Eagle Edition
Glennwood Elementary ~ Where Learning Takes Flight
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
Hello Glennwood Families,
Welcome to the 2026-2027 School Year! I hope you all have had an incredible summer filled with sunshine, relaxation, and plenty of well-deserved fun! Whether your break was packed with family road trips, lazy pool days, or just curling up with a stack of great books, I hope it was exactly what your family needed to recharge.
As the calendar turns toward August, I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be back for my second year as your principal. Last year, you all so warmly welcomed me into this community, and after a full year of experiencing firsthand what makes Glennwood so vibrant, I am even more energized for round two! Whether you are a returning family or joining our flock for the very first time, we are so glad you are here. This year is going to be packed with joyful learning, deep friendships, and big milestones.
As an EL Education school, we approach every day with a "Crew" mindset. This means our classrooms are spaces where we work as a team, value every student's voice, and collaborate to achieve our best. It’s a culture of mutual support that stretches across our entire building, and we can’t wait to watch our Crew take flight this year!
Our Shared Focus
In the year ahead, our dedicated team will continue to focus on:
Teacher-led, relationship-rich instruction: At Glennwood, we place a deep emphasis on our students being taught by the incredible human beings in our classrooms. While our Eagles will have exposure to technology when it directly enhances or enriches a lesson, our primary focus is on hands-on learning, active discussions, and direct instruction delivered by our amazing teaching staff - not a computer screen.
High-quality, intentional instruction that challenges, inspires, and engages every student.
Equity and inclusion in every classroom so all Eagles feel a true sense of belonging.
Shared leadership and collaboration between staff, students, and families.
Personal Electronic Devices
To help keep our school day focused on learning, play, and face-to-face connections, we encourage students to leave personal electronic devices at home. Students who do bring cell phones, smartwatches, or other connected devices to school will be expected to keep them turned off and stored inside their backpack or locker for the duration of the day. Please note that these devices should not be used during the school day or on the bus. Thank you for partnering with us to help keep our classrooms distraction-free!
Growing Our Crew: Welcome Ms. Thompson!
With a new school year comes some exciting growth for our staff. Please join me in giving a huge, warm Glennwood welcome to our newest team member
Ms. Cynthia Thompson – Special Education Teacher - We are incredibly lucky to add Ms. Thompson's expertise, passion, and heart to our building. I know she is going to do amazing things for our Eagles!
Along with Ms. Thompson and our fantastic Glennwood Crew, our leadership team is back and ready to support your family every step of the way:
Jill Tolsma, Instructional Coach
Michelle Reynolds, School Manager
Jonathan Blase, School Counselor
Dee Anna Rittenhouse, Media Specialist
Prepping for Day One
To help you trade in the flip-flops for school shoes, this edition of the Eagle Edition is packed with all the logistics, schedules, and helpful details you need for a smooth, confident transition back into the school routine. Take some time to review it together, and if any questions pop up, please don't hesitate to reach out by phone or email.
Thank you for your incredible partnership, Glennwood. Let’s dust off those backpacks, bring that summer energy into the classrooms, and make it a phenomenal year together!
With gratitude and excitement,
Bill Howard
bill.howard@csdecatur.net
Principal
Class Assignments
Parents will be able to log into the Parent Portal on July 29th. to see who their child’s teacher will be. (Directions on how to access the parent portal are below.) Class placement is a high priority for our staff, and we are very intentional about this process each year. Class changes after this date will only be made under extreme circumstances. Thank you for understanding!
Accessing the Parent Portal
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.
First Day of School
We will welcome students for our first day of school on Monday, August 3rd. Our school hours are 8:20-2:50. Students may arrive in the mornings between 8:00 am and 8:18 am (Please see our Arrival & Dismissal Procedures). Breakfast will be offered between 8:00-8:18 am each morning. Dismissal begins at 2:50. The GL PTO will host its annual Cheers and Tears (coffee and donuts) for parents in the front of the school (weather permitting) from 8:20 am-9:15 am, immediately after dropping students off.
