Round Rock ISD’s secondary Functional Communication Classrooms (FCC) received new resources to support hands-on instruction through a donation from a local H-E-B store.
The grocery retailer donated more than $800 in merchandise to support classroom instruction and community-based learning experiences tied to the Essentials for Living curriculum, which focuses on building functional communication and daily living skills for students with disabilities.
Marisol Pedraza, a Functional Communication Classroom teacher at Pearson Ranch Middle School, said the products she purchased will be used daily in her classroom through structured, hands-on activities.
“We have an H-E-B mock store area where the kids can shop with a grocery list, and a kitchen area where, ‘Hey, we just got home from the grocery store. Let’s put away our things.’ Then students match the items to their correct place,” said Pedraza.
She said families are already seeing those skills transfer outside of school.
“I’ve gotten feedback from parents that our students are going into the kitchen at home and pulling out items because they want a certain food to be made,” Pedraza said. “Or that they’re at H-E-B and can help their parents push the cart and grab items.”
The donation was distributed across eight secondary FCC programs earlier this month. Ahead of the spring semester, FCC teachers visited the H-E-B store at 11521 North FM 620 in Austin, where each classroom used a $100 budget to purchase instructional materials and bring the supplies back to their campuses.
Items purchased included dry goods, hygiene products, and other materials used for functional living skill practice across four core rotation areas: task boxes, kitchen, laundry, and simulated shopping experiences.
“We’re not only getting them ready for future life at home, but maybe a potential job,” Pedraza said. “The lessons we’re able to teach here are generalized, but they carry over. We get them used to visualization and routine and make sure those skills are transferable.”
Pedraza said she’s grateful to H-E-B for its donation.
“It was such an amazing opportunity for us to be able to go and shop for our students; these products really will make a difference,” she said.
In addition to the donation, H-E-B provided each participating teacher with an H-E-B basket to use in classroom mock stores. The partnership reflects the company’s commitment to community involvement and inclusive employment practices, including hiring individuals with disabilities.