October 2026 Family Newsletter

As we turn the calendar to October, it’s hard to believe how quickly the school year is progressing. The first few weeks have been filled with learning, new routines, and so many opportunities for our students to grow and connect. Walking through the hallways and visiting classrooms, it’s clear that our students are engaged in meaningful learning and settling into the school year with enthusiasm. I’ve also truly enjoyed connecting with so many of our wonderful Baxter families and getting to know more of the people who make our school community so special. It has been a great start to the year, and I’m excited for all that is still ahead! 

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Homecoming Parade! From the handmade Baxter Warrior posters and the singing of our Baxter School Song to the smiles and excitement of our students and families, the parade was a joyful celebration of our Baxter Elementary School community and the Brainerd Public Schools family we are so proud to be part of. 

Walking alongside our Baxter Crew and seeing everyone come together was a beautiful reminder of what makes Baxter such a special place. I am truly grateful for each student, staff member, and family who helps make our school community so strong.

Please take a few moments to review this newsletter, as it includes important information about upcoming events at Baxter Elementary. 

Sincerely,

We are excited to introduce Warrior Slips! Warrior Slips are a way for us to recognize students when they are making positive choices and living out the Warrior Way.

When a student earns a Warrior Slip, one part of the slip goes into our schoolwide drawing, and the other part comes home with the student. We encourage you to ask your child about their Warrior Slip and how they earned it!

The slips also help us fill our Baxter Blocks as we work toward a schoolwide celebration. This gives us a chance to recognize individual students while also celebrating our collective efforts as a school community. The more we notice and celebrate the many good things our students are doing each day, the more good things happen. 

We want our students to know that their choices matter and that kindness, respect, helping others, and doing the right thing do not go unnoticed. We are excited to see our students looking for ways to do the right thing, help others, and show what it means to be a Baxter Warrior!

New this year, we are starting each Monday with a schoolwide Google Meet! This is a great opportunity for us to come together as a school community.

This will be a short, consistent time for us to connect as a school, start our week together, and remind students what it means to be a Baxter Warrior. It also gives us another opportunity to notice and name the positive things happening throughout our school community.

We are so excited to welcome Bryan Skavnak, author of Be Nice. The End. and many other amazing books, to Baxter Elementary for an author visit! His work around kindness, empathy, and caring for one another fits seamlessly with the work we are doing at Baxter and the kind of school community we are continuing to build together. We can’t wait for our students and staff to learn from and connect with him!

At Baxter Elementary, we are committed to fostering strong character in our students by highlighting a positive character trait each month. In September, we recognized students who exemplified what it means to be respectful members of our school community. Respect is a foundational value that we will continue to emphasize throughout the school year, as it influences how we treat ourselves, others, property, and the learning environment. 

For the month of October, our focus is on the character trait of being an Upstander. Upstanders are students who advocate for themselves and others, and who seek support from a trusted adult when faced with challenging or uncomfortable situations. I’m excited to celebrate the many students who consistently demonstrate this important quality in their daily actions.

This year, we have decided to celebrate our September and October Students of the Month together during a special assembly in late October. This will allow us to make the assembly a little longer and give families extra time to join us, celebrate their students, and recognize the positive contributions they are making to our school community. We are looking forward to celebrating these students and giving them the recognition they deserve! 

I am excited to announce the launch of the Baxter Elementary Student Council for the 2026-2027 school year. Our 4th grade students recently had the opportunity to apply for student council by preparing and presenting speeches to their classmates. We look forward to offering a second opportunity for additional students to join the council as representatives during the second half of the school year.

Our student council plays an important role in shaping the culture of our school. As members, students will take part in a variety of activities, including:

Join us for our Annual Drive-In Movie Night! 

Mark your calendars for October 9 at 7:00 PM for a fun-filled evening featuring Ratatouille, brought to you by our amazing PTO!  Our parking lot will open at 6:00 PM!

This is a FREE family event, and you can pre-register here!  Bring your own dinner, settle in for a movie under the stars, and enjoy Red’s Shaved Ice, available for purchase!

If you’re interested in volunteering, you can sign up here!

All visitors to Baxter Elementary will be asked to present a government-issued ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport card) upon entering the building. This is part of our Raptor security system, which quickly scans IDs and checks them against a national database to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

The term “visitor” includes parents/guardians and community members who come for school events, classroom parties, dropping off materials, or other large-group activities. Classroom visits and field trip support will always be coordinated directly through your student’s classroom teacher.

We love our volunteers! To participate as a classroom volunteer, working in the classroom, field trip chaperone, book fair helper, or in any other volunteer role, the district requires two important steps each year.

Step 1: Complete the Volunteer Application

Step 2: Read the Volunteer Guidelines and complete the Verification Form.

Please note: Applications take 5–7 business days to process. Be sure to plan ahead if you’d like to help with an upcoming event or field trip. 

We are excited to welcome families to our upcoming Donut Days at Baxter Elementary, October 27–29! Stop by before school to enjoy a donut treat with your child. To help spread out the fun (and the donuts!), we have designated days based on the first letter of your child’s last name:

We hope this schedule will help create a comfortable and enjoyable experience for everyone. If you are unable to attend on your child’s designated day, please feel free to join us on one of the other dates. We look forward to seeing you!

Students are welcome to bring Halloween costumes on Friday, October 30th. If your child chooses to bring a costume it must be sent in a bag and labeled with your child's name.

❌ No masks, weapons, clown costumes, or violent/inappropriate themes.

❌ No aerosol sprays (e.g., hair paint, glitter) in school—these can trigger asthma. If families choose, students may apply these before coming to school.

❌ All make-up, face paint, or hair styling should be done at home to save time at school.

These guidelines are in place to help us to ensure that we have a safe and positive environment for all students while we celebrate.

Here is a monthly reminder about our volunteer policies and procedures. This will help ensure that anyone interested in volunteering completes the required paperwork in advance. All visitors to Baxter Elementary will be asked to present a government-issued ID (driver’s license, state ID, or passport card) upon entering the building. This is part of our Raptor security system, which quickly scans IDs and checks them against a national database to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

The term “visitor” includes parents/guardians and community members who come for school events, classroom parties, dropping off materials, or other large-group activities. Classroom visits and field trip support will always be coordinated directly through your student’s classroom teacher.

We love our volunteers! To participate as a classroom volunteer, working in the classroom, field trip chaperone, book fair helper, or in any other volunteer role, the district requires two important steps each year.

Step 1: Complete the Volunteer Application

Step 2: Read the Volunteer Guidelines and complete the Verification Form.

Please note: Applications take 5–7 business days to process. Be sure to plan ahead if you’d like to help with an upcoming event or field trip. 

Thank you for supporting our students at Baxter!