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

I hope this message finds you well! As the cooler weather settles in and the holidays approach, we have a wonderful few weeks ahead focused on community and gratitude here at Glennwood.

Join Us for Our Annual Thanksgiving Lunch!

One of the most cherished traditions in CSD, and certainly here at Glennwood, is our annual Thanksgiving Lunch, and we are so excited to invite you to join us! This is a wonderful opportunity to share a meal, reflect on the season, and bring our entire Eagle community together.

Our Thanksgiving Lunch is scheduled for Friday, November 14th. Instructions on how to purchase tickets, along with the detailed time slots for each class lunch and information about the flow for the day, are included in this newsletter. Please note that tickets must be purchased in advance by November 9. We truly hope you can join us for this special event!

Important Safety Reminders for Arrival & Dismissal

As we prepare for a busy few weeks, I want to revisit a few key reminders regarding arrival and dismissal. The safety and smooth start to the day for every student and staff member is our top priority, and we need everyone's cooperation to make it happen.

Starting next week, we will be placing safety cones along the carpool lane. We are requesting that all parents drive within the cone line to ensure there is enough space for everyone to safely exit their vehicles onto the sidewalk.

We also kindly ask that you patiently wait at the top of the drive to be cleared and sent down to the carpool lane by Ms. Shewan. It is extremely important that everyone observes the STOP sign at that location.

To ensure the safety of our students, please remember to avoid the following actions in the carpool line:

• Speeding as you approach or drive through the carpool line

• Passing or driving around other cars in the line

• Having students exit or enter on the driver’s side of the vehicle

• Leaving your car unattended

• Dropping students off before 8:00 AM or after 8:18 AM in the carpool lane

• Parking in handicap parking at arrival or dismissal to drop off or pick up students

• Double-parking along the front drive entrance before 7:50 AM

• Entering through the one-way exit lanes at the top of the parking lot

For dismissal safety, if you need to make any changes to your child's after-school transportation plan, please ensure you update it in Pickup Patrol by 2:00 PM.

Additionally, all early student checkouts must be completed by 2:30 PM. This hard deadline allows us to focus entirely on a safe and orderly dismissal process for all of our Eagles. We will not be able to check students out after 2:30 PM.

Thank you for your help in keeping all of our Eagles safe and accounted for as they arrive and dismiss each day. Your cooperation in reinforcing these safety routines is truly invaluable!

In partnership,

Bill Howard
Proud Principal, Glennwood Elementary

bill.howard@csdecatur.net

On Friday, November 14, GL will host families for the annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. Registration is open from Friday, October 31 to Sunday, November 9 in the Parent Portal. More information about timing is forthcoming. Payment instructions are below. Students are limited to two guests. The cost is $5 per person. Please present a printed or digital receipt upon arrival to serve as your ticket.

Thanksgiving Luncheon Schedule

Kindergarten:

Ronco: 10:45-11:15-Cafeteria

Rose: 11:00-11:30-Cafeteria

Siegel: 11:15-11:45-Auditorium

First Grade:

Bennett: 11:50-12:20-Cafeteria

Kaplan: 12:00-12:30-Auditorium

Turnipseed: 12:15-12:45-Cafeteria

Childs: 12:20-12:45-Class or Cafe (1st table by water fountain)

Second Grade:

Jones:12:30-1:00-Cafeteria

Marquez:12:45-1:15-Cafeteria

VanDuzer:1:00-1:30-Auditorium

Payment Instructions in Parent Portal:

Shop: Select “School Store,” then select "Nutrition" and then "Products."
Choose item: Click on the Thanksgiving icon, then select the parent's name and the number of guests. (Only two tickets per household). Add the item to your cart.
Review and pay: Confirm the quantity, add any payment options if needed, and enter your email address for the receipt. Click "My cart" and then "Submit payment" to complete the transaction. (Screenshots are provided below for additional help.)

