NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — At one New Braunfels ISD elementary school, every day starts with a costume party. Since August, special education teacher Adrian Baker has dressed up as students get dropped off at Walnut Springs Elementary
On Tuesday, the drop-off zone at the school transformed into a Mario Kart Course, as students race in to start their school day.
Waiting to o greet them--none other than Mario, Luigi, and a Banana.
"It's a lot of fun. Just brings me lots of joy and happiness," Adrian Baker, who is dressed up as Mario Bros., was a teacher for 8 years before leaving for the corporate world.
"Then came back to teaching, just subbing and realized how much I loved it and missed it," Baker said. "And then I've been teaching here for almost two years now."
On a morning much like this one two years ago Baker’s assistant principal Jacquelyn Winters was remembering an old counselor who would dress up a few times a month.
"I'm like, oh, that's a good idea. Let's do this Friday," Baker recalled.
So last year, what started as a Friday thing, turned into a several days a week.
"Then if I didn't dress up, the parents were like, hey, what's up," Baker said.
This year, she decided to dress up in a different costume every day.
"Whether it's a tutu with a crazy hat and a tail or unicorn slippers or whatever, whatever sort of, you know, strikes my fancy," Baker said.
Sometimes other teachers will join in on the fun, and the students love it.
"It's really fun. It makes me happy," Steven Cooke, a second grader, said. He said his favorite costume would have to be Mario.
"It's because I really like Mario and I like Wario a lot," Cooke laughed.
Student's parents seem to enjoy it also.
"We all guess in the car what she's wearing every day," Cooke said.
Leigh Ann Bailey, principal at Walnut Springs, said there are too many cute costumes to pick a favorite of Baker's. She enjoyed when Baker dressed up as SpongeBob and Patrick.
"That's what it's all about. You know, if you're going to be here every single day and this is where the kids are growing up, we want it to be a happy place," Bailey said.
Baker’s excitement is felt with every good morning. Not only does she dress up, she will also play music.
"I think her goal in life is to bring people joy all the time. And she does a really good job of it," Bailey said.
Whether she’s waving, dancing or chasing small dogs down the sidewalk in costume, there’s still no disguising her love for the students.
"My goal teaching, i was going to make a difference every day," Baker said.