I pen this petition from a place close to my heart. For over a decade, Baxter Elementary School had been more than a place of work for me. It had been, and remains, a nurturer of dreams and a cultivator of potential, playing a pivotal role in shaping community, mine included, having had the honor of having my own granddaughter attend the same institution.

Yet, today, we stand on the precipice of losing our beloved Baxter. The closure of the school would mean more than just a loss of physical space. It would tear at the very fabric of our community. Schools play a critical role in child development outside core academia, offering essential social resources and fostering unity within communities. According to data from the National Education Association, school closures can have long-lasting deleterious effects such as lowering academic achievement for displaced students, exacerbating segregation and inequality, and decimating local economies.

The loss of this specific school, Baxter Elementary, would affect hundreds of students and their families negatively, not to mention the staff that has dedicated their lives to fostering a nurturing educational environment. Our school provides breakfast and lunch to all students and our community food pantry feeds our families in need over long weekends and holidays. The YMCA provides before and after school care. Baxter also houses an SLC program that’s elimination could be quite detrimental to these students where routine is of the utmost importance.

We cannot, we must not, stand idle while this transpires. Our community, our children, deserve more. Let us stand together, united in purpose, and demand the prevention of Baxter Elementary's closure. Sign the petition, let your voice be heard, and help save Baxter Elementary.