In The Classroom:

Special education students were given a special Halloween treat Friday when they went to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District office to trick-or-treat in a safe environment created just for them.

A conference room was turned into a haunted house for the day, with caution tape, strobe lights and a machine that produced fog-filled dry-ice bubbles.

The tradition began with the district’s transportation department, and has expanded to several others like student services, human resources and information technology.

A parade of costumed kids with Halloween buckets collected pencils, stickers, bracelets, toy cars and other non-edible goodies given out by district employees.

“I was really excited because I don’t get to see the kids anymore; I used to drive the bus,” dispatcher Terry Acker said. She has put on the event with Transportation Director Pete Meslin’s blessing for six years.

“These are the children who are severely handicapped, and don’t get to go trick-or- treating,” Acker said.

Many get to wear Halloween costumes only for the event; they dressed up as superheroes, cowgirls and Disney princesses.

Likewise, district employees arrived as candy corn, fighter pilots and witches.

“You can’t do enough for them,” former bus driver Rebecca Christensen said. “It’s just a treat for us to see them all in their little costumes.”

Many of the bus drivers have developed special bonds with the children they have transported for so many years.

Doris Bustillos, who has been a bus driver at the district for 18 years, said she has participated in the event since its inception.

“I like to dress up every year and do this for the kids,” she said.

For bus driver Eduardo Salcedo, the day marked a new experience.

“This is my very first year,” he said. “This is great. I love it. To be honest with you, I didn’t know what to expect. But when you see the faces of the kids, you can tell how excited they are.”