Eagle Edition
July 30, 2026
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,
What a fantastic, high-energy first week of school! It has been an absolute joy having our hallways filled with laughter, learning, and connection once again. Seeing so many familiar faces - and welcoming so many wonderful new families to our Crew - has made this week truly special. (And on a personal note, I can’t believe how much taller our 1st and 2nd graders got over the summer!)
Our students and staff have hit the ground running. Classrooms have spent the week practicing daily routines, building strong connections, and setting expectations to ensure our entire school year starts off on a smooth, positive note.
Attendance Matters: 8:18 AM Start Time: Every minute of the school day counts! Please make every effort to have your Eagle at school and ready to learn before our morning start time at 8:18 AM. Even arriving just a few minutes late can disrupt a child’s morning routine, cause them to miss key instruction, and make settling into the day a bit harder. Let's build strong attendance habits right from week one!
Crucial Arrival & Carpool Safety Reminders: To keep our traffic flowing smoothly and, most importantly, keep every single child safe, please adhere to these two vital procedures:
Park Across the Street to Walk Up: If you drive your child to school but want to walk them up to the building entrance, please park across the street and walk over together using the crosswalk. Leaving vehicles unattended in the carpool lane or looking for a parking spot creates traffic backups and slows down arrival for everyone.
Observe "DO NOT ENTER" Signs: In order to maintain a safe environment during arrival and dismissal, please refrain from turning into the parking lot where it is marked DO NOT ENTER. All vehicle drop-offs and pick-ups must go through the official carpool line.
Bus Transportation: Patience & Staying Connected: During these first few weeks of school, we ask for your grace and understanding regarding bus arrival times. Transportation is actively refining schedules to ensure every student is transported safely to and from school. Please keep your phone nearby during morning and afternoon route times so that if we need to reach you with an updated arrival time, you are easily accessible.
Building Security: Remember your photo ID. As we welcome parents and guests into the building, please remember that every visitor must be scanned in at the front office before entering Glennwood. As you get back into the school-year routine, please get in the habit of bringing a valid photo ID with you every time you come to campus. Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students and staff safe!
STAR Testing Starts Next Week! Starting next week, our Eagles will begin STAR testing. This routine assessment provides us with helpful insights into your child's academic strengths and areas for growth so we can tailor our instruction to their needs. You can help your student feel confident and ready to do their best by making sure they:
Get a solid, restful night’s sleep.
Eat a nutritious breakfast in the morning.
Arrive at school on time with a positive mindset!
Thank you all for an outstanding first week and for your partnership in keeping our school safe, joyful, and focused on learning. Enjoy a wonderfully restful weekend!
With excitement and gratitude,
Bill Howard
bill.howard@csdecatur.net
Proud Principal, Glennwood Elementary
STAR Assessments August 3-14
During the weeks of August 3 through August 14, we will be administering the STAR Math (K-2), STAR Early Literacy (K-2), and STAR Reading (2nd grade) tests. STAR is a computerized adaptive test which helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Students take the STAR tests in the fall, winter, and spring. By taking it 3 times a year, teachers and parents are able to see how their student is growing in the areas of reading and math throughout the school year. We will use this data to help us make informed instructional decisions for our students. The tests will be administered by classroom teachers and proctors in their classrooms. STAR family reports will be shared through Thursday communication folders following the conclusion of testing..
If you have any questions please reach out to our Instructional Coach, Jill Tolsma
News from the School Counselor
Hello Glennwood Families! Welcome to the new school year! I am Glennwood's professional school counselor. This is my 11th year as a school counselor at Glennwood. Before that, I was an elementary teacher with Fulton County Schools. As a school counselor, I do many different things. I will teach classroom lessons on various topics to students, run small groups, and work individually with students (as needed). Additionally, I work with parents and teachers to help make their students more successful. Some of the other areas I work in are as 504 Coordinator, Attendance Team Lead, and Future Readiness Skills (FRS) Ambassador. Outside of school, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Please let me know if I can ever be of any service to you or your students. I can be reached at jblase@csdecatur.net. Let's have a great year!
