MPsych
fsuarez@dsdmail.net
I am the spouse of an active-duty Air Force servicemember serving 21+ years, mother to 2 school-age children here in Davis County and have 16 years being military-connected. I have my master’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice and currently working on my dissertation in Clinical Psychology. I have been a major resource for the military community through working within the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) overseas for several years, in administration and special education, providing services to military students in various capacities.
Favorite duty station: RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. Lived there for 6 years and it felt like home. There is endless history and architecture to explore.
Favorite hobby: Running and exploring with my family. We have travelled the world but still love to discover new places.
Jenn Rupp, Military Educational Therapist
Jenn Rupp, LCSW
jrupp@dsdmail.net
I am Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), certified educator, and have years of experience as a School Social Worker. I love my role as a Military Education Therapist with Davis School District. My father was a career Soldier, and I grew up as a military-connected child, moving many times with my father’s Army assignments. While in college, I met and married my husband, a United States Marine. We raised three boys together through many deployments and moves. After twenty-seven years of service, we retired and moved to Utah. I know firsthand that being a military family member is undeniably challenging. I learned to navigate challenges associated with being a military dependent, including the mental health impact of uprooting one’s life, time and time again, as one moves to a new location or works through another deployment and reintegration process. While I understand that military life can be challenging, I also recognize the positive character traits and skills that can be developed through these experiences. I utilize a strength and resiliency-based model to help students develop the skills necessary for them to be successful in school and life.
Favorite duty station: Okinawa, Japan. The island is beautiful and has lots of fun things to do.
Favorite hobby: Going on adventures with family.
Jordan Dye, Military Educational Therapist
Jordan Dye, LCSW
jdye@dsdmail.net
I am an LCSW and come from working in the field of mental health for over 10 years. I love to help people learn from their own experiences to reach their goals. I have a passion for helping people prepare for, work through, and grow from their challenges. As a part of this passion, I joined the Utah National Guard in 2018. I have had the opportunity to serve the citizens of this great state and country through multiple activations. I recently commissioned as a Behavioral Health Officer for the National Guard and am a First Lieutenant. I also volunteer as a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician for the Timpanogos Emergency Response Team where I combine my passions for helping others and being in the outdoors. I love working with children, youth and their trusted adults to learn skills and gain the confidence to succeed in school and in life.
Favorite Activation: Washington DC in 2021 for the Presidential Inauguration.
Favorite Hobby: Outdoor adventures with family and friends like hiking, climbing, canyoneering, and skiing.
Services
Military Educational Therapists provide clinical interventions and supportive services to military connected students across the district all in an effort to help the student succeed in their social, emotional, and educational pursuits. These services include:
- Brief individual therapy
- Group therapy in the schools
- Crisis intervention and safety planning
- Outreach
Military Family Advocates work with military families and students to remove educational barriers in the student’s life through:
- Connecting military families with the resources they need to support themselves and thrive.
- Helping military families identify physical and emotional self-care and stress-coping mechanisms
- Advocating for their needs
- Assisting in coordinating 504 and IEPs
As a team we can support schools in their efforts of supporting military connected students through:
- Staff trainings
- Assisting in achieving the Purple Star Award
- Assisting in planning Purple Up, Month of the Military Child events in April.
- Other individualized things to help schools help military connected students and Families.
Forms & Authorizations
Resources
Below you will find some resources to support military connected families. For more specific resources fit to individual needs reach out to us at 801-402-2359.
Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MIC3)
Airman & Family Readiness Center (AFRC)
Home Energy Assistance Target (HEAT) Program
Military Family Life Counselors (MFLCs)
Military Family Readiness Center
National Military Family Association
U.S. Department of Education for Military Families & Vets
Hill Air Force Base
Hill AFB School Liaison
Education Program Specialist
Office 801-775-5960
DSN 775-5960
Purple Star Schools
The Purple Star School Program recognizes School Districts and Individual Schools that demonstrate a major commitment to serving students and families connected to our Nation’s Armed Forces. Davis School District is proud to be a Purple Star School District.
The Utah Purple Star School Designation shows a dedicated effort by the school to promote a military friendly campus and has specifically trained its staff to understand, help transition, and support our military connected students.
The frequent relocations required of military personnel mean that military-connected students often face unique challenges during their school career. As students transition between schools, these students must adapt to varying cultures, school populations, curricula and course standards, and graduation requirements.
Davis School District Military Support Team is committed to partnering with you to ensure excellence in the education of your military-connected student and in finding innovative ways to support our military families.