Godley ISD school board trustees approved a waiver to the Texas Education Agency allowing Legacy Elementary School student Collyns Hutson to receive remote homebound services during a special meeting on March 1, 2024.

Homebound students normally complete assignments from home but receive at least four hours of face-to-face instruction from a teacher during the week.  Collyns and her mother are currently staying in the Houston area awaiting a procedure related to her medical condition.  The waiver allows her to participate remotely through innovative technology without face-to-face instruction.

Collyns, 10, is suffering from Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHT is a disorder in which some blood vessels do not develop properly. A person with HHT may form blood vessels without the capillaries.  The space between an artery and a vein is often fragile and can burst and bleed much more easily than other blood vessels.

However, with a VGo robot, Collyns is interacting with other students and to remain active in class.  The robot allows her to have classroom experiences and social interactions from the safety of her temporary home.  The device was provided in partnership with the Region 11 Education Service Center.

According to the company, the device allows students with special health needs to receive the same instruction as their peers, move around classrooms independently, socialize with friends and participate in a full school day with their classmates. 

Last December, the Godley community united to honor Hutson and her family during Heart of Gold basketball games, raising $16,500 to assist with medical and travel expenses.