Frenship’s Homebound Services program provides academic instruction to eligible students who meet a set of criteria established by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Homebound instruction is provided to chronically ill students who are confined to the hospital or their home.
Vicki Wyly is a Frenship Homebound Services teacher. She provides two to four hours of service per week to Frenship Homebound students, hoping to allow them to remain as normal as possible despite their unique circumstances.
“I go in and give instruction and answer any questions that the student may have,” Wyly said. “The student then is responsible to complete the assignments and keep up with their classmates. Homebound is the last place a student wants to be, isolated from their friends and the world around them. However, this program allows them to pace with their class and be ready for their return into the school setting.”
Wyly said that the most important thing to her is the child’s health.
“In the Homebound program, we work tirelessly to provide support for these students while sustaining a manageable amount of schoolwork based on the requirement and abilities of each individual student,” Wyly explained. “Homebound teachers utilize the same foundational building blocks for which Frenship has become so well known.”
Allie Wade is one of Wyly’s students. When Allie had an accident in 2020 that resulted in full body paralysis, her mom Deonna was unsure if she would be able to be part of a school district.
“I found out that she could be a part of her brother's school and also stay home with the home bound program,” Deonna said. “As her full time caregiver, I loved the idea of having the support of Frenship and having Mrs. Wyly come to the house and teach her instead of me being solely responsible for her education on top of everything else. It was such an overwhelming idea thinking about being her mom, caregiver, nurse, and teacher so I am so grateful that Frenship can take on her education while letting her stay home.”
Wyly said that Allie is anxiously awaiting the day that she is able to go to school in-person with her friends and teachers.
“She excels in school and is using assistive technology to complete her work and is even writing books with the help of her mom,” Wyly said. “We are currently working on learning her letters and sound and writing her name.”
Deonna said that Mrs. Wyly is very special to her and Allie.
“When your child becomes disabled after an accident, they lose SO much freedom and become very isolated, especially during a pandemic,” Deonna said. “It is nice to know that kids can be a part of Frenship and have that sense of community even if they can't go to school every day. It's also very nice as a mom who has suddenly become a full time caregiver to have someone helping me teach her and supporting me as the parent. The school and district truly care about her education and have gone above and beyond for her.”
Wyly instantly grew very close to Allie and is excited to be able to watch her learn and grow even more.
“She has a quick sense of humor and is so thoughtful,” Wyly said. “Her smile brightens my day, and she smiles the biggest when she is doing or giving something to someone else.”
Deonna said that even though they haven’t been Tigers long, they already feel right at home at Frenship.
“We are new to the district, but we instantly felt this sense of family and community,” Deonna said. “The teachers of Frenship instantly supported us and became very invested in our story. They have cried with me and supported us during a very difficult time, and I'm so grateful for that.”