Paxton Keeley Elementary School

WALE ALIYU
news@columbiamissourian.com
Opened in 2001, Paxton Keeley Elementary is the newest school in the Columbia Public School district.

Named after Mary Paxton Keeley, the first woman to graduate from MU’s school of Journalism, it has been growing ever since. Last school year, there were 686 Paxton Keeley Comets roaming the halls, its largest student enrollment ever.

The school colors are red, white, and blue, showing the students’ and faculty’s pride for the country. But when they want to show pride for their school, they sing their school fight song.

Naming the elementary after an MU graduate wasn’t its only university affiliation; their school fight song was developed to the tune of the Missouri fight song. Principle Elaine Hassemer sees the connections that the school has.

“Just having that song helps builds the community, and brings families together,” she said.

Hassemer, who transferred from Fairview Elementary, is proud to be the Comet’s principle since the opening of the school.

“I really love the families we work with, but it’s the whole package, she said. “The families, and the staff is very professional and all of that together makes it a great place.”

In the school song, the students sing about school pride, building their community, and end with the school’s five major themes.

Paxton Keeley is an English Language Learners school and prides itself on building great K-5 students for Columbia’s public middle schools. One of the schools students may go to afterwards is Ann Hawkins Gentry, Mary Paxton Keeley’s great-grandmother.

School Song: (to the tune of MU Fight Song)
We’re the Comets of Paxton Keeley
And we are number one!
All our teachers and friends and parents
Make Paxton Keeley fun!
A community of lifelong learners
And friends we’ll always be,
Kind, safe, cooperative, respectful and
Responsible are we!