Welcome to the Glennwood Media Center
SOAR-ing eagles are READING eagles! Our mission is to build a learning community of effective users of ideas and information. This mission is accomplished by:
- Promoting reading and encouraging a lifelong appreciation of books
- Providing access to a variety of materials and technology leading the community to information literacy
- Creating authentic and diverse learning experiences through collaboration and planning that will increase student achievement goals and support the school improvement plan
Students participated in media center orientation this week, and we discussed what makes a great library patron. Please read the patron agreements below and review them with your child.
Kindergarten students will practice checking out books next week and will check out to the classroom first. After a few weeks, once they learn this responsibility well, they will begin taking library books home. (Kindergarten students will visit the library on Wednesday and first and second grade students will visit with classes on Thursdays.)
Parents may also sign up to be library patrons and check out up to five books at a time. If you are interested in becoming a patron, please email: Dee Anna Rittenhouse, Media Specialist at drittenhouse@csdecatur.net for more information.
We are once again able to open the library for after-school hours. Students are welcome to visit and check out books after school when accompanied by a parent/caregiver on Tuesdays through Thursdays until 3:30 pm.
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.
New Curriculum Hub for CSD Families
New Parent Resource: CSD Curriculum Hub is Live! We are excited to announce that the new CSD Curriculum Hub is now officially live on the district website for parents! This online portal gives families easy, transparent access to our scope & sequence and course standards. Feel free to point parents to this resource as questions arise about grade-level expectations and curriculum throughout the year.
GL School Leadership Team (SLT) for 2026-27 - Nominations Due
The GL School Leadership Team (SLT) will hold an election for one open parent position for the 2026-2027 school year. Sending a shout out to GL parent Vanessa Barnes who will be rotating off SLT! Thank you for serving a 2-year term!
The Glennwood Elementary School Leadership Team (SLT) is an elected committee consisting of Glennwood parents/guardians, staff members, a community member, and a district representative. The purpose of the SLT is to make decisions that support the continuous improvement of the school in accordance with the provisions of the District Charter. This year we will have one parent vacancy on the SLT and will have the SLT election in late August. If you are interested in filling one of the vacancies, please complete this form. If you have any questions regarding the SLT, feel free to contact Bill Howard at bill.howard@csdecatur.net.
Nominations are due by Wednesday, August 26th. Thank you in advance for your interest in volunteering your time and serving on the SLT!
Interested in Volunteering or Chaperoning?
To keep all students safe, City Schools of Decatur requires a current background check on file for all volunteers and chaperones. This is especially important for anyone chaperoning a field trip (exploring with a small group of students) or supervising students without a staff member present. Background checks must be renewed every 12 months.
Here is how to complete your background check:
- Step 1: Pay the Fee via Infinite Campus: Log into the CSD Public Store. Click on City Schools of Decatur School Store > CSD Misc. Fees > Background Check Fee ($38). Enter your name and phone number in the comments section before checking out. Be sure to save/print your receipt, as you will need it for your appointment!
- Step 2: Schedule an Appointment: Book a 10-minute slot using the online appointment calendar. Appointments are held at the Wilson Center (125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Note that appointment slots open up 21 days in advance.
- Step 3: What to Bring: Please bring your driver's license and your payment receipt to your appointment. You will fill out a short form, and results (submitted via the GBI) are typically returned within 24 hours.
Room Parent Volunteers Needed
Room Parents support teachers by organizing class events, coordinating parent communications, serving as an extension of the PTO for their classes, and helping build classroom community. Your help will be invaluable this year and we thank you in advance for your interest!
Sign up here by August 12th: https://forms.gle/QywZj2zKEcSEDA9MA
**Please sign up even if you already told the teacher you're interested helps us make sure every class is covered!
Questions? E-mail Noelle at president@glennwoodespta.com
Join the Glennwood PTO!
Liked not having to hunt down school supplies to start the year? Excited about making sure we have fun raffles and engagement events to show our staff how much we appreciate them? Then join the PTO today!
Every donation helps the PTO invest in our students, teachers, and school community. We help fund many offerings and programs such as teacher grants, field studies, facility improvements, and classroom needs.
Sign up here https://www.glennwoodelementarypto.org/membership
As you capture those precious Glennwood moments throughout the year, don’t forget to share them with us! Send your photos to yearbook@glennwoodespta.com along with your student's name, grade & class, and your child might be featured in this year’s Glennwood Yearbook!
