Brownwood News – The Brownwood Independent School District will be hosting a special Prom for differently abled students in Brownwood and area school districts on Friday, May 11, 2018.
This event will give special needs students the opportunity to enjoy a typical “prom experience” like other students do, at a time and venue set up to meet their individual and family needs. Ben Runyan, Executive Director of Special Populations for Brownwood ISD, said, “The purpose of hosting the prom is to provide certain students the experience that they may miss out on. While all the students that are in a Life Skills classroom have the opportunity to attend the prom in their home school (they are not excluded), they may miss out on the local school prom, for they are usually held on a weekend, which means the parents may have to drive and be there to support their child at these events. We are giving the students the opportunity to have the dress up and socialization with age appropriate peers during the school day with food items provided at the event. It does not require transportation or other event activities from the parents. In this presentation, we have reduced the preparation activities associated with a typical prom.”
Area schools will participate in the prom, including Brownwood ISD, Early ISD, Brady ISD, Coleman ISD and San Saba ISD, as well as others. An event this size requires a great deal of teamwork and support. Brownwood ISD has received enthusiastic support from Mrs. Melissa Cockerham and her TAFE students, Mrs. Kimberly Van Huss and her BHS art students, and Mr. Bobby Green, BISD Director of Food Services, who will provide the food for the event.
Mr. Runyan further stated, “We are so grateful for the support of our BISD administration and our faculty colleagues, who have generously helped bring this prom to life. With their contributions, we hope to make Friday’s prom a magical event for our students. This opportunity affords the most special in our school population the opportunity to experience what other students see as a routine event.”