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Eagle Edition
October 12, 2023
Glennwood Elementary ~ Where Learning Takes Flight
Holly Brookins, PhD, Principal ~ Summer Clayton, Assistant Principal ~ Jill Tolsma, Instructional Coach
Email: hbrookins@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/glennwood
Location: 440 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404.370.4435
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gleagles/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Calendar of Events
Friday, October 13
2nd Grade Field Study to Atlanta Botanical Gardens
October 16-20
National Bus Safety Week
Wednesday, October 18
National Unity Day - WEAR ORANGE
Friday, October 20
Community Circle - Ms. VanDuzer's Class Hosting
Saturday, October 21
Fall Carnival & Chili Cook Off
Fall Book Fair Kick-Off
11:00-2:00 pm
October 23-27
Fall Book Fair with Little Shop of Stories &
Socktober and Toiletry Drive
Wednesday, October 25
Early Release Day at 12:50 pm
Flu Shot Clinic at GL from 12:30-3:30 pm
Friday, October 27
Book Character Parade at 8:30 am
Soctober Wild! Sock Day
Thursday, November 2
PTA Spirit Night at Donato's
Friday, November 3
Walk and Roll to School
Community Circle - Ms. Turnipseed's Class Hosting
Where Learning Takes Flight
October Design Principle: The Having of Wonderful Ideas
"Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?"
~Frida Khalo
PTA Fall Carnival & Chili Cook Off - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Glennwood families, please join us on Saturday, October 21st from 11am-2pm to celebrate the return of Glennwood’s Fall Carnival. This year we are combining our Fall Carnival with the Chili Cook Off!
Our Fall Carnival and Chili Cook Off is a family-oriented fundraiser. The funds raised at this event will help and support our school and the Glennwood Community.
The Fall Carnival has fun carnival-like games run by Glennwood Families. Each class is assigned a game booth. Games this year are:
-Cake Walk (Mrs. Marquez’s class)
-Pumpkin Sweep (Mrs. Bennett’s class)
-Bean Bag Toss (Mrs. Jones’ class)
-Pumpkin Bag Race (Mrs. Taft’s class)
-Fish Bowl Toss (Mrs. Turnipseed’s class)
-Pie in the Face (Mrs. Vanduzer’s class)
-Chomping for donuts (Mrs. Kaplan’s class)
-Bottle Ring Toss (Mrs. Ronco’s class)
-Bounce House (Mrs. Rose’s class)
The class that fills all volunteer spots first wins The Golden Pumpkin and a box full of snacks and candy!
WE WILL NEED VOLUNTEERS!!
Tell your high/middle schooler, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc! (Make sure they put “Middle/High student” or “family member of” in the comments.) We can’t do this without you. We will need A LOT of volunteer help to make this event a success. Volunteer shifts are 30 mins, and you are welcome to sign up for more than one spot! Please sign up HERE to volunteer!
If you have a Chili/Stew family recipe or your own recipe that is constantly raved about by your family and friends, this competition is for you! Register HERE to compete in the Chili/Stew Cook Off. There will be prizes for both 1st place meat and 1st place veggie categories. (Prizes are TBD)
If you’d like to donate supplies for the Fall Carnival, please access the link HERE! We will need a lot of cake, cupcakes, pastries and cookies for the very popular Cake Walk! More instructions on the sign up genius.
Our Gardening and DEI committees will be hosting an activity. We will also have SpiritWear and Concessions available and music by Polly Holliday!!
Tickets available now at our website!
If anyone needs financial assistance in order to attend the fall carnival, please reach out to the school counselor, Mr. Blase, at jblase@csdecatur.net. He would be glad to assist you in receiving complimentary tickets for you and your family.
All funds collected from this event will go towards helping our school and our community. Your support means a lot, not only to us but to the whole Glennwood Elementary community! Thank you!