Pick Up Patrol Updates for the 2026-27 School Year
ALL plan changes should be submitted through PickUp Patrol. When making changes, please do not send notes, emails, or call the office, except in an emergency.
Important Action Needed: Please take a few minutes to set up your account so that we can accurately dismiss your child(ren).
New parents will receive a welcome email and a link to register.
Returning Parents: If you have already registered with this email address, you do not need to re-register.Confirm your children’s Default Dismissal Plan
Log into your account and enter your child’s regular daily dismissal plan.Learn more about PickUp Patrol
Access: Add PickUp Patrol to your Home Screen
Read: PickUp Patrol Parent Guide
Video: Getting Started w/ PickUp Patrol
We use PickUp Patrol to track: Plan Changes, Absences, Early Dismissals, Late Arrivals, Daily Dismissal Plans (default plans).
If you have questions, please contact Glennwood Elementary at mreynolds@csdecatur.net or support@pickuppatrol.net.
Glennwood Elementary & the PickUp Patrol Team
Helpful Glennwood Contacts
- If you need help with curriculum or academic questions, contact our Instructional Coach, Ms. Jill Tolsma at jtolsma@csdecatur.net.
If you need help with general school or registration questions, Michelle Reynolds is our School Manager - mreynolds@csdecatur.net or call 404-370-4435 ext. 0.
For medical-related questions, please reach out to our School Nurse, Alta Crawford at 404-370-4435 ext. 1 or via email: alta.crawford@csdecatur.net
If you need help with a counseling request, contact our School Counselor, Mr. Jonathan Blase at jblase@csdecatur.net.
- For instructional technology or library questions and communications, contact our Library Media Specialist, Dee Anna Rittenhouse at drittenhouse@csdecatur.net.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Kindergarten
Kindergarten students who walk to school should enter through our front entrance. Parents can give them a huge hug and well-wishes right outside the door, and staff will escort students into the school to their teachers. We will have plenty of staff stationed throughout the building during arrival and dismissal to ensure that our new students know where to go. Kindergarten students arriving by car will enter the building through our side doors near the auditorium at the carpool circle. There, a staff member will greet and escort them to the auditorium to meet their teacher before being walked to class.
Arrival and Dismissal for K-2
Providing safe arrival and dismissal routines are a high priority for our staff. Please carefully read over the following procedures.
Weekly Communication for Families
The Eagle Edition, a school-wide weekly newsletter/eBlast will be emailed to families each Thursday. This eBlast is sent to the email addresses in the parent portal. Please ensure all contact data in your portal account is updated and correct.
If you are not receiving eBlasts or text communication from Glennwood, please contact Dee Anna Rittenhouse at drittenhouse@csdecatur.net. The GL website is also a great resource and the weekly newsletters are archived on the website in the Families section.
New State Law: Personal Electronic Devices
Students will not be allowed to use personal electronic devices during school, such as cell phones and smart watches, starting this school year. Devices brought to school must be kept in backpacks.
Cheers and Tears
Cheers and Tears is a long-standing Glennwood tradition on the first day of school. The event will take place after morning drop-off on Monday, August 3rd from 8:20 am – 9:15 am. Please join us to toast (or cry) with other Glennwood parents, as we commemorate the first day of this school year. We will have coffee and donuts so come and join us!!
Kindergarten Playdate
Rising Kindergarten families get to know your fellow classmates and parents on the Glennwood Playground for a playdate on Saturday, August 1st from 3:00-4:00 PM.
Join the Glennwood PTO!
The GL PTO Rocks! As you can see from the events above, they are super-involved in all back-to-school activities and much, much more. The PTO works to enhance the educational experience of all Glennwood students by supporting teachers and staff, organizing fundraisers for items not covered by the school budget, and planning and hosting community-building events. Through fundraising efforts, the PTO supports many offerings and initiatives, including classroom libraries, teacher and parent grants, field trips and guest speakers for all students, facility enhancements, and various community-building events.
