'This is Community': Cobb Special Needs Students Dance the Day Away

KENNESAW — Tuesday morning, about 800 students packed Kennesaw Mountain High School’s gym to enjoy the Cobb County School District’s annual dance for students with special needs. The movie “Toy Story” served as the dance theme, with characters from that movie decorating the gym.

Students enrolled in the district’s special education programs were joined on the dance floor by Kennesaw Mountain High School students and others, dancing to a variety of modern and classic hits.

“They look forward to it all year long, and so do the teachers,” said Bethany Black, adaptive physical education teacher with the Cobb County School District. “We as adaptive physical education teachers foster them learning how to dance, and we do all kinds of things in our classrooms on a weekly basis to get them ready for the dance.”

Black said it was great to see students in a safe environment where they can make friends with others. At times, conga lines spontaneously formed, circling the length of the gymnasium, as students, teachers, staff, police officers and volunteers joined in.

“Our guests always come in and have a great time,” said school principal Nathan Stark. “I love seeing our students pouring in and letting them know they’re cared for and loved.”

Stark said the school and its students not enrolled in special education programs have bought in to the concept, saying the annual dance has had an impact on everyone who participates.

First held in 2001, the dance is the brainchild of assistant principal Billy Richardson, who said it has broken down barriers between students with special needs and other students.

“Before, special ed kids were sort of shunned in the high school,” Richardson said. “Kids didn’t interact with them. When we started the dance, the interactions brought down a lot of walls and they were accepted.”

When the students arrived from schools across Cobb County, they were greeted by a receiving line of students from Kennesaw Mountain who applauded them, as well as the school’s JROTC students, who raised their sabers in the form of an arch for students to walk under. Those arriving then walked into a hallway decorated to resemble a scene from the “Toy Story” movies.

“We take the Disney method,” Richardson said. “We could have easily done the gym, but we wanted the kids to experience that they’re somewhere else. That’s why we spend time in the hallways and everywhere else having everyone involved.”

“It’s all about inclusion and making them feel like they’ve got their own prom,” said Marisa Ware, disciplinary clerk at Kennesaw Mountain High. “They can be themselves, they can have fun and nobody’s judging them.”

A number of teachers spoke of the excitement their students had participating in the dance, and for some of them, their joy matched that of their students.

Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling, a social studies teacher at Awtrey Middle School, was dressed in a 1970s leisure suit that he said was similar to John Travolta’s from the 1977 movie “Saturday Night Fever.”

“I can’t dance like John. I was trying to explain to my kids in the classroom this morning who this was, and you know how we related it to them?” Easterling said. “He’s the T-Mobile Santa that cuts a rug. They had no idea and I’m really dating myself.”

Easterling pointed out the smiles on the faces of the kids at the dance, and said he’d do anything for them.

“We’re filling an emotional bank account for everyone involved,” Easterling said. “That’s what this dance means to me. This is community.”

Special education teachers at Allatoona High School, standing off to the side, were enjoying seeing their students dancing with others from across the county.

“They love the socialization, and getting out to be in the community, it’s great,” said teacher Lauren Griffee, who said that if the excitement of their students could be measured on a scale of one to 10, it would be a 20.

“Seeing the other kids dance with our kids is the best,” said Abby Bulliner, special education paraprofessional at Allatoona High.