As Hernandez Middle School Special Education Teacher Ashley Brunette grew up, she aspired to become a successful and trusted broadcast journalist. But fate would intervene as her drive to help students with special needs became her sole mission in life.
Brunette has been selected as the 2017 Teacher of the Year for Hernandez. Brunette has been an educator for four years, all of which have been at Hernandez as a founding staff member.
Brunette, whose father was superintendent of a residential school for adults with disabilities, lived with her family at the school until she was seven years old, often making friends with the adult students. She found her calling during her freshman year of college when she found a job providing care to families with children with severe cases of Autism and developmental disabilities, Brunette said.
“Witnessing a child asking for water or expressing their feelings independently for the first time was a thrill that I quickly became addicted to,” Brunette said. “I realized that I had found a calling that was far greater and more fulfilling than simply making sure my hair looked nice, sitting up straight and delivering the news with an unbiased tone to an audience I would never see.”
Brunette now leads the Functional Academics Classroom (FAC) at Hernandez where she spearheaded the creation of “Bulldog Cafe.” Each Friday, FAC students work in the student-run cafe, which serves breakfast to staff. The students cook bacon, potatoes, tortillas and eggs each week and set up a condiment table, coffee and a cashier to complete the cafe.
“The cafe provides valuable vocational training, most importantly it aids in developing social skills, self-awareness and teaches students that they can be successful despite their disabilities,” Brunette said. “By working at the cafe, the students become more than just a ‘student with disabilities in FAC.’ They become a valuable part of our school community.”
Hernandez Principal Mario Acosta said Brunette and her students are one of the highlights of the campus. The positive attitudes and drive to integrate into the Hernandez community make the FAC class a integral part of the school community.
“Ms. Brunette is a light that brightens the lives of her wonderful students we well as the entire Hernandez community,” Acosta said. “Her ability to nurture and teach our FAC students is truly life altering. Ms. Brunette is one of the best educators I have encountered in my 13 years of education.”
