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Welcome to Baum Elementary School! By providing a safe and nurturing environment, we are dedicated to preparing our students to become productive, caring, socially responsible individuals. These goals are reached through the combined efforts of family, school, and community. Mission
At Michael E. Baum Elementary, we will collectively build a safe, respectful, nurturing, and inclusive environment focused on maximizing each child’s ability to succeed in learning and life.
Vision
At Michael E. Baum Elementary, we will prepare our scholars with the skills and mindset to thrive and take on the world.
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Our school is named for a 21-year-old Decatur man who was killed in the Vietnam War.
Michael E. Baum was born on July 29, 1948, at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. His family relocated to Decatur. His father was a sergeant in the police department and his mother was a nurse. Michael was the oldest of four children, with siblings Maribeth, Russ, and James. He attended Roosevelt Junior High and graduated from MacArthur High School in 1966. He liked to shoot pool and ride motorcycles. He worked at Kelly's Potato Chips and Steak & Shake. He loved kids and wanted to be a teacher.
Michael attended college for one year in Houston, Texas, before he was drafted as a medic in the U.S. Army. He served as a Medical Corpsman (Combat Medic) and was assigned to B CO, 23RD MED BN, AMERICAL DIV. He died in Vietnam on July 18, 1970. PFC Michael E. Baum was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor, with Combat Distinguishing Device (V) and with the Oak Leaf Cluster, for exemplary heroism under fire.