For Fall Carnival questions, please email our Fundraising Chair Lauren Wattenmaker at: Fundraising@Glennwoodespta.com
For Chili/Stew Cook Off questions, please email Nydia Almond at: President@Glennwoodespta.com
For Volunteer questions, please email our Volunteer Coordinator Leslie Sessley at: lesessley@gmail.com
For Sponsorship opportunities, please email Laura Scott at: VP@glennwoodespta.com
Digital Learning Day - November 7
In September 2022, the Board of Education approved the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar, which includes a remote Digital Learning Day on November 7, 2023. The purpose of this day is two-fold. The remote Digital Learning Day will enable all staff to participate in civic engagement on Election Day and provide an opportunity to further grow the digital learning skills of students. Additionally, staff will have dedicated time to participate in training and professional development.
To assist in planning, CSD has attached an FAQ with answers to some frequently asked questions related to the remote Digital Learning Day. Families will receive communications directly from schools about specific digital day learning plans for individual sites. You may access the FAQ Parent Letter HERE.
K-5 students: K-5 students will have the choice of online or offline learning
opportunities. For example, our K-5 students may engage in a digital writing assignment
on the importance of voting that is posted in their Google Classroom, or they can
complete the same writing assignment using paper and pencil. Students can use
family-owned technology to access online materials or request a CSD device or hotspot.
Families who want to request a CSD device for the Digital Learning Day are asked to
complete a request form and send it to school by Oct. 20. The forms are available in
Arabic, English, Japanese, Mandarin, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish,
and Vietnamese. You may access the request form HERE. Please complete this and return it to your child's teacher by October 20.
Book Fair Volunteers Needed!
WE NEED PARENT VOLUNTEERS! PLEASE SIGN UP HERE.
Book Fair is back the week of October 21-27! Brought to us by Little Shop of Stories with 20% of all proceeds benefitting the Glennwood Media Center. Kids will shop in school during the day and parents are welcome to shop before, during and immediately after school. We will be opening the Book Fair during the Fall Carnival on Saturday, October 21, so please come see us during that event. We need your help volunteering for a shift to make our Book Fair a success!
Eagle Bookstore Donations Needed!
Socktober is back again this year (after a year off)!!! The event will be the week of October 23rd-27th. This year, the charity will again be benefiting Hunger Has No Religion, which serves the unsheltered population of the Atlanta Metro area by providing hygiene essentials and clothing. As years before, students will bring in clean, unused pairs of socks (men's, women's, & children's; unopened packages are fine) and full-sized toiletries for distribution. Toiletries can include soap, shampoo/conditioner, hand sanitizer, baby wipes, q-tips, etc. To sweeten the deal, the top class will receive a dance party and top grade level will receive extra recess. The event will be officially announced to students by Sockules at Community Circle on October 20th. Email Mr. Blase, our School Counselor, at jblase@csdecatur.net if you have any questions.
Who: ALL Glennwood students and families (Kindergarten through 2nd grade)
What: Socktober! To benefit those in our community in need with unused men’s, women’s, and children’s socks and full-sized toiletries.
When: Monday, October 23rd through Friday, October 27th
How It Works: Send in unused socks and toiletries with your students beginning on Monday, October 23rd. There will be a collection basket in each classroom. Each morning, teachers and students will total the number of socks in the baskets. The last day to bring in socks and toiletries is Friday, October 27th. The top class will receive a dance party from none other Sockules! The top grade will receive extra recess! On Friday, October 27th to celebrate the final day to bring in socks and toiletries, the whole school will have a Wild! Sock Day in honor of our collective efforts.
Questions: Reach out to Mr. Blase, our school counselor, at jblase@csdecatur.net
Glennwood Flu Shot Clinic on October 25th
We have partnered with the Dekalb County Board of Health to bring flu vaccinations to Glennwood. DPH will be here on October 25th from 1 to 3:30 PM to give families flu vaccinations. All insurance is accepted except Kaiser and Tricare. There is also a cash price of $40 for the standard vaccine and $77 for the high-dose vaccine (for people over 65 years of age). Parents and siblings or other family members are welcome as well. Take advantage of the book fair and the early release day to get vaccinated against the flu!