**Remember: Your receipt will serve as your ticket, so please ensure you provide a valid email address.

Calling all storytellers, writers, and authors! Do you have a story to tell? A poem to share? Some fascinating facts about something you've learned? Here's your chance to share it with the world! Announcing the 2025-2026 annual Young GA Authors Writing Competition. Please see the flyer attached for further details! The deadline for writing submissions is Friday, November 14th by 9:00AM. Writing submissions will not be accepted after this date.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Instructional Coach, Jill Tolsma, jtolsma@csdecatur.net

Read the November 6, 2025, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

On October 30, Education Planners sent an update about the K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process to the community. The letter is copied below:

"Based on the input received, Education Planners recommends that the City Schools of Decatur proceed with a community-based process to explore additional solutions before the Board of Education makes a final decision. This updated approach will be presented to the school board at the November 11 meeting.

Our recommendation is that four committees guide this next phase:

• Facilities & Finance – enrollment, costs, and capital planning
• Student Experience – instructional programs, transitions, and early-learning access
• Safety & Operations – traffic, walkability, and daily operations
• Culture & Communication – transparency and ongoing engagement

Community members are invited to participate in one of the committees by clicking this link: K-2 School Consolidation Committee Sign Up."

Upcoming Board Meeting and Public Hearing:

• The next Board of Education Meeting is Tuesday, November 11, at the Wilson Center. Here is the BOE meeting schedule: Pre-work Session: 2:40-3:05 p.m., Work Session: 3:05-4:40 p.m.,
• Regular Meeting: 4:50-6:30 p.m., and Public Comment: 6:30 p.m.
• The next public hearing will be Thursday, November 13, 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Beacon Hill Middle School Cafeteria. The community is invited to provide input and offer considerations to Education Planners regarding a potential school consolidation.

Please continue to visit the City Schools of Decatur website at csdecatur.net for the latest information.

For November, we're asking 1st grade families to help show gratitude to our staff on Thursday, November 13th. Please review the available slots and sign up below! Items can be dropped off with Ms. Reynolds at the front office Nov. 11-12th during school hours. PTA will assemble the snack table for our staff to enjoy on Nov. 13th.

If you are unable to purchase items for the table, but would like to donate funds towards the event or to restock snacks in the teacher lounge, the PTA is also collecting monetary donations. Donations can be made here with a note that it is for the November Snack Table and we'll take care of it for you. If you have any questions, please reach out to Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs: Emily McDowell or Kate Myers (staffappreciation@glennwoodespta.com). Thank you! LINK TO SIGN UP!

Let’s show our amazing Glennwood Crossing Guards how much we appreciate them!

We are so lucky to have Ms. Joyce (E. Ponce at Sycamore Pl), Ms. Etta (Commerce at Sycamore Pl), Ms. Carla and Ms. V (E. Ponce at Sycamore Dr) serving our community and keeping us all safe!!

This year, we’re collecting funds to give each of our four crossing guards a special gift from the Glennwood community. If you’d like to contribute, please Venmo Amanda McMillan (@almcmil) by Monday, November 10.

In addition, we encourage all students to make a homemade thank you card for their crossing guard(s) and deliver it personally during the week of November 10th. If you have any questions, feel free to email Amanda at srts@glennwoodespta.com. Thank you for helping us celebrate the people who keep our students safe every day!

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 Parents' Page

DEF's most important fundraiser, Supper & Sips, is next Thursday! The funds we raise at this event are critical to our ability to support the students, teachers, and schools in our community.

When: Thursday, Nov. 6th from 6-10pm

Where: The Chapel on Sycamore

What: Delicious eats and drinks, live music by Polly Holliday, one-of-a-kind auction items (like a private Emily Saliers concert, a bourbon tasting in your home, a week on 30A, tickets to sporting events, and much more!)

Why: DEF is committed to providing opportunities and removing obstacles for ALL Decatur students. Grab some friends and help support DEF's work in our schools and in our community!

Tickets and info can be found here.

Want to volunteer? Sign up here.

The Decatur Parents Network and the Decatur Education Foundation are collaborating to host an event titled "Social Media: Our Kids and the Impact on Mental Health" on November 17 for Decatur parents to have a community conversation on social media and its impact on our kids and their mental health. Parents and caregivers will hear from Dr. Jessica McCain, a local subject matter expert. This event will take place on November 17 at the BHMS Media Center from 6:30 to 8:00. This event is for adults only. Click here for more information.