Eagle Edition

Bill Howard, Principal ~ Jill Tolsma, Instructional Coach ~ Michelle Reynolds, School Manager

Email: bill.howard@csdecatur.net
Location: 440 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404.370.4435 * Website * Facebook

We’re a couple of weeks into the school year, and already there is so much energy and joy buzzing through our hallways! Thank you all for your continued partnership in making this start so strong. Our Eagles are settling into their daily routines, building strong classroom communities, and showing up every day curious and ready to learn.

Beating the Georgia Heat!

Well, August in Georgia has officially arrived in full force! Between the soaring humidity and the afternoon sun, it is definitely peak "sweat-through-your-shirt" season.

Please know that the safety of our students is always our top priority. We are actively monitoring outdoor temperatures and heat indexes every single day and adjusting our outdoor time and outdoor recess schedules accordingly. On those extra-toasty days, we bring the fun inside or utilize shaded areas so our Eagles stay safe, hydrated, and cool while still getting a brain break!

Come Cheer on Soarin' This Friday Night!

Speaking of school spirit, we have a big district tradition coming up! Join us this Friday evening at Decatur High School for the annual CSD Mascot Race during the football game.

Our very own Soarin’ the Eagle will be lacing up their sneakers and taking to the track to represent Glennwood and defend our title from last year! We would love to see a sea of Glennwood green in the stands. Pack the bleachers, wear your school gear, and bring your loudest cheering voices to show the whole CSD community what Eagle pride is all about!

STAR Testing Shoutout

We also want to give a big round of applause to our students and staff for their focus and hard work during STAR testing this week. Our Eagles did a wonderful job showing what they know, and our teachers created calm, supportive environments in every classroom.

A huge thank you to Sra. Ramos, who is serving as our testing coordinator this year, for organizing and running our testing schedule so seamlessly!

Looking Ahead

• School Leadership Team (SLT) Election: We have one open parent seat on Glennwood’s SLT for this school year. If you are interested in serving and collaborating with staff to help guide our school's strategic goals, please consider submitting a nomination! You can find the nomination form link later in this edition of the Eagle Edition.

• PTO General Meeting & Curriculum Night (Thursday, August 27): Save the date! We will kick off the evening with our first PTO General Meeting at 5:30 PM in the auditorium, followed immediately by Curriculum Night starting at 6:00 PM with a curriculum overview presented by our admin team. Then, parents will head to their child's classroom for a visit. This is a wonderful opportunity to step into your child's learning space, hear about their daily routines and curriculum, and learn how we can partner together for a successful year. Please make it a point to join us for the PTA meeting to start the evening.

Thank you again for all the positivity, flexibility, and support you show our school every day. It is truly a joy to lead this incredible community. Let’s keep this wonderful momentum going!

With excitement and gratitude,

Bill Howard

bill.howard@csdecatur.net
Proud Principal, Glennwood Elementary

Beginning this week, I did a School Counselor Introductory Lesson. We began the lesson by playing a school counseling mystery game with my mystery-magic school counseling box. Students partnered to identify different items from the box and how they are related to what a school counselor is and does. For example, a giant eraser could be related to growth mindset lessons I do on making mistakes and helping solve problems. The students really enjoyed this! Next students selected a beginning of the year book. These books could be related to having "one of those days," beginning of school jitters, or going on a mythical quest and relating that to goal setting. We ended the lesson by playing a school counselor trivia game and have a related challenge. I look forward to teaching more lessons this year with the students!

Kindergarten artists are starting the year off learning about different kinds of lines (and elements of art) and the concept of variety (a principle of design). They explore the questions:

• How many different types of lines can I create?
• What makes them different (style, width, color, etc)?
• How can I show variety in my artwork?

The final artwork will become a Line Monster!

1st grade artists are working on a tromp l'oeil (trick of the eye) Alphabet Soup mixed media artwork. We review the alphabet and letter formation but also explore writing as art - thick and thin lines, color, direction, etc. Next we investigate pattern and repetition to create a tablecloth background using markers and water to create watercolor! Once all pieces are assembled we add some magic shading to create the illusion of depth.

