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

What a wonderful, spirited, and busy week it's been here at Glennwood!

I want to start by extending a huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us at the Fall Fest this past Saturday! It was fantastic to see so many of our students and families enjoying the games and activities. The energy was infectious, and it was a great way to foster that strong Glennwood pride. We've heard wonderful feedback about the event this year—especially the petting zoo! I think it's safe to say that the biggest star of the day was Piggy Smalls, who was clearly ready for his close-up. A very special thank you goes out to our incredible PTA whose dedication and hard work truly made this year’s Fall Fest an amazing success!

We also had great participation in our Red Ribbon Week spirit days! I want to give a shout-out to our students and staff for showing such commitment. More importantly, this week was a vital opportunity for our young Eagles to make a serious pledge to make smart, healthy choices as they grow. We are grateful for the opportunity to help lay this foundation right here at Glennwood, where learning takes flight. Now, as we look ahead, tomorrow is Halloween, and while we know everyone is excited to trick-or-treat, we kindly ask that you help us keep the focus on learning. Please remember that costumes should be kept at home tomorrow, Friday, October 31. The classroom is a place for learning, and the fun of costumes and candy awaits everyone after school lets out!

Please mark your calendars for an important date next week: Tuesday, November 4th, which is a Digital Learning Day. Students will not report to school on this day. Glennwood students will receive an engaging choice board activity to complete as their assignment for the day. This day is specifically designed to give our community time to participate in the local election. We strongly encourage every eligible adult to take time to vote and let your voice be heard! Consider discussing the voting process with your child at home—it’s a powerful lesson in civics and community involvement.

Last but not least, please note that if you reply “STOP” to any text message from Glennwood, you will automatically stop receiving all text messages from every CSD school. Unfortunately, we are not able to opt you back in on your behalf—this must be done by you through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. To ensure you continue receiving important updates and alerts, please log in to your Parent Portal and verify that your cell phone number is correctly listed and selected for SMS/Text communication. We have also noticed some messages are not being delivered or accepted by certain network providers, so checking your settings will help ensure you receive all future messages from CSD.

Let’s finish this week strong and keep soaring together!

In partnership,

Bill Howard
Proud Principal, Glennwood Elementary

bill.howard@csdecatur.net

We are excited to introduce Naviance Elementary, a program designed to help children explore interests and future possibilities. Naviance Elementary supports early career and college readiness through engaging school-based activities, assessments, and resources.

What is Naviance Elementary?

• Naviance Elementary is a program that introduces students to the concept of future careers and post-secondary options in a fun and engaging way.
  
  

• It's a tool to help students think about their interests and how they relate to different jobs, even at a young age.
  
  

• It will be used for fun activities, quizzes, and projects to build a foundation for career and college planning.
  
  

How will children use it?

• Students will be introduced to Naviance through in-class activities led by their school counselor.
  
  

• These activities will help them explore different careers and think about their own likes and dislikes in a positive way.
  
  

• The goal is to expose them to a wide variety of possibilities beyond common assumptions.
  
  

We are thrilled to help your child build a strong foundation for their future. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

On Friday, November 14, GL will host families for the annual Thanksgiving Luncheon. More information will follow regarding payment methods and the schedule for each class.

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 30, 2025, issue of CSD Weekly, the district-wide newsletter.

Take great pics at the Book Character parade? Plan on taking pics at Fall Festival? 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!

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!

It’s time to recognize the incredible crossing guards who keep our students safe every day! We’ve created a short online nomination form where you can share your appreciation and help us select this year’s Crossing Guard of the Year!

With recent changes to the Safe Routes to School program at the state level, the City of Decatur will be managing the award locally this year. We’d love to receive as many nominations as possible between now and November 5.

Please share the link widely with your PTA/PTO, friends, neighbors, and school communities, and don’t forget to invite students to share their thoughts as well. Hearing directly from the kids who see these crossing guards in action every day makes the recognition even more meaningful and helps us celebrate all the amazing work our crossing guards do.

Thank you for your support in recognizing these everyday heroes who make walking and biking to school safer for everyone. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

https://forms.gle/poHf8CFuRZAU1c2VA

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.