November 2026 Family Newsletter

Dear Baxter Families,

As we begin our third month of school, thank you for your continued support of your child's learning. It was wonderful to see so many families at parent-teacher conferences in October. This partnership between home and school is essential to the success of every student.

One of our key areas of focus continues to be helping students show respect for staff and one another. Respect looks like following directions and school rules, treating others with kindness and helping keep our school safe and welcoming. We are putting a lot of work into this focus area at school and we would greatly appreciate your help reinforcing these expectations at home.

Please review the information below for important updates, reminders, and upcoming events at Baxter. 

Sincerely,

Mrs. Lee, our third grade staff and our third grade students did an outstanding job with our Veterans Day program last week. It was a meaningful event honoring the veterans and active-duty service members.  We were also moved by the wonderful turnout from our families and our community. Your presence made the program even more special and reminded us how fortunate we are to be part of such a supportive community.

A huge shout-out goes to the Baxter Elementary volunteers who helped create such a memorable day for our veterans, students, and staff. Thank you as well to our student council members, who helped tremendously in preparing for the big event. From folding programs to decorating the gym, we couldn't have done it without you! And once more, thank you to Mrs. Lee and our entire third-grade team for an incredible performance.

Finally, I want to recognize our K–4 students in the audience. They were respectful and attentive throughout the program and honored our veterans and active-duty service members just as they deserve. This would not have been possible without the thoughtful guidance of our amazing Baxter staff. 

Each month, our Student of the Month program highlights a character trait we want to grow in all of our students. This November, our focus is Compassionate Hearts. Staff will be watching for students who show care for others through their words and actions, and we will recognize students who model this trait throughout the month.

You can support this at home by talking with your child about what compassion means, pointing out acts of kindness you notice, and asking them how they showed someone they cared today.

Our student council members are going above and beyond to support our school community, and their hard work is making a real difference at Baxter. This fall, they volunteered at our Halloween Bingo event for our entire school. They also helped create artwork for the third-grade Veterans Day program. Every Monday morning, they lead our school announcements with confidence, helping start each week on a positive note for students and staff.

These students don’t just take on the tasks they are given. They look for ways to make our school better. It is inspiring to watch these young leaders give their time and energy so generously, and we are proud of the meaningful difference they are making in the Baxter Elementary community. 

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!

Here are a few upcoming important dates to mark on your calendar:

Thank you for your continued partnership, trust, and support this school year. It is truly a privilege to work alongside you as we nurture, support, and celebrate your children each day. Whether you are encouraging your child at home, volunteering, or joining us at school events, your involvement makes our Baxter community stronger.

Thank you for trusting us to be part of your child's educational journey and for walking alongside us in this important work. We are so thankful to have you as part of the Baxter Warrior Crew! 💙