2nd grade artists began the year learning about Op Art (Optical Illusions). We critiqued several artworks and discussed how line, shape, and color are used to create an illusion. For their project students drew a bubble or block letter, added wavy or starburst lines, and applied a contrasting color scheme in an alternating pattern using colored pencils. It's a meditative project with lots of problem solving involved.

The Glennwood Birthday Book program gives you the opportunity to both honor your child on their birthday and help our library collection continue to grow. To honor your child with a birthday book donation, simply complete this form and payment by Friday, September 4.

We welcome friends or other family members to participate in this program, as well. Families are not limited to one book. After receiving your donation, your child will choose a new library book during his/her birthday month during library time. (July and August birthdays will be celebrated in September and June birthdays will be celebrated in May.) We will affix a book dedication label to the inside of the book your child chooses, indicating that the book is donated in their honor to our library.

Your child may keep the new book for two weeks before he/she must return it to the library. This book checkout will be in addition to their regular library book(s). Each participant will have their picture taken with their new book, and we will send the picture to you as a token of our appreciation.

Birthday Book Fundraiser Registration Form

Electronic Payment Link via GL PTO

We recognize all GL students' birthdays on the last week of every month during library time. Questions? Contact Ms. Rittenhouse at drittenhouse@csdecatur.net.

We are in need of children's clothing in sizes 5, 6, 7 and 8 for tops and pants when children need an emergency change of clothing during the school day. We recommend that all students keep a change of clothing in their lockers for emergencies. Please donate any gently used clothing to the nurse's office. Thank you!

Infinite Campus

For parents new to CSD, you will need to set up an account in the Parent Portal which is in our information system, Infinite Campus. Please click here to learn more about how to set up an account. Please reach out to Patrice Moore, District Registrar Enrollment Specialist, with any questions.

Annual Data Update in Infinite Campus

All families (Returning and New Kindergarten) must complete the Annual Data Update (ADU) before the first day of school. The ADU is how families provide critical contact information, update health information, and do sign-offs for the handbook and code of conduct. Directions on how to complete the annual update can be found HERE. It is important for all parents to update/confirm each child’s enrollment information. If you run into any issues completing the annual data update, please reach out to Michelle Reynolds at mreynolds@csdecatur.net or call the office at 404-370-4435. It must be completed by August 14, 2026.

The GL School Leadership Team (SLT) will hold an election for one open parent position for the 2026-2027 school year. Sending a shout out to GL parent Vanessa Barnes who will be rotating off SLT! Thank you for serving a 2-year term!

The Glennwood Elementary School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee consisting of Glennwood parents/guardians, staff members, a community member, and a district representative. The purpose of the SLT is to make decisions that support the continuous improvement of the school in accordance with the provisions of the District Charter. This year we will have one parent vacancy on the SLT and will have the SLT election in late August. If you are interested in filling one of the vacancies, please complete this form. If you have any questions regarding the SLT, feel free to contact Bill Howard at bill.howard@csdecatur.net.

Nominations are due by Wednesday, August 26th. Thank you in advance for your interest in volunteering your time and serving on the SLT!

Purpose & Commitment: The Superintendent's Student Advisory Council is designed as a two-way system of communication between students and the Office of the Superintendent. Students on the council are asked to share their perspectives and experiences with the Superintendent on a variety of issues. Students are also asked to attend each meeting (see dates below). Meetings will be held at the Wilson Center after school in the Superintendent's Office.

CSD is recruiting students to serve on the Superintendent's Student Advisory Council for the 2026–2027 school year. Please read the information below for more details.