If you’d like to volunteer at any of our events or on a committee, please fill out our volunteer form here. Please visit our website to learn more and join the PTO! Sign up to the PTO’s website and never miss an event or any important news! (Our protected password code is: FV4WPY) Questions? Email Noelle Holdsworth at president@glennwoodespta.com
PTO Corporate Sponsorships
If you are a Glennwood Elementary parent, friend, relative, or local business and you would like to become a corporate sponsor for our school, we would love to have your support! Funds raised through corporate sponsorships benefit the entire school and is great exposure and advertising for your business.
Please visit our PTO website for more info: https://www.glennwoodelementarypto.org/fundraising Questions? Please email Comment end president@glennwoodespta.com
Free and Reduced School Lunch Information
Please see the information below if you would like to apply for free or reduced lunch. Families can apply for free or reduced-price lunch at any time during the school year. Additional information on the program is available on the Nutrition webpage.
The application for Free and Reduced Lunch is available in the Parent Portal (Infinite Campus). As a reminder, we receive critical federal funding from processing free and reduced lunch applications. It is IMPORTANT for families who may qualify to fill out these applications each school year. Please follow the steps below to access the application. Please contact Nekee Mathis in the School Nutrition Department at nmathis@csdecatur.net for questions and assistance.
Steps to access the online free & reduced lunch application in the Parent Portal:
Step 1: Go to https://www.csdecatur.net/parentportal
Step 2: Click on Campus Parent
Step 3: Log in with the username and password you created
Step 4: Once you have entered your username and password, click the button that says “log on”
Step 5: Click the option MORE in the left menu
Step 6: Click on MEAL BENEFITS
Step 7: Click on CLICK HERE TO START APPLICATION PROCESS
Step 8: You must create a 5 digit pin. Example: 12345
Step 9: Now, you enter your password; it is the EXACT same password you entered when you logged into your parent portal.
Step 10: Complete the application
Please be mindful that it may take up to 10 days to process your application. If you have not received a response after 10 days, please contact Nekee Mathis at nmathis@csdecatur.net for questions and assistance.
If you need assistance completing the application for Free and Reduced lunch please stop by the front office during the Meet and Greet. We will have computers set up and can help guide you through the application process.
The CSD Parent Portal provides important information to assist families in supporting students. For assistance with the Portal, visit this webpage or contact your school's front office.
At the beginning of every school year, it is critical for families to use the Parent Portal for back-to-school readiness. Please take a moment to:
- Complete the Annual Data Update before each school year starts, providing current contact, medical, and other information. From the Portal home screen, select More ⇒ Annual Data Update. Find more details on the annual data update here.
- Register for 2026-2027 bus transportation by indicating your intent for your student (s) to ride the bus while completing the Annual Data Update. After completing the ADU, route information will be available under the Transportation tab in Infinite Campus within 24-48 hours. The student's primary contact listed in Infinite Campus will receive an invitation from the Transportation Department to log into the Stopfinder Bus Tracking App. More information is further down in this newsletter.
Infinite Campus is now using Stripe for all online payment functions in the Campus Portal. Banking and card information must be set up again in the new Stripe portal. Stored payment methods and recurring payments were not transferred between vendors.
Processing fees remain at 2.5% for credit cards and $0.35 for e-checks.
Please log in to Infinite Campus and click "Fees" to check for any balances.
- Apply for free/reduced-price meal benefits: We encourage all families to apply. Families that previously received benefits must reapply every year. Select More ⇒ Meal Benefits.
- Add money to meal accounts, and set up balance alerts and auto-payments. In the Portal, select Food Service.
- Look up teacher contact information. Select More ⇒ Contact List.
- Review CSD's student handbook and Code of Conduct. Additional information is available on the website.
- Submit updated health forms found on the health forms webpage. Please note any medical needs of which school nurses need to be made aware.