Golden Apple: Baxter Elementary Geared Up for School as the ‘Adventure Begins Here’

Each year, Baxter Elementary selects a theme to help bring the whole school together. Last year’s theme was “Together We Grow,” and this year, teachers and staff are telling students that “Adventure Begins Here.”

The theme is meant to to raise student morale and encourage progress throughout the year.

“We’re highlighting everything about climbing mountains and coming together as a team and being able to persevere through different things, reading and bringing in families and really having a lens on, how can we grow together in that way?” said Baxter Elementary STEM teacher Tanika Clements.

Baxter Elementary is now in its fifth school year in its new building, and with each year comes a new theme that provides unique memories. Staff have seen that students have responded with more investment in their growth, especially as students reach higher grades.

“As they’ve watched, especially our fourth graders who have seen theme after theme after theme, they really get to see the growth and the end result with that,” explained 4th grade teacher Kayelee Freeman. “And when they’re connected to it and they’re excited about it, they’re more engaged in that growth.”

Throughout the year, students can earn adventure slips. These slips recognize students who are doing their jobs, showing expected behaviors, and going above and beyond. By the end of the school year, all the paper mountains put up on the school’s walls will be blanketed with slips.

“Any staff in the building can give them out when they notice the kid doing their job or doing something above and beyond,” said 2nd grade teacher Laura Jerve. “And they get a slip and it gets read over the announcements, so the kids get really excited about hearing their names and it really helps build that sense of community, too, and that excitement around our theme.”

Something else that is important with this year’s theme is family engagement. Staff want to see families take an adventure into the classroom, which not only benefits the students but the parents as well.

“I think it’s important for the students to see that connection and to see that their parents are invested in their education as well,” added Freeman. “But I also think it’s important for parents to see, ‘What is my student working on? What is my student struggling with? What are they doing really well at?’ So that they can bring that home to and support their students and celebrate their students.”

Thanks to the Baxter Elementary Parent Teacher Organization, each student and staff member was provided a school-themed t-shirt.