Entering Broad Street Elementary School in Butler is like walking into a magical winter wonderland where every child is happy at Christmas, and it’s all thanks to a retired state trooper with a heart full of love for the students he protects.

Jim Green, who is affectionately known as “Officer Jim” at Broad Street Elementary, retired in 2016 from Troop D in Butler and began working as a school police officer in the Butler Area School District.

“I retired on a Friday and started with the district on Monday,” Green said.

He worked at Center Township Elementary School for a few years before moving to Broad Street Elementary when it was reopened in the 2021-22 school year.

But before his move, Green had the idea to brighten up the Center Township entrance during the second Christmas of the coronavirus pandemic.

“They had some spare Christmas decorations there and myself and another officer decided we were going to decorate the place,” Green said. “We even bought presents for the kids who were still going to school.”

When he moved to the newly reopened Broad Street school, he repeated the practice of decorating the entryway.

This year, Officer Jim vastly increased the amount of Christmas decorating he completed at the school.

Silver snowflakes flutter near the ceiling, a backdrop with a fireplace outfitted with stockings was hung behind a large Christmas tree.

In photos, the backdrop looks surprisingly real.

Two other backdrops portray wintry scenes with white-tipped pine trees and snowflakes falling down.

A shelf just inside the entryway displays a collection of ceramic gingerbread houses.

Green wrapped wires with more than 2,000 lights around the Christmas tree’s boughs and hung dozens of festive ornaments.

Green’s sweet display also stretched down the hallway from the entrance.

“This summer, I knew I wanted to do the hallway as Candy Cane Lane,” he said.

Four-foot, red-and-white foil candy canes were placed along a brick wall Green made using plastic sheeting. Green added icicles to enhance the scene.

Green buys all the decorations himself by hitting garage sales in the summer as well as buying items online.

“I think I made Amazon’s year this year, because I bought a lot of this stuff from them,” he said.

He won’t divulge the amount he has spent decorating Broad Street Elementary.

“The money is worth the memories,” Green said.

He frequently takes pictures of the students against the backdrops, then prints them out and hangs them on a “Welcome to Candy Cane Lane” bulletin board.

One fun activity associated with Green’s Christmas scene is the daily hunt for Elf on the Shelf at the school.

Green hides a tiny version of the Christmas elf somewhere in the school, and the first five students to find the elf win a Squishmallow at the school Christmas party.

He planned for 65 of the popular pillowy toys to be handed out at the party.

Festively wrapped packages under the tree also will be given away at the party by pulling students’ names from a hat.

Green is responsible for those presents, too.

Green enjoys seeing the children looking for the Elf on the Shelf when they arrive in the morning and throughout the school day.

He said some teachers take their students on an elf hunt.

“If he’s not found by lunchtime, I’ll give a hint on the school intercom,” Green said. “I love seeing their faces when they’re hunting for the elf.”

Green said the sizable display takes about 2 1/2 weeks to complete. He starts during Thanksgiving break.

“That was the best, to see their reactions to it,” he said. “I want to give them something to remember when they are 40 years old.”

The items will come down during Christmas break and be stored at the school until next year.

Green said he is not a Christmas fanatic whose home is heavily decorated.

“We do a Christmas tree in the living room, but my wife does that,” he said.

Vanessa Boyd, principal at Broad Street Elementary, said Officer Jim’s is the first face students see when they get to school.

“He takes that role extremely seriously,” Boyd said.

She said Green’s goal is not only to protect students and ensure they are safe, but to make their school days as bright as possible.

“Officer Jim understands the vision of Broad Street Elementary School,” Boyd said. “As the seasons change, he changes the entryway so everyone who enters the building feels welcome.”

She called Green’s Candy Cane Lane display “above and beyond the call.”

The young students at the school also have nothing but kudos for their friend, Officer Jim. Several third graders sang his praises on Wednesday.

“They make my school day feel better,” Annabelle Strausser said of Officer Jim’s decorations. “I love them and they’re beautiful.”

Her favorite is the silver snowflakes hanging from the ceiling that bob around in the breeze when the school’s front door is opened or closed.

“I feel really happy he would go out of his way to do this for everyone at Broad Street,” said Zayne Blouse.

Alianna Westbrook called the decorations “beautiful.”

“I would feel sad if they weren’t here,” she said. “I’m happy that he did this for us.”

Her favorite is the snowy backdrop hung just inside the school’s door.

Liam Bailey said his favorite of Officer Jim’s decorations is “everything.” He is appreciative, but not surprised, at the display, given Officer Jim’s daily demeanor at school.

“Officer Jim is nice and happy and jolly,” he said “I’m grateful.”

Green said he will continue the display each year.

“I love it,” he said. “It’s like a family here with the kids and their parents.”