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

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Curriculum Night last week! It was such a pleasure to welcome you into the building, and we are grateful for the strong turnout. Your partnership plays a vital role in your child’s success, and it was great to see so many of you connecting with our teachers and learning about what’s to come this year.

Community Circle – This Friday!

We’re excited to see you at this Friday’s Community Circle, hosted by Ms. VanDuzer’s class!

• Doors open for families at 8:18 a.m.
  

• Community Circle begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium.

• We encourage all families to attend and stand around the perimeter of the space so students can sit with their classes in the center. These special gatherings are an important part of how we build community at Glennwood—thank you for helping make them joyful and meaningful!
  

Battle of the Bands – Let’s Defend Our Title!

Please join us at Legacy Park for the CSD Battle of the Bands on Saturday, September 13, from 2:00–8:00 p.m. Last year, our very own Flock of Eagles helped Glennwood win first place and secure a $1,000 music grant for our school. With your support, we’re aiming for a repeat victory! Bring your spirit and your Eagle pride—we need a strong student and family presence to help us win again!

Attendance Matters – Every Day Counts!

As we get deeper into the school year, I want to take a moment to highlight the importance of strong attendance. Showing up to school each day has a huge impact on student success—not just academically, but also socially and emotionally.

• Missing just 2 days each month can add up to nearly a month of lost instruction by the end of the year.
  

• We've included a Georgia "Attendance Matters" flyer in this newsletter as a helpful visual to show how absences can accumulate and impact learning.
  

While we want students here every day, we also understand that illness happens. If your child is sick, please keep them home to rest and recover—and to help prevent the spread of illness to others. Use your best judgment, and never hesitate to reach out to Nurse Alta if you’re unsure or want to keep her informed about your child’s health needs.

Additionally, we ask families to limit vacations to the scheduled CSD breaks whenever possible. We understand how tempting it can be to plan trips outside of those windows, but your child’s consistent presence in class is essential to their academic growth and social connection. Every day in class matters.

Thank you for being such a thoughtful and engaged community. Whether it’s supporting events like Community Circle, cheering at Battle of the Bands, or helping establish strong attendance habits at home, your involvement makes a powerful difference. We appreciate you!

In partnership,
Bill Howard
Principal, Glennwood Elementary

bill.howard@csdecatur.net

From September 3-5, all first-grade students will be taking the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). Unlike traditional achievement tests, which measure how well a student has learned the curriculum, the CogAT assesses a child's ability to reason abstractedly and recognize patterns and relationships in the world around them. Teachers can use CogAT scores to better understand a student's pattern of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Our school district also uses CogAT scores to screen for cognitively gifted students. Testing will continue through next week.

Each fall semester, the gifted review team looks at existing student data to discuss students’ needs and determine if further evaluation for gifted identification is needed. If you are interested in having the team discuss your child’s needs, you may complete a Recommendation for Review Form (found at the website below) and turn it into the Gifted & Talented Specialist at your child’s school before Wednesday, October 1. No additional information is needed. The Gifted & Talented Specialist for Glennwood is Susanna Shewan. Please use this LINK to find a copy of the Recommendation for Review Form. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Shewan at sshewan@csdecatur.net or visit CSD's gifted program website.

Read the September 4, 2025, issue of the district-wide newsletter, CSD Weekly here.

Kroger Community Rewards makes fundraising easy! Link your card rewards shopper’s card to Glennwood Elementary School PTA.

Note: A digital account and a rewards shopper's card are required for the Community Rewards program so that your transactions apply.

We encourage you to get involved and make a difference! Your participation directly benefits our students and staff by providing essential supplies and funding educational initiatives.

You can stay up-to-date on all events and announcements by creating your profile on our PTA Website. Please use code FV4WPY to join.

📸✨ Share Your Glennwood Memories! ✨📸

We’d love to feature your special Glennwood moments in this year’s yearbook! Send your photos to yearbook@glennwoodespta.com as you capture all the special moments. Don’t forget to include your student’s name, grade, and class. Let’s capture the memories together!

Stay up-to-date with all things Glennwood and tag us! Our PTA Facebook Page on IG and FB, as well as our parents page: Glennwood Parent's Page