We are in need of donations of good condition clothing, shoes and jackets, especially pants (size 5-8). We really would appreciate underwear for both boys and girls as well.
Please provide a change of clothes that can be kept in your child's locker. The playground is muddy, kids spill things, and all kids, even the 2nd graders, have bathroom accidents. The school has a very limited supply of extra clothes and underwear. If your child needs a change of clothes, and we do not have something to fit, we will call you to bring in a change. Having an extra set in their locker will alleviate interrupting your day and will help the child return to class ASAP.
As always, if you have questions, please reach out by email at ebarrington@csdecatur.net or 404-370-4435
In health,
Nurse Beth
Communications Leader Needed
Hello Glennwood Community! The PTA will be in need of a Communications Chair. If you like to stay up to date about the PTA and school events, this role is for you!
Our communications chair gathers information from our committees and sends out weekly PTA updates to the school’s Media Specialist, Dee Anna Rittenhouse and also to our Room Parent Coordinator Sara Loya. This person also updates our Facebook page with current PTA information and our PTA website. This role has the support of the PTA president.
Experience is not needed! Please reach out to Nydia Almond at: president@glennwoodespta.com if you have any questions. We’d love to have you on the board!
Attention Second Grade Families!
Glennwood Staff Appreciation October Snack Table is Hosted by Second Grade
For October, we're asking second-grade families to host a "Spooky Treat and Snack Table" for our staff on Thursday, October 26. A few of these items will be used to help restock the teacher lounge. Please consider signing up HERE to bring in something for our staff. Items can be dropped off with Ms. Reynolds at the front office October 23-25 during school hours and the PTA will assemble the snack table for our staff to enjoy on October 26. We are requesting clean-up volunteers, so please sign up if you can volunteer your time to help clean up.
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 October Snack Table and we'll take care of it for you. If you have any questions, please reach out to Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs: Samantha Bryan or Hui-Chuan Hodges (staffappreciation@glennwoodespta.com). Thank you!
News from City Schools of Decatur
Progress Report Notification
We are excited to inform you that your child's progress report for mid-semester will be available in the Parent Portal at 8:00 AM Friday, October 13th.
We want to emphasize that these progress reports are not static grades. Instead, they represent a snapshot of your child's academic journey at this point in the semester. Teachers will continue to enter grades and feedback throughout the term, and these progress reports will evolve accordingly.
Please take this opportunity to review your child's progress, celebrate their achievements, and identify areas where they may need additional support. Remember that open communication between parents, students, and teachers is key to a successful educational experience.
If you have any questions or concerns about the progress reports or your child's academic performance, please don't hesitate to reach out to the teachers or school administration. We are here to support your child's growth and development.
Grading Feedback Surveys
On Tuesday, October 10th, the initial draft of the grading policy was introduced during the CSD board meeting. We kindly request teachers, students, and parents to offer their feedback on this draft by participating in the following surveys. These surveys will remain accessible from October 11, 2023, through midnight on October 19, 2023.
Super Saturdays
Is your child interested in STEAM? Sign them up for Super Saturday today! CSD teachers & staff will guide K-5 students through STEAM inspired lessons at no charge to families. The time is from 9a - 12p at Beacon Hill Middle School.
Season of Giving
A Season of Giving is a neighbor led organization which helps purchase gifts directly for local children and seniors in need!
To apply for assistance, please complete an online application at https://aseasonofgiving.org/child-application/ by November 4th.
**NEW** Applications may be submitted for any child ages infant through 12th grade!
If you are not in need of assistance, please consider supporting our efforts. To become a donor for A Season of Giving, complete the form at https://aseasonofgiving.org/sponsor/. To volunteer, complete the form at https://aseasonofgiving.org/volunteer/.
Support Positive Behavioral Health with the Decatur Education Foundation
At the Decatur Education Foundation, we're passionately committed to transforming the lives of our students and creating an environment where they can truly thrive. We understand that there are significant challenges that our students face every day — Last year, we provided over $28,000 in behavioral health grants through Joe’s Fund and empowered 60 CSD employees and community members with vital suicide intervention skills through the ASIST training.