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 have an exciting stretch of events coming up at Glennwood, and I’m thrilled to share what’s ahead!

We are excited to share that your child's mid-semester progress report will be available in the Parent Portal at 4:00 PM on Friday, October 17, 2025. Please note that these progress reports are a snapshot in time, not final grades. They provide an overview of your child's academic progress midway through the semester. Teachers will continue entering grades and feedback throughout the term, so your child's report will continue to evolve.

We encourage you to take this opportunity to review your child's progress, celebrate their achievements, and discuss any areas where additional support may be needed. Open communication among parents, students, and teachers remains key to a successful learning experience.

If you have questions or concerns about your child's progress, please don't hesitate to contact their teacher or the school administration. We're here to support your child's growth and success.
Directions to access grades can be found on page 23 of the Grading and Reporting Handbook.

Next up, I’m super excited for my very first Book Character Parade at Glennwood on Wednesday, October 22! I can’t wait to see how our students bring their favorite stories to life through costumes and creativity. This is such a fun tradition that celebrates our love of reading in a joyful, school-wide way. Please remember that Wednesday, October 22 is also an early release day. Students will be dismissed at 12:50 PM.

Then on Saturday, October 25 from 9:00 AM -12:00 PM, we’ll be hosting our Fall Carnival right here at Glennwood! Our amazing PTA has been hard at work planning a fun-filled event for the whole family- including games, activities, and even a petting zoo. We’re so grateful for their efforts to bring us together, and we hope to see many of you there enjoying the fun.

Our annual book fair with Little Shop of Stories will also kick off during the Fall Carnival. This is a PTA fundraiser that benefits our media center earning 20% of all sales.

It’s such a joy to watch our Eagles grow, explore, and shine in so many ways-and I look forward to seeing many of you at the carnival and parade next week!

In partnership,

Bill Howard

Principal, Glennwood Elementary

bill.howard@csdecatur.net

This week, I began a lesson in classes on bullying and conflict resolution in honor of National Bullying Prevention Month. We began the lesson discussing instances of bullying, conflict, and meanness and how this made students feel. We next defined bullying and its different forms (physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying). We made the distinction between bullying and normal everyday conflict. We then watched a bullying challenge video followed by a book in the series of books told from differing perspectives. Finally, we ended with a fun game where students needed to make the distinction between bullying and just being mean. We will continue with additional lessons later in the year surrounding the topic of relationships and how to get along with others.

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!

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 October 16, 2025, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

Today, Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker sent a letter to all families via email to inform the City Schools of Decatur community that the CSD Board of Education has initiated a comprehensive review of K-2 school utilization. This review will assess how CSD's K-2 schools are currently being utilized to ensure that space, staffing, and resources align with student needs while also maintaining operational efficiency and fiscal responsibility.

The Board of Education work session on October 14, 2025, served as a preliminary discussion to review various options, including the potential closure of a K-2 school. The consulting firm Education Planners has been engaged to facilitate this process and presented a timeline for the first time at the work session, along with a detailed overview of the school closure and redistricting process. The board has not yet decided which school, if any, will be closed. There will be opportunities for families to share their input in the upcoming weeks.

Please read the full letter in English here. More information and additional language translations of the letter are available on the K-2 School Consolidation & Redistricting Process webpage.

CSD families are invited to upcoming public hearings for feedback on the K-2 School Consolidation and Redistricting Process:

• Wednesday, October 29, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Beacon Hill Middle School, Cafeteria
• Thursday, November 13, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Beacon Hill Middle School, Cafeteria

While we encourage everyone to attend the public input hearings, please also consider submitting your feedback via this feedback form.

If you need assistance with your tickets please reach out to Principal Howard at: bill.howard@csdecatur.net

Garden Gnomies - Every other Friday - Sign Up Here!

Book Fair Volunteers - Opportunities from 10/24 - 10/30 - Sign Up Here!

Fall Festival Volunteers - Oct. 25th - Sign Up Here!

Eagle Bucks School Store - 3x a month - Sign Up Here!

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

We would like to invite y'all to our 2nd Annual Communities in Schools of Atlanta Reading Is Lit event. This event is in partnership with Talley's PTO and the Diversity Activities Committee.

Last year's event was so much fun! We enjoyed having families from the Clairemont, Glennwood and Winnona Park communities. We would like to extend an invitation again for this year's event.

The theme for this year is: Snuggle with a Book. Kids and families are welcome to wear their best book character, literacy or superheroes costumes (scary masks are not allowed). Entrance is free but you must register HERE in advance. Please bring a new or gently used book (lower elementary reading level) to donate. We’ll have music and concessions for sale.