Elementary (K-5) Student Council: The Elementary (K-5) Superintendent's Student Council will be made up of two students from each lower elementary (K-2) school and two students from each upper elementary (3-5) school. The K-5 student council will meet at the Wilson Center from 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• Tuesday, September 29, 2026
• Tuesday, December 1, 2026
• Tuesday, January 19, 2027
• Tuesday, March 16, 2027
• Tuesday, May 4, 2027

The application process begins on Monday, August 10. If your child would be interested in applying, before proceeding with this application, please make all efforts to ensure the student submitting it is logged into their CSD Google Workspace account via the CSD Launchpad.

Superintendent's Student Advisory Council Application (2026-2027)

The deadline to submit an application is Friday, September 11, 2026. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by Friday, September 18, 2026.

Read this week's CSD Weekly for district-wide news and information.

We’re excited to welcome back our Garden Gnomies recess garden club - a chance for students to explore, learn, and enjoy our school garden in a fun and low-pressure way. Every other(ish) Friday from 11:30–1:30, the garden will be open during recess for students who want to join in.

In the garden, students might:

• Pick flowers and make bouquets

• Plant seeds or seedlings

• Dig in the dirt and pull weeds

• Water plants

• Observe critters and seasonal changes

• Simply enjoy a peaceful, natural space

Why we love this program:

• It gives students access to nature and hands-on garden learning.

• It requires little of our hardworking teachers.

• It’s free for the school - thanks to parent volunteers & our PTO!

How you can help:

We need parent volunteers to make this program possible! No gardening experience is required! Just a willingness to have fun, encourage students and enjoy time outdoors. Whether you can stay the full two hours or just part of a session, we will be excited to have you! Please sign in at the front office with your ID before joining us in the garden.

Sign Up to Volunteer Here

Your contributions help cover the cost of seedlings, tools, garden maintenance supplies, and other materials we need to make the program a success. When donating, simply select “Garden Gnomies” in the category dropdown.

Donate Here

Our New PTO Website is LIVE!

Exciting News! Our brand-new website is officially live for the school year! ✨

Visit our new online home to join the PTO, grab the latest spirit wear, or make a donation to support our Glennwood Eagles! 🦅💙

https://www.glennwoodelementarypto.org/

Want to make sure your kiddo has some great Glennwood Elementary gear to rock at the first community circle on the 21st? Order by August 18th for backpack delivery!

SAVE THE DATE! Our first Walk & Roll event for Glennwood Elementary is Friday, August 21st! 🚲👟

Walk & Roll is a fantastic part of the Georgia Safe Routes to School initiative, encouraging our Eagles to walk, bike, or roll their way to the classroom! ✨💙

We’ll have 3 “Walking School Bus” routes where students, parents, and staff can trek to school as a team! 🚌🚶 Everyone is invited to join—volunteers will be on hand to make sure every student arrives safely. Stay tuned to next week’s Eagle Edition for specific route details!

Every participant gets to add a marble to the jar at the school entrance—help us reach our goal to earn extra recess for the whole school! 🛝🎉

Questions or want to help lead a walking bus? Reach out to Amanda McMillan at srts@glennwoodespta.com! 📧✨

🦅🎉 Join us for Spirit & Percentage Nights! 🎉🦅

We are thrilled to unite our Glennwood community this school year through these wonderful opportunities to connect and give back! ✨💙

✨ Spirit Nights ✨

Come out for a monthly evening of fun on the Glennwood Playground! 🛝

Join us one Thursday a month from 6–8pm to let the kids play and families connect.

🗓️ Save the dates: August 13th, September 10th, and October 8th!

Join us on the Glennwood Elementary Playground from 6–8pm for an evening of community, fun, and school spirit! 💙✨

Connect with parents and families and let the kids get that end of day energy out together. We can’t wait to see you there!

Mark your calendars and take advantage of lunch or dinner out at Willy's on our first early release day of the year! Glennwood PTO receives 25% of the proceeds! Screenshot the barcode to use in store, or use the promo code GIVEBACK online!

As you capture those precious Glennwood moments throughout the year, don’t forget to share them with us! Send your photos to yearbook@glennwoodespta.com along with your student's name, grade & class, and your child might be featured in this year’s Glennwood Yearbook!